Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Welcome back to easy cupcake baking with the Loverbees. You're gonna love this one. This is my favorite chocolate cupcake y'all.

Make someone's day with these Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes!

These Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes are visions of chocolate deliciousness. Just picture it - chocolate cake filled with chocolate hazelnut spread, frosted with rich and creamy chocolate hazelnut buttercream, and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. It's gonna be hard to eat just one or two of these babies.




This week's cast of characters: a box of chocolate cake mix, jarred chocolate hazelnut spread, and a little bag of chopped hazelnuts. Let's bake!

First, bake up a batch of chocolate cupcakes using your favorite chocolate cake mix.

While your oven's on, go ahead and toast your hazelnuts. I highly recommend toasting them. Not only does it greatly enhance the hazelnut flavor, but these little packets of chopped nuts are not always the freshest. Toasting them helps tremendously with that.




Once your cupcakes have completely cooled, use the back end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cake.

Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with a 7 oz jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, twist the top closed, snip off 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze the filling into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming out of the top.




Now, whip up your buttercream. Cream two sticks of softened butter with 14 ounces of chocolate hazelnut spread for 30 seconds.




Beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.




Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of salt.




Beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.




Beat in some milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is the right consistency for piping - not too soft, not too stiff. Then, scrape down the bowl and beat on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.




Frost your cupcakes and immediately sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.

Win Employee of the Month by giving your boss a batch of these Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes.

You may find it hard to stop eating these. Not speak'n from experience or anything. 😉

Gorgeous and delicious Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes.

Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
Makes about 27 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate cupcakes:
1 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/4 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 1/4 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

For the chocolate hazelnut buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 7 oz jars chocolate hazelnut spread
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1 to 5 Tbsp milk

1 7 oz jar chocolate hazelnut spread for filling
2.25 oz bag chopped hazelnuts (1/2 cup) for topping

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (My batter actually made 27 cupcakes).
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. Toast your hazelnuts while your oven is still on. Pour them onto a baking sheet and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, cool completely.
7. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
8. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with one 7 oz jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze filling into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
9. For the chocolate hazelnut buttercream, beat the butter and two 7 oz jars of chocolate hazelnut spread for 30 seconds.
10. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
11. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in 2 tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
12. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
14. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
15. Snip off one corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with frosting.
16. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
17. Immediately sprinkle with toasted nuts.

What's for Dinner? Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos

I'm not a big football fan. Let me see, I think I can name a few teams - the Chargers, the Raiders, the Steelers. It is Steelers and not Stealers, right? Man, I'm bad. And yet, I'm not the worst. Anyways, I'll take any excuse to enjoy a great big tray of nachos. Come oooooooooon, game day!

These Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos were made for game day!

These Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos are the perfect game day snack. Can't you just picture yourself sitt'n on your couch with the game on, your favorite drink in hand, and a tray full of these gorgeous nachos just calling out your name?




Start by grilling yourself a nice big well-seasoned chicken breast. I like to use my George Foreman grill. Am I the only one whose life has been totally revolutionized by the George Foreman grill? Thank you George, wherever you are these days.

Bake a sheet pan full of corn chips and sharp cheddar for about 7 minutes until melty and toasty. Then, squirt on a generous amount of ranch dressing. I love Hidden Valley's packets. I use 1 part sour cream, 1 part whole milk, and 2 parts mayo to mix mine up. Then I let the flavors meld in the fridge for a few hours before I squirt it all over my nachos.




Sprinkle on the grilled chicken, some crumbled bacon, and a handful of chopped green onions. Now you've got yourself a football feast in a sheet tray.

P.S. You don't have to wait for game day to enjoy these nachos. 😉

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Sheet Pan Nachos

INGREDIENTS
1 oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
7 to 10 oz bag corn tortilla chips
2 to 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green onions

DIRECTIONS
1. Make your ranch dressing. Whisk together the Hidden Valley Ranch packet with the mayo, sour cream, and milk. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours for flavors to meld.
2. Season your chicken breast generously with salt and pepper on both sides and grill until cooked through. Let chicken rest 5 minutes and then chop.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and lay down a layer of corn chips. Cover with cheese and bake about 7 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are toasty.
5. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with at least half a cup of Ranch. Snip a quarter inch off of one corner and squeeze all over the chips.
6. Sprinkle on the chicken, bacon, and green onions.
7. Sit in front of the game, pretending to watch, when you're really just eating a whole tray of nachos. Ha!

Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes

In the mood for something creamy, dreamy, and oh so tropical? Let my easy breezy Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes transport you to cupcake paradise. Welcome to the second installment of my series on easy gourmet cupcakes.

