Strawberry Cake

My first attempt at this cake a few weekends ago brought every baker’s fear to life: the middle was raw. Fearful of over-baking, I’d pulled what appeared to be a fully baked cake from the oven after 30 minutes of baking, only to watch it deflate on my countertop. Despite its raw middle, the edges were baked and tasted delicious. So back I went to give it another try last weekend, leaving it to bake longer (about 35-37 minutes) and achieving success. I found the original recipe at Bake with Zoha and adapted it to include buttercream, rather than cream cheese frosting. I think either would work very well.

I meant to put lemon zest in the cake batter, because I did that on my first attempt, but I got distracted by text messages from the man in my life and there sat my lemon, un-zested as the cake went into the oven. It’s delicious even without the zest in the batter, though; the frosting is a strawberry lemon buttercream so you get a nice sweet/tart balance.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 340 grams fresh strawberries, pureed to make about 1 1/2 cups liquid

For the frosting and decoration

  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 5 – 6 cups powdered sugar
  • About 3/4 cup seedless strawberry jam
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest from 1/2 medium lemon (optional, you can leave it out if you don’t like zest in your frosting)
  • Green, pink, and red gel food coloring, for flower and leaf decorations
  • Wilton M1, 4B, and 352 piping tips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking tin with baking spray.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk vegetable oil, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and strawberry puree. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and whisk gently, folding to combine until no lumps remain.

Pour into prepared baking tin and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. I think it’s easier to under-bake this cake than to over-bake it, so make sure your center is fully baked. Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add about 4 cups powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add strawberry jam, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and beat to combine; add 1-2 additional cups powdered sugar to reach a soft but pipeable texture; add lemon zest if desired.

To decorate the cake, reserve a small portion of frosting and tint green for leaf accents. Fit a piping bag with a coupler and a large star tip (I used the Wilton M1 for my rose shapes) and  use about 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting to pipe swirls of frosting to look like roses and individual stars to look like blossoms. The palest pink color in the photo above is the natural color of the frosting; tint a shade or two darker to add more flowers and blossoms. I switched to the Wilton 4B tip (this is where the coupler comes in very handy) for additional swirls and blossom-type shapes to fill in the remainder of the cake. Fit a smaller piping bag with the 352 leaf tip and pipe leaves as you like.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature; makes about 18 servings, depending on how large you slice the cake. This beauty went to work with me and got demolished in less than about four hours.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

This is my favorite base recipe for Bundt cake, and I’ve made it in many versions over the years – lemon, creamsicle, vanilla, almond, and poppy seed without the lemon. This weekend I brought together two of my favorite things – lemon and poppy seed – for what might be my favorite version yet.

This cake will go to work with me tomorrow, and you might wonder how one transports a Bundt cake for individual services to their office. I slice up my cake and wrap the slices in individual portions in plastic wrap, like in the assembly line below. That way, folks can grab a slice and enjoy it whenever they like; with their morning coffee, after lunch, or later in the evening.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest from 3 medium lemons
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the glaze

  • About 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Stir in flour in three batches, mixing to combine completely, then stir in poppy seeds.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, place powdered sugar in a medium bowl and add lemon juice about 1 tablespoon at a time to reach a thicker pourable consistency. Stir in poppy seeds, then pour over cake and allow to drip down the sides. Allow icing to set before serving.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days; this cake stays moist much longer than you might expect. Makes about 12 servings, depending on how generous you are with your portions.

Pictured below is my individual wrapping assembly line, in which I stretch out a big piece of plastic wrap, then cut it into little individual pieces to wrap the cake slices. It works very well.

 

 

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

The McDonald’s shamrock shake is one of my favorite special seasonal treats. I’ve wanted to make it in cupcake form for a while now, and I found a great recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker, adapting it to replace the cream cheese frosting with vanilla buttercream and using sea salt instead of kosher in the cupcake batter.

The man I made these for told me they were even better than my creamsicle cupcakes, which transported him back to childhood like that scene in Ratatouille when Ego takes a bite of Remy’s signature dish. That was high praise, indeed, so I’m glad I took the trouble to find mint extract (not peppermint extract) online for these treats – it’s what really gives them their shamrock shake flavor. The next time I make these, I’ll fill the cupcake wells a bit fuller with batter – the cupcakes were a bit shallow, though they were still delicious.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
  • Green food coloring

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake wells with paper liners; this recipe made 15 cupcakes for me, but I think I under-filled my wells so I bet 14 is more accurate.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cake flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix on low for 1 minute, then add butter, a few cubes at a time, continuing until all the butter has been added and the mixture looks like coarse sand. This is the reverse creaming method, and trust me, it works. While this is mixing, combine your milk, vanilla extract, and mint extract in a glass measuring cup for easy pouring in the next step.

With the mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each, then slowly pour in the milk mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth. Batter will be on the thin side.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean – I’d start with 15 minutes and check every minute or so until they’re done. Remove from oven and remove from tins to cook completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes several minutes. Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk; add more milk if necessary. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls onto each cupcake to look like whipped cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Almond Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

Poppy seed-related baking reminds me of my dear grandma Zella, the woman who taught me how to bake when I was a kid. She was Hungarian, and poppyseeds are prevalent in Eastern European baking; she certainly made a delicious poppy seed roll at Easter.

