Carrot Cake Cupcakes

My second son, Joshua, has had a girlfriend for almost two years. Gulp. I know relationships of even several years can break up, but two years is a long time, and these two seem pretty happy together. I think her mom and I are both realizing this isn't just a high school romance and she recently invited us over for dinner, the first time we have enjoyed each others company for longer than five or ten minutes.

I asked what I could bring and she said "dessert." This was back when I was not eating wheat, so I was in a quandary. I wasn't eating wheat, she is diabetic, and my Noah can't eat tree nuts or peanuts. Not completely limiting, but still. I decided to make a wheat free recipe and a recipe with wheat. For the wheat-free treat, I had it on good authority that Land of Lakes has some good gluten free recipes. We won't talk about it, but I will tell you I didn't follow the recipe exactly (I subbed agave for the sugar because I wanted an essentially sugar-free dessert).

This recipe, I am told (because I didn't try them), was awesome, however. They smelled divine and looked beautiful. The recipe is essentially the one Annie at Annie's Eats uses, except for just a few changes (Argh, can I ever just follow a recipe? No.).

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

makes about 24

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1¼ t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves

scant 1/8 t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
1 lb. (6-7 medium) carrots
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1½ cups canola, safflower or vegetable oil

12 oz. cream cheese (not softened)
7½ tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

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

In a food processor fitted with a shredding disk, shred the carrots (you should have about 3 cups).  Place the carrots in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Place the metal blade in the processor and  process the sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds.  With the machine running, add the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube.  Continue to process until the mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 more seconds.  Transfer the mixture to the large mixing bowl with the carrots. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Stir to combine thoroughly with carrots and other wet ingredients.

USe an ice cream scoop or spoon to spoon evenly into the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for about 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. (I did not have quite enough frosting to frost all the cupcakes using a decorator bag.)

Source: modified from Annie's Eats

Pentecost Dessert

This past weekend was action-packed with cooking. In fact, I felt like I was in the kitchen from Saturday afternoon to Monday night. I don't mind having folks over, but on big holiday weekends it does get to be a lot.

 On Sunday, we celebrated the holiday with my family, because my Mom's birthday always falls right around Memorial Day and we celebrated her birthday. It also happened to be Pentecost Sunday, so we enjoyed two desserts -- both of which would make nice desserts for future Pentecost Sundays.

The first are the Tongues of Fire cupcakes that were posted at Catholic Cuisine. Little Miss Fancy Pants Kelly made those cupcakes pictured at Catholic Cuisine and I'll tell you -- those little tongues of fire are not easy! It would have helped had I purchased the mini marshmallows I was supposed to buy (had three bags of the big kind in my pantry but nary a mini in sight). I made about 100 tongues before I was satisfied with enough for five cupcakes. And then I frosted and sprinkled sugar on the rest. It was 10 p.m. Saturday night and I was done (in more ways than one)!

The cupcakes were yummy red velvet and the frosting traditional cream cheese -- both found here.

The second dessert was a gorgeous fruit tart pie that I first saw at Cheryl's. I looked all over my Podunk little town for a tart pan and came up with nothing. But I was so determined to make that dessert I decided to make it in a pie plate. Bad move. It was pretty, and very tasty, but I pretty much had to dig it out of the pie pan. I guess I'll order a tart pan from amazon because it was good I want to be able to make it over and over. If you want to make it for Pentecost just call it a Fruits of the Holy Spirit Tart. We only had five fruits, but who's counting? I told them to pick their favorite five fruits (of the spirit). I made Paula's recipe (other than using a pie pan instead of a tart pan) just as the recipe was written. Oh, and I heated up some homemade strawberry jam and strained it instead of making the glaze.

I'm linking up to the gals over at Catholic Cuisine if you want to check some other great ideas for celebrating our Church's birthday!

Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe is a rerun on my food blog, but it's been a couple years since I posted it and I had such a hard time finding it here that I thought I'd repost it.

 I brought these cupcakes to a family get-together on Easter Monday (hence the candy egg-topped frosting) and my father-in-law later said they were the best thing he ever tasted. Ever! He cracks me up. He is either a total brown-noser or he just loves sweets too much! I suspect it's the former, but he does have a sweet tooth.

