Crazy Rich Chocolate Frosting

I made some very chocolatey cupcakes earlier this week. Extreme chocolate. Huge chocolate. Rich and full of sin.

The cupcake recipe is Martha Stewart's one-bowl chocolate cupcakes which produces a moist and light cake- it's my go-to.

The frosting, however, which is the reason for this post, is out of this world. If you consider yourself a chocolate freak-lover, then you really need this frosting for your files. As a friend told me, "it was like biting into the best chocolate fudge". What a good description- it's THICK and densely chocolate.

There remains in my fridge a tupperware with some leftover frosting in it. Call me a criminal, but it's been my good-morning and my good-night all week. Tastes quite superb spread across graham crackers too.

Crazy-Rich Chocolate Frosting (for cupcakes or cake… or spoon eating)

{Annie’s Eats}

14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

9 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

9 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sour cream

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Frost cupcakes immediately.

Tie Dye Cupcakes: the Oddest of all Cupcakes

Well, for those who reside in the mountainous west of the country, more specifically UTAH speaking, then you also know it's been quite a sad and sorry Spring time for us- well- let's just say it's been a long and gloomy extension of winter. Not fun.

Among other things like sunshine and warmth, my brain has needed some color in its life. And originally, I thought, "how fun to do cupcakes with precise horizontals of different colors". Well, I got color- but I didn't straight lines of color strata within.

My cupcakes turned out to be more tie-dye-ish than not- more along the lines of something common in the late 1960's and 70's , not that I can say from personal experience...

But take one bite into these things, and you'll see what I mean. It's the most inter twisted, almost-psychedelic-like cupcake I have ever seen. And it might just be the most fun cupcake to consume too- yes, even for adults. 5 different colors baked into a world of collision and flow!

Something like this would be fun for a party, a St Patty's day celebration, or just a day when you yearn for some vibrancy!

Tie-dye Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

1 box of food coloring

Make the cake as instructed on the box.

Separate the batter equally among 5 bowls (or however many colors you'd like involved). Using your dyes, color each bowl a different color according to your little heart's desire: I used red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

Line a muffin-tin with liners. Scoop a small spoonful (it might require 2 small spoonfuls to cover the base of each liner) of red into the bottom of each liner. Then scoop a small spoonful of orange on top of the red. Then the yellow, then the green, and then end with the blue. Each muffin liner should be filled at least 2/3 of the way full.

Bake as instructed and allow to cool before eating. Frost with your choicest of frostings to ensure optimal eating experience.

Carrot Cupcakes with Dulche de Leche Buttercream

Every time I weasel a bite out of carrot cake (or cupcake, as it were), I am struck dumb-speechless with utter amazement. How can anything so typical, so every-day tasting, be mixed with spices, sugar, oil, flour, and (usually) pineapple and then result in something superbly extraordinary? My heart goes out to you if by some tragic misunderstanding you have come to abhor anything carrot-cake related, for truly you must’ve been mistaken. No one can NOT just love carrot cake; to me, carrot cake is really no different from a beach vacation. Who doesn’t adore the relaxation that comes from lounging your feet into warm sand while inhaling that salty, balmy smell that comes from a warm sun and loud, violent ocean waves? Preciously.

And carrot cake, may I remind you, doesn’t taste like those long, orange, fibery veggies we see packaged up in the store. No no. Rather, carrot cake tastes moist (excuse moi if that word makes you shudder with disgust). It tastes warm and welcoming, inviting and friendly. The aroma from those subtle spices will bring only pleasant thoughts to your mind as you guiltlessly work your way through its crumby and yummy ness. Carrot cake tastes like autumn and Easter to me, all in the same moment.

Perhaps like you, the one and only appropriate yet perfect frosting for carrot cake in my mind was a traditional cream cheese (or if you’re really going for the big guns, mascarpone frosting)…. until about 36 hours ago when I took a leap of faith on something new: dulche de leche frosting. Fancy talk for caramel frosting.

And ohhhhhh… what a sweet, sweet conversion it was. Trying out this very uncomplicated, but extremely rich frosting will heighten your carrot cake consumption and your adoration for delicious frostings. If you can’t tell, these might just be an all time favorite cupcake. Ever. Ever. Ever.

(If you opt for a cake instead of cupcakes, I recommend googling an actual carrot cake recipe instead of a cupcake recipe, because the leavening agents may differ in measurements from what is listed here. But proceed with the frosting recipe as follows- it will make enough to frost a normal sized cake- the thought continually crossed my mind what a rich and decadent cake this frosting would make any carrot-flavored one. YUM!)

