Cakes and Frostings

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

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Mr. Blue Eyes (yes, my husband cooks!–Thankfully!) and I made these earlier this month for my birthday. They. were. DELISH! You must try them! The frosting was a little complicated for us, being our first time using a meringue-type, but it was worth it! I don’t generally care for frosting. I’m the weirdo at all the parties who scrapes the frosting off the cake to eat it plain. But I’m telling you I REALLY liked this frosting. Very light. Truly worth every minute!

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
18 Paper Cupcake Liners (plus a few extra…we needed them)
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose Flour
1/2 Cups Dutch-processed cocoa powder (we used Hersey’s Cocoa Powder)
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp, cut into small pieces
1 1/3 Cups Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Milk, at room temp
*3/4 – 1 Cup Fresh Raspberries (or frozen, thawed and well drained)–OPTIONAL

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in all wells of Cupcake Tins (we used one 12 cup tin, and one 6 cup tin.)

2. In a small bowl, sift together Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt. Set aside.

3. In a Large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy–about 2 minutes. (We used our Kitchen Aide for this.) Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bowl once or twice. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time until they are each mixed in well.

4. Alternating about 4 times, mix in the flour mixture and the milk. Beat briefly between each add-in to make sure it’s well incorporated and the batter is smooth.

5. If you’re using Raspberries, this is where you fold them into the batter. We only did 3/4 Cup, but next time I think we’ll do a full 1 cup.

6. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake wells. Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs.

7. Cool on racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.

Italian Meringue Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
Scant 2/3 Cup, plus 3 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 Cup water
4 Large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 Cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp, cut into small pieces
*3/4 Cup Raspberries (OPTIONAL)

1. Place 2/3 Cup Sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Stir to wet the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Dip pastry brush in cold water and wash down the sugar crystals from the sides of the pot once or twice. Turn down the heat to simmer gently.

2. Place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl and whip until frothy on low speed using balloon whip attachment to your standing mixer. Add cream of tartar and turn speed to medium-high. When soft peaks form add remaining 3 Tablespoons sugar gradually. (This is the meringue part of the butter-cream, and the frosting may be used at this point for low-fat, marshmallow-like frosting; it must be used immediately.)

3. Bring the sugar-water mixture to a rapid boil and cook until it reaches 248 – 250 degrees F. (We don’t have a thermometer *GASP!* and so the following directions were vital.) As syrup cooks, look for visual clues to assess temperature. It starts out thin with many small bubbles over the surface. The water will begin to evaporate and the mixture will become thicker. The bubbles get larger and sticky and pop more slowly. At this point the syrup looks thickened, but it has not begun to color. If you drop a bit of the syrup into a glass of cold water it will form into a ball. This is the firm-ball stage, and the syrup is ready.

4. Pour a thin, steady stream over meringue, without pouring any on the rotating whip or the sides of the bowl. (Be quick! We didn’t do it fast enough and had to make the syrup a 2nd time.) Whip meringue on high speed until cool. When the bowl is no longer warm, stop the machine and touch the surface of the meringue with your finger to check that it is cooled. With mixer on medium speed, add the butter, a couple Tablespoons at a time. Keep beating until the buttercream is completely smooth. It is now ready to use. Any flavorings or variations can be added at this time.

5. This is where you beat the raspberries into the frosting. Just keep the beater going and add the berries. The buttercream will turn pink and you will see bits of fruit (YUM!) suspended here and there. (Beautiful!)

6. Frost cupcakes smoothly using an icing spatula or a spoon. Top with garnish, candles, or whatever you prefer!

*You don’t have to use Raspberries. Use the cupcake and frosting recipes as is, or with your own variation. That’s what I love about these recipes! Make them your own.

Yield: The recipe says 18 cupcakes, but we got 18 big cupcakes + 10 small ones, and we weren’t skimpy when filling either!

Notes:
     ~Like I said before, the frosting was a little more difficult than we expected and we had a few hiccoughs in the procedure. Mr. Blue Eyes was in charge of the syrup, while I did the meringue. Having four hands worked well for us first-timers.

