Tag Archives: birthday

May 17, 2013 · 5:00 am

Sangria Cupcakes

There is wine in the frosting. Somehow, somewhere in my life I have reached the point where it is perfectly acceptable and seemingly normal for me to combine my two favorite things – wine and cupcakes – into one delicious dessert. That’s what we have here, the possibility that I may have gone too far.

No. I’ve gone just far enough. In my search for a sangria cupcake recipe I found nothing worth using. It was time to start from scratch. I knew I could use my favorite cupcake and frosting recipe as a base and adapt from there. Substitute orange extra for vanilla, soak with sangria, add a little wine to the frosting, and garnish with some boozy fruit. Done.

I was surprised how well these turned out. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about putting wine in a cupcake, I just didn’t know if it would taste good. Individually, a cold glass of sangria on a hot day is a delightful treat and a cupcake is lovely any day or night, but together, I was a skeptic. The orange cake is wonderful. Magic happens when you massage zest and sugar, everything is on the fast track to flavor town for sure! Soaking the top with sangria adds flavor, moisture, and color; it tells you that this is a sangria cupcake.

The light purple frosting has just a hint of wine flavor, it’s kind of addicting, I kept needing little “samples” to make sure it tasted alright. The star of the show is the bejeweled, boozy fruit on top. Boozy fruit was a college staple for my roommates and I, and it brings home the sangria flavor and concept. Mixing your wine and dessert is a surprisingly fantastic idea, you should definitely try it out! By the way, the leftover sangria is a delicious accompaniment!

I made these cupcakes for Krystal in honor of her birthday because we enjoy sharing pitchers of sangria together in the summer. Some of my best summer nights were with Krystal, sangria, and a fantastic outside drinking establishment. What better way to celebrate her birthday than with sangria cupcakes! Last year she received margarita whoopie pies, I see the boozy theme here…

One Year Ago – 50 Shades of Grey Cupcakes

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Sangria Cupcakes
Yield – 15 cupcakes

Sangria
juice of one orange (zest first and save for later)
1/4 cup triple sec
1 apple diced small
8 strawberries diced small
1/2 bottle red wine
1/2 orange cut into small slices

Add all the ingredients to a jar with a lid.
Refrigerate overnight.

Cupcakes
1 cup sugar
zest of one orange
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon orange extract
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup sangria from above recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F.
Add the sugar and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer. Massage the sugar and zest together for about 30 seconds.
Add the flour, powder, soda, and salt to the sugar, mix slowly with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and beat for several minutes until the mixture becomes nice and crumbly.
While the mixer is mixing, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and extract. Pour this in the mixer and combine.
Slowly add the milk in and turn on high for a few seconds.
Use a standard size ice cream scoop to portion the batter into lined cupcake pans.
Bake 14 minutes until a toothpick in a center cupcake comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack.
Use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes in the top of each cupcake while still warm. Use a pastry brush to apply sangria to each cupcake. Repeat until all the sangria is used up. Let cool completely.

Frosting
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup red wine
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Sangria fruit separated from the liquid and chopped in need be

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, wine, and flour. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and thick resembling pancake batter.
Remove from the heat, stir in the extract and allow to cool completely.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – beat for 8 minutes
Add in the cooled flour/milk mixture and beat until the entire frosting is light and fluffy, about another 5-8 minutes.
Use a piping bag with a plain tip to pipe a ring on the top of each cupcake. Pipe less frosting on the inside so that you leave an indent in the center of the frosting.
Pile about 1/2 tablespoon of the sangria fruit in the center.
Garnish with a fresh orange slice.

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Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is a giant cookie, a 14-inch cookie to be exact. You could call this a cookie pie or a cookie cake, but I think a giant cookie sums it all up perfectly. There is only one person I know of so deserving of a giant cookie and that is Theresa. (I mean obviously, it says “Happy Birthday Theresa” on the cake). Last year I made her Tie-Dye cupcakes for her birthday, this year it’s a giant cookie.

