Buffalo Chicken Wing Cupcakes

 

Over the weekend I was really in the mood to make salad for dinner but that doesn't always fly with my kids. So I needed something to go with the salad but would be tasty and interesting for the kids to eat. They love junk food - Buffalo chicken wings being an all time favorite of everyone's. But that wasn't really my plan. I have made Enchilada Cupcakes and Lasagna Cupcakes in the past so I thought heck, let's try the Buffalo Wing Cupcakes. I have have read several recipes online so I just went with what basically what all others have done. I did make my own Buffalo Wing Sauce - it's a low-fat sauce and you don't need to use much to make these and it  is delicious. These Buffalo Wing Cupcakes are somewhat guilt free if being compared the fried Buffalo Wings from the local tavern.

Here's the recipe. Give it try. These are great for dinner, as an appetizer or to bring to a party. They taste good right out of the oven or warm temperature. I placed a little shredded lettuce and dollop of blue dressing on mine - yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
• ½ cup hot wing sauce (recipe below, or use your favorite bottled sauce)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces) - for blue cheese lovers, double this! For those that don't like blue cheese, you can omit. :)
• 16 wonton wrappers
• 4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and wing sauce. Stir to combine until fully mixed.
3. Begin layering your cupcakes. Start by laying a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture in each cup, sprinkle 1/2 the cheddar cheese over the top of each cup. Top each cup with another wonton wrapper (press down a bit), spoon another layer of chicken mixture into each cup and tip with remaining cheddar cheese and sprinkle a bit of blue cheese on top.
4.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Note: You may use a knife to loosen the edges to help remove the cupcakes from the pan.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with with shredded lettuce and some blue dressing (optional).

Hot Wing Sauce

This is a low-fat hot wing sauce that I use on chicken wings, dips, and now on Hot Wing Cupcakes. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Frank's red hot sauce
• 1/2 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter® Spread
• 1/4 teaspoon dried celery flake
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar 
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a small saucepan over low heat, mix together all ingredients. Let this mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

~Enjoy!

Chocolate Cream Cake Topped with Ganache

 Yep, I needed a chocolate fix...

 

 

 
No complaint here with this delicious Chocolate Cream Cake Topped with Ganache for dessert tonight. We never have dessert like this in the middle of the week. But oh, I couldn't resist. I have been searching for a week for the perfect 16th birthday cake for my son and pinning my favorites over here. I found a couple chocolate cream cakes, but chocolate is not a favorite of my son's (what's wrong with him?), but that rolled up chocolate cake filled with a delightful cream was bringing my back to my childhood does when mom would treat us with a box of Hostess Ho-Hos!. It just was calling my name for days. So I made this cake today (yes, two days before my son's birthday. I guess we will two cakes this week). I made this using a combination of different recipes to make it my own. Later this week I'll post the 16th Birthday Cake he decided on.

A note to the recipe is I did not use all of the chocolate ganache (it would have been too much, in my opinion). I  drizzled a little more than half of the ganache onto the cake, and then kept the remaining to be used for dipping strawberrie, bananas, pretzels. etc.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 4 oz. each semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup flour, divided
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2/3 cup brewed coffee

Filling

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Chocolate Ganache

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions: 

MICROWAVE 4 oz. chocolate chips and butter in medium microwaveable bowl on High 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Beat eggs in large bowl with mixer on high speed 3 min. or until thickened. Blend in chocolate mixture. Add 1/4 cup flour and baking soda; beat just until blended. Add remaining flour alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

BAKE 15 min. or until top of cake springs back when touched; sprinkle with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Immediately invert cake onto clean towel; remove pan. Carefully peel off paper. Starting at one short side, roll up cake and towel together; cool completely on wire rack.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until fluffy. Add cream and whip until soft peaks form.

UNROLL cake carefully; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture onto cake, completely covering top of cake. Roll up cake; place, seam-side down, on platter.

COOK the chocolate chips, heavy cream, in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

DRIZZLE Chocolate Ganache over cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Note: I did not use all of the ganache - so use what is to your liking.

Enjoy! 

This post is linked with The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck