These whimsical cupcakes have it all! Chopped white chocolate and tart dried cranberries baked right in the luscious cupcake base, swirled lemon cream cheese frosting, and sparkling cranberries glistening on the top. It’s my favorite Starbucks holiday treat in a cupcake!
So something very strange happened to me while I was doing my last minute grocery shop for Christmas day…
Santa Clause hit on me.
Ok, so not Santa Clause, but a fat (and a little too jolly) 65 year old man with a white beard. Let’s just say I was very uncomfortable and wanted to duck my head into the neck of my sweater and never return. Even the check out girl asked “Did that just happen?” I replied with “Yes, it did. Do you happen to sell rape whistles next to the gum?” So now I have proof that at 32 with 2 kids and 10 years of marriage under my belt, I still “got it”. At least to perverted old men. Find another chimney Santa!
So let’s shake off the ickies and talk about these Cranberry Bliss Bar Cupcakes. I can honestly say these are in my top 10 of favorite cupcakes. I mean, common with the sparkling cranberries! They were so easy and look so beautiful. They really do sparkle.
- Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 sticks softened butter
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped white chocolate
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 5 cups of powdered sugar
- 2 tbs lemon zest
- 3 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp cream
- Preheat oven to 350.
- With your mixer using a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium high. Beat in each egg one at a time until fully blended. Mix in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- On low speed and starting with the dry ingredients, blend in batches switching between dry and milk. End with mixing in the dry ingredients.
- Fold in chopped chocolate and dried cranberries.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla together until smooth.
- Add sugar one cup at a time until combined.
- Beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Add cream if you need to thin it out.
- Top with [url href=”http://damndelicious.net/2013/12/22/sugared-cranberries/” target=”_blank” title=”Sugared cranberries”]Sparkling Cranberries[/url]
These are the cutest holiday inspired cupcakes ever. The combination of cranberries and white chocolate is such a great one – so I can imagine how delicious these must have tasted!
Thank you Thalia!
Bahahaha creepy Santa!! Well at least you can come home and eat delicious cupcakes 😛
Yes! super creepy 🙂
These cupcakes look super duper delicious! Love the cranberry, so perfect and seasonal!
Thanks Jess!