And while we’re talking about what it says on the giant cookie, can we just get the elephant out of the room and discuss the humungous blob in the “H?” I was talking on the phone and trying to pipe letters at the same time, never a good idea by-the-way, and and big glop came out of the piping bag in the middle of the cake. I tried to scrape a bit off so it wouldn’t look too horrendous, but clearly not enough came off.

This is why I will never be a world famous blogger, my mind wanders and I don’t pay attention to details sometimes. I thought I was being super crafty using some clear gel mixed with food coloring to write/paint the words before writing in chocolate so I could focus on spelling, size, straightness, and centering, but even that didn’t work out too well.

What this cake lacks in style, it certainly makes up for in taste. I honestly expected the giant cookie to be a little dry, it just looks like it would be. This cookie is far from dry! It is lovingly moist and has a fantastic chewy texture. The flavor is sweet, chocolately, and just a little bit salty – exactly what a chocolate chip cookie should be. A giant chocolate chip cookie is an easy way to make a regular cookie exciting and special.

One Year Ago – Single Girl Chocolate Cake

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Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

Adapted from Sweet Serendipity by Stephen Bruce

Yield ~ 20 servings depending how you slice the cookie (14” pan)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

extra chocolate for decorations

Preheat the oven to 375 F and grease a 14-inch pizza pan with shortening. Line with parchment paper leaving an overhang and the grease the parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars until pale yellow. Beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Sift together the flour, soda, and salt onto parchment paper. Add to the butter on the lowest speed and mix until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Press the dough as evenly as possible in the pan. It helped to wet my hands with cold water to press the dough around.
Bake for 18 minutes or until the top is golden brown. All the cookie to cool in the pan.
Decorate with chocolate and/or sprinkles. Cut into slices or chunks to serve.

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Tagged as birthday, chocolate

March 6, 2013 · 5:00 am

Red Velvet Poke Cake

This cake was the first non-vegan thing I ate. I secretly sat on the counter top scraping the bits and pieces out of the pan as I cut a perfect slice to photograph. I had a guilty smile on my face the whole time, I just couldn’t help myself; cream cheese, butter, eggs, it was too much for my vegan belly to reject. I wanted butter so bad.

I made this cake in honor of Chelsea’s 29th birthday, hence the rainbow sprinkles. Chelsea is all things bright, loud, and colorful, and I wanted this cake to be a reflection of her. She also happens to love red velvet so I knew she would enjoy this cake. Conveniently, she was in town for the week staying with us. I’m thankful we were able to celebrate a birthday with a good friend who now lives far away.

For the past five years Ruth, Stacey, and I have all celebrated the same birthdays within a year. Stacey’s birthday is in January so it always signaled the start of a new round of birthdays and a new number candle to buy. With Stacey living far away, we did not have a chance to buy the “9″ candle yet. Luckily, Ruth was able to stretch her muscles and grab a new candle on the way home.

This is a rich cake, and how can it not be? When a caked is baked and then doused in sweetened condensed milk, you just know it’s going to be amazing. The cake is dense and the milk keeps everything nice and moist. According to Ruth on a Monday after a long day of work, “the corner is even more moist than it was a few days ago.” And the frosting, oh my the frosting. So sweet and creamy, and everything a former vegan needed. This is some real good frosting.

In conclusion, if you would like an easy, delightful cake to make for a large crowd this is the cake for you. The flavors are simple and pleasing, sweet and rich. You can decorate the top with whatever sort of sprinkle to fit any occasion. Make this cake, you’ll be happy, and so will your friends.