 The cake part of these cupcakes is a really yummy cake recipe and would be wonderful even without the cream filling. They dome very well for a scratch cupcake and are moist and tender. I find that chocolate cupcakes really are superior to white in the moist and tender department.

 The cream filling part is easy peasy. I fill a decorator bag (with a star tip), and then push a sharp-tipped knife through the cupcake paper on the bottom, stick the point of the bag in and squeeze to the count of three. No need to cut away the cake, the cream just oozes in and makes a little pocket. Lovely!

 The frosting is a soft, chocolate buttercream, just the right topping, but they are also yummy with this Vanilla Buttercream on top.

The recipe makes a lot so they are perfect for a bake sale, scouting get-together, or just a family party!

Chocolate Cream-Filled Cupcakes

makes about 30

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. sugar

⅓ c. cocoa

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1 c. vegetable oil

1 c. water

1 t. vanilla extract

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Filling

¼ c. butter, softened

¼ c. shortening

2 c. confectioners' sugar

3 T. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

pinch salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

Add eggs, milk, oil, water and vanilla.

Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Fill a decorator bag, fitted with a star tip, with filling. Slit the paper on the botton of the cupcake just slightly. 

Insert tip and squeeze to the count of three.

Frosting

1/4 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

about 1/3 c. milk

In a mixing bowl, whip butter. Add cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

(If you are going to frost cupcakes using a decorator bag and tip,

 you will want to make more frosting -- 1.5 or 2 times the recipe)

Chit chat

I thought that I would spend my Easter Week (aka spring break) catching up my food blog with recipes that have been waiting to be posted. Where did the week go? I had also planned to do a lot of sewing for my daughter, and only managed to sew one little skooter shirt. I might need some time management lessons.

I did make 18 goody bags for a girlfriend who was hosting a bridal shower. They held chocolates, body butter and lip balm -- really good all natural stuff I make in my kitchen.

I also baked cupcakes for a family get together, and cupcakes and cookies for the same bridal shower. People often tell me that I should go into catering (not because my food is that great, but I think just because I do bake), but there is too much love involved for me. I wouldn't be good at it. (The recipe for the chocolate cupcakes is here, and the recipe for the wedding cupcakes here, buttercream frosting here.) I only do it because I love the people I bake for.

 My first foray into royal icing. I hated it, which probably means I won't rest until I have mastered it, even though I swore off it forever.

 The bride's flower is sunflowers, which I tried to make using the marshmallow/sugar technique. They turned out cute though not very sunflower-ish. This technique was very easy -- cut the "corners" off the marshmallows at a diagonal and promptly dip the cut side into colored sugar.

Tomorrow is the Feast of Divine Mercy, so please celebrate with your family. There are many ways to recognize the feast day (at Mass, a rosary service, with Confession and the Divine Mercy chaplet), but if you are celebrating with food, please make some Divine Mercy sugar cookies or a Divine Mercy Shortcake -- neither will disappoint and your children will always remember those red and blue rays!

Make sure you get your rays on the right sides (opposite mine!)

Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Cupcakes

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I am sure if you have egg and milk allergies in your house, you already have your favorite goody recipes. I recently needed an egg-free recipe to take to a friend's house and had nothing in my recipe box to make. Though the frosting on these cupcakes is my standard Buttercream Recipe and has milk and butter (you could surely sub with an alternate soy or almond milk, and shortening or margarine), the cupcakes are really what I remember being so good. Maybe I was partly surprised that they were so good, but they were really good, all on their own, allergy-free notwithstanding.

If you need a cucpake recipe, don't feel the slightest bit shy about serving these -- even to folks who are perfectly happy eating eggs and dairy. They rose to a nice dome, not spilling over the sides of the tins (although I did leave a little batter in the bowl to not overfill). I found the recipe here, and I made them just the way the recipe is written.

Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Cupcakes

1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vinegar
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. oil
1 c. cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients (I beat briefly with mixer) and pour into muffin tin (use papers) filling just a little over halfway, maybe 2/3. Bake until done, when cake springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean. Mine baked about 15 minutes. Frost with any frosting, I used Buttercream and sugar sprinkles.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

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Last week a dear reader, who also happens to be my oldest son's former sixth grade language arts teacher, left a comment saying she had made this recipe for Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with a Red Velvet cake mix and enjoyed them. Hmmm. It just so happens that my oldest son, Geoffrey, always asks me for Red Velvet cake, but I have never made one. I can't get past all that red food color. But, with a doctored-up cake mix, I wouldn't need to know how much red food color is in it. Right?

I thought about it for about five minutes and decided I definitely needed to try it out. After a quick text "consultation" with Geoffrey, asking chocolate ganache or traditional Red Velvet Cream Cheese Frosting, I decided to make these babies for Father's Day with the traditional Cream Cheese Frosting. They were very popular and I heard nary a negative comment among the whole family. I can't say I have ever had Red Velvet cake (at least that I remember), so I had nothing to compare it too, but I thought they were delish. And the frosting...divine!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
24 -28 cupcakes

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1 pkg Red Velvet cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
2 T. unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (I do one pan at a time, so you can just use one pan if you want). Set pans aside.

Place cake mix, cocoa powder, sour cream, oil, water, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and beat 2 minutes longer. Pour batter into cupcake lined pans two-thirds full. Bake until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 20-26 minutes. Cool on racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack until completely cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting and refrigerate if it's very warm in the house. Refrigerate the leftovers.




Cream Cheese Frosting


16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla


Whip cream cheese and butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, then add vanilla. Whip until smooth and of spreading consistency. Add more powdered sugar or a little bit of milk if necessary to get frosting to the right consistency. Place in decorator bag and pipe onto cupcakes, or spread with a knife.


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Chocolate Cupcakes

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I have another summer supper to post here, but I need more than a few moments to gather my recipes and post them. In the meantime, I'll post this absolutely scrumptious recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes. You can make them in almost the time it takes to say Chocolate Cupcakes three times. Maybe a little longer ;-) but they are really easy.

I combined two really yummy cupcakes to come up with them. I made this recipe from Tasty Kitchen a few months ago but I really was not gaga over the cake. You know me and cake. So for my son's grad party, I took my favorite, super easy cupcake recipe and combined it with the truly delicious ganache frosting from the other recipe. The cupcake is so soft and moist and perfect, and the ganache gets a little bit firm (unless left in the heat -- don't do that!). It's delightful to break through the topping to get to the soft cupcake. It's very, um, Hostessesque, but so much better. I modified the ganache recipe for ease in measuring and for a little bit more ganache.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache
24 cupcakes

 

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1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix
2 T unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (I do one pan at a time, so youu can just use one pan if you want). Set pans aside.

Place cake mix, cocoa powder, sour cream, oil, water, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and beat 2 minutes longer. Pour batter into cupcake lined pans two-thirds full. Bake until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 20-26 minutes. Cool on racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack until completely cool. Frost with ganache and refrigerate if it's very warm in the house.

½ cups heavy cream

 ½ cups butter 

2 cups good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat the heavy cream and 1/2 cup butter in the microwave until it is steaming. Remove and add the  chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes (really -- just let it sit, don't fuss) then stir until smooth. If necessary, heat again very briefly until chocolate is completely melted.

Let it sit for at least an hour or until it becomes ‘spreadable’. You may have to put it in the fridge in summer months in order to help it along. Spread on cool cupcakes. 

Vanilla Cupcakes and Vanilla Buttercream Fosting

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For the big 25/50 party we hosted a couple of weekends ago, I made many, many desserts and froze them because I knew with Thanksgiving just two days before the party that my party baking time would be limited. I had not ever frozen whole cakes, or even cupcakes, so it was quite an experiment for me, and fortunately all turned out well.

The first experiment was on these cupcakes. I baked them, wrapped them and froze them and then the next day took one out, thawed it and tasted it. They were fabulous - nothing was lost in the freeze and thaw. I frosted them after they thawed, however, because I knew the frosting would not do well in the thaw.

