Confessions of a Hazelnut Mocha-holic...

Up until June 27, 2012 I had never had Nutella. Yeah...I KNOW! I had no idea what I was missing. I knew I liked hazelnut, but didn't realize how delish this Nutella stuff would actually be! I came across a frosting recipe that used Nutella in it, so decided that I should put together a cupcake that also incorporated Nutella, to add some hazelnutty-ness. The result was wonderful. My husband confessed that this cupcake was probably his favorite so far....as did many of my tasters.

This recipe is a keeper!!

Hazelnut Mocha Cupcake

For the cupcake: 

2 c all purpose flour

2 c sugar

3/4 c dutch processed cocoa (I used Valrhona)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 8oz. cup coffee (I combined 2 packets Starbucks VIA 'House Blend' with 8oz hot water)

1 c whole milk, room temperature

1/2 c unsalted butter

1/2 c Nutella

1 Tbsp Mexican vanilla

For the frosting:

1 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c Nutella

5 c confectioners sugar

1 Starbucks Via packet, dissolved in 1 1/2 tsp water

1-2 tsp water

For the garnish (optional):

Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Prepare your cup of coffee and set aside to cool. While that sits, place your butter and Nutella in a small saucepan. Set heat to low and melt these together until almost smooth. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven and prepare your cupcake pans. 

In a large bowl, combine your flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together your milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add cooled coffee.

Make a well in your dry ingredients, and pour your coffee mixture in it. Use a spatula and begin stirring coffee mixture into your dry's. While stirring, add melted butter mixture. Mix together until batter is thin and resembles liquid oreos! 

Using your scoop, carefully fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter. Bake these for about 17 minutes, or until they bounce back when you touch the tops. Cool in their pans for 5 minutes, them remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

While those cool, prep your frosting. Put butter and Nutella in mixer and mix at medium speed. Do so for 1 minute, scrape down your bowl, and mix for another 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. Add your coffee/water combination and mix at medium speed for 30 seconds, then reduce speed and start SLOWLY adding confectioners' sugar to bowl. Mix in completely, adding more water until frosting is your desired consistency. (I added about 1 1/2 tsp plain water)

Spread or pipe onto your cupcakes, then garnish with candies, if desired. Enjoy!

Lemon Meringue, that makes you Merengue

One of my favorite flavors of pie is Lemon Meringue. I always associate it with my late grandfather, Solomon. His birthday was on January 1st, so every year, on his birthday, the family would get together and my aunt would make a couple of lemon meringue pies because it was his favorite, too. I've made a few lemon meringue pies in the past, but don't necessarily LOVE baking them. They are very time consuming, one dirties lots of dishes, and if not timed out perfectly, something will go wrong. With a house full of kids, I can't always dedicate 100% of my attention on something in the kitchen because the next thing I know, someone is fighting or crying over something and I have to go break it up! Anyway, this past weekend my family got together for a Father's Day thing and my aunt brought a lemon meringue pie! Talk about flash back. Since there was only 1 pie and lots of people, I didn't have an entire piece, I just swiped a few bites from my Abuela's plate. Needless to say, it was delicious, and it inspired this week's cupcake. This one's for you, Buelo!!

Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcake
Inspired by BH&G 150 Cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
4 eggs yolks
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c milk
1/4 c purchased lemon curd
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the garnish/meringue:
4 egg whites
3-4 Tbsp purchased lemon curd
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2/3 c granulated sugar
powdered sugar
Separate eggs. Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Prep your cupcake pans with liners. You'll get about 15 out of this recipe. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl combine milk and 1/4 c lemon curd. Whisk until almost smooth. (You'll still have a few lumps of curd in there!)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat butter for about 30 seconds, then add granulated sugar. Beat for about 1 minute at med-high speed, then reduce to medium and add yolks and vanilla. Beat to combine, then scrape down your bowl. Alternately add your flour mixture and your milk mixtures, starting & finishing with the flour. Beat at low until just combined. Remove from mixer and mix through a couple of times with spatula.
Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tray, filling about 2/3 full. Batter is pretty thick, so use an offset spatula to smooth out tops. Pop into oven and bake 15-17 minutes until just beginning to turn golden, and they spring back when you touch the tops.
While those bake, scoop about 3-4 Tbsp lemon curd into a pastry bag, snip the tip, and set aside. Wash out your mixer bowl REALLY well, then whip egg whites and cream of tartar together at medium speed, until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high, and gradually add granulated sugar, about 1 Tbsp at a time. Whip until stiff peaks form. You can put meringue into a parchment bag, or you can just dollop onto cupcake, your choice!
When cupcakes come out of oven, place them on a cooling rack, then pipe a small pile of curd onto each cupcake. I stuck the tip of the bag into the cupcake to get a little bit inside the cake. Once you do that, either dollop your meringue on top, or pipe it on top of the curd pile. Place the cupcakes back into the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until meringue begins to brown on top. Remove from oven, an cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool for another 35-40 minutes. You can enjoy these now, or pop them into the fridge and chill until serving!

Blue Suede... Cupcake!

We took a vacation the 2nd week of June and got home the morning of Father's Day. Needless to say, I wasn't really in the mood to bake anything that day, as I was completely exhausted! Lucky for me, the kids were understanding and didn't insist that we bake a Father's day treat for dad until Tuesday. When I asked them what they wanted to make, my daughter said we needed to make something blue, since dad is a boy. I suggested this recipe, and she jumped on board instantly. She is a big Red Velvet fan, so anything with the word 'velvet' catches her attention. Plus, I'd never made this recipe before, so I was able to experiment with with something new.

Blue Velvet Cupcakes
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

For the cupcakes:
2 c granulated sugar
1 c unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp liquid blue food coloring
1 Tbsp dutch processed cocoa (I used Valrhona, available at Sur La Table
2 1/2 c cake flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 c buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp white vinegar

For the frosting:
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp water
2 lbs powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prep your cupcake pans.
In a medium bowl, combine your flour and salt. Set aside. In your mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add your eggs, one at a time, incorporating very well. IN a small bowl, combine cocoa with food coloring, creating a paste, then add it to your mixer. Scrape down your bowl. With mixer on low speed, slowly begin alternately adding your flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.Remove bowl from mixer and give it a few stirs, to make sure flour is completely mixed in. Combine soda and vinegar in a small bowl to create a foam, then stir into batter.

