Delicious Gourmet Cupcake Recipes

I found this wonderful recipe from a blog that I will certainly be glad to give credit to. Bakingbites.com has several other recipes that you might want to take a peek at too. I know that kids would love these!  Click here  To find out how to mix the cake batter colors, and make the icing,

• Rainbow Cupcakes
  1 cup all purpose flour
  1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  1/4 tsp salt
  1/2 cup sugar
  2 large eggs
  1/2 cup vegetable oil
  1/2 cup buttermilk
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  red, yellow, green and blue food colorings

 Once again, our thanks to Bakingbites.com for these very special recipes!  This is such a wonderful blog with so many great baking recipes.

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, very soft
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 cup ripe banana, mashed (2 large)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 16 holes of a cupcake tin with muffin liners.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in peanut butter. Add in the eggs one at a time, followed by the bananas.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Evenly distribute batter into 16 muffin cups.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, just until a tester comes out clean. The cupcakes will be very lightly browned.
Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Makes 16 cupcakes.

Marshmallow Frosting
(from Bon Appetit)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk sugar, egg whites, 1/3 cup water, light corn syrup, and cream of tartar in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch simmering water). Using handheld electric mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture resembles soft marshmallow fluff, about 4 minutes.
Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes longer. Remove bowl from over simmering water. Add vanilla extract and continue beating until marshmallow frosting is completely cool, about 5 minutes longer.

They mixed sour cream into the batter to make these extra moist and slightly tangy. Silky smooth chocolate ganache makes a rich topping; The chocolate curls are easily made with a vegetable peeler.

• 
  3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
•  3/4 cup hot water
•  3 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1 teaspoon baking powder
•  1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
•  2 1/4 cups sugar
•  4 large eggs, room temperature
•  1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.