New Cupcakes: Caramel Mocha Latte Cupcakes

This will be a next short post. I just wanted to show some ultra delicious cupcakes that I baked up last night. Its an over the top version of the Brown Eyed Baker mocha cupcakes. This recipe is perfect if only for the fact that it makes exactly 12 cupcakes. I must say that I  changed some of the ingredients to suit my personal taste and I also used my own icing. I am sure the original recipe is good as is since it has gotten great reviews all over the web...but I know what I like and bake to suit. To make these extra decadent I made some caramel sauce following a David Lebovitz recipe. I have made his salted caramel before for brownies with success, so I decided to try his other caramel recipe that doesn't need butter. This caramel recipe cooks relatively quick and taste great. Enjoy

Creamy Caramel Sauce

makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- In large heavy-duty saucepan, spread the sugar in an even layer and cook over medium to low heat.

- Keep careful watch on the sugar to see when it begins to liquefy.

- Use a heatproof spatula or spoon to gently stir and encourage cooking.

- Stir sugar until it is completely melted and turns a deep amber color.

- Immediately remove from heat and stir in half of the cream and stir vigorously.

- Carefully stir until the sugar is dissolved and then whisk in remaining cream, salt, and vanilla.

- If you get any hard bits just cook over low heat until dissolved and smooth.

- Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Weekend Baking: Watermelon Cupcakes.

I made these watermelon cupcakes for my girlfriend...she LOVES watermelon! I used mini chocolate chips for the watermelon seeds and I tinted her favorite cream cheese frosting.These were too cute for words and too yummy to last any more than 2 days lol!

Hello Yellow: Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes

Yellow is one of those colors that just scream summer. I means whats yellow? The sun, lemons, sunflowers, corn roasting on the grill, pineapple italian ices...I could go on forever but that would lead to my brain into a food frenzy and leave me drooling on myself like Homer Simpson. Oh yea...back to the lemons. So the focus of this post is on the buttery, sweet, lemony, white chocolate goodness that I baked yesterday afternoon. The recipe was adapted from One Perfect Bite and tweaked to reflect what I had in stock. The recipe calls for key limes but I used lemons instead since white chocolate and lemons go well together. This recipe was originally baked in a large 9x13inch pan but I opted to try it in a cupcake version.    I really liked this cake because personally I like dense moist cakes so I can definitely add this recipe to my favorites list. I also like this as a cute tea party cake; its not cloyingly sweet and there isn't any fussy frosting to deal with. I will try this recipe again in the original key lime form and compare. In the mean time I'll post my version for you all to enjoy. Also because I believe in shameless plugs...dont forget to order delicious treats for yourself or your next get together from Pink Room Caterers. Contact us at pinkroomcaterering@gmail.com

Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup white chocolate chips

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 16 cupcake liners. Set to the side.

- Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl and set to the side.

- In separate mixing bowl (I used my kitchenaid) cream butter and sugar until fluffy. 

- Add in eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix until well blended.

- With mixer on low begin adding in flour mix and buttermilk alternately until combined.

- Finally stir in white chocolate by hand.

- Divide batter equally amongst cupcake liners and place in oven.

- Bake 35-40 minutes.

- While cupcakes are in the oven begin making the lemon glaze by stirring together the powdered sugar and lemon juice.

- After removing the cupcakes from the oven spread glaze evenly on top of all cupcakes.

- Sprinkle cupcakes with additional powdered sugar if desired. 

- Enjoy

Tequila Lime Cupcakes

Yesterday was my brother's birthday and it was also Cinco de Mayo. Anyone that knows my brother knows he has a deep love affair with Mexican cuisine. Since we were all little kids he loved to make tacos, burritos, nachos, and the like it was that same passion for Mexican cooking that carried over into his adult life. I figured he would fully indulge in Mexican food after work so I decided to make him cupcakes as a birthday surprise. In honor of the holiday and his taste I decided to go with Tequila and lime flavored cupcakes. The base for the cupcakes is poundcake and the icing I used was a swiss meringue. The recipe I used made six king sized cupcakes but should produce a dozen regular sized cupcakes.

Tequila Lime Cupcakes

adapted from BAKING911.com

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter

4oz cream cheese (half a box)

1 cup sugar

1tsp vanilla

3tbsp tequila

zest of one lime

3 large eggs

- Prepare cupcake pan with liners and heat oven to 325 degrees

- In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.

- In bowl of stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, place butter and sugar, beat until softened and combined.

- In the mean time combine your eggs, tequila, vanilla, and lime.

- Check on your butter and add in the cream cheese at this point. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined taking care not to overwhip.

- Make sure to scrape mixing bowl often so that ingredients aren't pooling at the bottom and not getting mixed in.

- Add in egg mixture one yolk at a time, letting 20 seconds pass in between. Only mix two yolks into the mix at this time leaving one for in between flour additions.

- When your two yolks are fully mixed in pour in 2/3 of your flour mixture. Mix until combined.

- Add in your last egg yolk, when absorbed add in your last 1/3 of flour.

- Mix until smooth and stop the mixer.

- Pour batter equally into cupcake liners and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

adapted from Annies-eats.net

3 large egg whites

1/2 cup + 1tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 tsp tequila

1 tsp lime juice

- To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

- Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together!)  Stir in the tequila and lime juice and mix just until incorporated.  Tint with gel icing color as desired.

- Pipe unto cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

My brothers nickname is Goody :)

Tequila Lime Cupcakes

Yesterday was my brother's birthday and it was also Cinco de Mayo. Anyone that knows my brother knows he has a deep love affair with Mexican cuisine. Since we were all little kids he loved to make tacos, burritos, nachos, and the like it was that same passion for Mexican cooking that carried over into his adult life. I figured he would fully indulge in Mexican food after work so I decided to make him cupcakes as a birthday surprise. In honor of the holiday and his taste I decided to go with Tequila and lime flavored cupcakes. The base for the cupcakes is poundcake and the icing I used was a swiss meringue. The recipe I used made six king sized cupcakes but should produce a dozen regular sized cupcakes.

Tequila Lime Cupcakes

adapted from BAKING911.com

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter

4oz cream cheese (half a box)

1 cup sugar

1tsp vanilla

3tbsp tequila

zest of one lime

3 large eggs

- Prepare cupcake pan with liners and heat oven to 325 degrees

- In small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.

- In bowl of stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment, place butter and sugar, beat until softened and combined.

- In the mean time combine your eggs, tequila, vanilla, and lime.

- Check on your butter and add in the cream cheese at this point. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined taking care not to overwhip.

- Make sure to scrape mixing bowl often so that ingredients aren't pooling at the bottom and not getting mixed in.

- Add in egg mixture one yolk at a time, letting 20 seconds pass in between. Only mix two yolks into the mix at this time leaving one for in between flour additions.

- When your two yolks are fully mixed in pour in 2/3 of your flour mixture. Mix until combined.

- Add in your last egg yolk, when absorbed add in your last 1/3 of flour.

- Mix until smooth and stop the mixer.

- Pour batter equally into cupcake liners and bake for 20-30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

adapted from Annies-eats.net

3 large egg whites

1/2 cup + 1tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 tsp tequila

1 tsp lime juice

- To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

- Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together!)  Stir in the tequila and lime juice and mix just until incorporated.  Tint with gel icing color as desired.

- Pipe unto cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

My brothers nickname is Goody :)

Christmas Cupcakes

A tasty winter wonderland.

Cupcakes always means theres a celebration...even if the celebration is just the fact that they turned out well. My reason for making cupcakes last week was to celebrate the holiday and the fact that I graduated from college with my bachelors in Hospitality Management. It has been a a long journey and I fell down a couple times and almost quit but I'm happy that I had people around me to inspire me to keep going and to even take my education further after this chapter closed. Ok enough of the soft stuff...on to the cupcakes, so I made two types of cupcakes and two types of icing. One of the recipes I made were vanilla bean cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and then peppermint jo jo cupcakes with Italian meringue buttercream. All the recipes except the cream cheese frosting are from other websites and then tweaked by me. The swiss meringue is from Baking 911, the vanilla bean cupcakes are from thespicedlife, the chocolate cupcakes are a tweaked cake recipe from paxye.com, and the cheesecake frosting is actually the Kraft no bake cheesecake filling. I especially loved using the cheesecake filling for frosting it was extremely easy but its not shelf stable so it can only be out for a short time and refrigerated the majority of the time. The vanilla bean cupcakes definitely weren't my favorite, the cake had a nice flavor but it was too heavy and mealy. The author suggested to spray the cupcake liners but it is a totally unnecessary step.  The chocolate cake and Italian meringue buttercreams are old faves.