Using  your trusty scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For your icing, combine vanilla, cream cheese, and 2 Tbsp water.  Beat for about 1 minute, then slowly  begin adding powdered sugar. Beat to incorporate, adding water if necessary to reach your desired consistency. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes, then enjoy!

The Kaskake

A while back I baked a cupcake in honor of my friend Mike's birthday. He drove into town for his birthday, and as much as I wanted to go out and have a drink in honor of his birthday, I couldn't. I have 3 kids at home and going out is pretty much unheard of anymore. To make up for the lack of night life, I put together this cupcake, adapted from 1 Fine Cookie. Not only was there beer in the cupcake and frosting, I sprinkled BACON on top. Hello, man's best friend!

( I know I posted a pic of this a few months ago, but I saved it as a cupcake of the week post for a week that I would be on vacation, that way, I wouldn't miss one! )

Without further adieu...




The Kaskake
adapted from 1 Fine Cookie

For the cupcake:

1 1/2 c cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 c packed light brown sugar
1 16oz can/bottle of beer - I used Stella Artois

For the frosting:
1 c unsalted butter
5 c confectioners sugar
4-6 Tbsp of same beer used in cupcake

For the garnish:
Crispy bacon, diced

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake trays with liners.
In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In your mixer, cream brown sugar and butter together. Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once well blended, begin alternating the addition of your drys and your beer, starting and ending with the drys. Mix on low until just combined, then remove from mixer.

Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake 12-15 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool these for 10 minutes in the trays, then remove to wire rack. While they cool completely, prepare your frosting.

Beat butter, and 3 Tbsp beer, until creamy. Add powdered sugar to bowl. Beat until smooth, adding more beer, if needed to reach your desired consistency. Once cupcakes are completely cool, spread, or pipe onto your cupcakes. I didn't want to over-do it with the frosting, so I used a tip to pipe thin lines of frosting over cupcakes, making them look like spaghetti. Once they were frosted to my liking, I sprinkled bacon over top.

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Grass-Hoppin'

Going into the week I was unsure what I wanted to make. I knew I wanted something light, due to the ridiculous heat we have had lately. I remembered that my mother-in-law makes a yummy grasshopper cake for summer gatherings, so I thought - Why not??? The result was light and refreshing. Even though the cake is chocolate, the whipped topping balances it out wonderfully so one could easily eat 2 or 3 of these and not feel overwhelmed. Hope you agree!

Grasshopper Cupcake
Inspired by BH&G 150 Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 c milk
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c sugar
3 tbsp creme de menthe
1 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 c heavy whipping cream
1/4 c sugar
2 tbsp creme de menthe

In a small saucepan, combine milk and chopped chocolate. Cook and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

Prep cupcake trays and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In your mixer bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds, then gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c at a time, until creamy. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Drop mixer speed to low and add eggs, one at a time. Beat in creme de menthe and vanilla. With mixer still on low, alternately add drys and chocolate milk mixture, ending with dry's. Once combined, mix for another 20 seconds, then turn off mixer.

Batter will be thin, so carefully scoop it into your cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for about 17 minutes, or until cake bounces back when lightly touched. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

While cupcakes cool, prep your frosting. In a 1-cup  measuring cup, add 1 tsp of gelatin to 2 tbsp cold water. Let stand for 2 minutes, meanwhile, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Place measuring cup into boiling water, and stir until gelatin mixture dissolves completely. Remove from heat.

In your mixer bowl, combine whipping cream, 1/4 c sugar, and creme de menthe and begin to whip with whisk attachment. Slowly drizzle warm gelatin over whipped cream, while beating constantly. Continue to beat until stif peaks form.

Spread or dollop on top of cupcakes. Garnish with a Hershey Kiss, if desired. Enjoy!!

Banana-Rama

I was presented with a challenge late last week: A banana-nut cupcake. "You mean a muffin?" I asked. "No, a cupcake," I was told. "No, a muffin, right?" "No....a cupcake. That's part of the challenge."

Ugh....challenge, smallenge. I was nervous. My big concern: It would come out as a muffin. Needless to say, when going into this, the ever popular debate came up. What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake? Normally people say "Muffins don't have frosting." Well, I disagree. I've seen frosted muffins before, as well as glazed ones. I think it has to do with the consistency, which goes along with what Google told us, which is that the mixing method is different. That, and you can prepare a recipe intended for a cake and get a successful cupcake out of it, and vice versa. On the contrary, if you take a muffin recipe and try to make a cake out of it, well, you won't be pleasantly surprised.

Well, I searched the internet and found many potential recipes, but they all illustrated a very muffin-like image of a cupcake. That is what I didn't want. Finally I found myself on Wilton's website and found something that I suspected would work. It produced a very dense cake, but I think that it is definitely still a cupcake (yay!) Once the cupcake was cooling on the rack I stared at them wondering what the heck I was going to top them with. Being as dense as they were, a whipped topping was not an option. I considered a cream-cheese based frosting, but frankly, I don't love cream cheese. Yes, I have made some frostings with it, but generally, if I can buttercream it, I do. In this case, I did. After calling my husband, freaking out about what to top it with, he suggested the recipe that you'll see below. I think it worked.  The combination was dense, banana-y, and delicious. This could be a breakfast cupcake, no doubt. Paired with a cup of coffee, you'd greet the morning with a smile.

Banana-nut cupcake with Cocoa Frosting
Inspired by Wilton

For the cupcake:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3//4 c unsalted butter
1 1/2 c granulated sugar, room temperature
3/4 c banana, pureed (about 2 medium bananas)
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1 tsp black walnut extract
3/4 c sour cream
1/4 c walnuts, chopped into tiny pieces

For the frosting:
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
2-3 Tbsp water
3 c confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp cocoa (I used E. Guittard, purchased at Sur La Table)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep your cupcake pans. Combine flour, soda, and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside. In your mixer bowl, cream sugar and butter together, meanwhile, puree your banana into a liquid state, using a food processor or a blender. Add your eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, then add extracts. Scrape down your bowl, then beat banana into mixture, until well incorporated. Alternate adding flour and sour cream into banana mixture, starting and finishing with flour. Mix until just incorporated, and turn off mixer. Do not over mix. Remove bowl from stand, then stir in your chopped walnuts. I chopped mine really small because I don't love nuts, nor did I want to take away from the moistness of the cupcake by making it crunchy.