Source: A Baker’s Field Guide to Cupcakes: By Dede Wilson

~Kara

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Butter Cream Frosting

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My sister recent made these, and oh my YUM! They are a new fall/winter favorite. The cupcake is perfectly seasoned and the frosting is so soft and creamy… and full of cinnamon. YUM!
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Butter Cream Frosting 

Cupcakes
 
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon 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

Directions
1. 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.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. 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.

Frosting

Ingredients 
1 pound minus ½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
3-4 Tbs Heavy cream

Directions
Combine all ingredients and whip until creamy. Add additional cream if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Makes 24 cupcakes

Garnish
If desired, top cupcakes with a few gingersnap cookie crumbles.

Cookie Cake

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Who doesn’t love to see a giant chocolate chip cookie sitting on the table in front of them!? Everyone loves a giant cookie! Try this, it’s this is really delicious!

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2/4 cup brown sugar
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking oda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease two 12 inch pizza pans. (or just grease one and plan to save half of the dough for later.)

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar, until smooth. Beat in the cream cheese, then the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Divide the dough in half and press each half onto a prepared pizza pan.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden at the edges. Cool completely in pans. Cut into wedges like a pizza and serve. Don’t forget the frosting! Chocolate and or buttercream.

allrecipes.com

Vanilla Bean Coconut Cupcakes With Coconut Frosting

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Honestly, these are some of the best cupcakes on the planet! The salt in the frosting is genius! The secret to these moist cupcakes? Reduced coconut milk.

Ingredients:

Reduced coconut milk:
(2) 13-14 oz cans unsweetened coconut milk

Cupcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 cup reduced coconut milk, room temperature

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, room temperature
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)

Directions:

For reduced coconut milk:

1. Bring coconut milk to boil in large deep sauce pan over medium-high heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

2. Remove from heat; cool completely. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

For cupcakes;

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350. Line eighteen 1/3 cup muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth.

2. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in seeds from vanilla bean and remaining egg.

3. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended.

4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

For frosting:

1. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.

2. Using pastry bag fitted with large star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting. Using small offset spatula, swirl frosting over top of cupcakes, leaving 1/2 inch plain border.) Sprinkle with coconut.

Source: Epicurious

Pumpkin Cupcakes

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I had had this recipe written on a random sheet of paper for a few months (okay-actually more like a year). Finally decided to try it out (they are yummy!). Worked great-for the cupcake portion. Under the “frosting” label I wrote “see web site for more”. That could work great too-if you wrote down the website. Which I didn’t do. I’m sure I was thinking it wouldn’t take a whole year for me to get around to trying out the recipe.

Honestly though I liked them without the frosting. So I’d just as soon call it a muffin (since I have no frosting) but you can call it whatever you want.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
7.5 ounces pureed pumpkin

1-Preheat oven to 350.
2-Line or grease muffin tins.
3-Whisk dry ingredients together in one bowl.
4-In another bowl mix sugars, butter and eggs.
5-Add the pumpkin puree to the sugar mixture and mix.
6-Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until blended.
7-Fill muffin cups half-way.
8-Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Source: unfortunately unknown.

Marble Sheet Cake with Frosting

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Why clean the kitchen, even if you did mess it up?  Why not just make a deal with your 12-year-old son that if he’ll clean it all up, you’ll make a treat?  Then, while he’s cleaning, go rummage through your stash of clipped recipes in search of a new chocolate adventure.  Not that I’m saying that’s what I did, but, yeah….that’s what I did.  The result?  This yummy cake.

Ingredients:
Cake
2 sticks butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar (DIVIDED)
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbsp. hot water

Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbsp. hot water
2 tsp. vanilla
3 to 4 Tbsp. half-and-half

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.  Beat in vanilla extract.
2.  Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to butter mixture alternately with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
3.  Spoon 1 1/4 cups batter into a 2-qt. bowl, and stir in cocoa, 3 Tbsp. hot water, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until well blended.
4.  Spread remaining vanilla batter into a greased and floured 15×10 inch jelly roll pan.  Spoon chocolate batter onto vanilla batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife or small spatula.