This loaf cake is a simple and tasty creation that I bet my gram would have loved. I found the recipe at Crazy for Crust, and for a moment I thought about adding lemon zest into the batter. Lemon and poppy seed are great together, but I’m glad I left this with its simple combination of almond and poppy instead – it was absolutely delicious. I did add more almond extract than the original recipe, because I like a stronger almond flavor.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 loaf tin with baking spray, or grease and flour it.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, whisking between each, and whisk in extracts.
Whisk in about half the flour mixture, then about half the milk. Repeat with the remaining halves and then stir in the poppy seeds.
Spoon batter into the loaf tin and bake about 40 – 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. I covered by loaf at around 30 minutes of baking and the top was still a bit darker than I wanted – next time I’ll try to cover it earlier.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before glazing. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get a thicker pourable glaze. Spoon over the top of the loaf and allow it to drip down the sides. Let glaze set before slicing; I wrap my slices in individual pieces of plastic wrap so I can take it to the office. Makes about 10 slices, depending on thickness.

Double Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors to bake with, and these double lemon cupcakes are a simple combination of lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream. They’re very bright in flavor, thanks to lemon zest in the cupcakes (but not the frosting – zest can give frosting a weird texture).

My go-to cupcake base recipe is one I found at Sally’s Baking. It’s easy to adapt for many different flavor combinations – I’ve baked it in multiple forms and like it best for its use of melted butter, so you can mix everything you need in just a few bowls with a whisk. Sometimes, simple recipes are the best ones.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled; this is also 209 grams, for those baking by weight)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 2 medium lemons

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, to taste
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and 1 tablespoon milk and beat to combine completely; add remaining milk if necessary to make a smooth, pipeable buttercream.  Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Valentine’s Day took place this past weekend, and I wanted to make something Valentine-ish. Chocolate and strawberry seem to be a good choice, but chocolate and raspberry are actually my preference, hence these treats. They’re basic but delicious chocolate cupcakes with easy raspberry buttercream, requiring no fresh raspberries but rather raspberry jam.

Yes, you can make buttercream with fruit jam, no fresh or frozen fruit required! I like this method because I usually have jam in the fridge, whereas I may or may not have fresh raspberries. My buttercream includes about a half-cup of jam, but you can use more or less if you prefer. I also piped the buttercream to look like roses in honor of this (mostly commercial, but still fun) holiday.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

For the raspberry buttercream

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups cups powdered sugar
  • About 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes about 14 – 16 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill your cupcake wells.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.

Place vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

To make raspberry buttercream, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add raspberry jam and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping your bowl a few times during the process. If you find that your buttercream is too stiff, you can add about 1 tablespoon of heavy cream to thin it out, but the jam usually makes this type of buttercream looser because of its moisture content.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days; these cupcakes are quite moist and don’t have a long shelf life.

Hot Cocoa Brownies

My hot cocoa cupcakes, which included actual cocoa mix in the (somewhat gritty) buttercream, gave me an idea…how about a hot cocoa brownie? But with vanilla icing instead of chocolate? Genius, and very easy to make.

Seriously, these are delicious. The brownie is my standard recipe with a vanilla glaze icing, topped with mini chocolate chips and marshmallow bits. The flavors are subtle, but I think that’s what makes them work well together. You could also make a chocolate glaze icing instead, but I think the vanilla evokes more of a whipped cream vibe, which was what I wanted for these treats. Success! I will absolutely make them again.

Ingredients

For the brownies

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the icing and decoration

  • 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar 
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Miniature chocolate chips
  • Marshmallow bits, like these Jet Puffed ones

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking tin; I always sprinkle the bottom of the tin with sugar when I’m baking brownies for a crunch bottom crust.

In a mixing bowl, stir together oil and sugar, then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in cocoa powder, then salt, flour, and vanilla until the batter is smooth.

Pour into the baking tin and spread into an even layer. Bake for 30-34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. These brownies are fudgy, but shouldn’t be too gooey in the middle when they’re done; the center will look mostly set on top.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before icing and decorating.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Spread frosting on brownies and immediately sprinkle with miniature chocolate chips and marshmallow bits; press them gently into the icing so they stick. Allow to set before cutting; makes 24. 

 

Chocolate Yule Log

Merry Christmas, friends! This year, for a Christmas Eve party with people very dear to me, I made a heap of cookies, a pan of brownies, and this Yule log. It’s a slight variation on the classic French buche de noel, using a chocolate cake and cream cheese filling recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens Baking book, plus my standard chocolate buttercream on the outside. It was delicious, and a massive hit.

