Countdown to Valentines Day ~ Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

Day 5 of Sweet Treats for my Sweet Valentine

It is not quite 9 a.m. and my honey just taste-tested these for me.  He gives them two thumbs up!

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

Like yesterday, I'm not exactly being gourmet today...these cupcakes started out with a (gasp!) cake mix.  Yes, I do use mixes.  I like to use them to make something new.  There are SO many things you can do with mixes!

Here, I took a vanilla mix, added some instant chai latte and pudding mixes and made yummy cupcakes that even my little ones raved about!  I *did* make the frosting from scratch -- it's the cinnamon cream cheese buttercream I mention in this post 

VANILLA CHAI CUPCAKES WITH CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM

1 box cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 individual packet chai latte mix (about 3 Tbs.)

1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 c. water
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper or foil liners.
In mixing bowl, add cake mix, chai mix and pudding.  Beat in water, oil and eggs.  Beat for about 2 minutes.  Pour into lined cupcake tins.  Bake about 18 minutes, until cake is done all the way through.  Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.  Cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Buttercream
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 to 4 c. confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs milk (more or less, based on how thin you want frosting)

Cream butter and cream cheese until fully combined.  Add in vanilla, cinnamon and 2 cups powdered sugar.  Continue mixing, adding powdered sugar and milk until frosting is your desired texture.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I was looking for something fairly quick and easy to throw together today to take to our friends' house after trick-or-treating tonight.  I'd heard of "dump cake" before, but I'd never tried it myself.  I got this recipe from a friend, and since I had everything on hand, I figured I'd give it a whirl.

It was easy to mix together, and "dump" it all in the pan, and the taste?  Sooooooo good!  Like pumpkin pie with a crispy topping!  It would have been excellent with a little whipped topping, had I thought ahead to pick some up.  But it's delicious by itself!

Recipe for Pumpkin Dump Cake:

1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk (I used heavy cream, because that's what I had :))
3 eggs
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spices
1/2 tsp. salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cubes (3/4 c.) butter, melted
1 c. pecans, chopped (optional -- I left them off)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spices and salt in mixing bowl. Beat well. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch glass pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture, then sprinkle on the pecans. Pour melted butter over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Store in fridge.

(I actually only used one full stick of butter, and I didn't melt it, I just cut it up and placed it on top of the cake mix before putting it in the oven, and it turned out beautifully!)