The recipe for these cupcakes came from the Brown-Eyed Baker and they were so good I don't know if I'll ever use another recipe for vanilla cupcakes. The frosting especially was really rich and tasty. Yum! They are very high in butter content, however, so eat in moderation!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

makes 12

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ t. baking powder
½ t. table salt
8T.  unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1½ t. vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Fill cupcakes tins a little more than halfway (do not overfill -- leave a little bit of batter out rather than overfill). Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 T. vanilla extract

Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

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Source: Brown-eyed Baker

Lemony Sunshine Cupcakes

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For the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, I decided to make a recipe for cupcakes that I had been saving for the right opportunity. As you know, it was at Fatima, during Our Lady's apparitions, that the miracle of the sun occurred, and thus images of the sun are often used as symbols of Fatima.

I saw the recipe for these Sunshine Cupcakes made on the Food Network as the winner of a recipe contest. We all love lemon desserts at our house, so I knew these cupcakes would be well-liked. I hung on to the recipe and the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima seamed like the perfect opportunity.

The cupcakes did not disappoint. I was actually out to dinner with a friend, so I did not get to taste them when my family did, but my husband said they all ate two after dinner, so I knew they must have been good. (Secretly I'll tell you, I tasted them at breakfast the next morning.) They are very lemony, and though I'm a huge cake snob, they tasted pretty darned good for a doctored box mix. I love the lemon curd in the very center, and the shortbread cookie crust. They are really sort of a mini cake tart, if ever there was such a thing. The cake is moist and tangy, but perfectly complimented by the gooey lemon curd and the sweet, crunchy crust. I altered the recipe only in that I used all the crumb mixture for the crust because I wanted the tops to be bright yellow and sunny, with the spot of curd unobstructed.

Lemony Sunshine Cupcakes
makes 18 cupcakes

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1 1/3 cups shortbread cookie crumbs, (I used one bag Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 T. unsalted butter, melted

For the batter:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used low fat)

1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1 small box (3.4 ounce) instant lemon pudding

1 (18.25 ounce) box lemon cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)

1/3 cup lemon curd (store bought or homemade)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with 16 cupcake liners; set aside.

Place shortbread cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl; stir until well combined; set aside. Place a slightly heaping tablespoon of shortbread cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use your fingers or the bottom of a small glass to firmly pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining shortbread cookie crumb mixture for topping. (I used all of it in the bottoms.)

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix just until combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add vegetable oil, water, and the box of lemon pudding. Mix until combined. Add cake mix and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Batter will be thick.

Use a 1/4 cup spring loaded ice cream scoop and place a level scoop full of batter into each muffin cup.

Scoop the lemon curd into a small sandwich-size resealable bag. Squeeze the curd to 1 corner of the bag and use scissors to snip a 1/4-inch piece from corner of bag.

With a damp finger or the end of a wooden spoon dipped in water, make a shallow indentation into the center of each cupcake. Pipe 3/4 to 1 teaspoon lemon curd into each indentation. Sprinkle tops of cupcakes evenly with remaining shortbread cookie crumbs (if desired).

Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until edges of cupcakes are lightly golden brown.

Serve cupcakes warm from the oven or at room temperature.

Source: Food Network

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Taste of Ireland Cupcakes

I apologize for posting the recipe for these yummy cupcakes the day after St. Patrick's Day. Mighty anticlimactic, eh? You certainly don't need to wait for an Irish holiday to celebrated with these lovely little chocolate gems, however.

I made them early in the week for a lunch I was catering at Doug's office, and then, the morning of the scheduled lunch, I woke up with vertigo. I was so very disappointed, and, of course, worried that the girls at Doug's office would be disappointed. I also had a refrigerator filled with ingredients for Mediterranean Veggie pitas, Greek salad and Fresh Fruit Kabobs, and would have been heartbroken had it all gone to waste. So I medicated myself enough to get there the next day (unfortunately the medication makes me sooooo sleepy), and I managed.

