Friday, August 29, 2014

Black and White Cupcakes


This week I did a cupcake-y take on the classic idea of black and white. There are black and white movies, pictures, parties, even cookies, so I thought why not a cupcake too? The vanilla buttercream pairs perfectly with the chocolate cupcakes, and makes me want to have a black and white party! Enjoy!


Black and White Cupcakes


Yields 24+ {about 30}

Cupcakes:


1 cup butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flower

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup almond milk



Frosting:

1 1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 cups confectioner's sugar

2 tbsp vanilla




Directions:


Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.

Add the cooled butter/chocolate and beat until smooth.

While still beating, add half of the flour mixture, then half of the almond milk.

Repeat until everything is added. Stir until just combined

Bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes


For  the frosting, beat the butter and shortening together until they are smooth and combined {about 5 minutes}.

One cup at a time, beat in the confectioner's sugar. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition so that the end result won't be lumpy.

After all of the sugar is added, beat in the vanilla extract.

Pipe the frosting with a star tip onto the cooled cupcakes.







If you want to top the cupcakes with something, try shaved white chocolate and pearl sprinkles. I liked leaving them just plain, but the toppings looked pretty too.



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Chocolate-covered Strawberry Cakes




Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of those things that people tend to not remember about until they are placed in front of us...then we can't fathom how we ever forgot about them. They can be a fancy, romantic dessert, or fun for kids at parties...everyone loves chocolate-covered strawberries! These little cakes are a sweet spin-off of the classic dessert. Enjoy!

Chocolate-covered Strawberry Cakes

Yields 24+ {about 30}

Cakes:


1 cup butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flower

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup almond milk





Frosting:


2 cups butter

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tbsp vanilla extract

4 cups confectioner's sugar

fresh strawberries


Directions:


Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.

Add the cooled butter/chocolate and beat until smooth.

While still beating, add half of the flour mixture, then half of the almond milk.

Repeat until everything is added. Stir until just combined

Bake in sprayed cupcake pans {without liners} on 350 for 20-25 minutes


The cakes will not rise a lot because they are dense {almost between a light cake and a brownie}. While you wait for them to cool, dice some strawberries, and make the frosting.

The strawberries just need to be cut into small chunks like so:


For the frosting:

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.

Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave with a little bit of the butter to help melt them. Once it has cooled, pour it into the frosting and beat well.

Slowly add the confectioner's sugar 1 cup at a time; beating well after each addition, and make sure the sugar is evenly combined.


Assembly:

Cut the cakes in half horizontally, separating the top from the bottom.


Using a star tip, pipe the frosting in a circle around the outside of the bottom half of the cake. 

Fill the empty center with a little of the chopped strawberries.


Place the top half of the cake back on top, and gently press down; not too hard, you just want to make sure they will stay together.

Spritz a dollop of frosting on top and press a half of a strawberry on top.


Top with shaved and drizzled chocolate, and enjoy! Cover and refrigerate to store.




Friday, August 15, 2014

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

This past week I was thinking about what would go really well with chocolate, and obviously this first thing that came to my mind {it's an addiction, what can I say}, was more chocolate!!! These are far from your regular chocolate-on-chocolate cupcakes though, because inside is a little surprise that makes them ten times better! Don't believe me? I guess you'll just have to try them to find out.:)



Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields 24+ {about 30}

Cupcakes:


1 cup butter

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flower

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup almond milk

enough milk chocolate truffles for each cupcakes {about 30}




Frosting:


2 cups butter

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tbsp vanilla extract

4 cups confectioner's sugar


Directions:


Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.

Add the cooled butter/chocolate and beat until smooth.

While still beating, add half of the flour mixture, then half of the almond milk.

Repeat until everything is added. Stir until just combined

Bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes


Immediately after they come out of the oven, cut an x that goes to the bottom of the cupcake. It is important that they are still warm.


Unwrap the truffles and press one of them into the center. 



Repeat for all of the cupcakes, or at least the ones you want to be incredibly awesome.