One Year Ago: My Favorite Brownie Recipe

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Red Velvet Poke Cake
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Yield – 9×13” cake (15-20 servings)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
big squirt red gel food coloring
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat the to 350 F and grease and flour a 9 x 13” pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale yellow for about 3 minutes on medium-high speed. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat on high speed. Scrape the bowl as needed.
In a small bowl mix together the cocoa, water, and vanilla. Add the paste to the egg mixture and beat in until well incorporated.
Reduce the speed to low and pour in half the buttermilk and then half the flour. Repeat with the second half of buttermilk and flour. Mix for 1 minute until smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Add in the salt, baking soda, and vinegar. Beat together for 2 minutes on high.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over and then slowly pour the sweentened condensed milk over the top.
Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
colored sprinkles

Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk for for about 5 minutes.
Add in the powdered sugar slowly and beat on high to mix thoroughly. Scrape the bowl as needed and then mix in the vanilla.
Spread evenly on the cooled cake.
To make a rainbow with sprinkles use foil to expose one strip of frosting at a time and the n sprinkle generously with sprinkles. Repeat as desired.

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Tagged as birthday, chocolate, cream cheese, red velvet

March 1, 2013 · 9:00 pm

Banana Bourbon Cupcakes

This is a recipe I really wanted to try. As everyone knows, I’m in love with bourbon right now and the idea of a spiced banana cupcake with a bourbon buttercream and chocolate-bourbon drizzle sounds spectacular. Unfortunately, I made these cupcakes towards the end of February, my vegan month, and was unable to taste any portion of the cupcakes. However, there might be a cupcake in the freezer I’m saving for March, I hope it thaws well…

Jackie should really win an award for wife of the year. For their first anniversary she ordered bacon cupcakes to give to her husband as a gift and for his birthday she ordered these cupcakes. This woman knows the way to her man’s heart.

For those of you that are subscribers I’m sorry the mess up this morning. I started the post but never finished because of a couple late nights and parent teacher conferences. This morning in the post-parent teacher conference hang-over I jumped on the computer to take down the post. Sometimes work really gets in the way of blogging.

So now on a lazy Friday night I have lots of time to write a complete post. According to Ruth, my official taste-tester, these cupcakes were moist and flavorful. The frosting was sweet and bourbon-y. The bourbon-chocolate drizzle was a lovely accompaniment the sweet bourbon goodness.

Now that it’s March 1st, and I’m easing my way back to dairy, butter, eggs, and meat, I had a little taste of left over frosting; it’s sweet, really sweet. The powdered sugar really comes through and the bourbon is present in a lovely way. This is a bourbon cupcake my friends, and I can’t wait to make more.

One Year Ago: Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese

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Banana Bourbon Cupcakes
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Banana Spice Cupcakes
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas (about 3 large)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg onto parchment paper and set aside
In a large bowl beat the egg and whisk in the brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla, sour cream, and melted butter until well combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Stir in the the dry ingredients and then add the mashed bananas.
Stir in the milk and chocolate chips and mix until well combined.
Use a standard ice cream scoop to portion the batter into lined cupcake tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Bourbon Buttercream
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons bourbon (I used 3)

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale yellow. Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the powdered sugar until it is fully incorporated.
Add in the vanilla and bourbon on low speed and then switch to a high speed for 3-4 minutes or until the frosting is super fluffy. Add more bourbon for a looser frosting if desired.
Add the frosting to a piping bag with a round tip.

Bourbon Chocolate Ganache & Assembly
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon

Heat the heavy cream until it is simmering and then pour over the chocolate; stir until all the chocolate is melted.
Stir in the bourbon until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool slightly.
Smear a nice dollop of bourbon ganache on top of each cupcake and then pipe a blob on top.
Drizzle with the remaining ganache.

6 Comments

Filed under Cupcakes

Tagged as banana, birthday, bourbon, chocolate, pumpkin spice

February 25, 2013 · 5:00 am

Simple Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Cupcakes

So yes, chocolate and peanut butter is a common flavor combination. You can find vanilla and peanut butter cupcakes here and adorable chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes here. I make zero apologies; chocolate and peanut butter are a marvelous combination of sweet & salty. Plus, they were a requested birthday treat.

I also make zero apologies for my love of Ben Affleck and his beard. As I watch the Oscars, that is all I care about. That. Is. It. His beard. Argo should win everything. EVERYTHING. That is all I have to say about that.

