Raspberry Linzer Cupcakes Food

RASPBERRY LINZER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 15 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, milk, butter, almond paste, almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling almost full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Cut off top of each cupcake with serrated knife, using gentle sawing motion, or with electric knife. With 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart shape from center of each cupcake top. Spoon about 1 tablespoon jam into middle of each cupcake. Cover each with cupcake top, pressing gently. Sprinkle cupcakes with powdered sugar. Spoon about 1 teaspoon jam into each cutout to fill heart. Store loosely covered.

RASPBERRY LINZER COOKIE CUPS

Steps:

• Finely grind/chop the toasted pecans in your food processor. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and ground pecans on medium speed until very soft and light, about 3 minutes. Beat in the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until well combined. Scrape down the sides of your bowl and add the dry ingredients. Beat for about 30 seconds, or until well combined (dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl).
• Roll the dough into 1" balls and place in an UNgreased miniature cupcake pan. Find something in your kitchen that is the same diameter as the cupcake hole (I used a shot glass), and press gently down on each ball to make an indentation.
• Place a rounded half teaspoon of raspberry jam in each depression and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. The jam will melt and spread out evently.
• Keep the baked cookies IN the pan, but on a cooling rack for TEN MINUTES. After 10 minutes, you will be able to VERY GENTLY lift the cookie cups out of the pan. You can use the tip of a knife to help, but it shouldn't be necessary -- just lift with a steady, gentle pressure and they will pop out. I've also had luck turning the pan upside down on a soft towel and tapping it gently -- they should pop out.