Vanilla Bean Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
2 large eggs, room temp
2/3 cup (160 g) full fat sour cream
seeds from 3 Tahitian vanilla beans
1 T Tahitian vanilla extract
1 t lemon zest (to amp the vanilla--I was not going for a lemon flavor here)
2 cups (200 g) cake flour
1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar
1/2 t baking powder'1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t fine salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 T, 170 g) unsalted butter, between 65-75 F 

- Preheat the oven to 350 F.

- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, the vanilla seeds and extract, the lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons of the sour cream. Set aside.

- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with hand mixer), mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt with the flat beater for 30 seconds on low. Add the butter and remaining sour cream to the dry ingredients; mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened and a higher speed will not cause the flour to fly out of the bowl. Then mix on medium speed (high for hand mixer, 4 for Kitchen Aid) for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

- Then add the egg mixture in 2 additions, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition and scraping down the bowl in between. Finish by hand if any parts have not incorporated so as to not overbeat.

- Fill each cupcake 3/4 full (or use a #30 disher--which I did not have). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz container cool whip topping, softened

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

- Place cream cheese in mixing bowl with whip attachment and whip until soft and spreadable

- Add in cool whip and sugar and whip until combined. 

- Ice cake immediately or store in a container until ready to use.

Chocolate Jo Jo Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz unsweetened chocolate squares, melted and slightly cooled

24 peppermint Jo Jo's or other peppermint sandwich cookies.

-Prepare cupcake pans and liners and set to the side.

- Combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

- In another large bowl, beat eggs for about 3 minutes, until they have thickened slightly and are lemon-coloured. Add buttermilk, coffee, oil, vanilla and melted chocolate. Mix  until well blended.

- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until batter is smooth. 

- With liners in place in cupcake pans scoop in about a tablespoon of cake batter and then place a cookie on top of it then finish fill liners with cake batter. Divide batter equally among cupcakes liners.

-  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cupcake from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Italian Meringue Buttercream from Baking 911

1 pound (4 sticks or 2 cups) unsalted butter (65 degrees F - slightly softened and cool - not runny, greasy or soupy)
1 cup (200 grams) sugar
1/4 cup (60 grams) water
5 large (150 grams) egg whites, room temperature
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

- In a mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy and set aside in a cool place. 

- In a small heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and the 1/4 cup water. Under medium-high, boil sugar and water mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Stop stirring and reduce the heat to low. 

-  Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Fitted with a WHISK attachment, beat the egg whites with a stand mixer on medium until foamy for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, stop the mixer and add the cream of tartar. Beat for 3 more minutes on medium-high or until soft peaks form when the beater is raised. 

- Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, taking 3 more minutes. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Simply turn off the mixer.

- Increase the heat of the stove and boil the syrup until you get bubbles all over the surface. The syrup starts to look thicker and the Candy Thermometer registers 248 degrees F to 250 degrees F.

- Immediately remove syrup from the stove and prepare to drizzle it into the egg whites

- Fit the mixer with a PADDLE attachment (not a whisk attachment.) Turn the mixer on high, and start drizzling the sugar syrup, in a thin stream, into the contents of the bowl. Keep beating until the mixture cools completely, taking about 5 to 10 minutes. 

- Beat in the butter at medium speed 1 tablespoon at a time. After the first few tablespoons have been added, the mixture will seem thinner, but keep adding in butter slowly and beating because the meringue will thicken beautifully by the time all the butter is added. Keep the mixer speed on medium and drizzle in the liquor. Don't use more than 1 teaspoon or the recipe's emulsion will break. Place in an airtight bowl.