Things that make you go "Hummm...."

A while back I was chatting with my uncle, who mentioned having prepared a delicious Hummingbird cake for a dinner party. I was unfamiliar with the cake, so I asked for the recipe. One glance and I knew that I had to make a cupcake version of it. How could I go wrong with the main ingredients being bananas, pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon?

The outcome was delicious. I pretty much made the recipe as it was given to me, for one batch, then added some coconut to the second batch. They were YUM! These would definitely be a great dessert for a dinner party, as they are a more "adult" cupcake, if that makes sense?!? The frosting is a cream cheese frosting, which you know will make every bite a bit more delicious. Give 'em a whirl...see what you think. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!


Hummingbird Cupcakes
Inspired by a recipe from the kitchen of Uncle Mario

For the cupcake:
3 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c pureed ripe bananas
1 8oz can of crushed pineapple, juice removed
1/2 c finely chopped pecans
1/3 c sweetened coconut (optional - but HIGHLY recommended)

For the frosting:
2 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened & cut into small pieces
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened & cut into small pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 c confectioners' sugar


For the garnish (optional):
Toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep your cupcake pans with liners.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Set aside. In your mixer bowl, combine oil and sugar. Beat at medium speed for about 3 minutes until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, until light in color, which will be about 2 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add bananas and pineapple. Leaving mixer at low speed, add dry ingredients, about 1/3 at a time. Beat only until just combined, then remove from mixer. Stir in your pecans and coconut, if using.
Scoop your batter into your prepared baking cups and bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted. Let cool on rack for about 7 minutes, then remove from pans and cool all the way through.

While cupcakes cool, prepare your frosting. In your mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla, then slowly add confectioners' sugar, about 1/2 c at a time. Beat until smooth, then spread or pipe over cupcakes. Garnish with toasted coconut, if desired.

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.