While my Yule log suffered a few cracks during the rolling/unrolling process, the cream cheese filling I chose literally filled in the cracks and instead of seeping out, set beautifully while it chilled (tightly wrapped in the fridge) overnight. I chose to dress my Yule log up with some “soil” made from crumbled brownies and mushrooms made with banana stems and strawberry caps. Next time, I’ll go for some rosemary for that fir-like look…because I will absolutely make this again.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 whole eggs, at room temperature*
  • 4 egg yolks, at room temperature*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar

*Yes, you need a total 8 eggs for this, 4 whole and 4 just the yolks. Reserve the 4 whites you’re not using and make them into meringue cookies (which can be shaped like mushrooms for embellishing the log if you wish) or macarons if you like. 

For the filling

  • 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
  • About 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting and decoration

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 10x15x1 jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Sieve together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Place a clean, thin kitchen towel next to your oven and generously dust it with powdered sugar; this is where you’ll flip your cake onto for rolling once it’s baked.

In a mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla together on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating for an additional 2 minutes. Add flour mixture one-third at a time, folding gently to just combine; make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl so you don’t have surprise pockets of flour.

Pour batter into jelly roll tin and smooth out the top. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched (be very careful not to over-bake here). Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 3 minutes; loosen the sides and flip the cake out onto the towel dusted with powdered sugar; remove parchment paper and immediately roll up starting at the short side. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Once the cake is cool, make your filling. In a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on low, allowing the sugar to fully incorporate into the butter/cream cheese mixture; this will take a few minutes. Beat in vanilla extract.

Carefully unroll your cake and spread with filling; re-roll, place seam-side down, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for about 30 minutes (or overnight) before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar  and cocoa powder and beat on low speed until the sugar and cocoa are fully incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons heavy cream and beat for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining heavy cream if necessary; you want a smooth consistency.

Unwrap the log and place it on your serving plate; frost using a small offset spatula, creating a bark-like pattern on the outside and ends. If desired, crumble up brownies for soil and place around the log; add strawberry banana mushrooms. There are lots of other ideas for embellishing Yule logs; I’ve listed a few below. Serve immediately; store any leftovers in the fridge (because cream cheese filling needs refrigeration).

Here’s a close-up of the inside of the log, and some ideas for embellishment:

Bake meringue cookies in the shape of mushrooms and add them to the outside of the log. I’m pretty sure this is what Martha Stewart does!

Bake lace cookies or Florentines, break them into pieces, and stick them along the sides – this will also look like fungi.

Pipe mushrooms or sprigs of pine with buttercream (see my tree trunk cake here).

Create mushrooms using Hershey’s Kisses for the caps and marshmallows for the stems.

Set sprigs of rosemary along the sides, which look like pine, and dust with powdered sugar to look like snow.

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Who knew you could buy jars of tiny, cocoa-ready marshmallows? Well if you’re in the market, Target sells them in the baking aisle and they’re a perfect addition to these treats. I saw a few versions of this cupcake on Pinterest while perusing and making my Christmas baking plan, and they’re quite delicious. My version uses a basic chocolate cupcake recipe I use all the time and a chocolate buttercream that uses hot cocoa mix, rather than cocoa powder.

One caveat: The hot cocoa mix I used wasn’t as fine as cocoa powder, and it had bits of chopped chocolate in it. Which is great when you’re mixing it into hot milk for actual cocoa…but if you’re mixing it into buttercream can yield a somewhat gritty texture. It’s absolutely delicious though – one of my coworkers said they tasted so amazing she didn’t pay any attention to the texture, so I’ll take that as a win.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

For the hot cocoa buttercream

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 envelopes hot cocoa mix (about 4 1/2 – 5 tablespoons)
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Marshmallow bits, for decoration

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes about 14 – 16 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill your cupcake wells.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.

Place vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

To make hot cocoa buttercream, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar  and hot cocoa mix and beat on low speed until the sugar and cocoa are fully incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add salt, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream and beat for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining heavy cream if necessary; you want a smooth consistency, and depending on what cocoa powder you use, you may need some additional cream.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Top with marshmallow bits. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days; these cupcakes are quite moist and don’t have a long shelf life.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

One of my favorite Christmas treats is the peppermint bark from Williams Sonoma. I tend to pick it up after Christmas when it goes on sale (I mean, that stuff is expensive as heck), and it’s absolutely delicious. So when I saw these peppermint bark brownies in a Christmas baking magazine by Delish, I just had to make them.

I adapted the recipe a bit to suit my own tastes, as I usually do, and they are indeed delish. I used a dark chocolate brownie recipe I’ve made many times before, but next time I’ll dial back the frosting – I think it was a bit thick compared to the brownie itself. The frosting would make a wonderful addition to dark chocolate cupcakes as well.

Ingredients

For the brownies

  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup flour

For the frosting

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips, melted and cooled*
  • About 1/4 cup crushed cand canes

*Be careful when cooling your melted white chocolate chips – they can begin to harden faster than you might imagine! I let mine sit until they were just cool enough to blend into the frosting. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 tin with baking spray.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, allowing the mixture to become just hot, but not bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, then stir in flour.

Pour batter into the baking tin and spread evenly. Bake for 29-32 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add peppermint extract, then melted white chocolate chips. Beat to combine completely, until smooth.

Spread frosting over cooled brownies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Cut into squares; makes 24.