Once walnuts are mixed in, scoop batter into prepared pan, filling about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes, until tops spring back when touched. Cool them in the pan for about 10 minutes, then removed them to cooling rack to finish.

While these guys cool, prep your frosting. In a mixer bowl, mix butter, shortening, and 2 Tbsp water, until smooth. Mix in cocoa, then add confectioners' sugar, about 1/4 c at a time. Add more water, until desired consistency is reached.

Spread or pipe frosting onto cupcakes. To garnish, I put a handful of walnuts into my mini-prep and chopped them into big crumbs. I sprinkled about a pinch of them over frosting, then stuck a banana slice in the frosting. If you are going to use a banana slice as garnish, make sure that you add it RIGHT BEFORE serving, otherwise, the banana will get all brown and icky.

As previously mentioned, paired with a cup of coffee, this would create a delicious breakfast or snack any day!
Enjoy!!

mmmmmm...mocha.....

I lived in Seattle for almost a year, in 2001. While there I ended up working at Starbucks for a short time. In that short time I became a coffee addict. Oh yeah, all of you fellow coffee addicts out there know exactly what I mean. One of my favorite drinks was a mocha, or any variation of a mocha.
As much as I loved/love Starbucks, there was a little coffee shop a few blocks away from our apartment that made a killer mocha. When I walked into that coffee shop I was hit with the amazing scents of freshly baked goods and delicious coffee. For the life of me, I can't remember what the shop was called. Anyway, yesterday, when I opened my oven to pull out these cupcakes, my mind immediately took me back 11 yrs, to that little coffee shop in Greenlake. The scent of the baked goods, in combination with the chocolate & coffee made me flash back, and it was wonderful.
To improve matters, when I took my first bite, I was lost in the deliciousness. The just strong enough coffee flavor penetrated through the moist chocolate cupcake, and was accented by the coffee buttercream which topped the cupcake. I received many compliments on this one, from both coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers. This would be a perfect ending to a meal, or a perfect beginning to a day! I'm not going to lie, I totally had one of these for breakfast this week. Deee-lish!!

Mochaccino Cupcakes
from BHG Magazine, or their website

For the cupcake:
3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c dutch processed cocoa (I used Valrhona, purchased at Sur La Table)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 c whole milk
1/2 c strong brewed coffee, cooled
2 c granulated sugar
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, coursly chopped into small pieces

For the coffee buttercream:
1/3 c unsalted butter, room temperature
4 c confectioners' sugar
3-4 Tbsp of the same coffee from above
1 tsp Mexican vanilla

For the garnish (optional)
30 creme-filled rolled wafers, such as Pirouettes

Let eggs, butter, and milk sit at room temperature for about 20-25 minutes. Prep your cupcake pans with liners. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside. In a large measuring cup combine milk and coffee. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In your mixing bowl beat butter at high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Scrape down your bowl and continue to beat for 2 minutes. Decrease your mixer speed to low and add your eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down your bowl, then set at low speed. Slowly alternate addition of flour mixture and coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture. Remove bowl from mixer stand and stir in chocolate pieces. Scoop into prepared cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 18 minutes. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

While they cool, prepare your frosting. Beat butter for about 30 seconds until smooth. Add 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 3 Tbsp coffee, and vanilla. Continue to add sugar, about 1/4 c at a time. Add more coffee to reach desired consistency. I think I used about 4 Tbsp total.

Pipe or spread onto cupcakes and garnish with Pirouettes right before serving, if desired. Enjoy!!

No time for a siesta, when you have a Pineapple Chile-Lime fiesta!

When I was younger my parents would take us to Mexico every couple of years to visit my dad's side of the family. While there, when we were hit with a craving for something sweet, a Snicker's bar wasn't usually easy to find. What was easy to find was fruit. To add some pizzazz to the fruit, we would top it with this chile-lime-stuff. I only ever had it when I was in Mexico, until about 15 yrs ago when the stuff started appearing in grocery stores up here in Indiana. A couple of years ago I introduced it to my husband who looooooved it. When coming up with cupcake ideas he suggested that I come up with a completely unique cupcake that I could call my own. While brainstorming for ideas, he suggested a pineapple-chile cupcake. I was pretty skeptical at first because I just didn't know it would flow. I knew that the chile and the pineapple would meld well, but incorporated with a cupcake? Who knows?

Well, lucky for me my husband is persistent because the cupcake was a success. We presented them to familiy & friends at our Cinco de Mayo party this weekend and they were a hit! The sweet pineapple cupcake was accented with the tart & spicy hint of chile that we combined in the batter, as well as sprinkled on top. I made these as mini cupcake because in order for one to get the ultimate experience, you had to get all of the flavors in one bite. Plus, mini cupcakes are adorable! Without further adieu, my Pineapple Chile-Lime Cupcake!

Pineapple Chile-Lime Cupcake

For the batter:
1 c unsalted butter, room tempreature
1 3/4 c sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp Mexican vanilla
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c milk
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, in 100% juice,
2 Tbsp pineapple juice (from the can of crushed pineapple)
1 1/2 Tbsp lime zest
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Tajin Classico seasoning (found in produce section of grocery stores)

For the frosting:
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c shortening
3 1/2 Tbsp pineapple juice (from the can of crushed pineapple)
4 c confectioners' sugar

For garnish:
Pineapple tidbits, preferably fresh, but out of a can work
Tajin

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prep your cupcake tins.
Strain your crushed pineapple in a mesh strainer very well, reserving your juice. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl combine your flours, soda, powder, salt, and Tajin. Set aside.
Combine milk and pineapple juice. Set aside.
In your mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add your eggs, one at a time, making sure that they incorporate well. Mix in vanilla, then scrape down your bowl. Slowly add 1/3 of your flour mixture to your mixer bowl, followed by 1/2 of your milk mixture. Repeat this, then add the remainder of your flour mixture to your mixer bowl. Add lime zest and mix until just blended in. Remove mixer bowl from stand and gently fold in 3/4 of a cup of crushed pineapple.