I kind of imagine Ben Affleck eating one of these cupcakes and there might be a little bit of peanut butter left on his beard and that would ok. I would just be like, “hey dude, you got some peanut butter *point to beard.*” No biggie. He’s hot, he can do whatever he wants.

Mini cupcakes can also do whatever they want. When cupcakes are mini and adorable, people will eat them regardless of what their flavor happens to be. I feel like I haven’t made mini cupcakes in awhile, but look out, they are going to be happening in a big way. Two batches of vegan cupcakes were successfully made this morning and they were both delicious.

So these cupcakes – chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, they are pretty good. I did not taste them due to the whole stupid vegan thing, but everyone around me seemed to enjoy them immensely. As in one mini cupcake wasn’t enough so they went back and had a second. To me, that is a success! Whenever one is not enough I know I’ve done good, the correct cupcake flavor has been chosen to match the birthday boy or girl. Happy Birthday Kelly, glad you loved your birthday cupcakes!

One Year Ago: White Russian Cupcakes

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Simple Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Cupcakes
Adapted from Annie’s Eats Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake
Yield – 36 mini cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Hershey’s Dark
1/2 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/4 + 1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons flour
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Boil the water and whisk together the cocoa powder and instant espresso. Whisk in the boiling water and allow to cool slightly. Then whisk in the sour cream and vanilla, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat together the butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and scrape the bowl as needed.
Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt onto parchment paper.
Turn the mixer to low speed and mix in the dry ingredients in three additions with the cocoa mixture in between.
Use a 2 tablespoon scoop to portion the batter into lined mini cupcake pans. Bake for 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
3/8 cup heavy cream, cold
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
pinch of salt
mini reese’s cups for garnish

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat together the cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the whipped cream, place in another bowl, and set aside.
Switch to the paddle attachment and beat together the butter and peanut butter until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Fold in the whipped cream two additions.
Use a closed star tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Garnish with mini reese’s cups.

(And yes Andrea, I’m writing another drunk post, hope you enjoyed)

7 Comments

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Tagged as birthday, chocolate, peanut butter

February 20, 2013 · 5:00 am

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Real talk – I drank two STRONG margaritas before sitting down to write this post. It’s my cousin’s birthday (her birthday cupcakes will come next week) and we went out for some happy hour drinks to celebrate. I made sure to edit all my photos and upload them, but I didn’t have time to write the post.

So this is what you get. Sorry, but not that sorry, because those margaritas were delicious and strong and frozen. These cupcakes are not vegan, praise the lord. I need a break from the epic baking fails that has been vegan baking. Unfortunately, I did not test these, fortunately, they received rave reviews from my students who received these cupcakes for their birthday treat and from my coworkers.

I first made these cupcakes pre-blog. My baking life seems split between things I made before having a blog and things I’ve made since having a blog. From what I remember, chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes are amazing. They are the perfect balance between decadence and fanciful!

These cupcakes are dense! Not in a bad, it’s just cookie dough is dense and when there is a large ball of it in the middle of the cupcake it has a lot of mass and takes up a lot of volume. Please note I did not equate density to heaviness; that is a pet-peeve of mine and is scientifically inaccurate. However, that’s what makes these cupcakes so magical. When else do you get to eat a cupcake with a cookie dough flavored frosting, chocolate chip cake, and actual cookie dough?

I hope you answered never. Because now you can change your life and make some chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes. Not only will they be wonderful, but everyone who tries them will fall in love with you and ask you to make them again. True. Story.

One Year Ago – Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, take 2

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Adapted from Annie’s Eats
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, semisweet

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Beat the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Sift together the flour, powder, soda, and salt onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Add the dry ingredients in three additions with the milk in two additions in between. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Beat in the vanilla and chocolate chips.
Use a standard size ice cream scoop to portion dough into lined cupcake tins.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in comes out clean.
Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Eggless Cookie Dough
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
7 ounces (half a can) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup +2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Combine the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Store in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.

