Pumpkin Madeline Cake Balls

First let me start by saying I love you guys!  All the well wishes for my sick little boy mean so much.  Well he is on the mend!  This new antibiotic seemed to do the trick.  After 24 hours he was like a new kid.  Now I just think this full day has him tired.  But I will take tired and crabby over sick and not moving any day! 

Now to these delicious treats!  I have never tried a Madeline before.  I know, sometimes it is like I live under a rock. I blame my Dad!  If it wasn't chocolate, we didn't have it.  And growing up in the midwest Madelines weren't the norm.  So when the lovely people at Donsuemor contacted me to design a dessert for them, I was thrilled.  Thanks to Lizzy over at That Skinny Chick Can Bake for recommending me for the job!  A few days later, my lovely box of Madelines and French Almond Cakes arrived. I immediately set to work.  First I had to taste them, since they were new to me.  They were soft, tender, and delicious. 

School is back in session, so that means is it fall right?  Don't pay attention to the fact that it was 95 degrees in Iowa today.  I am in the mood for some fall cooking, and pumpkin is the first thing that comes to mind.  So I turned these delicious Madelines into Pumpkin Cake Balls!  They were so good!  I used the French Almond Cakes too, so there was some crunch from the almonds....so good! 

Pumpkin Madeline Cake Balls
Printable Recipe

6 Traditional Madelines
6 French Almond Cakes
1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 oz butter, softened
1 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 pound white chocolate

Start by making a Cream Cheese frosting.  Blend together butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until nice and creamy. 

Using your hands crumble the cakes into a bowl. Add the pumpkin, frosting, and all of the seasonings.  Stir until well blended. 

From into 1 inch balls.  Place on a lined cookie sheet, and refrigerate until hardened, approx 30 minutes. 

Melt the white chocolate in a large bowl.  One at a time dip the cake balls into the chocolate.  Put sprinkles on when the chocolate is wet, if desired.  Place on a lined tray, and refrigerate until hard.  Store in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Nutella Cupcakes

Yesterday I posted about Homemade Nutella.  It was delicious!  I doubled the recipe, because I knew I wanted to make something really good with it.  I wasn't sure what it would be, but after some careful thought, I decided cupcakes!  I actually had some cake batter in the freezer from back when I made Molten Lava Cake.  Perfect opportunity to use that up!  So I thawed that out, baked some cupcakes, filled them with Nutella, and then topped them with a Nutella Buttercream Frosting. 

Oh My Word!!  I don't really have words to describe this, it was just AMAZING!!  The frosting was so good!  My 6 year old and I just sat over the bowl of cake balls I scooped out, and dipped them in frosting!  I immediately called my neighbor and made her come over.  She had to sneak in so the kids didn't see that she got one and they didn't :)  My 6 year old is already asking when I can make them again! 

Nutella Cupcakes
Printable Recipe

Cake:
Adapted from Paula Deen

8 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
10 Tbls butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract


Frosting:
I used my normal frosting recipe, and just added Nutella

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbls milk
1/4 cup Nutella
1 - 1 1/2 cups powdered Sugar
To make the cake: 
Melt the chocolate and butter together.  You can use a double broiler, or the microwave.  Just get it nice and smooth.  Add the flour and sugar.  It will be very thick. Stir in the eggs, yolks, and vanilla until smooth.  Pour batter into muffin tins.  Will make approx 12 cupcakes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool completely. 

To make the frosting:
Mix everything together until it is the consistency of frosting.  You may need to adjust the sugar or milk to get it right. 

Once the cupcakes are cool, use a teaspoon to scoop out the center.  Fill with Nutella.  Top with Nutella Buttercream Frosting.