While the truffles melt a little in the cupcakes, start making your frosting.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.

Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave with a little bit of the butter to help melt them. Once it has cooled, pour it into the frosting and beat well.

Slowly add the confectioner's sugar 1 cup at a time; beating well after each addition, and make sure the sugar is evenly combined.

Pipe the frosting with a star tip.


Top with anything, as long as it's chocolate! I used chocolate shavings and drizzled chocolate. 




Enjoy indulging in these sinfully-good death by chocolate cupcakes! 

Friday, August 8, 2014

Maple Bacon Cupcakes


Don't knock it till you try it! When I mentioned that I was going to make bacon cupcakes this week, I got a wide variety of reactions: my mom looked at me like I was crazy, my sister thought I was joking, and I think my boyfriend shed a tear of joy. After everyone tried them though, we all agreed that this recipe is a keeper! 




Maple Bacon Cupcakes


Yields 24+ {about 30}


Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 egg whites

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup sweet cream, salted butter {softened}

1 tbsp vanilla extract


Frosting:


1 1/2 cup butter

3-4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla




Directions:


In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, and egg whites until the sour cream and milk are smooth; set aside.

Beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until all of the sugar is combined, then add the vanilla extract.

While still beating, alternate adding half of the flour mixture, then half of the egg white, sour cream, and milk mixture until they are both completely combined. 

Fill cupcake cups halfway, and bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes.


For the frosting, beat the butter in a bowl until it is smooth {about 3-5 minutes}.  Beat in the maple syrup, making sure it is completely combined before you start adding the confectioner's sugar.

Beat in the confectioner's sugar one cup at a time, until all of it has been beaten in. Add the vanilla and continue beating for a few minutes to get your frosting light and fluffy.

Pipe with a circle tip and top with crumbled bacon and white chocolate drizzle.






I made my own bacon for this; store-bought bacon bits are insanely salty, and not good for this kind of thing. I used about 5 pieces of crispy-cooked bacon on these cupcakes. If you do choose to make your own bacon {which I recommend}, be sure that you pat the bacon dry with a paper towel so that you don't get any grease on your yummy cupcakes. Enjoy!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Lemonade stands are just the cutest! Little kids make up pitchers of really watery stuff and sell it for 10 cents a cup...I like stopping at them, even thought the lemonade is hardly ever good, it usually makes the kid's day. What a fun alternative to selling barely-flavored pink water?! These cupcakes are so cute and pretty, with just enough lemon in both the cupcake and the frosting to make up for whatever the lemonade was lacking. Try selling these at your local lemonade stand instead; I'm sure they will be a hit!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Yields 24


Cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cup almond milk
4 egg whites
lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter substitute
1 tsp vanilla
lemon juice from half of a lemon


Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp pink lemonade powder
1 tsp vanilla
15 drops red food coloring



In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk and egg whites; set aside.

In a large bowl, use your {clean!!!} fingers to mix together the sugar and lemon zest. Mix until the sugar seems slightly damp and tinted a very very light yellow. 

Add the butter substitute and beat with an electric mixer until all of the sugar is combined, then add the vanilla and lemon juice.

While still beating, alternate adding half of the flour mixture, then half of the egg white/almond milk mixture until they are both completely combined. 

Fill cupcake cups halfway, and bake on 350 for 20-25 minutes.


For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and the butter until they are smooth and fluffy {about 3 minutes}. If you soften your butter before hand it will make this easier.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the confectioner's sugar and the pink lemonade powder. Lumps of the powdered sugar {probably due to humidity}, can just be pressed through the mesh. 

Beat the powdered sugar/lemonade mix into the butter and cream cheese a cup at a time until it is completely mixed in. Add the vanilla and food coloring, and beat together until combined. 

Pipe with a closed star tip, and decorate with pretty little things as desired.






We had these ADORABLE little paper straws left over from a party, and they matched my theme so perfectly, I just had to use them! Enjoy!



                               xoxo,

                                     Emily