Coca Cola Cupcakes and Frosting

I'm always on a hunt for a good cupcake recipe. I found this one at www.cupcakerecipes.com. I made these for Eli's 3rd birthday. They were SO delicious! Moist and everything a good chocolate cupcake should be! They are really really good cold!

Coca Cola Cupcakes and Frosting
Part 1
1 cup coca cola
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup powdered cocoa
22 large marshmallows

Part 2
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. These cupcakes work best with the silver metallic liners.

Part 1
In a small saucepan mix cola, butter, oil and cocoa. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and add marshmallows. Place lid on saucepan and leave until marshmallows begin to melt. Stir well.

Part 2
Mix flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.
Combine Part 1 and 2. Spoon cupcake batter into cupcake pan until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake at 325 for approximately 25 minutes.
Cool cupcakes before frosting.

Coca Cola Frosting
1/4 cup powdered cocoa
6 Tbsp coca cola
1/2 cup butter
3 and 3/4 cup powdered sugar (or 1 lb box)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, mix together cocoa, cola, and butter. Heat over medium heat until melted then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, pecans and vanilla. Stir until blended well.
Let frosting cool until still enough to frost cupcakes.

Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Strudel Topping

Had a bunch of apples that needed using...and Food Network's website is a good friend. This recipe is from Emeril and had several good reviews. It brought a little bit of fall to a very hot summer day. And, the kids love helping me make muffins!

Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Strudel Topping

1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1/2 c sour cream or buttermilk
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c peeled, cored, and chopped apple
1/2 c chopped walnuts...I used pecans

Strudel
1/4 cup, plus 1 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts...or pecans
1/4 cup, plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Grease muffin pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In a smaller bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream, and butter. Add sugar. Mix just until incorporated.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix just enough.
Fold in apples and nuts.
Fill muffin tin 2/3 full.
Make strudel by combing all ingredients. Spoon 1 Tbsp of topping per muffin.
Bake until inserted tooth pick comes out clean. About 25 minutes.
Recipe says it makes 12 muffins, but it made 17 for me!