Decadent Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Boost a box cake mix with cocoa powder, milk and butter to turn out these fudgy cupcakes with a surprise center.

My Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes

For busy people who must balance a career with responsibilities at home, baking might be the last thing on their to-do list. But this recipe for Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes turns out two dozen little fudgy beauties in about 45 minutes, bowl to table. They’re a special dessert the entire family will eat up and are fancy enough to give as a gift.

The time savers in this recipe are a chocolate cake mix and ready-made cream cheese frosting, both of which have been enhanced with just a couple ingredients you likely already have in the pantry.

H3: To make my Decadent Chocolate Cupcake recipe, which yields 2 dozen cupcakes, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 box Duncan Hines Classic Devil’s Food cake mix

• 2 ounces sifted flour

• 1 cup reduced fat milk

• 3 eggs

• 1/3 cup melted butter

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 1 (12-ounce) can whipped cream frosting

• 3 tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread

February is National Chocolate Lovers Month (really, isn’t that EVERY month if you love chocolate, but I digress), and I’m remembering the book Delectable Destinations I wrote almost six years ago. It’s a guidebook to outstanding chocolate makers around Missouri that also includes a few recipes. These chocolate cupcakes were in the book and were inspired by a marvelous chocolate hazelnut spread made by outstanding chocolatier Shawn Askinosie in Springfield, Missouri. Shawn doesn’t make the spread anymore, but you still can get his divine bean-to-bar chocolates that are sustainably and ethically sourced.

Whenever I featured these chocolate cupcakes on the book’s Facebook page, people frequently commented how good they looked, and they are! Decorate them as simply or as fanciful as you’d like. Although a professional taster will pick these out of the line up as made from a box mix, they are very close to made-from-scratch. I think the milk (instead of water) and additional sifted flour improves the cake’s crumb, and swapping melted butter for vegetable oil adds a richness, as do the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

But my favorite part of these chocolate cupcakes is the surprise cream center. When you think of the gourmet cupcakes that are sold in bakeries or grocery stores, most have some sort of filling. The cream cheese frosting that’s kissed with chocolate hazelnut spread just works—inside and out.

And for one- or two-person households, little cupcakes or tarts are perfect; who wants an entire cake sitting on the kitchen counter all week?

Okay, let me rephrase that…who thinks it’s a good idea to have an entire cake sitting on the kitchen counter all week. I mean, if it’s there, I’ll definitely eat it.

While this recipe yields 24 cupcakes, they can easily be frozen if you’re not sharing with friends, grandkids or other family. Simply bag and freeze prior to filling and frosting them.

Try this recipe for Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes and let me know how they turned out for you. I’ll bet some of you have other ideas for filling or frosting the cupcakes, so please share, and happy February, you chocolate lovers!

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Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe

An easy weeknight bake, this Lasagna Roll Ups recipe features cheese and a meaty sauce for a comforting meal the whole family will love.

Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups with Spinach and Ricotta

Listen, I’m the first one to respect tradition, but I prefer this Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe over the traditional hefty pan of baked lasagna. There are fewer ingredients, it comes together much faster, and is every bit as delicious. Nobody wants to face making a pan of Nonna’s lasagna on a Wednesday, but you can make this Lasagna Roll Ups recipe and have a comforting, tasty dinner that's ready in about an hour.

Plus, i you’re cooking for one or two people, this Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe is perfect because it makes two to three servings. You won’t be faced with trying to find a home for a pan of half-eaten lasagna after your dinner!

To make my Lasagna Roll Ups recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 6 lasagna noodles

• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

• 1 (15-ounce) carton whole milk ricotta cheese

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

• 3 cups Bolognese (or marinara) sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Salt and pepper

First, cook the lasagna noodles per instructions on the box, but reduce the time by 2 minutes. Remember to liberally salt the water in your pasta pot. Carefully remove the noodles from water and place on a cookie sheet to cool. If you’re using fresh lasagna noodles, you can skip this step.

Because I made just 6 lasagna rolls, I used about 2/3 of the spinach and 12 ounces of ricotta. Mix the spinach with ricotta, grated garlic, Parmesan and about ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

I used an 8-inch-square baking pan that I greased with a drizzle of olive oil. You can also treat the pan with a non-stick spray. Spread half of your tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking pan.

To assemble this recipe, spread spinach and cheese mixture down the length of each noodle, roll up the pasta, and place in a sauced baking pan.