Frosting
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until pale yellow.
Beat in the powdered sugar in 2 additions. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Beat in the flour, salt, vanilla, and coconut milk. Mix until everything is well incorporated and the frosting is of a spreading consistency.
Add to a piping bag with a large star attachment.

Assembly
mini chocolate chips

Cut a cone out of each cupcake about 1” deep. Cut off the pointy end and discard. Save the top crust part to use as a “cookie” for garnish.
Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to portion the cookie dough. Roll the dough into balls and shape to fit in each cone on top of the cupcakes. Push down slightly.
Pipe a swirl of frosting on top making sure to cover the cookie dough surprise.
Add the “cookie” in the middle and decorate with mini chocolate chips.

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Tagged as birthday, chocolate, cookie dough

February 11, 2013 · 5:00 am

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Pudding

Yes, the frosting is orange, however, these are not Halloween cupcakes. They would be adorable for Halloween, but they are for a birthday girl. I just wanted a frosting with a fun color and I was like hey, haven’t used orange in awhile, why not? Now I remember why I don’t use orange very often, it’s kind of weird.

Despite the strange coloring of the frosting, these would make awesome fall cupcakes because of the yellow, orange, and brown colors. Maybe I’m just ahead in my seasons. This cupcake doesn’t have fall flavors, but the flavors are season neutral and would be delightful anytime of the year.

Homemade pudding, like homemade marshmallows, and basically everything homemade, is so much better than its store-bought siblings. The pudding only takes a few minutes to cook and stir and then you have something rich and chocolatey and outstanding without any chemicals.

When my monitor, the monitor who I hope to have daughter just like one day, requested cupcakes with pudding inside I had no idea what she was talking about. What was strange was she told me I had made them before. It took me awhile to remember, but then I remembered making decorated cupcakes with a pudding filling from my cake decorating class. For those I used snackpacks, these are totally an upgrade.

If the pictures look different it’s because I took them at school. I made the cupcakes too late in the day to take photos at home so I lugged my camera + the cupcakes to work. I don’t talk about my blog with my students because I like to keep some separation between home and work, but my monitors know about the blog and know we don’t talk about it. So when I was standing on furniture taking photos, they were more than a bit curious! The lighting in my room is fantastic, I wish I had so many windows and so much light at home.

Anyway, a little injection of chocolate pudding is the best way to make a boring vanilla cupcake extra special. The pudding adds both flavor, contrast, and moisture. The actual vanilla cupcake is super flavorful, tender, and moist. A simple vanilla whipped frosting in whatever color you desire finishes off this sweet treat.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Brownies made with Beans

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Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Pudding
Adapted from Tie Dye Cupcakes
Yield – 16 cupcakes

1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2/3 cup whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In the bowl of a mixer add the sugar and the seeds from the vanilla bean and massage together with your fingers.
Add the flour, powder, soda, and salt to the sugar, mix slowly with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and beat for several minutes until the mixture becomes nice and crumbly.
While the mixer is mixing, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour this in the mixer and combine. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Slowly add the milk in and turn on high for a few seconds.
Use a standard size ice cream scoop to portion the batter into lined cupcake pans.
Bake 14-17 minutes until a toothpick in a center cupcake comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack.

Chocolate Pudding
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield – 6 servings (1 to fill cupcakes and 5 to eat!)

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces chocolate (I used a mixture of dark and semisweet)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place the cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the milk slowly, a little bit in the beginning to make a smooth mixture. Once the mixture is smooth, you can whisk in more milk faster.
Cook the mixture on a low temperature until it thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon. This takes 15-20 minutes and requires some diligence.
Turn off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir to combine and then stir in the vanilla. Place in your serving bowls with plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until cool.
Insert the pudding into a piping bag with a cupcake injector tip. Fill each cooled cupcake before frosting. Eat the rest of the pudding at your leisure!