Carrot Cupcakes with Dulche de Leche Buttercream

{recipe via; makes about 28 cupcakes}

4 cups peeled and finely grated carrots

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use (or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla seeds, and coconut, pineapple and nuts if desired. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until testers inserted into centers come out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks, 10 minutes. Turn out cupcakes onto wire racks, and let cool completely. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months in airtight containers.

Frost cupcakes with dulce de leche or cream cheese frosting. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature, and sprinkle with toasted coconut (press gently to adhere) before serving.

Dulche de Leche Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

3/4 cup prepared dulce de leche (any good-quality and thick prepared caramel sauce)

Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate. Frost cooled cupcakes using a knife ( Kate note: knife is my way of frosting- I suppose I enjoy that "rustic" look-but either method is great!) or a pastry bag and tip. Top with toasted coconut.

Rootbeer Float Cupcakes

This must be the easiest dessert to make known to mankind, yet, you will have grown, seasoned adults wanting seconds! Everyone loves some good, old fashioned root beer and the great thing about these cupcakes is that both the frosting and the cake part are rippling with that all-American flavor! Zip zip.

I made these for my husband's birthday party since he is such a root beer aficionado and always has been. Seemed like an appropriate thing, right?

Drrooooollll......

Rootbeer Float Cupcakes

1 cup favorite rootbeer drink

1 white cake mix

Rootbeer Buttercream Frosting

1 square butter, softened at room temperature

½ lb powdered sugar

1 tsp root beer extract

1-3 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the rootbeer in with the cake mix, stirring until well-combined (yes, you read me correctly: no eggs, no oil, etc). Using an ice-cream scoop, place batter into cupcake liners and bake until done to the touch- anywhere from 14-19 minutes. Rest in cupcake pan for 10 minutes and then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting, cream butter with an electric mixer. Slowly add powdered sugar and extract, then gradually, the milk. If it’s too runny, add more sugar and alternatively, if it’s too thick, add more milk. I like mine extremely creamy and thick, so I tend to add as little milk as possible.

Frost cooled cupcakes with a heaping pile of frosting.

Ina, You Genius You; Perfect Coconut Cupcakes

It's slightly crushing/partly embarrassing/kind of befuddling to me that after years of having this cookbook around, I have never baked these magnificent cupcakes. If coconut is your thing, than these are the tried and true coconut cupcake recipe for you. If you aren't, well, you're crazy because these pack in 3 sticks (I said, THREE) of butter, 5 eggs, and, AND, buttermilk; people, in other words, that means moisture. It means fluff. It means, it's-such-a-good-cupcake-concotion that you'll want to tell Betty Crocker to eat her heart out.

Not to even make note of the insanely rich cream cheese frosting that slathers the top of each. I made a Martha Stewart coconut cupcake back in 09 and those were fine-good, fine, blah..

These ones, are far better than fine.

I made these for a relative's baby shower we hosted over the weekend. They are beautifully white and sit cute on a cake platter though I found that coconut is a highly like/dislike type food and serving anything with it as the star ingredient is a bit gutsy. Thankfully there was another dessert to chow into for the coconut dissenters, so, may I suggest should you serve these at any party, either be sure your guests are coconut fans OR have a back- up dessert available.

Otherwise, all I can offer is my good lucks and best wishes when you make these because you will want to eat all the batter and if you only manage to come out of this baking experience having 5 spoonfuls of tastes, then you've done well. Very well.

Coconut Cupcakes

{Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Cookbook c. 1999}

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost cupcakes with the frosting, and sprinkle remaining coconut on top.

Malt Me In

Not that I need another sweet around here for my palate to become addicted to, but as I mentioned in my last post, moving across the country = using up stuff, like, malted milk powder, cocoa, and sugar, for instance....simply getting rid of it all would be tragic (always looking for excuses to bake something sweet I suppose).

So, I put my best Internet browsing skills together, went surfing, and found a perfect recipe over at Orangette to suit what I was looking for and off to the kitchen I went!....only to be the victim again of another licking-the-bowl-of-residual-chocolate-batter episode. Shucks.

