$10 buck dinners!

A good friend of mine, Anne, shared this wonderful recipe with me this week and I just couldn’t wait to try it. I made a few minor adjustments, but I’m sure she won’t mind. I just have to add my own touch. Part of my own touch was out of laziness (store bought frosting) and another part was out of creativity (sugar topping). Either way, I hope everyone enjoys. I know my kids did and hopefully my hubby will tomorrow. Happy Father’s Day!!

Cinnamon Churro Cupcakes

1 1/2 cup of flour – $.50
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon – pantry
1 1/2 tsp baking powder – pantry
1/2 tsp salt – pantry
1/2 cup of softened butter – $.50
3/4 cup of white sugar – $.60
1/4 cup of brown sugar – $.35
2 egg – $.66
1/4 cup of canola oil – pantry
1/2 cup milk – $.30
2 tsps vanilla extract – pantry

Cupcake Topping

1 package cream cheese frosting (you can also make your own) – $1.50
1/2 cup white sugar – $.45
1 tsp cinnamon – pantry

COST: $4.96

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin tin with cupcake cups. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until just combined then stir in vanilla and oil. Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture over the butter mixture and gently stir until barely combined. Add milk, mixing until till smooth batter. Add remaining flower and mix till combined, but do NOT over mix.

Fill each cupcake tin half way. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooking, combine topping (sugar and cinnamon) in a shallow bowl. When cupcakes are cooked, remove from oven and let cool for just a few minutes. Before cupcakes cool too much, remove from tin and turn upside down onto cinnamon/sugar topping. Next, allow cupcakes to cool completely and then pipe some frosting and give a little finishing touch of cinnamon. Delish!!

GRAND TOTAL: $4.96

If you love Guinness and you love chocolate, you will love these cupcakes. They are a cinch to make and turned out fantastic! The perfect ending to another fun and festive St. Patrick’s Day. And the the great thing about them, they aren’t green! So, make them any time you just want to enjoy a great Chocolate Cupcake!

Oh, and special thanks to food.com and foodnetwork.com for supplying the recipes. I modified the glaze a bit, because I didn’t have corn syrup, but it’s still beautiful and very tasty. On the cupcakes, I simply halved the recipe and sped it up. I have limited time and 12 cupcakes is plenty for our family. Worked great! I had an even amount for all 12 cupcakes and it left me some Guinness to enjoy as I cooked! Added bonus.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes:

1 cup of flour – $.35
1/3 cup of cocoa powder – $.50
1/2 cup of white sugar – $.30
1/2 cup of brown sugar – $.45
1/2 cup Guinness Beer (or other Stout) – $1.00
1 egg – $.33
1 cup of butter 1/2 cup butter (revised and proven to be just as moist) – $.75
1/4 cup sour cream – $.45
1/2 tsp baking soda – pantry
Whipped Cream (optional)

COST: $4.13

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill your cupcake tin with paper cups. Set aside.

In microwave, melt butter and brown suger. Remove when butter is melted and whisk till smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add Guinness and cocoa powder and whisk again, till combined and creamy.

In another bowl, sift together salt, flour, white sugar and baking soda. Add flour mixture to Guinness mixture and beat with a whisk, by hand, till smooth and combined. Add egg and sour cream and beat again until solid in color.

Divide batter evenly amongst cupcake cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or till cupcakes spring back to the touch. Cool for 45 minutes before removing paper cups and glazing.

Chocolate Glaze:

1/4 cup unsalted butter – $.25
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used chips, from bulk bin) – $.75
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted (Important! I skipped the sifting. Not a good idea) – $.75
1/8 cup whole milk – fridge
1/2 tsp vanilla extract – pantry

Combine butter, milk and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat (preferably on gas stove), just until butter is melted. Decrease heat to low and add chocolate. Whisk until melted, then immediately turn off heat and add powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes.

Stir again and pour over cooled cupcake. Delicious!

COST: $1.75

GRAND TOTAL: $5.88