Whipped Vanilla Frosting
Yield – enough to generously decorate the cupcakes + extra

1 1/2 cups whole milk
7 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
electric orange gel food coloring

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and flour. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and thick resembling pancake batter.
Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and allow to cool completely.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy – beat for 8 minutes
Add in the cooled flour/milk mixture and beat until the entire frosting is light and fluffy, about another 5-8 minutes.
Add the food coloring and mix until well combined.
Use a large round tip to pipe the frosting on the cupcakes, with bits of cookie.

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Tagged as birthday, chocolate, pudding, vanilla

February 6, 2013 · 5:00 am

Naughty Crack Cupcakes

Dean is a very good friend. Everyday after work, even though it is out his way, he drives me home. It’s beyond thoughtful and beyond considerate; our daily discussions on the commute home are often hysterical and and always much needed. Dean is essentially the big brother I have always wanted.

One day during Friday’s-fourth-floor-Chinese-food-lunch, I asked him what kind of cupcake he wanted for his birthday. He said crack pie mixed with Irene’s naughty bars, the two best things he has eaten from us.

Hmmmmmmm, can a crack pie be converted into a cupcake and mashed with a naughty bar? Yes. It. Can! Here is living proof. It’s not pretty, but it sure is tasty.

Basically these are mini crack pies with chocolate chips and salted caramel inside. Besides burning them to a crisp, there is NO way for this to go wrong, no way. I’ve thought about adding chocolate to crack pie before, because I love chocolate and I believe that is the only possible way to make crack pie better.

When I made nutella crack pie I was slightly disappointed, there just wasn’t enough chocolate, but a few simple chocolate chips is all crack pie really needs to take it to the next level. And the little bits of salted caramel are perfection.

Not that crack pie needs to be improved, but this recipe does it. Gooey, sweet, salty, chocolatey, and a bit of crunch in one decadent, rich dessert. What else do you need in life?

One Year Ago: Lemon Bars

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Naughty Crack Pie
Adapted from Crack Pie
Yield – 14 cupcakes

Oat Cookie – for the crust
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
75 grams light brown sugar
40 grams sugar
1 egg yolk
80 grams flour
120 grams rolled oats, old fashioned type
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
Beat together the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg yolk, beat to combine for another 2 minutes or until the mixture is white.
Add the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until just combined.
Spread as thin as you can onto the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool completely.

Crust
Oat Cookie
15 grams light brown sugar
1 gram salt
5 tablespoons melted butter

Use a food processor to grind the oat cookie into fine pieces. Mix in the brown sugar and salt.
Add the melted butter and mix until everything is moistened.
Press 2 tablespoons of of crust into 14 silicon cupcake liner. Press the crust firmly into each liner. Set the remaining crust to the side.
Place the cupcake liners on a cookie sheet.

Crack Pie Filling
150 grams sugar
90 grams light brown sugar
10 grams milk powder
12 grams cornstarch
3 grams kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg yolks
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
salted caramel sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mix the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, cornstarch, and salt in in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed until everything is well mixed.
Add in the melted butter and beat for 2-3 minutes or until all the dry ingredients are moist.
Beat in the heavy cream and vanilla for another 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Make sure there are no streaks.
Beat in the yolks until they are just mixed in. Try not to over beat and add too much air in the mixture.
Pour 2 tablespoons of batter in each shell. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips in each cup. Add about a 1 1/2 teaspoons of caramel sauce into each cup. Sprinkle the remaining crust on top.
Bake for 5 more minutes and then open the oven door for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to 325 F. The filling may bubble over, but it will be ok. Bake the cupcakes until the tops are brown and there is only a slight jiggle when you shake the pan.
Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerated. Garnish with powdered sugar.

Dean & Irene – Is this what you’ve been waiting for?