It was too tempting: this recipe makes a fabulous, oh, a very wonderful and satisfying cupcake. I mean it. It's one of the better from-scratch chocolate cake recipes of my whole life. Let me tell you something: many moons ago, I worked as a dessert chef in a very beautiful canyon restaurant and had the (ahem), "unfortunate" task of making chocolate sponge cakes every other day and it taught me, just like this recipe today did, that dissolving chocolate in a hot liquid (i.e.water or coffee) as well as using buttermilk at the end of the recipe yields a very delicate, very soft, spongy and fluffy-type crumb-- nothing even remotely dry about it! I'll be the first to admit that on occasion, there is a need for something dense and heavy, but a moist and delicate chocolate cupcake is hard to beat. One of them went straight into my mouth upon exiting the oven and I just wanted to yell "Take that, Hostess Cupcakes. Take that!". They are that good.

The malted frosting was fun too, the main star of the show, even though I totally goofed it up-it was an embarrassment but just don't make the mistake that I made by adding too much liquid too soon. Unfortunately, I got a bit hasty with the water and ran out of powdered sugar before I could really salvage it. It still had a really great taste though.

If you enjoy malt at all, you should try these out. Fun and different. Rich and decadent.

Anyway.

Happy 4rth to you this weekend. Hope you can get some oohing and awing in at those fireworks! Ciao.

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

{Adapted from Orangette}

For cupcakes:

1 ounce good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

½ cup hot water

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup plus 1 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Heaping ½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

Scant ½ tsp salt

1 large egg

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup buttermilk

¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

For frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup malted milk powder, such as Carnation

9 Tbs (1 stick plus 1 Tbs) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 Tbs boiling water

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 12 cups of a muffin tin with paper liners.

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl with the hot water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and opaque. In another medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine well.

In a large bowl, beat the egg with an electric mixer until it is pale yellow in color, about a minute or two. Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract, beating to combine well. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture, and beat to thoroughly combine. Add the dry ingredients, and beat on medium speed until the batter is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl and briefly fold the batter to be certain that all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Good luck trying not to sample and eat all the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for 15 minutes in the pan; then very carefully transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Take heed when removing them from the pans- they do crumble easily.

When the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting. Combine the powdered sugar, cocoa, and malted milk powder with an electric mixer; combine well. Add the butter, and stir well. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the water slowly and stir to incorporate until it's all nice and smooth. Frost the cupcakes and serve.

Cover and refrigerate for storage.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes

There is LITTLE question in my mind as to what my new favorite cupcake is. This!

Citrus anything is just the greatest discovery since chocolate.

And you know what? The batter reminded me of sugar cookies. Yup! Plain ol' classic but delicious sugar cookies.

My only caveat in baking these is to watch them like a hawk while they're baking. My first dozen were eeeeeeeeeee, a bit dry and left you cotton mouthed because I let them go two minutes too long. The second dozen I removed from the oven JUST as they set and they were perfect. I think my actual baking time was 21 minutes, but I live at sea level and my oven is generally quite quick. So, watch them carefully (through the oven door! not by opening it!) and take them out as soon as the middle of a cupcake springs back to the touch.

I would also double the frosting batch. Of course I slather my cupcakes in frosting like it's 1999 and if you're the same way, you'll run out of frosting quick. So, double up.

There you have it.

Lemon Cream Cupcakes with Lemon Zest Frosting
{Adapted from Taste of Homes}

1 cup butter, softened (very important to let it sit at room temperature for a few hours)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar until well-creamed and fluffy. Add each egg one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then add lemon peel and vanilla. Combine the flour, soda, powder, and salt in a seperate bowl, and then add to creamed mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Mix until everything is JUST incorporated (the batter is thick).

Fill paper-lined muffin tins with 1 1/2 mini-ice cream scoops. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until they look down. Cool for 10 minutes in racks (unless you overbaked them) and then remove them and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Frosting

3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh, please)
3/4 tsp vanilla
Lemon peel (just a pinch or so)
1 to 2 Tbsp milk

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and lemon peel. Beat, adding the milk, until the consistency is smooth, but somewhat thick. Add more confectioners' sugar if it's too thin (alternatively, add more milk if it's too thick) and if you want it more "lemony", throw in some more lemon zest (which is what I did- lots of it!). Frost cooled cupcakes.

Cupcakes are best the day they are made!

A Few Favorite Things About October: Pumpkin Cupcakes Are One

How did you ring in the Halloween season?

Sheepishly, I cheated.....

..by busting out the Halloween decorations the last few days of September. I just can't help myself.

