Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray cooking spray on a 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking pan. 
2. In a saucer melt butter, or place butter in a bowl and melt (about 40 seconds if softened). Let the melted butter cool down for at least 5 minutes.
3. While the butter is cooling, in a medium bowl mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder; set this bowl aside.
4.  In a large bowl, add granulated sugar and brown sugar, mix the sugars with the melted butter until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract to the mixture. 
5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing before adding more of the flour mixture. 
6. Once thoroughly mixed, add chocolate chips to the mixture 
7. Pour batter into pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
    

Strawberry-Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ingredients for cake:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
• 16 ounces fresh strawberries, diced (will amount to about 2 cups of strawberry)

Ingredients for glaze (optional):

• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup powered sugar

Instructions for cake:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a bundt cake pan with cooking spray and set it aside. 
2. In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl take 1/4 of this mixture and mix it with the diced strawberries, set both of these containers aside. 
3.  In a large bowl mix butter with both brown sugar and granulated sugar until completely combined. Then add eggs, one at a time to the butter mixture. 
4. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, add the lemon juice and vanilla extract to the butter mixture.
5. Alternatively mix the dry ingredients and yogurt into the butter mixture.  
6. Once mixed, add the strawberry mixture to the large bowl, gently mixing them together. 
7. Pour batter into the bundt pan, lower the heat of the oven to 325°F, once the cake is place into the oven, and bake for 1 hour. 
8. Once cake is baked, let cool inside the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a plate.    

Instructions for glaze:

1. Mix together lemon juice and powered sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.
2. Drizzle glaze on top of the cake. 

Note: Make sure cake is completely cooled before pouring the glaze over the cake.  

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Chese Frosting

Red Velvet Cupcake Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cups brown sugar  
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectionery sugar 
• 6 drops red liquid food coloring, optional

Instructions for Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until fluffy; gradually add granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating well after each addition. 
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in food coloring and vanilla until blended.
4. Next, combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. In a 2 1/2-cup liquid measuring cup stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda. (Note: The mixture will bubble.) 
5. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. 
6. Place 24 paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans; fill each cup three-fourths full. (Note: Do not completely fill the baking cups in, the muffins will rise a little)

Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Using a hand held mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla in large bowl until all ingredients are completely combined. 
2. Gradually beat in 1 cup of confectionery sugar into the bowl until the frosting becomes smooth. 
3. Mix in the 6 drops of red liquid food coloring to the frosting, if you would like your frosting to be pink.