Tag Archives: Spring

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes (70 calories per cupcake!)

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These cupcakes are a good thing.

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

They’re a very good thing. Like they couldn’t have come at a better time-bikini season!! (<–Yikes)

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

I’m not sure how it is even possible to have 70 calories in a cupcake but it happened..Unintentionally. I am actually a huge lover of angel food cake. I had never had chocolate angel food cake before, so I decided to give it a whirl. A whirl in cupcake form of course!

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

Because I made these into cupcakes, they obviously were begging for frosting, so that was a teeny dilemma I was having. I didn’t want to make a buttercream because I thought that might be too sweet (Yes, “too sweet” is possible for me) and I really am not much of a fan of cream cheese frosting, so I decided to go with my family’s favorite-whipped cream frosting

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

These cupcakes do deflate a little after a minute or two out of the oven. Be sure to fill the cupcakes with batter about 3/4 full, for the full experience!

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes

(Makes 15-17 cupcakes)

6 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup cake flour (or all purpose flour whisked with 1 teaspoon corn starch)

3/4 cup white sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

pinch of salt

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line muffin tins with cupcake liners
  2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, allow the 6 eggs whites to sit (covered with plastic wrap) for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, sift 1/4 cup and 2 Tablespoons of white sugar, the cake flour, the cocoa powder, and the salt. Set aside.
  3. Once egg whites are at room temperature, beat using the whisk attachment until frothy. Mix in cream of tartar. Beat with whisk attachment until soft peaks form, gradually add in remaining 1/4 cup and 2 Tablespoons of white sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Beat until shiny and stiff peaks form. Beat in te vanilla extract.
  4. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites, one quater at a time. Fold after each addition using a rubber spatula. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake in preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

Chocolate Angel Food Cupcakes | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: he chances of making two holes-in-one in a round of golf are one in 67 million.

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Coconut Blondies

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Life is good.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

I finished all my AP tests last Friday. We are a few breaths away from summer. Charles Ramsey’s heroic actions and great humor got me through AP testing week last week. And I have some delicious coconut blondies to share with you all.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

Maybe I am getting a little coconut-happy lately, but I kind of like it. Coconut signifies summer and tropical things to me, so being land-locked, coconut is one of those ingredients that has grown on me.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

I hope you all have a great day full of smiles, sunshine, and most of all, some coconut blondies.

Coconut Blondies

1/2 cup coconut oil (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine, too!)

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or desired nuts)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar unti completely combined. Mix in eggs until incorporated. Add in extracts. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Finally fold in coconut.
  3. Spread dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and slightly press into the top of the spread dough. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool and cut into bars. Store leftovers in sealed container or cover with plastic wrap.

Random Fact of the Day: The blesbok, a South African antelope, is almost the same color as grapejuice.

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Almond Joy Cake

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I’m a little delayed on this post… This was actually a cake on made for Easter this year. It was also my first attempt at making buttercream flowers, and I only managed to snap one picture take from an iphone.

Almond Joy Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Needless to say, this wasn’t the most optimum recipe and cake for a post, but I just HAD to share this recipe with y’all!

This cake was requested by my mom this year that I believe was partly to celebrate her birthday in addition to the Easter festivities.  Anyways her request was [the best ever] chocolate cake with coconut whipped cream filling and frosted with chocolate mousse. So basically an Almond Joy in cake form (minus the almond part…does that make it more of a Mounds cake?)