Scoop batter into mini cupcake liners, then bake for 12 minutes, until tops of cupcakes bounce back when touched. Allow cupcakes to cool for about 7 minutes before removing them onto a cooling rack. While they cool completely, start working on your frosting.

Cream together shortening, butter, and pineapple juice. Slowly add powdered sugar, about 1/4 c at a time. Mix until desired consistency is reached. It took me about 3 1/2 Tbsp of pineapple juice to get it just right. Fill your piping bag and pipe cupcakes. Top each cupcake with 1 pineapple tidbit and a dash of the Tajin seasoning. 

More Leche than you can shake a stick at...

Tres leches means '3 milks' in Spanish. The last time I really had a true tres leches cake was when I was in Mexico. My cousin's wife made it, and it was amazing. I remember coming back home and trying to replicate it - I was unsuccessful. Back then, the Internet wasn't a big thing, Google was unknown, and if you didn't have the recipe in an old cookbook, you didn't search much further. Lucky for us, the Internet is here and if we want a crazy, wacky, off-the-wall variety of cupcake, we can Google it. Heck, even my 9 yr old daughter knows what "Google it" means.

Anyways, this cupcake is, thus far, my favorite since having started my challenge. The texture is indescribable. It's moist, almost, wet, but in a GOOD way. Soaking the milks into the cake make it creamy and wonderful, unlike any other cupcake you will ever try. Then, the frosting takes it over the top. An oven-made dulce de leche turned into a frosting enhances the flavor and then when you thought it couldn't get any better, a kiss of cinnamon makes it epic. Yes...eeeeepic. When will I make these again? I'd love to make more today, but they are tiiiime consuming, and yield only 16-17 cupcakes. Was it worth it? Ooooh yeah!

Tres Leches Cupcakes
with Dulce de Leche frosting
cupcake adapted from Foodnetwork.com

For the cupcake:
3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c buttermilk
1/2 c evaporated milk
1/2 c sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c coconut milk

For the frosting: 
1 14oz can condensed milk
2 egg yolks
3/4 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c water
1 tsp vanilla
14 tbsp butter
4 1/2 c confectioners' sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake tins with liners.
In a small bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In your stand mixer bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Transfer them to another bowl, and set aside. Wash out your bowl, and swap your whisk attachment for a beater blade, then put butter and sugar into bowl. Beat at medium-high speed until light & fluffy, which is about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down your bowl, then add your egg yolks, one at a time, making sure that they are completely incorporated after each addition. Add vanilla, and mix to combine. Scrape down your bowl, again.
Slowly add 1/3 of your flour mixture, then follow that with 1/2 of your buttermilk. Do this again, ending with flour mixture. Give it one last stir with a spatula, making sure that all is well combined. Gently fold your egg whites into your batter, taking care not to deflate the whites. Scoop into your muffin pans. You'll want these about 3/4 full. They will not rise much, which is GOOD because we will be pouring milk over them soon, and if they were mounded, it would run off the sides.

Bake for about 17 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. They will look a little porous, but that is a good thing, I promise. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes while in the trays, then place them on wire rack to finish cooling.

While they cool, prep your milks. In a small bowl, combine your evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut milk. Whisk together and set aside. Use a kabob skewer (if you have one) and start poking a bunch of holes in your cupcake. I wanted to make sure that plenty of the milk mixture got into the cupcake, so I used a straw to poke holes in the cupcakes...really...like this:

I suppose you could use a meat injector to inject the milk directly into the cupcake, but I don't have one so I went with a straw.

Now, the fun/scary part...adding the milks. You want these to be wet...like, REALLY wet. That is the point. This is a milky cake. You want to literally pool your milk on the cupcake. Don't freak out, it will soak in (see photos to left)
Looks like a lot of milk, huh? Yeah...use about 1/2 an ounce to 3/4 ounce...seriously. You will be thankful that you did. Once you have poked and pooled your cupcakes, place them in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hrs, but overnight is better.

Approx 1 minute has lapsed

Within minutes the milk has soaked into your cupcakes

Next day... (or 2 hrs later, for those who are impatient)...

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Pour your entire can of sweetened condensed milk into a small oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil. Place this dish into a larger dish, and fill with water, about 1/2 up the side of your small dish, to create a water bath. Bake this for 1-1 1/2 hrs, checking every 30 minutes. It is done when it is a pretty caramel color. 

While this is in the oven, you can go ahead and prep your other ingredients. Put 2 egg yolks in mixer and attach a whisk attachment. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. 

When you pull your dulce de leche out of the oven, go ahead and add the water to your sugar mixture, and simmer over medium heat. Add desired amount of dulce into saucepan, I added about 3/4 c. Whisk entire time, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Remove this mixture from heat and turn your mixer onto high. Temper yolks by adding about a tablespoon of your hot dulce into the mixer, making sure to not turn the mixer down. Then, add the rest of your dulce to the yolks, followed by the vanilla. Whisk about 1 minute, then strain back into saucepan. Allow to cool. 

Once cool, return to mixer and begin mixing. Add your softened butter a few tablespoons at a time, until incorporated. Lastly, add your powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time. Add as much as you need, until you reach your desired consistency. I ended up using 4 1/2 c of powdered sugar. 

Allow frosting to sit for a minute, while you pull out your cupcakes. Frosting will be a bit on the thin side, but I found that 4 1/2 c of confectioners' sugar was the perfect amount to allow frosting to be piped.

Spread, or pipe frosting over cupcakes, then sprinkle a bit of cinnamon over top, if you'd like. 

Now, after ALL of this working, and waiting, ENJOY!! If you are like me, it will definitely have been worth the wait. 

Pineapple Express...