Let my Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes transport you to cupcake paradise!

These Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes will make you think you've died and gone to cupcake heaven. So creamy. So sweet. So worth the calories.




These easy cupcakes are made with a pineapple cake mix, filled with pineapple preserves, and frosted with creamy dreamy Coconut Cream Frosting - one of my favorite frostings of all time. They're finished off with a sprinkling of coconut and a gorgeous bright red cherry.

Start by doctoring a pineapple cake mix and baking up a batch of perfect pineapple cupcakes.




When your cupcakes have cooled, use the back end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake.

Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with pineapple preserves, twist closed, and snip off 1/3 of an inch off of one corner.




Squeeze preserves into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming up out the top.

Now, whip up my fabulous coconut cream frosting. Coconut butter is the secret ingredient to the creamiest and coconutiest frosting you will ever have. You may need to go to a specialty food store to find it. I got mine at Whole Foods. I know that Sprouts also carries it.

Cream a stick and a half of unsalted butter with a healthy scoop of coconut butter for 30 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.

Scape down the bowl again and beat in 2 tablespoons of coconut milk.

Scrape the bowl down again and beat in 3 more cups of powdered sugar.




Beat in more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time until your frosting is the right piping consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.




Then, scrape down the bowl one more time and beat on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Snip off the corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your frosting tip. Insert the tip, stand the bag up in a tall cup, and fill with frosting.




Pipe frosting onto each cupcake and immediately sprinkle with shredded coconut. Top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry.

Get ready for your batch of creamy dreamy Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes to make you the talk of the town.

Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the pineapple cupcakes:
1 16.5 oz box pineapple cake mix
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup milk
4 eggs
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/3 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

For the coconut cream frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup + 3 Tbsp coconut butter
6 cups powdered sugar
4 to 8 Tbsp coconut milk

1 10.5 oz jar pineapple preserves for filling
1/2 cup shredded coconut to top
24 maraschino cherries to top

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (My batter actually made 27 cupcakes).
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
7. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with your jarred pineapple preserves, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze filling into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
8. For the coconut cream frosting, beat the butter and coconut butter for 30 seconds.
9. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
10. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in 2 Tbsp coconut milk.
11. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
12. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
14. Snip off one corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with frosting.
15. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
16. Immediately sprinkle with shredded coconut and top with a cherry.

What's for Dinner? Italian Lentil Stew

It's soup season. Hip, hip, hurray. I'm so happy. I love soups and stews and make them throughout the year, but especially in fall and winter. I make so much soup that my family begs me to make something different. Hee, hee!

Jump into soup season with this Italian Lentil Stew!

This Italian Lentil Stew is my mom's recipe. It's one of my favorite soups - hearty, flavorful, and pretty in the bowl. Thanks, Mom!



Loaded with Italian spices, flavorful sausage, hearty veggies, and yummy lentils, this Italian Lentil Stew is a must-make. Protein packed soup anyone? It also goes great with crusty bread and it freezes well too. That's a fantastic soup in my book. Oh, and did I mention that it's totally easy to make.



First, brown your sausage.



Next, add in all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. The stew cooks for 45 to 50 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the lentils are soft. So easy!



This recipe makes a nice big batch of stew. I like to freeze half of it so as not to soup out the fam. Everything in moderation - except for cupcakes. 😉

Hearty and flavorful Italian Lentil Stew is the perfect way to kick off soup season!

Italian Lentil Stew

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cups lentils
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cups diced mirepoix (celery, carrot, onions)
2 cups diced red potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tsp salt
8 cups chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat.
2. Brown sausage and drain off any excess fat.
3. Add in all of the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Taste stew to make sure lentils are cooked and veggies are tender. If stew is too thick, add a little more broth or water to get the consistency you like.

Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Luscious Lemon

Wanna make gourmet cupcakes like a bauss - but without all the blood, sweat, and tears? Welcome to the first post of my series on gourmet cupcakes made easy.

We'll doctor cake mixes to get a moist and rich cake, use our handy dandy grocery store aisles for quick and easy fillings and toppings, and make to-die-for buttercreams and frostings from scratch. These are the cupcakes dreams are made of, and they'll be made easily peasily by little ol' you.

Let's start with the cake, shall we? My favorite way to doctor a cake mix is to add an extra egg, swap out the water for whole milk, and replace the oil with melted butter - and then double the amount of butter. You heard me. Do this and you'll end up with a bakery worthy cupcake every time.