These cupcakes were a big hit (I don't think the girls were faking!), and there were enough left over for us to enjoy them for a St. Patrick's Day dessert. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe. The only problem I had was with the frosting -- with 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons of Bailey's was not enough liquid to get the frosting to spreading consistency. I ended up adding about 5 tablespoons of heavy cream instead of extra Bailey's. After tasting them, I wouldn't add any more Bailey's to it -- the balance was just right as it was. Just use enough milk or cream to get the frosting to spreading consistency.

I also did not bother with the piping bag to fill the cupcakes. I just used an infant feeding spoon to fill the little holes. I don't own an apple corer or a 1-inch cutter, so I used a v-shaped garnishing tool (I use it to turn a watermelon into a pretty serving dish or garnishing vegetables) to make a diamond shaped hole -- it worked fine -- you can use a pairing knife as well.

Taste of Ireland Cupcakes

makes 24

Cupcakes:
1 c. stout (Guinness)
16 T. unsalted butter
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1½ t. baking soda
¾ t. salt
2 large eggs
⅔ c. sour cream

Ganache:
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
⅔ c. heavy cream
2 T. butter, at room temperature
2 t. Bailey's Irish cream

Frosting:
8 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 - 4 c. confectioners sugar, sifted
4 T. Bailey's Irish cream
4 - 6 T. milk or cream

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.
Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until very hot (not boiling) in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Pour cream over chocolate and allow to sit for several minutes. With a whisk, stir until chocolate is melted. If necessary, heat for about 30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted. Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined.

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick -- it will sit in a "blob, " not puddle. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.) Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the top of each cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this). Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes (or using a small spoon, fill the holes).

To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth. Add as much milk or cream as is necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Sprinkle with green sugar, if desired.

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Source: adapted from Annie's Eats

Rootin' for the Red, White and Blue!

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And what better way to celebrate and cheer on the team than with some good, old-fashioned Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes? Besides being a great party dessert, these cupcakes are great for packed lunches (love in the lunch box), and bake sales. What kid (or grown-up) can resist cream-filled love?

Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

makes about 30

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
⅓ c. cocoa
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. vegetable oil (I often use 1/2 c. applesauce, 1/2 c. oil)
1 c. water
1 t. vanilla extract


~~~~~


Filling

¼ c. butter, softened
¼ c. shortening
2 c. confectioners' sugar
3 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
pinch salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.
Add eggs, milk, oil, water and vanilla.
Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Insert a very small tip into a pastry or plastic bag; fill with cream filling.


Push the tip through the bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake (I find I need to cut a small slit with the point of a sharp knife first).



Squeeze filling into each cupcake. I usually squeeze to the count of three -- if you overfill the top will bust open -- then you have to eat it!





Frosting

1/4 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 1/3 c. milk


In a mixing bowl, whip butter. Add cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

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Lamby Cupcakes

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Today is the Feast of St. Agnes, whose name means "lamb or victim" in Latin, and "pure" in Greek.

We (I) baked White Cupcakes, and Peach and I decorated them to look like lambs (lambies), a la Martha via Jessica. We used blueberries for eyes (blue-eyed lambies?) and I don't think I got the ears right, but they are fine.

Happy feast day.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, dona nobis pacem.


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Cupcake Rosary

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I started baking very early this morning. Wednesday is our busy afternoon, and with homeschool P.E., Peach's gymnastics, and picking up high school boy, I'm gone from about noon to 4 p.m. But, I've wanted to make a cupcake rosary for so very long, and for whatever reason never had. Today, I was determined to do it. So, at 7:30 a.m., I was making cupcake batter.

It was worth it, though, because the kids think this is pretty cool -- a rosary made from cupcakes. I doubled this mini cupcake recipe and baked them for 9 minutes each. I only filled each mini-cupcake paper half full, because any fuller than that they touched the pan and made for messy removal. And I didn't use the whole batch -- just enough for 60 cupcakes -- 59 prayers and one for the center (with a few extra for safety). I used this frosting (one and half times). Peach helped me sprinkle, using a different color for each decade.

A little tip for filling those tiny mini cupcake papers -- place half of the batter in a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air and zip. Snip a bottom corner about 1/4 inch and use it to squeeze batter into papers. When bag is almost empty, fill with remaining batter.

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Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes -- Recipe Review

We were headed to dine with some dear friends over the weekend and I offered to bring dessert. I wanted it to be special and I remembered these cupcakes over at Annie's Eats. I read through the directions and almost chickened out. I just didn't want to spend hours making cupcakes. Seems contrary to the spirit of the cake -- it's just a little cupcake. But I did want it to be special.

It turns out they weren't so difficult, and they were darling. I made a few changes, one of which was to substitute the raspberry frosting for chocolate ganache on some of them. I had quite a bit of ganache left after filling the berries and what a shame to waste. So I halved the frosting and used the ganache. I know my husband appreciated the substitution because he is a chocoholic.

I also made a few technical changes which I have noted in italics below. My ganache was too runny as directed so I added more chocolate (hence the abundance of ganache). I recommend either using less cream or adding chocolate. I did not use the jam in the truffle mix, which I think would have made it more runny, but I could be wrong.

Have the kids help you with these cupcakes to make the job easier. Peach filled all the raspberries and did a great job. It kept her busy while I filled the cupcakes with jam and made the frosting.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes

9 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. cake flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. baking powder
8 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. strong coffee (or water)
1/2 c. milk

For the filling:
Seedless raspberry jam

For the raspberry truffles:
2 pints fresh raspberries
5 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup heavy cream

(I used 1/3 cup heavy cream and probably 9 oz. chocolate by the time I was done fooling with it)

For the frosting:
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
Pink icing color (optional)

(I halved the frosting because of my ganache switcheroo, and added a few drops red food color)

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a small bowl sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the coffee and milk. Add half of the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Stir in the coffee-milk mixture and mix until combined. Add in the remaining dry ingredients, again mixing just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling the cups about 3/4 full (I filled my 2/3 full and some still popped over the liners and stuck to the pan -- I hate that!-- I recommend somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 full). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, heat some raspberry jam just enough to allow for easy stirring and smooth texture (I think just stirring it up is fine). Transfer the jam to a pastry bag (or a freezer bag in a pinch) fitted with a large plain tip, poke into each cupcake and squeeze a small amount inside (it is helpful to take a sharp knife and poke through all the liners before you stick the tip in).

To make the raspberry truffles, rinse fresh raspberries and transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Gently shake the berries around to remove excess water. (It helps to set them upside down on paper towels on their open side.) Place the chocolate and jam (I omitted) in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate and jam. Let stand for about 3 minutes. Whisk together gently until smooth. If any unmelted lumps remain, microwave a few seconds and whisk again. Let the ganache cool a bit until it has thickened slightly (enough to be piped through a pastry bag). Once it has reached the right consistency, transfer the ganache to a pastry bag and pipe into the center of the clean raspberries. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes to set.