My husband has been bombarded with cupcake ideas for the past couple of weeks. One of the big requests has been for pineapple upside-down cupcakes. I am not a huge fan of having fruit baked into my cake. My mom used to make one of those mandarin orange cakes...you know - the kind where every bite has one of those little mandarin oranges in it...the one that doesn't taste all the way done because it's juicey with mandarin orange juice? Yeah...gross. I think it's the texture that bothers me. The area around the fruit is always a little off for my liking. Perhaps that is why I wasn't 100% on baking these little guys. I was concerned that the texture would be weird. That, and they're pineapple upside-down cupcakes! How am I going to serve these without people being covered with cupcake by the time they are done? Isn't the point of a cupcake the fact that you don't have to use a fork to eat it? Eat an run....eat and run. It should be about ease of consumption, right?

Well, turns out, if your cake is dense enough, it's not overly soppy around the fruit, AND you can eat it with your fingers. SCORE! This is one of my fave's thus far....as well as one of the fave's of my tasters.  I hope that all who attempt the recipe enjoy it as much as we did.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcake
Inspired by America's Test Kitchen - Family Baking Cookbook

For the batter: 
12 tbsp unsalted better, softened
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 lbs peeled & cored fresh pineapple - cut to your liking (I used 1 entire medium sized pineapple)
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c whole milk, room temperature

For the whipped topping:
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place 4 tbsp butter in butter warmer (or very small saucepan) and melt over low heat. Once melted, turn off heat, but leave on burner. Add brown sugar and stir until incorporated.
Do you have one of those little ice cream scoops - the kind that measure about 1 tbsp of batter? If so, that is perfect! Scoop about 1 tbsp of the brown sugar mixture in each of your ungreased muffin cups. Don't worry - the cupcake will pop out, even though the pan is ungreased. I promise.

Once you've filled your muffin tray, arrange your pineapples how you'd like. Press them down into the brown sugar mixture, and set your pan aside.

In a medium bowl combine your flour, baking powder, and salt. In your mixer bowl, cream granulated sugar and butter together until light & fluffy - about 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add your eggs and egg whites in, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.

Reduce your mixer speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add half of the milk, then repeat process, ending with flour. Beat last portion of flour into mixture, but make sure you don't over beat. Just beat until incorporated.

Grab your trusty ice cream scoop and scoop the batter into your muffin cups. Your tins should be 3/4 full. Batter will be very thick, so take a spatula and smooth out the tops.

Bake cupcakes for 17 minutes, or until they bounce back when touched in the center. Let them cool in 10 minutes, no more, no less. Letting them sit in the pan for 10 minutes is just enough time that when you go to remove them from the pan they will come out easily. Once the 10 minutes have passed, put a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper on top of your cupcake pan, then flip it over. Let them chill there for a minute or two. The cupcakes will release on their own - LIKE MAGIC!!

While cupcakes cool on sheet, prep your whipped topping. Add your whipping cream and vanilla to mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip until stiff soft peaks begin to form. With mixer still going, slowly sprinkle confectioners' sugar into whipped mixture. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form, making sure not to over-whip.

Dollup your whipped cream onto cupcake, then top with a cherry. Ta-da! Delicious and beautiful!!

Coconuty goodness....

Throughout this cupcake adventure, I have been sharing cupcakes with friends, family, and coworkers. In going through potential cupcake ideas with a couple of coworkers, I mentioned that I needed to hurry up and do a coconut cupcake. She asked me why, and I said, "It's Easter time...that's when you have coconut cake." She seemed confused by this. I think she even asked me why. I didn't have an answer....I just knew that if I was going to do something that heavily relied on coconut flavor, I would need to do it soon. Well, today is Easter - which means this was the week that the coconut was going down.

This cupcake was inspired by the same cookbook that inspired the carrot cake cupcakes from last week. It was a gift from my uncle, who I can never thank enough for buying for me. The cookbook itself does not focus on any specific aspect of baking, it is merely a plethora of recipes that I will need to experience. The recipe I made this week was actually for a coconut cake, but since this is a CUPCAKE challenge, we had to make them little. 

Just a heads up - this recipe is probably the most challenging, thus far. It was kinda time consuming, and there were a few trial and error's that had to be experienced, before it was good enough. If you decide to try it, have fun. The outcome definitely makes up for the time it takes to bake them. Happy Easter!

Coconut Cupcakes

Inspired by Sono Baking Company cookbook

For the batter:

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs, separated & at room temperature

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature

2 c confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 c coconut milk

2 tbsp cream of coconut (we will talk more about this in a few...)

1 teaspoon coconut extract

For Pastry cream

4 large egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c cornstarch

2 c milk

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

1 c shredded, sweetened coconut

For the coconut buttercream frosting:

2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
16 tbsp ulsalted butter, cut into chunks & softened
1/4 c cream of coconut
3 c confectioners' sugar
2 c sweetened shredded coconut (toasted, if you'd like)

Prep your oven by setting temperature to 350 degrees. Prep your muffin tins with your favorite Eastery cupcake liners, and set aside.

You will begin by making the cake. Combine the flour and baking powder in a small bowl, then set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they are frothy. Slowly add the granulated sugar and continue to whisk, until stiff peaks form. Scrape the meringue into a clean bowl, then set that aside. 

Wash out your bowl and swap your whisk attachment for a paddle attachment. Cream your butter, confectioners sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy. This will be kinda thick, so scrape down your bowl after about a minute of mixing. Once your butter mixture is fluffy, add your egg yolks, one at a time, making sure they are well combined after each addition. Beat in your coconut milk, cream of coconut, and your coconut extract. 

So, have you asked yourself what cream of coconut is, yet? I didn't think much of it, until I failed to find it in any of the FIVE grocery stores I looked in. I Googled it and saw a few different brands, so didn't figure it would be tough to find. Well, I should have researched it a little bit more, to find that is is commonly use to make pina coladas. What does this mean to us? You should go to the liquor section of your grocery store, or better yet - go to a liquor store. After traveling to all those stores (not even remotely close to my home) on a whim I went to the liquor store 2 blocks away from my house & asked if they had cream of coconut. To my delight, and frustration, the sales clerk said "We sure do!" and he grabbed a can for me. Geez louise......Well, at least I found it.

Anyway, the can will most likely need to sit in a bowl of warm water to loosen up, so make sure you do that. The end result will be a liquid that resembles the consistency of sweetened condensed milk, just a bit more translucent.