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Tagged as birthday, caramel, chocolate, oatmeal

January 25, 2013 · 5:00 am

Mojito Cupcakes

Today is a perfect day for some mojito cupcakes. It finally got cold here in Brooklyn, real-cold, like I’m-actually-wearing-my-hat-cold. Everyday I found myself running to my bed to find some warmth after work. On these chilly days, something warm and tropical seems like the perfect getaway, even if you’re only going away for a few minutes while you eat this cupcake.

My dear friend Jackie has one of those awkward birthdays that fall between Christmas and New Year, and every year I am out of town and am not able to properly celebrate her birthday. So I try to overcompensate. I have found the best way to overcompensate is with cupcakes. People aren’t allowed to be annoyed at you when you give them a dozen delicious cupcakes! Last year, I made Jackie these cupcakes for her birthday.

Why mojito cupcakes in the middle of winter? Well there’s a funny story that involves me, Jackie, and mojitos. One afternoon after work, some coworkers were enjoying an adult beverage or two on a lovely outside patio. Before we left work that day Jackie mentioned how delightful a mojito would be – something light and crisp, fruity, but not too sweet. I agreed, fantastic plan. I arrived slightly ahead and ordered myself, only myself, a refreshing mojito. Just as Jackie arrived, so did my drink

So yes, I am a jerk. I ordered a mojito for myself without even thinking about getting one for the friend who thought of the idea in the first place. I admitted my folly and we laughed, but I was still a jerk. I think these cupcakes finally make up for that jerky-jerk move. Luckily, Jackie and I have gone on to share many cocktails together whether on the road for a science teacher conference (we’re cool like that), a girls’ weekend, happy hour, or just a beach day. She is a true friend who deserves infinite mojitos.

These mojito cupcakes don’t just have a great back-story, they have a great taste. I used my vanilla cupcake recipe but replaced the vanilla bean with lime zest and added some chopped mint. The rum glaze on top is divine, like I was licking the bowl instead of rinsing it off divine. The mojito Swiss meringue buttercream is a perfect balance to the sweet glaze and wonderfully creamy. Overall this cupcake is sweet, moist, tender, and tasty with plenty of minty-lime goodness.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Print the Recipe!

Mojito Cupcakes
Adapted from Tie Dye Cupcakes
Yield – 18 cupcakes

1 cup sugar
zest of one lime
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2/3 cup milk
5 mint leaves, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In the bowl of a mixer add the sugar and the lime zest, massage together with your fingers.
Add the flour, powder, soda, and salt to the sugar, mix slowly with the paddle attachment.
Add the butter and beat for several minutes until the mixture becomes nice and crumbly.
While the mixer is mixing, whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and lime juice. Pour this into the mixer and combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Slowly add the milk and turn on high for a few seconds.
Use a standard size ice cream scoop to portion the batter into lined cupcake pans.
Bake for 15 minutes until a toothpick in a center cupcake comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack.

Rum Glaze
Adapted from The Baker Chick

1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup white rum
zest of one lime
5 mint leaves finely chopped

In a small saucepan heat the sugar, water, and butter until the mixture is bubbling and the sugar is dissolved.
Turn off heat and stir in the rum, lime zest, and mint leaves.
Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes to give the mixture time to marry.
While the cupcakes are still warm, poke each cupcake with a knife about 4 times. Dip the top of each cupcake in the rum glaze.
Once you have dipped all the cupcakes, go back through and re-dip each cupcake. Let the cupcakes with the glaze cool completely before frosting.

Mojito Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Adapted from Brave Tart

3 3/4 ounces egg whites
3 3/4 ounces sugar
pinch of Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons lime juice
8 mint leaves, finely chopped
1 lime cut into slices + mint leaves for garnish

Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the mixing bowl in a double boiler. The pot only needs to have a thin layer of simmering water.
Whisk the egg whites frequently while they heat. Cook until the mixture is no longer gritty.
Attach the bowl to the mixer and whisk on high speed for 6-10 minutes or until the bowl is cool to the touch. The egg whites should have whipped into a stiff, shiny, meringue.
With the mixer still going on medium speed, add in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. The frosting may get a little loose, but just keep beating, it will all come together and get stiff.
Add the lime juice 1 tablespoon at a time on low speed, it’ll take a minute for the buttercream to absorb the liquid. Add in the chopped mint leaves for the final mix.
Place the buttercream in a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe a small swirl on each cupcake.
Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint leaf.

