Victoria Sandwich Whoopie Pies

Anyone else addicted to all things The Great British Baking Show? I've been dying to make Mary Berry's Victoria sandwich cake and decided to turn it into a whoopie pie, 'cause, well, you know how I am. 😉

Fancy something fancy? Try these gorgeous Victoria Sandwich Whoopie Pies.

I used a cake mix to bake up the cakes. I also subbed in my favorite vanilla frosting for the usual buttercream or whipped cream.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cake and ice cream. What's a birthday without cake and ice cream, right? Okay, okay. Some of us could totally do without the ice cream. Others of us could replace the whole shebang with a big ol' fat pie. But I digress.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches take cake and ice cream to a whole new level!

These Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches are the whole package. The flavor of vanilla cake speckled with sprinkles, beautifully swirly ice cream sandwiched in the middle, and no utensils or plates required. They're also wonderfully fun and spectacularly celebratory. Oh, and they're super easy to make. That's a win, win, and triple win in my book!

White Chocolate Cherry Cake Mix Cookies

I can't stop with all the cake mix creations. It's so nice not to have to measure out flour and baking soda and all that kinda stuff. And I love having a quick and easy recipe to pull out for last minute holiday baking.

These White Chocolate Cherry Cake Mix Cookies are such a lovely Valentine's Day treat. They're soft and pretty and full of maraschino flavor. First, almond flavored cookie batter is loaded with chopped maraschino cherries and toasted almonds. Then, I finish the baked and cooled cookies with a drizzle of white chocolate. What a sweet treat of a cookie!

Easy Cranberry Spice Cake

This is a fabulous Christmas cake - and it is so fabulously easy, too.

These gorgeous sugared cranberries turn this Easy Cranberry Spice Cake into something special.

My Easy Cranberry Spice Cake starts out with a box of yellow cake mix. I know, I know. I'm all about the cake mix these days. We gotta keep things easy, right?

I baked this Easy Cranberry Spice Cake in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

I like to doctor my cake mix by adding an extra egg, subbing whole milk for the water, subbing melted butter for the oil, and then doubling the amount of butter. For this cake, I also added a bunch of fresh cranberries and some Chinese five spice (heck yeah!). I baked it up in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan to keep things easy.

I love 9 x 13 cakes. They are the easiest cakes ever. They aren't as glamorous as layer cakes or as cute as cupcakes, but they really are the easiest and they're just as yummy. You can totally bake this cake into a batch of pretty cupcakes if you are so inclined.




The sugared cranberries are also a breeze. I dump my cup of berries into a mixture of meringue powder and water, and then toss them into a dish of sugar. Then, they dry out on a piece of parchment paper. Dump, dump, and dry. So easy.

Aren't these luscious slices of Easy Cranberry Spice Cake tempting?

This lovely cake is very tender and moist. The flavor of the tart berries really pops in your mouth and pairs perfectly with that fabulous spice. And the sweet and fluffy Chinese five spice buttercream? Well, that stuff just sends the whole cake over to amazingly-delicious-ville!

I used Chinese five spice because that's what I had in my pantry. I've also made this cake with chai spice, which is also delicious. Look for these spice blends in the spice aisle.

Easy Cranberry Spice Cake - a festive, delicious, and easy Christmas cake to whip up this season.

I sprinkled the sugared cranberries all over the top of my cake so that each piece of cake would have some. There are far prettier ways to use these gorgeous berries for decorating your cake, but I like an even distribution for eating. 😋

Easy Cranberry Spice Cake

INGREDIENTS
For the sugared cranberries:
2 tsp meringue powder (I got mine at Michael's)
2 Tbsp water
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried
1 cup granulated sugar

For the cake:
1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
2 tsp Chinese five spice or chai spice
2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, roughly chopped

* 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 buttercream:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp Chinese five spice or chai spice
a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 3 Tbsp whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. For the sugared cranberries, mix up the meringue powder and water and whisk until well combined.
2. Throw in your rinsed and dried cranberries and toss to coat.
3. Fill another dish with sugar and scoop the berries out of the meringue mixture. Drop them into the sugar, roll them all around, and set them on a piece of parchment paper to dry. They should be done in a couple of hours. They will feel crisp when you touch them.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or pan.
5. Mix up your cake batter, except for the cranberries, and let it sit a few minutes on the counter.
6. Fold in the cranberries and dump into prepared pan. Spread evenly.
7. Bake the cake for the time recommended on your box and then cool completely.
8. For the buttercream, beat butter for 30 seconds and then beat in the powdered sugar, spice, and vanilla.
9. Beat in cream one tablespoon at a time until you have a nice spreadable consistency. I used 2 Tbsp. Beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
10. Frost your cake and decorate with the sugared cranberries.

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.

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.