After you have beat in your coconut milk, cream, and extract, start adding your dry ingredients to the wets. Once all of your flour is combined, remove it from your mixer. Ever so gently, scrape your meringue into your batter. Don't mix, don't stir, don't whisk -- FOLD. Be patient, this may take a while. The end batter is still very thick, but it will result in a wonderful cake.

Once the meringue is incorporated, grab your ice cream scoop and fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full. For the first time, I had to smooth out the tops of the cupcakes, to make sure that they baked even. You'll see what I mean when you see how thick the batter is. Just give it a quick swipe with a spatula and you'll be all set.
Bake these puppies for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool them for 10 in the pan, then remove them to the cooling racks.

While these cool, start your pastry cream. Whisk the egg yolks, 1/4 c of sugar, cornstarch, and 1/2 a cup of milk. Set aside. In a medium saucepan combine the rest of the sugar and milk, and the salt. Bring to a simmer, making sure you whisk constantly. Once it's warm to the touch, temper your egg yolk mixture by slowly pouring a small amount in, while whisking QUICKLY. (Key word is quickly. You don't want to scramble your egg yolks) Once you've done this, pour in the remaining warm milk mixture and whisk thoroughly. Using a mesh strainer, strain your custard mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Whatever you do, do NOT stop whisking, or you will be sorry. Once your mixture begins to boil around the edges, watch the center. The first signs of a bubble popping up in the middle, start counting your alligators. (One alligator, two alligator, three, alligators, etc) Count 10 seconds (or 10 alligators) then remove from heat.

Transfer the cream to your stand mixer, and using the paddle attachment, mix at medium speed for 2-3 minutes, in order to slightly cool your mixture. Beat in vanilla extract. With mixture still running, cut your butter in, a little at a time, until it is completely incorporated. Add your coconut and continue to mix. Transfer the pastry cream mixture to a separate bowl then press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto cream, to avoid a crust from forming on top. Chill for 1-2 hours.

For the buttercream, combine cream, extracts, and salt in a small bowl. In your mixer bowl, beat butter and cream of coconut at medium-high speed, until smooth. Reduce your mixer speed, then slowly add your confectioners' sugar. Beat until smooth, approx 4 or 5 minutes. Add your cream mixture, and increase your mixer speed to medium-high. Beat until light and fluffy, which for me was about 7 minutes.

After pastry cream has chilled, remove from refrigerator, and give it a few stirs. Since this recipe was originally for a cake, I had to get the pastry cream inside the cupcake. Two years ago I got a cupcake corer from Sur La Table and I had never used it. What better time than now? All you have to do is push it into the cupcake, then give it a twist. Like magic, a little plug of cupcake pops out. Needless to say, I ate most of these cupcake plugs (hee hee) Fill a pastry bag with your cream, and squirt into the cupcake, until it begins to overflow. Do this for all of the cakes, then pipe your frosting over the hole. Garnish your cupcake with coconut, toasted or not toasted. I opted to toast, to add a darker, nuttier flavor - and a splash of color to contrast the white. To toast, dump coconut onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 350, stirring often. It took me about 10 minutes to get my coconut well toasted.

Sprinkle over top of cupcake, then enjoy!! 

Eh... What's up Doc?...

So, a couple of weeks ago I had some extra cream cheese frosting left over from some cupcakes I made for someone, and I hated to let it go to waste. I racked my brain for a couple of seconds, trying to come up with a potential idea for usage of the frosting. Luckily, I was planning on making some carrot baby food in a few days, so I had carrots. Carrots + cream cheese frosting = CARROT CAKE CUPCAKES! I threw them together literally 2 hrs before I left for work, and handed a few out. After the reactions I received, I realized that I needed to make them again, and post them on the blog. So.....here you go!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Inspired by The Sono Baking Company Cookbook

For the cupcakes:
2 1/2 c cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
16 oz peeled & shredded carrots (use your Microplane to ensure they are nice & fine)
2/3 c sour cream
2 c granulated sugar
1 c vegetable oil
4 large eggs

For the cream cheese frosting:
8 oz cream cheese frosting, room temperature
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of kosher salt
4 c confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of one orange (or if you're like me, use 2-3 Cuties because those are more commonly found in the house)
2 tsp grated ginger

Preheat your oven at 350 degrees and prep your muffin trays. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, combine your carrots, sour cream, sugar, oil, and eggs. Whisk to incorporate, then add your dry ingredients. FOLD do NOT whisk them in. You want to ensure that the batter stays as airy as possible. Continue to fold until dry's are incorporated completely.

Grab your trusty ice cream scoop and fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. These really won't puff up much, so, 3/4 full is safe. Place them in the oven and bake for 20-24 minutes, making sure you rotate the pan about 1/2 way through the baking process.

Place pan on cooling rack, and let them cool for about 10 minutes, then take them out and cool completely. (Seriously...if you try to put cream cheese frosting on a warm cupcake you are only asking for a slimy mess!)

While your cupcakes cool, prep your frosting. Put your butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in the bowl of your mixer. Slowly add your confectioners sugar, about 1/2 a cup at a time, to avoid a snowstorm from happening in your kitchen. Once the sugar is mixed in well, add your zest. I suggest that if you do not own a Microplane, GET ONE. My husband  bought one for me at Sur La Table and the first time I used it, it was like MAGIC! Truuuuust me. You need one.

Anyway, beat in zest and ginger, then pipe onto your cupcakes. If you want to get fancy, garnish your cupcakes with a little carrot peel. As you can see from my picture, I didn't get fancy with these. Don't worry, though -- the flavor and texture of this cupcake is fancy enough!
Have fun, and enjoy!

A salty-sweet treat

When I was flipping through my cookbook/magazine last week, looking at the Shamrock Milkshake Cupcake I stumbled upon this recipe. As soon as I saw the word "salt' AND "caramel" in the title I knew this was going to happen asap. I mentioned to a few coworkers last week that this was my plan, and they all started drooling, immediately. All of those weight-watchers instantly made a plan to watch their points for the following Wednesday because a possibly epic cupcake was on it's way.
What is it with salt vs. sweet? Perhaps you're not sure if you're a fan of that combo, yet? Well, if you need some convincing, give this a whirl. You won't be disappointed.