Next, fillings. Instead of slaving over your stove and mixer making homemade curds, mousses, and creams, we'll utilize what the grocery store has to offer in jars, cans, and packages. Some of the yummiest fillings I've ever eaten came right out of a jar I grabbed off the shelf on my weekly shopping trip.

Now it comes down to it - the main attraction - the Big Kahuna - what a cupcake is really all about (drum roll, please) - THE FROSTING! The key to a great cupcake is the frosting. Let's get a little honest here. Some of us (and I'm not pointing any fingers) are really just in it for the frosting. Am I right, or am I right? Ha! That said, we'll focus our time and energy on my favorite frosting and buttercream recipes to send your cupcakes over the moon.

For this recipe series, here are some supplies you'll want to have on hand:
- cupcake pans and paper cupcake baking cups
- a stand mixer for the buttercreams and frostings (a hand mixer will do, but it will be more work on your arms)
- a rubber spatula
- a wooden spoon
- a large mixing bowl
- Ziplock freezer bags or equivalent
- one or two large piping tips

These Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes start with a doctored lemon cake mix.

So, without further ado, let's bake up a batch of my Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes.




These scrumdiddlyumptious cupcakes utilize a lemon cake mix, a jar of lemon curd, and a handful of lemon drop candies.




We'll start by doctoring our lemon cake mix. You can use a wooden spoon or a hand mixer to mix up your batter. Just make sure you end up with a smooth batter. Cake mix batters need to be mixed thoroughly.




Scoop your batter into your lined cupcake pan. I use a size 20 cupcake/ice cream scoop. That's a little less than 1/4 of a cup. I got 22 cupcakes out of my batter.



Be mindful to check your cupcakes at the earliest time indicated on the box to make sure they do not over bake. Over baking will turn your tender fluffy cakes into dried out sadness. 💔 As soon as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, take them out. After about 15 minutes remove your cupcakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack or on the counter.




After your cupcakes are completely cool, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cute little cake. Make sure you don't punch through the bottom of your cupcake. You want all of the filling to stay in the middle of the cupcake where it belongs.

Next, open a Ziplock freezer bag over a drinking glass. Scoop lemon curd into your bag, push the curd down towards one corner, and twist the top closed to contain it. Snip off 1/4 inch off of one corner, and holding the top of the bag air-tight, gently squeeze some filling into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming out the top.




Congrats! Your cupcakes are filled!




Now let's prep the candy topping so it's ready to go when you frost. Anything you sprinkle on top will stick better if you add it on as soon as you frost your cakes. Put your candy into a Ziplock freezer bag, place it on a durable surface (counter top or floor) and hit it with something heavy until smashed up.




Now it's time for the good stuff. We're going with a simple vanilla frosting for this cupcake since we have so much lovely lemon flavor already goin' on. It's very important that your butter is soft. Take it out of the fridge and leave it sitting on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes before you start your frosting.





Beat your butter and shortening together for 30 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.




Scrape down the bowl again and then beat in the vanilla.



Beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.






Scrape down the bowl and beat in a little milk a tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency. It can't be too soft or too stiff. Practice will make perfect here. With each batch of cupcakes you will get better and better.



When you have the consistency you want, scrape down the bowl again, and then beat for 3 minutes on high until light and fluffy.

Snip the corner off of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Insert tip and then fill with your frosting. It's easiest if you stand your bag inside of a tall cup. I like using a rubber spatula at this point to make sure I scrape out as much of that yummy frosting as possible.

Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes (This will take practice too. Maybe watch some YouTube videos if you need encouragement.) and immediately sprinkle with your crushed lemon candy.

Show 'em who's bauss by baking up a batch of these Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes.

There you go, you cupcake rock star, you - your very first batch of gourmet cupcakes.

Easy Gourmet Luscious Lemon Cupcakes
(Makes about 22 cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS
1 10 oz jar lemon curd for filling your cupcakes
1/2 cup lemon candies for topping your cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1 15.25 oz box lemon cake mix
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

For the frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 5 Tbsp milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with about 22 cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. Place your lemon candies in a Ziplock freezer bag and smash with a heavy object to make your topping. Set aside.
7. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
8. Fill another Ziplock freezer bag with your jarred lemon curd, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/4 inch off of one corner, and pipe into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
9. For the vanilla frosting, beat the butter and shortening for 30 seconds.
10. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
11. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in the vanilla.
12. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
14. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
15. Snip one corner off of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall glass to easily fill with frosting.
16. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
17. Immediately sprinkle with the crushed lemon candy.