IRISH CUPCAKES

IRISH CUPCAKES

Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup Guiness
1 stick, plus 1 tbs unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Cupcake Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350; line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. Combine the Guiness and the butter, chopped into 1-inch chunks, in a large sauce pan, and heat to melt the butter.

3. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

4. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream and the eggs and vanilla, then add to the beer mixture.

5. Sift together the flour and baking soda, and fold in the batter.

6. Pour into muffin molds and bake or 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from muffin tin, and cool completely on a rack.

Frosting Ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Bailey's Irish Cream
Jameson Irish Whiskey

Frosting Directions:
1. Put the stick of room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and bet at medium-too high speed for a few minutes.

2. Add a few short glugs of Bailey's and a tiny bit of Jameson, and mix at low speed. 

3. Gradually spoon confectioners' sugar into the bowl, mixing on low speed.

Braided Spaghetti Bread

Braided Spaghetti Bread

 Braided Spaghetti Bread recipe in the Rhodes Home Baked Family Favorites with frozen dough cookbook I knew we would love it. This is a really simple recipe; it just takes a little planning for thawing the dough. It will take 2-3 hours for the bread loaf to thaw to room temperature or 1-2 hours for the rolls to thaw to room temperature.

You will need:

• 1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
• 6 oz spaghetti, cooked
• 1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes
• 1 egg white
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley flakes

Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper).

Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.

Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Tip with sauce and cheese cubes. (I mixed my spaghetti and sauce together and added a ½ pound of cooked Italian Sausage)

Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.

Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder).

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.