Salted Caramel-Chocolate-Bourbon Cupcake

from BHG Cupcake Magazine, or on their website

For the batter:

1 c butter

3 eggs

2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 c water

1/3 c bourbon

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 c sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the fudge frosting: 

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, shopped

2 tbsp butter

1/2 c sour cream

2 1/2 c powdered sugar

For the salted caramel:

2 tbsp whipping cream

1 tbsp bourbon

24 unwrapped vanilla caramels

1/4 tsp sea salt

Additional sea salt, for garnish

Allow butter & eggs to sit at room temperature for 30 min. Meanwhile, prep your cupcake pans. This recipe will give you between 32 & 36 cupcakes, no problem. In a medium bowl stir together your flour, soda, and kosher salt. set aside.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave (uncovered) your bittersweet & semisweet chocolate for 1 minute, then stir. Microwaver for another 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter by itself for about 30 seconds, then slowly begin to add your sugar, about 1/4 c at a time. Beat at medium speed until combined, scraping as necessary. Slow down your mixer, then add your eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture, and bourbon mixture to the chocolate mixer, beating at low speed after each addition, until just combined.

Grab your trusty ice cream scoop and start scooping batter into your cups, filling about 3/4 full. Now, you want to add this much batter because these are not going to rise (and stay risen) like your normal cupcakes. These are going to fall. Little makes my heart as sad as it gets to see my beautiful cupcakes deflate! About 3/4 into cooking time you will look through the window and see some beautifully plump cupcakes. By the time you remove them from the oven, they will be flat as a pancake - maybe even flatter if hey have an indent. Don't cry....don't panic - accept it for what it is, then move on. How could you possibly easily pool a puddle of caramel sauce on top of a rounded cupcake? See...it'll be ok. 

Bake your cupcakes for 18 minutes, or until your toothpick comes out clean, when inserted. Let cool in trays for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire tray, to finish cooing. While they cool, prep your frosting.

In a medium saucepan melt 6 oz bittersweet chocolate and 2 tbsp butter over low heat. Stir frequently, or you risk it burning. Once melted, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 c sour cream. Put your powdered sugar in mixer bowl. Once your sour cream is incorporated into chocolate, pour that into mixer bowl, and mix at low speed, initially, then increase to medium. Mix until combined. Once this is done, I'd go ahead and pipe borders around all of your cupcakes, so they have time to set while you make your caramel.

In a small saucepan combine whipping cream and bourbon. Heat over medium-low heat until steaming (NOT BOILING) Add caramels and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Mix constantly until melted and smooth. Spoon into centers of cupcakes, then garnish with sea salt.  

Isn't it romantic?

Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries - a perfect addition to Valentine's Day. I wanted to make something special, in honor of Valentine's Day, but I didn't want to give into the cliché Red Velvet cupcakes (at least for the blog...I made those for my family last week!) These caught my eye immediately, and I knew they would be perfect for the lover's holiday. I remember a few years ago I was surprised by my husband at my place of employment with a platter of chocolate covered strawberries that he had made all by himself. It was so sweet, and something I like to brag about to my friends. As for the champagne, I had never opened a bottle of the stuff by myself, until it was time to use it as a cupcake ingredients. I'm not going to lie....I sat there and stared at the cork for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to do! Eventually I gave the little metal thingie a twist and ta-da! The cork flew off! It was exciting, too bad I was alone at the time. 

Anyway, these cupcake are a spongy change from the previous cupcakes. They are definitely an adult cake, due to their lack of overpowering sweetness, and the content of champagne.  What I noticed was not the immediate flavor of the champagne, but the aftertaste of it. It was quite nice just getting a small hint of that in the back of your throat. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Strawberries & Champagne Cupcakes:

The Recipe:
adapted from Annie's Eats

Chocolate covered strawberries

24-28 strawberries

4-5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

2-3 oz white chocolate, chopped

Batter:

2 1/4 cake flour, sifted

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

7 large egg whites

7 large egg yolks

1 1/2 c sugar

5 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c champagne

Ganache

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 c + 1 tbsp heavy cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 8 piecee

Champagne syrup (optional)
To boost the champagne flavor, soak this into the cupcakes while they cool
3/4 c water
1 c sugar
1 c champagne

Directions:

Wash and rinse strawberries. Place on a paper towel to dry, while you prep your chocolate. Put the chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl and microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each time. Once completely smooth, dip strawberries in chocolate, one at a time, letting excess drip off. Place them on a tray lined with a sheet of wax paper or parchment, to let set. Next, melt white chocolate in same manner as semisweet. Once smooth, pour into a decorating bag, or a small plastic baggie. I used a baggie, because I wanted something small to work with. Snip off the corner, or tip of bag, then drizzle over your strawberries. Place them in refrigerator to allow to set entirely.

Set your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake trays. Combine dry ingredients, and set aside. Put egg whites in a clean, dry bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment. beat egg whites until foamy. Add 2 tbsp of sugar, and increase speed to medium high. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Remove mixer bowl and pour whipped whites into a separate bowl, and set aside. 

Wash and dry your mixer bowl and replace in mixer. Combine yolks, remaining sugar (1 c plus 6 tbsp), oil, and vanilla. Mix with paddle attachment until combined. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add champagne, mix until combined, then add remaining dry ingredients.

Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of whites into batter. This is to lighten it up. Add remaining whites and fold in gently, being careful not to deflate batter. 

Fill your cupcake liners about 3/4 full, then bake for 14 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean,  and cupcakes are golden brown. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack. While cupcakes cool, prepare your syrup, if desired. 

For syrup, bring water and sugar to rolling boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and add champagne. Use silicone basting brush to brush syrup over cupcakes. If desired, repeat the basting about 5 minutes later.

Remove your strawberries from the refrigerator, then prepare your ganache.  Put chopped chocolate in small glass bowl, and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk in small circles, starting in the middle of bowl, and working towards the outside. Add butter, one 1 piece at a time and continue to whisk until combined. 