I concluded the day with baking off some traditional pumpkin cupcakes drowning in semi-sweet chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting.

The leaves here in Philadelphia are just beginning to make their transition from summer green to red, brown, and yellow- is it beautiful wherever you are? Are your feet crunching leaves whereever you walk? Are you spending your Saturday mornings raking up fallen foliage? Are the mornings chilly and brisk? Are you already decided on a Halloween costume? How many bags of candy corn have you eaten? Isn't it all just wonderful?


I have a really hard time being sad when summer ends- I love the extended daylight, the bbq pork and fresh watermelon, I love beach days, I love celebrating the 4rth...

But let's be honest.

By the end of August, I am tired of sweating, I am tired of cranking the AC up in my car, and I'm plum done with wearing my worn out shorts and t-shirts.

My husband is busy in his 2nd year of Business school with recruiting and job-searching. Location for a post-graduate job arises frequently in our conversations, believe you me. And I just continue to press my vote for a location where Autumn thrives and leaves change and temperatures turn crisp. That's all I ask for.

Call me picky.

And speaking of picky, this is one of the very best recipes for pumpkin muffins/cupcakes I've yet had. And I'm not ever going back.

Must be the butter!


Pumpkin Cupcakes
Martha Stewart.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
*1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.


* I added 1 cup of chocolate chips to just half the batter, wanting some WITH the chocolate and wanting some without. Either way, you can't go wrong!

If Calories Really Didn't Count..

I wasn't planning on posting anything today, but I was too tickled in my shoes about this recipe.

It's still in the works of approaching the correct level delectableness, but I was really pleased with the finished product.

Ripe peaches sat on my counter crying for help to be eaten or thrown away. It was now or never for them, so instead of utilizing them in healthy-smealthy combinations, I opted to try baking off some peach cupcakes- sounded interesting enough.

Next, I decided on what kind of flavors I wanted to mesh in with the peach- though it's still summer, I needed warm, familiar smells and tastes.....Cinnamon is always a winning companion with this fruit. Brown sugar seemed to hit the right note as well. So here's how it plays out:

I got the frosting idea from Martha Stewart's archives, knowing that I wanted something with a caramel/brown sugar flavor to it, right? And trust me, the outcome is out of this world. It might be full of friendly calories, but they're calories well worth inhaling.

I used a basic cupcake recipe- flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk..... ya? The actual cupcake itself though, reminded me, both from taste and texture, of what the ol' summer dutch oven peach cobbler tastes like. With the cinnamon and milk and hint of nutmeg, it sends me right back to the ancient days of girls camp.


So without further adieu, here she is.

Peach Cobbler Cupcake with Browned- Butter Frosting
(YUMMIE!)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature please
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
3 medium peaches, peeled and cut into small dices


Preheat oven to 350 and grease a muffin baking dish.

Reserve 1 Tbsp of the flour for later, set aside. Combine the remaining flour, powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Cream together on high. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract. With mixer on medium speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed.

In yet, another small bowl, take 1 Tbsp of reserved flour and combine it with the peach pieces, making sure each piece has a little flour on it (this helps ensure that in the baking process the peaches won't fall to the bottom of the cupcakes). Fold the peaches into the batter gently.

Using an ice cream scoop, place one scoop of batter into each muffin cup (you should 12 muffins total). Bake for 25 minutes or so, or until they are just done (please don't over bake these).

Remove from oven and muffin cups, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Make frosting.


Browned-Butter Frosting

1 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 Tbsp milk or cream (for thinning it out)

In a saucepan over medium high heat, let the stick of butter melt. It will take a few minutes for it to melt and then an additional few minutes for it to "brown" (you may want to turn down your heat if it seems to be browning to quickly). Once the butter is an amber-looking, light brownish hue, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl, leaving the butter sediment behind (there will be kind of a layer on top of the butter- you don't want that in your frosting, so strain your butter mixture to catch the sediments or pour it very carefully).

Add the powdered sugar to the butter. Mix well (it will clump up). Add extracts and milk. Mix together and adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or more milk, depending on how thick or thin you prefer it (you can thin it out to the point that it's more of a glaze, or you can keep it thick like a frosting).

Frost cupcakes.
And get rid of the scale in your bathroom.

Bye, Friends.