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Filed under Cupcakes

Tagged as birthday, lime, mint, rum

January 14, 2013 · 5:00 am

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Best. Cupcake. Ever. Some bold statements were made about these cupcakes. Paula didn’t think so, she prefers a boozy cupcake, luckily I have plenty of those to go around. I agree with Paula, this is not the best cupcake I’ve ever made (at least in my opinion), but that’s one of highlights of baking, everyone has different tastes. My favorite brownie is not everyone’s favorite brownie, hence the 12-million chocolate chip cookie recipes out there in the world. And this, my friends, is the biggest challenge of baking for others – what do you make someone that is their favorite kind of flavor? It’s a lot of fun to try!

Irene said “best cupcake ever first” and I’m glad she thinks so because these were her birthday cupcakes. Last year I made her Heath Toffee Cupcakes. I talk about Irene a lot because she is my #1 fan, really, truly. She is my literal number 1 commenter besides myself, that obviously makes her my #1 fan. If I ever get a cookbook deal I’ll probably dedicate it to Irene because she has supported me more through this process than anyone else. I don’t mean to get sappy, but I just reread Bossy Pants and if Tina Fey can write love letters to Amy Poehler, I can write love letters to Irene. Boom.

Anyway, I’ve been meaning to make these cupcakes for a looooooong time, since mid-fall. I had leftover salted caramel sauce and leftover apple butter in the fridge and this seemed like a perfect fall cupcake. Then, a hurricane kept me out of work for a week and altered my life view a bit, these cupcakes were pushed to the back burner.

So here’s the truth – Irene, I made you these cupcakes because I love you, and I had all the leftover ingredients in my fridge, luckily they don’t spoil. Sorry. No worries, these are some outstanding cupcakes and no one got sick. PS – NO one has EVER gotten sick from something I have made (as far as I know…)

What we have here is a cupcake moistened with apple cider and spiced with cinnamon. The inside is injected with rich apple butter and the cupcake is frosted with a creamy caramel and cream cheese frosting. To finish there is a delightful drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce. I think you should make these cupcakes and decide for yourself if they are truly the best. cupcake. ever.

One Year Ago: Roasted Chestnuts

Print the Recipe!

Apple Caramel Cupcakes
Adapted from Lehigh Valley Live
Yield – 12 cupcakes

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup apple butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your cupcake pan with liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until pale yellow. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Sift together the flour, powder, cinnamon, and salt onto wax paper.
Add the dry ingredients in three additions with the apple cider in two additions in between. Mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Use a standard ice cream scoop to divide the batter between cupcake liners.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Fit a small piping bag with an injection tip and fill with the apple butter. Push the tip into each cupcake and then pull out slightly, squeeze the apple butter and slowly remove the tip from the cupcake. Wipe off any extra apple butter.

Caramel Buttercream
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 + 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
salted caramel sauce for drizzling

Melt the brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan, heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat.
Whisk in the cream and then pour into a small bowl to cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 6 tablespoons of butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the butter and salt. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Turn the mixer to low and drizzle in the caramel mixture. Gradually add in the powdered sugar to make a stiff frosting.
Place the frosting in a piping bag and pipe a swirl on each a cupcake.
Heat the salted caramel sauce in a small saucepan filled halfway with water. When the sauce is loose, drizzle over each cupcake.

(PS – Irene is contemplating starting her own blog, she needs to totally do it, then we can be IRL friends AND blogging friends!)

4 Comments

Filed under Cupcakes

Tagged as apple, birthday, caramel, fall, salted caramel

Tag Archives: birthday

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Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Pudding

Naughty Crack Cupcakes

Mojito Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

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