To make the frosting, place the butter and jam in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium-high speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Tint with icing color as desired.

To finish the cupcakes, frost with the raspberry jam buttercream and top with a few of the raspberry truffles.




I wanted to show you my cool cupcake carrier from Wilton. It has a carry lid that snaps on (and I was so excited to get it 40% off at Joann with my coupon).

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St. Joe Cupcakes

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My St. Joseph Raspberry Cream Cupcakes recipe is up over at Catholic Cuisine.





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Cupcake Cuties

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My husband and his two brothers hosted a little party at a favorite old pizza joint for his parent's 50th Anniversary last night. It was really fun -- we saw some of his aunts and uncles and the little kids ran around guzzling soda pop and eating popcorn. The main course was, of course, the pizza that this little shop is know for (they also serve some German food and the scent of sauerkraut in the first floor dining room smelled wonderful), but we wanted to have a little dessert, too. Doug ordered a cake from a favorite family bakery and I baked some cupcakes so the littles would have something fun to eat. We brought some little individual ice cream cups and everyone enjoyed all the treats.




I used the recipe for Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake and Frosting and decorated with M&Ms, Good and Plenty, candy hearts and various other sprinkles.


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Feast Day Treats

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This week is jam-packed full of fun feast days to celebrate. I thought I'd post pictures of two treats we have enjoyed thus far.



The St. Leo lion cupcakes were a big hit. Even the big kids thought they were fun and I have no doubt that they will forever associate the lion with the courageous St. Leo the Great. I used this cupcake recipe, and they were good even if they weren't completely from scratch. I was on my way home from picking up my high schooler, with groceries in the car, at 4 p.m. and still had dessert finished before dinner. Cupcakes baked, frosted and decorated in about an hour -- can't complain. The frosting was a simple light chocolate buttercream, recipe below. I can't claim the decoration idea -- it was all over the internet -- but it was easy. Make sure you stick the popcorn on as you frost each cupcake though, because if the frosting hardens at all, it won't stick. My little lion faces are not perfect -- I stooped to using a can of this because I was rushed, but my kids didn't give a fig, and so neither did I. It was hard to control the flow (think canned cheese spread), but for what I was doing, I didn't really get too uptight.

Light Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 T. butter, softened
2 T. cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
4 T. milk
1 t. vanilla

Beat butter in a mixing bowl.
Add cocoa and beat.
Slowly add powdered sugar and beat.
Add vanilla and then milk, one tablespoon at a time,
and beat until spreading consistency, for at least two minutes.
Add more milk or sugar if necessary.

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I baked these French Gaufrettes for St. Martin of Tours' feast day. The traditional dessert for St. Martin is horsheshoe cookies, but I honestly didn't feel like rolling dough. I also had a hankerin' for pizzelles and these are pretty much French pizzelles. The recipe was perfect and I doubled it to take some to my college boy. They are lighter than my pizzelle recipe, and since I followed the recipe exactly, there was no anise, but they are wonderful just they way they are -- sweet, crisp and buttery.


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St. Therese Cupcakes

Well, even with a last minute pediatrician appointment and a run to the grocery for cupcake papers, I managed to bake and decorate the St. Therese cupcakes. My kitchen was warm from baking cupcakes, then bread, and then putting the scalloped potatoes in, but the roses melted only a little. The cupcakes were very yummy. The cake is a traditional white cake batter and tastes exactly the way I love wedding cake to taste. I might be making these for the bridal shower I'm planning in November.

White Cupcakes

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan and a 6-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Finally stir in the milk and beat until batter is smooth.
Pour or spoon batter into the liners (I like to use an ice cream scoop filled about 2/3).
Bake 15-20 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.
Cool and frost with desired frosting.

For the St. Therese cupcakes I used a traditional decorator frosting
to frost the cupcakes and then make the roses.


Makes 18 cupcakes..

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are a good, quick recipe. I usually make cake from scratch because I don't like the taste of mix, but the extra ingredients change the taste of the mix and I don't think they taste like a package. They also bake up nice and neat and I admit that scratch cupcakes often don't have a nice dome on them and they frequently run over. I use a flipper-style ice cream scoop to dole out my batter, using just a little less than a whole scoop. They are perfectly sized -- rising just to the top of the paper with a dome in the center. I get about 30 cupcakes from this recipe.

I know that you know what a chocolate cupcake looks likes,
so instead I'll show you a picture of my little cutie enjoying one
after her bath last night.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix
2 T unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
½ cup oil
½ cup water
3 eggs
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (I do one pan at a time, so youu can just use one pan if you want). Set pans aside.
Place cake mix, cocoa powder, sour cream, oil, water, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and beat 2 minutes longer. Pour batter into cupcake lined pans two-thirds full. Bake until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 20-26 minutes. Cool on racks for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack until completely cool. Frost with any frosting. Below is the one I used (sorry for the rough estimates -- I don't usually measure for this.)

Easy Chocolate Frosting

4 T. butter, softened
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
about 3 c. powdered sugar
several T. milk
1/2 t. vanilla (optional)

In a mixer bowl, with whisk attachment, beat butter and melted chocolate chips until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time and beat until well-mixed, but will be dry looking. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time and beat well until frosting is fluffy and creamy. Whip in vanilla if desired.