How to assemble Lasagna Roll Ups

Once the noodles are cooled, spread the spinach and cheese mixture gently down the length of each lasagna noodle. Roll the lasagna, placing the noodle seam side down in the sauce. Repeat until all the lasagna is rolled. (Some people stand the lasagna rolls up, but my pan wasn't deep enough, although that makes a lovely presentation.)

Pour the remainder of the tomato sauce on top of the Lasagna Roll Ups and bake covered at 375 degrees F 25 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top of lasagna and bake another 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.

This Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe also is versatile

If you’re in a pinch to make the marinara sauce but have a jar of pasta sauce in your pantry, use it! To make this a vegetarian dish, leave the meat out of the sauce; but my Slow Cooker Classic Bolognese would be beautiful in this Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe.

Classic Bolognese

Some of you may not be fans of spinach; however, when mixed with the ricotta and garlic, it is a delightful addition to this recipe. But a suitable substitution might be fresh chopped basil or parsley.

Give this recipe a try, and remember, what Nonna doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Let us know in the comments below how yours turned out!

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Looking for another delicious Italian bake? You’ll love this satisfying Baked Ravioli.

A light pasta that’s cooked on your stove top and ready in a flash would be Casarecce with Asparagus and Peas.

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Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Chicken, corn and other yummy ingredients simmer in a tomato base, creating a fast, hearty meal.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A comforting bowl of soup is perfect for a winter meal, and this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe combines white meat chicken, colorful peppers, corn and the right amount of spice to warm your tummy and soul. I’m betting it will be one of those recipes you’ll go back to on a regular basis because it comes together in just 30 minutes, which is music to a busy home cook’s ear.

I know there are dozens—maybe hundreds—of variations to Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes. Why is this recipe better? Because you probably have everything in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer to make it right now. Chicken Tortilla Soup is a versatile recipe, too! Want to swap corn for beans? Go ahead! Make it a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock and leaving the chicken out altogether. Either way, the warm spice combination of cumin, coriander and celery salt help give Chicken Tortilla Soup real depth.

Chicken Tortilla Soup is believed to have originated in or near Mexico City. The traditional soup is made with roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, onion, garlic and chiles. Tortillas are cut into strips, fried and added to the bottom of the bowl prior to spooning in the soup and as a garnish. Over the years, cooks have added other ingredients, such as beans and corn, to the pot. So, let’s get cooking!

To make my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, which makes four servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, poached and cut into small strips or shredded

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1½ cups sweet peppers, diced (I used frozen strips of green, red and yellow peppers)

• 1 (15-ounce) can of tomatoes and green chiles

• 1½ cups canned or frozen corn

• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon celery salt

• 2 teaspoons lime juice

• 2 or 3 small tortillas cut into strips

• Olive oil

A couple of substitution notes: I swapped out the plain minced garlic for 2 teaspoons of Elbees Gourmet Garlic (chili and lime). If you don't have frozen peppers, you can chop one large green, red or yellow pepper and use in this recipe.

Begin this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe by placing a 4-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and peppers. Saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, celery salt and coriander; cook 1 minute.

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes with chiles and corn. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat before adding the cooked chicken. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

To make homemade tortilla strips for this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, cut flour tortillas into thin strips. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with a little olive oil and move tortilla strips around on pan to coat. Sprinkle tortilla strips with salt and bake for 2 to 3 minutes (watch so they do not burn; this won’t take long at all).

How to serve Chicken Tortilla Soup

Add a few tortilla strips to the bottom of the bowl. Ladle the warm soup over tortillas. Place additional tortilla strips on top of the soup and squeeze a lime wedge over the top. Add a little fresh cilantro or parsley for a garnish and you have a hearty, comforting bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup to savor. Other options for serving include a small dollop of sour cream or sprinkle of shredded Colby cheese on top, but I think the soup holds up well without the dairy. Some cooks add cubed avocado when serving their Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes, so if you're a fan of this fruit, go for it!

I hope you'll give my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe a try. Warm, hearty soups are one of winter's best comforts, so tuck in with a bowl and let me know what you think!

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Want more 30-minute meal recipes? My Beefy Greek Pitas recipe has all the flavors of the Mediterranean and are ready in a flash. Switch up Taco Tuesday with my mom's Doritos Taco Salad that's on the table in 35 minutes.

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Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today and you'll always know what's cooking in the kitchen!