5.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean (be careful NOT to overbake!).  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about an hour).
For Frosting:
1.  Cream butter in a mixer.
2.  Whisk together sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl.  Combine hot water and vanilla.
3.  With mixer going, add sugar mixture alternately with water mixture until well combined.
4.  Add half-and-half a tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency.  Frost cake and enjoy!
NOTE:  If you see cake as a delivery system for frosting, you may want to double the frosting.

Source:  Southern Living magazine

Yellow Cupcakes

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These cupcakes are compliments of Martha Stewart. I like this recipe because it’s simple and I always have the ingredients on hand!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the cups of a standard muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Combine milk and vanilla in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
4. With the mixer on medium speed, add softened butter one tablespoon at a time until incorporated in to the flour mixture.
5. Add eggs one at a time.
6. Add milk and vanilla and continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes.
7. Fill cupcake liners half full and bake 17-20 minutes.

*Keep a close watch on your cupcakes, especially if you are trying a new recipe for the first time. Oven temperatures vary! These cupcakes don’t take longer than 18 minutes in my oven.

Source: MarthaStewart.com

Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

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For you peanut butter and chocolate lovers out there…

 



The Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1.  Place oven rack in center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans.  Place a round of parchment paper or wax paper in the bottom of each pan.
2.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3.  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter.  Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping the down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk;  add dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients).  Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter.  Scrape down bowl and add the melted chocolate, folding it in with a spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
4.  Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy and start to pull away from the sides of the pans.  Transfer to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners.  Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

The Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
10 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream

1.  In a mixer bowl, combine all but heavy cream and mix with paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy.  Scrape down bowl with spatula as you work.
2.  Slowly add cream and beat on high speed until mixture is light and smooth, adding a bit more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
3.  Frost cake and enjoy!

NOTE:  I used a package of mini Reese’s cups when decorating the cake.  I found it helpful to refrigerate them, as my hands are always warm and tend to melt the chocolate.  After unwrapping, turn the cups upside down and carefully slice in half with a paring knife.  There were enough in the package to decorate the top and base, with a few leftover to dice up and sprinkle on top.

Source:  Annie’s Eats

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Buttermilk Custard Sauce

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Well, anyone who has read my recipes will figure out that I tore this one out of a magazine.  Source is referenced below.  The article was about seven pound cake recipes but this is the one that spoke to me.  Does cake speak to you?  Does it whisper sweet nothings in your ear?  I tried this one out this past weekend because Mom and Dad were visiting and also I have this really cute beehive cake stand that was just screamin’ for a job to do.  This was a very easy recipe and thanks to my Crisco Spray with Flour, it slid right out of the pan, no worries.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
 Buttermilk Custard Sauce (ingredients/instructions listed separately)

1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Beat butter at medium speed until creamy–I use my stand mixer.  Gradually add in the sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.   Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition.
2.  Add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour  batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan ( I use Crisco Spray with Flour–less mess, same success).
3.  Bake at 325 for 65-70 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 10-15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).  Serve with Buttermilk Custard Sauce–also very good plain or with chopped fresh fruit (I am trying it with mangoes next time).

Buttermilk Custard Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1.  Whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute.
2.  Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
3.  Serve warm or cold.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Source: Kathleen Smith/Southern Living Magazine

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

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I have to admit, I am somewhat of an icing snob. I don’t consider buttercream to be genuine if anything other than butter is used. So don’t try and fool me!
Chocolate icing has never been my first choice, but being that it is my husband’s favorite, I will make it. I discovered this recipe after a search for “best chocolate buttercream” yielded Martha Stewart’s website and Billy’s Chocolate Buttercream icing. It is very smooth and rich due to the melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder. I have to say, this particular icing has made me a fan. It is delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted BUTTER, softened
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1-3 tablespoons of milk
5 cups powdered suger, sifted

1. Sift powdered sugar in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat butter until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low, add chocolate until combined.
4. Mix vanilla in with butter and chocolate mixutre until combined.
4. Start mixing sugar in slowly, one cup at a time, until well combined.
** I add milk at the end, if any at all. I think it depends on the day, the weather and/or the temperature of the butter as to the consistency of your icing. It may be smooth enough that you don’t need to add any milk.