Poppy Seed Yogurt CupcakesFrom Stella Zedman
Makes 12 cupcakes
1/2 cup (125 mL) plain yogurt
1/4cup (50 mL) poppy seeds
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups (300 mL) all purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) baking soda
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and the poppy seeds. Let this mixture soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the sugar, butter and eggs until thick and creamy — about 5 or 6 minutes.This wasn't exactly "thick and creamy" but it worked anyways.
In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, in 2 or 3 additions, alternately with the poppy seed mixture. Beat just until smooth.
Spoon into the cupcake liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full -- there should be just enough for 12 cupcakes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes -- until the cupcakes are just beginning to brown and a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool on a rack.
When completely cool, frost with your favourite frosting [I used the rose water frosting recipe below.] — it goes well with either chocolate or white frosting.
Rose Water FrostingFrom Martha Stewart
Makes 1/2 cup — enough to fully coat 6-8 cupcakes.
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
1 1/2 teaspoons milk, plus more if needed
Gel-paste food coloring [I used 3 drops of liquid red food coloring to achieve the color shown.]
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and the sugar with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Add the rose water and the milk, and continue to beat the mixture until it is smooth. Tint the frosting, and use it immediately.
Bleeding Heart CupcakesFrom Hey There, Cupcake! by Clare Crespo
20 glass marbles or small balls of tinfoil
1 recipe batter for White Cupcakes (see below)
2 to 3 cups strawberry jelly or smooth strawberry jam
1 recipe Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting (see below)
Red and blue food coloring
Pastry bag and medium round tip (optional)
Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Fill the liners two-thirds full with the batter. Place 1 marble or tinfoil ball between each liner and the tin. This will make a dent in your cupcake when it bakes to make it heart shaped. Bake the cupcakes as directed in the recipe. If you are using marbles, be careful when removing the cupcakes from the tins because the marbles will be very hot.
With a small paring knife, cut out a circle about the size of a dime in the center of each cupcake, going about two thirds of the way in. Pull the little plug of cake out. Cut off the top of this piece (about 1/2 inch thick) and eat or discard the bottom. Use a teaspoon or a squeeze bottle to fill the hole partway with the strawberry jelly "blood." Put the little cake plug back in. Continue with the rest of the hearts.
Put one-third of the frosting into two separate bowls. Color one bowl of frosting with the red food coloring. Tint the other bowl of the frosting blue. Tint the remaining two-thirds pink.
Frost the cupcakes with the pink frosting. Make it super smooth by dipping a butter or frosting/palette knife in a bowl of hot water and smoothing it over the top. With the pastry bag or a knife, use the red and blue frosting to make veins on the hearts.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tins as directed as directed in the recipe you are following.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
In a separate, larger bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar, creaming until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla.
To the butter mixture, add about one quarter of the flour mixture and mix well. Add about one quarter of the milk mixture and mix well. Continue alternating the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.
Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy.
Apple-Date MuffincakesA Kitchen Experiment by YumSugar
1 cup chopped and pitted dates [I had 14 Medjool dates]
1 apple, peeled, cored, and grated
1/2 cup apple cider
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup organic white sugar
4 oz. cinnamon applesauce
2 eggs
frosting:
1 stick of butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl place dates and apple. Pour apple juice on top. Let soak for 15-30 minutes [I soaked it until I was ready to use them.]
In another medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream butter and sugars together.
Add applesauce, mix thoroughly.
Add eggs, one at a time. Making sure each one is fully incorporated.
Gently add in 1/3 of flour mixture. When incorporated add in 1/3 of date mixture (including liquid). Mix completely. Continue until all flour and date mixture is incorporated.
Completely fill each cupcake liner with batter. You should be able to fill 18 liners.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. You want the tops to be slightly golden brown.
While baking, make frosting (aka glaze). For the glaze, mix all ingredients in a large bowl until creamy. Adjust sugar amount as necessary. Do not try to frost your cakes before they are cooled. This will result in a glaze. Mine were glazed, but I was actually hoping for a dollop of frosting. As you can see, one is laughing at me for not waiting.
Gooey Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate ButtercreamA recipe in progress by YumSugar
Makes 18
Cupcakes
3 overripe bananas plus 1 more for decoration
splash of milk (optional)
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
dulce de leche filling, recipe follows
chocolate buttercream, recipe follows
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a food processor, puree bananas until smooth. Depending on your bananas, you may need to add a splash of mixture so that the consistency is nice and smooth. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk or sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.
In a mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until well mixed, and airy.
Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before proceeding.
Stir in vanilla, followed by banana puree.
Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Scoop an even amount of dough into each cup. I filled them to the top and had enough for 19 cupcakes.
Bake for about 16 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted in the middle willl come out clean and tops are a light brown in color.
Remove cupcakes from oven and cool in tins for two minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.
When cupcakes are completely cooled, cut a cone shape from the center. Set aside.
Spoon enough dulce de leche to fill the cavity you have created.
Top with cone piece, to create a nearly seamless look. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
Spoon some frosting on top of each cupcake, spread out with a spatula.
Top each cupcake with a thin slice of banana.
For filling:
1 14 oz-can sweetened condensed milk
Fill the bottom of a double boiler (or pan if using bowl/pan method), halfway with water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium. Pour milk into the top of the double boiler (or bowl if using/bowl/pan method). Heat until milk has thickened and has become a dark caramel color. This will take about 2 hours. Every 30 minutes give it a stir and replenish water on bottom if necessary. When finished, remove from heat and cool completely.
For frosting:
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
In a small bowl or mixer, cream butter.
Mix in cocoa powder (you can add more or less depending on taste).
Mix in vanilla.
Mix in half of powdered sugar, followed by half of the milk.
Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar. Blend well. Add the rest of the milk and mix completely. If your frosting is too thin, add more sugar (or cocoa depending on taste). If it is too thick, add more milk.
Bubbly Pear CupcakesCobbled together by YumSugarFor cupcakes:
2 3/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 sticks of butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 firm-ish but ripe pears, peeled, cored and grated
1 cup champagne
For frosting:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
2 tbsp champagne (you may want to up this, just make sure it's not runny)
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a small bowl sift flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In mixer (or large bowl), cream butter and sugar until well mixed and airy.
Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is full incorporated before adding next.
Slowly add in flour mixture - I do it 1/3 at a time - making sure it is fully incorporated.
Stir in vanilla and champagne.
Stir in pears.
Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
Scoop an even amount of dough into each cup - I filled them to the top. You should have enough for about 24 cupcakes.
Bake for about 16 minutes. I started checking around 12 just to be safe. You want them to be golden in color.
While cupcakes are baking, make frosting. Mix cream cheese and butter together. Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth. You can add more powdered sugar if desired.
Remove cupcakes from oven and cool in tins for 2 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.
When cupcakes are completely cooled, top with frosting. Decorate if you have anything. I had planned on using diced candied ginger, but after tasting the cakes, I did not want to distract from the light champagne flavor.
Magnolia Bakery Vanilla ButtercreamFrom More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until icing reaches desired consistency; you may not need to add all the sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Makes enough buttercream for about 2 dozen cupcakes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flours; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, and scraping down sides of bowl in between each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about three-quarters full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool in tins for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tins, and cool completely on rack. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Serve at room temperature.
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.
Image from About.com.
Izzie's CupcakesFrom abc.com
2 cups heavy cream
10 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 1/2 cups cake flour
20 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
Set oven to Preheat at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
After warming 2 inches of water over medium in the bottom portion of a double boiler, put the 20 ounces of semisweet chocolate, 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, and 2 cups of heavy cream into the top portion. Cover with plastic wrap and let it warm for 8 minutes. Then, remove the boiler from the heat and mix until smooth.
Put the coconut extract, eggs, and granulated sugar into a mixing bowl and stir (or electrically beat) with medium power for about four minutes. Then, add the ingredients from the boiler and stir for 20 more seconds at medium power as well. Next, put the baking soda, chocolate chips, and cake flour to the mixture and stir on lower power for 10 seconds. Slowly, stir to medium power for another 10 seconds. Afterwards, stir additionally to make sure all the ingredients seem thoroughly mixed.
Pour the mixture into 36 cupcake baking cups. Allow some room beneath the rim for the cupcakes to rise. Place the cupcakes into the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes (Test by placing a toothpick into the center of the cupcake; if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done). Let the cupcakes cool before eating. And enjoy!
Makes 36 cupcakes
Poppy Seed Yogurt Cupcakes
From Stella Zedman
Makes 12 cupcakes
1/2 cup (125 mL) plain yogurt
1/4cup (50 mL) poppy seeds
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups (300 mL) all purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) baking soda
This wasn't exactly "thick and creamy" but it worked anyways.
Rose Water Frosting
From Martha Stewart
Makes 1/2 cup — enough to fully coat 6-8 cupcakes.
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
1 1/2 teaspoons milk, plus more if needed
Gel-paste food coloring [I used 3 drops of liquid red food coloring to achieve the color shown.]
Latest Comments