Take your cooled cupcake and dip only the top into the ganache. Let excess drip off, then put back on cooling rack. Grab a chocolate covered strawberry and place on cupcake. After a few minutes the strawberry's chocolate will meld into the ganache and you are all set!!

Enjoy!

Have you ever been to Sonic®?

Well, I have. The most delicious item on the menu: Cherry Limeade. Seriously, it is delicious! When I stumbled upon this recipe I just KNEW that we had to give it a whirl.

What is so crazy, is that it totally has the tart limey taste that you would fine in limeade, but then the cherry's sweetness kicks in. Overall, it is a yummy cupcake, which is also REALLY pretty!

The Recipe:

adapted from Annie's Eats

Batter:

3 c cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c sugar

1/2 c + 2 Tbsp frozen limeade concentrate, unthawed

3 eggs

3/4 c whole milk

Lime syrup:

1/2 c limeade concentrate, unthawed

1/2 c confectioners sugar

Frosting:

4 c confectioners sugar

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c shortening

4 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

1 tsp grenadine (optional)

Garnish (optional):

Lime slices

Maraschino cherries, with stems (because it's prettier)

Directions:

Prehead oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake pan with paper liners. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar together, then add limeade concentrate.
Now, after I added the limeade I got a little freaked out because it looked all curdled & weird. sorta like this:

Don't panic. It will all work out in the end.

After you add limeade, scrape down bowl, then add your eggs, one at a time, making sure that they are mixed in well. Scrape down your bowl again.

Add 1/3 of your flour mixture, and blend until just mixed in. Add 1/2 of your milk. Repeat this, ending with flour. Make sure that once flour is mixed in to turn off your mixer. Even though the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix. Remove from mixer, then give it a stir with a spoon or spatula 2 or 3 times, mainly to check that all the flour has been distributed properly. Batter will look pancakey, kinda like this:

Grab your cupcake pans, and fill each cup about 2/3 full. I used my trusty ice cream scoop to ensure that they would come out approximately the same. 

Bake these puppies for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. Let them sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove them onto a wire rack and cool completely. 

While they cool, prep your syrup. Easy peasy, whisk the confectioners sugar with the limeade until it's smooth. Once your cupcakes are almost completely cool, poke some holes in them, so when you brush your syrup over the top, it will also leak into the cupcake. I used a kabob skewer because it makes bigger holes. If you don't have one, just poke each cupcake a hundred times with a toothpick. (Had you had a kabob skewer you'd get away with poking it like 10 times)  About 10 min after I brushed the syrup over the cupcakes, I repeated the process. I wanted to make extra sure that they were limey enough.

Once the limeade syrup is brushed over the cakes, prepare your frosting. Put shortening and butter in a mixing bowl. Cream together, then add cherry juice. Slowly add confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once blended, check your consistency and flavor. I thought frosting lacked cherry flavor so I sent my husband to the store to pick up some grenadine. I added about 1 tsp, to give is an extra cherry boost. If you want to enhance the pink color, you can add a bit of food coloring to the frosting. Make sure that you are aware of the consistency of your frosting. If you add too much liquid it will be too runny.

Pipe frosting on cupcakes and garnish with a lime and cherry, if desired. If you are garnishing them immediately, I would suggest serving these the same day. I put some in the refrigerator and tried them the next day and the texture changed quite a bit. The cupcakes were wonderfully moist soon after completion, but after sitting in a refrigerator overnight, they became a bit too dry for my liking.

All in all, the cupcakes were great. They were light, unlike last week's super rich cupcake, and they helped satisfy my craving for my favorite Sonic beverage!

Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Love

 When it came to deciding which cupcake to make first, I sorta panicked. I needed the first one to be cool looking, yummy, & easy enough that I couldn't mess it up. I decided on a Brownie Buckeye Cupcake because it met all of the above mentioned criteria My only hesitation was the name. Isn't Ohio the Buckeye state? I'm totally not in Ohio.

Anyway, here is my finished product: The Brownie Buckeye Cupcake
aka chocolaty, peanut buttery goodness!

If I had to rate this recipe's difficulty level, it would be rated as easy. The cupcake itself is actually a boxed brownie mix (hey! don't judge....it tastes delicious) Also, the remainder of the ingredients are pretty common, and come together easily. If you're a beginner to the baking world, this one will be a snap. 

The Recipe: 

Batter:

16-18 miniature peanut butter cups

1 box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

3 large eggs

1/4 c water

1/2 c oil

Icing:

1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

2 1/2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c powdered sugar

Topping:

16-18 miniature peanut butter cups

Ganache:

1 c creamy peanut butter

1 c semisweet chocolate (I didn't have any, so I used chocolate chips, which worked just fine for me)

2 tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 c half & half

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and prep your cupcake pans with your cupcake liners. Unwrap your peanut butter cups & set them aside.

Prepare brownie mix as if you are going to make cake-like brownies. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full, then stick 1 peanut butter cup in batter, upside down, then gently push down. Add just a smidge more batter to the top of the peanut butter cup, to barely cover it up.

Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. To check if they are done, insert a toothpick to the brownie. It's done if it comes out almost clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 min, then remove to a wire rack & cool completely

For frosting, cream butter & peanut butter together. Add vanilla & 2 tbsp of milk. Slowly add in powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time. Mix together. Add remaining milk, to your desired consistency.

Fill a piping bag, and pipe frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes. I couldn't find my 1M tip, so I had to improvise - I cut a hole at the end of the piping bag & just started squeezing! I guess I'll be heading to my fav cake decorating supply store to get a new tip, huh? (YAY!) After you're all frosted, top frosting with a peanut butter cup.

Originally I was going to use bittersweet chocolate for the ganache, but then realized that I don't like bittersweet chocolate. I decided to use semisweet chocolate, but didn't have any in block form. Alas, there was a lonely looking bag of semisweet chocolate chips in the pantry, so I grabbed it, and head for the stove.

For ganache, put chocolate, peanut butter, & corn syrup in double boiler (or a glass bowl set over simmering water.) Whisk occasionally, until completely smooth. Remove from heat, and add half & half, beating until smooth. Drizzle over cupcakes while still warm.

Have fun with this one!! Next week: Cherry Limeade Cupcakes...mmmm!!!!