Yes Please

Each summer I go through a 'favorite' ingredient phase- you know, one that I highly favor and spoil with usage- do you have that too? Last year, for instance, I was that crazy hormonal preggi who adored basil and put it in absolutely everything. This summer, so far, I've been all about the lime; they are so beautiful, so cute, miniature, and just wonderfully bright green pieces of souration and citrusness.

Consequently, my appetite has been longing for any form of dessert or evil treat infused with this green gem. As I went recipe searching, food network came to my craving rescue and tickled my dreams with a lime cupcake that had a white chocolate frosting.. I did make a few adjustments/alterations to the recipe, adding a bit more lime juice and lime zest, and so forth. In my husband's opinion, the coconut should be omitted, but I think it gives the cupcake a bit of oomph and texture (I'm right, he's wrong:)). At any rate, they are tantalizing little summer devils. Enjoy.


Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
{adapted from Food Network}
Makes plenty!


3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

The Frosting:

5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream
Fresh lime slices, for garnish*


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated.

Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest.



* If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.

Chocolate Cupcakes with PB Frosting
{Ina Garten}
Makes two dozen*

Have I already blogged these? Can't recall- but it seems like something I would post every week- how could you not? Chocolate+rich pb frosting... are you kidding me? Decadent. Do you like Ina Garten too? Isn't she fabulous? I love the relationship with her husband Jeffrey and how they are always giggling together.



2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

*This recipe will yield two dozen if you use a mini ice-cream scooper to spoon batter into cupcake tins.... but will yield one dozen if you use a normal size ice cream scooper to spoon batter into cupcake tins. Clear as mud?

White Chocolate LB {pound} Cake/Cupcakes
{ Inspired by "The Cake Doctor"}

6 oz white chocolate, melted in double broiler, cooled slightly
1 plain white cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix white cake mix, butter, eggs, and extract together. Add slightly cooled, melted white chocolate. Pour batter into cupcake or cake molds. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes (check by 20-25 minutes) until done. Frost with favorite icing/frosting*.


*I made cupcakes, frosted with a basic buttercream frosting and topped with shaved coconut. Another good option for these cupcakes is to mound fresh whipped cream atop each cupcake, with sliced strawberries. I know- Yummy!!!

Coconut Cupcakes

{Martha Stewart Living 2009}

We had a shower for cute mom-to-be friend last week and did a cupcake bar. These were one of the few served. I'll have to post the other recipes later, but here's a starter to tease you. I'm still on the fence with these cupcakes, however. I think Ina Garten's might just be better.....but I'll let you be the judge.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed sweetened shredded coconut
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Seven Minute Frosting (recipe follows)
1 1/3 cups large-flake unsweetened coconut

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by egg whites. Stir in vanilla and coconut milk. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add dry ingredients into the wet, stirring just until combined. Fold in coconut. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Once cupcakes are cool, mound frosting on tops. Sprinkle with unsweetened coconut. Serve immediately.

Seven-Minute Frosting

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites

Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, and cook until mixture registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile, whisk whites with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining sugar. With mixer on medium-low, pour sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff peaks form and mixture is cool, about 7 minutes. Use immediately

PB

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Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
Makes 12

I promise this is my last naughty recipe for the week. I whipped these out last night with all the mushy, black bananas I have laying around my kitchen and with my first half-marathon since before the pregnancy on Saturday in DC, I gotta start laying off all these evil treats that tempt me pink! More healthy recipes to come. Promise!

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 butter, melted and cooled somewhat
1 1/2 cups banana, mushed
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together- please sift. Beat eggs in the bowl with butter until pale yellow and thick in texture, add sugar, and beat. Add vanilla. Now add the dry ingredients stirring JUST till combined and finally, fold in mushed bananas. Scoop into cupcake molds and bake for roughly 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, and then frost with frosting below.


Frosting

1 stick butter, softened, aka, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted please
1 dash milk if needed to thin it out
1 tsp almond extract
Cinnamon to taste

Combine the butter and sugar, beating on medium speed until a frosting texture comes together. Add milk if needed. Add extract, cinnamon, beat some more, and spread on cooled cupcakes.

Lady in Red

Red Velvet Cupcakes

{Paula Deen... aka, butter lady!}

My cousins, Jane, Kristine, and I were wondering how to bake this sexy cupcake and what makes it red velvet? Well, after some sneaky research, I think I found a dependable and trustworthy recipe (trust Paula Deen for anything dessert-ish), as well as the secret behind these luscious, crimson goodies: cocoa and red-food coloring!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.
Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.