This was was super delicious, even my coconut-hating uncle enjoyed it! It’s a very decadent cake that is perfect for the spring/summer time with the refreshing coconut. Maybe not awesome for bikini season, but cake wins over bikini body in my book ;)

Almond Joy Cake

(Makes one 2-layer, 6-inch round cake)

FOR CAKE:
1 prepared & baked chocolate cake recipe, I of course used my favorite chocolate cake recipe!
FOR FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup shaved coconut
2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons coconut extract
TO FROST OUTSIDE OF CAKE:
1 prepared batch of my super easy 2-ingredient chocolate mousse

  1. Prepare chocolate cake according to recipe and let cool. Once cool, slice in half lengthwise into two equal rounds.
  2. Prepare coconut whipped cream filling by whipping heavy whipped cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat cream with powdered sugar and whip until heavy peaks are formed, whip in coconut extract. Whip cream until it takes on the thick appearance of whipped cream you would buy from the store. Fold in shaved coconut.
  3. Place bottom cake layer on plate that you plan on using to frost the cake. Spread coconut filling on bottom cake layer, evenly.  Let sit in fridge to set up slightly for about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare chocolate mousse that you will use for frosting the outsides.
  5. After 30 minutes, take bottom cake layer that has been spread with coconut filling out and place top cake layer on top of the filling.  Frost cake as desired with prepared chocolate mousse. If desired, pipe whipped cream in small rosettes on top of cake or spread chocolate chips, shavings, or coconut on cake for garnish. I took my first stab at buttercream flowers! Mine turned out a little flat. I think I will need thicker frosting for my next attempt, but practice makes perfect! I also did a little border with some leftover yellow buttercream I had from the buttercream roses.

Random Fact of the Day: The Chinese ideogram for ‘trouble’ depicts two women living under one roof.

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Hawaiian Dream Cookies

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As promised, here is a photo of me from prom this past weekend!

Senior Prom 2013

I did not ask permission to post a picture of my date, but he’s not that important anyways right? ;) In all seriousness, he is actually a really great guy and was super fun to spend the day with.  Can’t believe I have no more high school dances left EVER!

Senior Prom 2013

I really don’t have a ton to share about prom, there wasn’t any major drama worth sharing so let’s move onto these ahhh-mazing cookies I baked up!

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

I’m sure many of you have tasted or heard of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

I’m a huge fan. I particularly love macadamia nuts, which are sort of a special treat for me because they are super duper expen$ive here in the non-tropical Midwest. I decided to treat myself and bake up some cookies made with a match made in heaven-coconut and macadamia nuts.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

All I have to say is, you MUST try this recipe. These cookies are everything you need and more.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies (Hawaiian Dream Cookies)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup white  sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coconut

3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  2. Cream together butter and sugars using a mixer. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add in salt, baking soda, and flours. Stir in coconut with mixer. Fold in nuts by hand or slowly using the mixer
  3. Drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet by the teaspoonful and bake in preheated oven for 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then let finish cooling on wire rack for about 5 minutes. Enjoy! Store leftovers in sealed container.

Random Fact of the Day: A sneeze can travel as fast as 100 miles per hour.

Hawaiian Dream Cookies | Beautiful Disasters

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Black Bean & Rice Soup

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Prom was this past weekend, I’ll be sharing more about it soon but I prepared this post ahead of time so I could enjoy the weekend without stressing about the blog!

Black Bean and Rice Soup | Beautiful Disasters

Black bean soup has become one of my more recent absolute favorite soups. I have always been a big fan of soup, but black bean has just become my new bestie, especially since I made the whole vegetarian change in my life a couple months ago.

Black Bean and Rice Soup | Beautiful Disasters

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Panera’s black bean soup, but never quite realized how easy it is to make my own black bean soup at home.

Black Bean and Rice Soup | Beautiful Disasters

This version is not really exactly like Panera’s because I decided I wanted it to have a bit more body to it. The addition of rice is purely optional, but I think it really adds something! You can enjoy this as a meal by itself or if you’re feeling hungry, some bread or focaccia would be aweee-some.

Black Bean & Rice Soup

2 cans black beans

4 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

3 cups prepared rice

  1. Blend together the black beans with the broths, using an emulsion blender or food processor.
  2. With the black bean mixture in a large pot, add in salt, flour, and seasonings. Cook on medium heat until nice and hot. (You don’t need to bring it to a boil).
  3. Add in rice and keep on medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until everything is incorporated. Enjoy!

Random Fact of the Day: The human heart creates enough pressure to squirt blood 30 ft. (GAGGGG!!)

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