Category: Cakes + Cupcakes

Orange Pound Cake

This pound cake recipe is my go-to Bundt recipe. I’ve made it as a poppy seed cake (the original, which I found at Taste of Home and apparently won grand champion at the North Dakota state fair, not that I’m surprised), a lemon cake, a lemon poppy seed cake (which somehow I managed not to blog…stay tuned), a creamsicle cake, a vanilla cake with fudge icing, and this, an orange cake, for this year’s Mother’s Day. I’m a wee bit behind on the blog posts.

Anyway, I use cara cara oranges when I bake, which are sweeter, but you can use regular navel oranges if that’s all you can find. And while I think you can find orange extract in most grocery stores, mine comes from Penzeys in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Also, don’t skip the butter extract in this recipe; it adds amazing flavor to the cake.

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 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract
  • zest of 2 medium oranges

For the icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3-4 tablespoons orange juice

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 a large, 4-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, orange extract, and orange zest. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients to completely combine.

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, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons orange juice; add enough additional juice to make a thick but pourable icing. 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 for a very long time.

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Controversial statement: Of all the ice creams in the world, mint chocolate chip is an occasional choice of mine, not a go-to. And if I’m having it, it’s the Breyer’s version that isn’t tinted green, buy rather just white ice cream with flecks of dark chocolate throughout.

I know, I know, some people are mint chocolate chip loyalists, eating nothing but it whenever they go near a scoop and preferring the green kind. It’s tasty, sure, but I’m more of a vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl or peanut butter cups in it kind of woman (or both), or just a vanilla ice cream over a brownie kind of woman. In any case, these treats have a very subtle flavor, more like an Andes candy than the classic parlor treat. Mint extract is pretty strong, so use it sparingly and add a smaller amount at first, then taste as you go to make sure it’s not overpowering.

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
  • 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • About 1/8 to 1/4 mint extract, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon milk
  • Miniature chocolate chips, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes depending on how full the wells are.

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, mint extract, 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 the frosting, place butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon mint extract, and milk and beat to combine. Taste and add more mint extract if you like – I added a few more drops to mine, but not a full 1/8 teaspoon more because I wanted to keep it subtle. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe frosting onto cupcakes; sprinkle mini chocolate chips on the top. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Caramel Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

This cupcake recipe is actually one of my favorites, and I think I need to start making it more often and experimenting with different flavors of frosting. It’s an easy combo requiring basic ingredients, two bowls, and a whisk, so it takes very little time to prepare – another thing I really like.

I originally made these as butterscotch cupcakes, and they were delicious, but they pair well with chocolate buttercream too. I feel like you could embellish them with a Rolo or other caramel-filled chocolate candy if you wanted to, but they’re great just as they are. These were a huge hit in my office last week.

Ingredients

Caramel Cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

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

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe made 21 cupcakes for me.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter, whisking until no lumps remain. Whisk in egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly whisk in flour mixture until batter is completely smooth; it will be fairly thick.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of batter into prepared cupcake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove from pans immediately; cool completely before frosting.

To make chocolate buttercream, place butter in a mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes using the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat on low speed until the sugar and cocoa are fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat; add milk 1 tablespoon at a time; you may not need both tablespoons.

Fit a large piping bag with a large open star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes; you’ll have some frosting left over that you can use for other treats.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf Cake

pumpkingingerbreadloafPumpkin bread and gingerbread are two of my favorite fall and holiday treats…so a combination? Sign me up. I found this recipe on Pinterest from The Live-In Kitchen, and I tweaked it to add a drizzle icing on top instead of sprinkling it with sugar. 

Simply put, this loaf is delicious. It’s the right blend of pumpkin and gingerbread flavors, and it was still tender two days after baking when I finally got around to having a slice myself. I’ll definitely make it again, likely around the holidays for a twist on the classic. One thing to note: I blotted my pumpkin with paper towels to soak out some of the liquid before I mixed it with the other wet ingredients. This wasn’t recommended in the original recipe, but I’ve found it to be helpful in getting a better bake with other pumpkin treats lately. 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Dash of pumpkin spiceDas of pumpkin ▢

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place pumpkin in another large bowl and blot with paper towels to remove a bit of the liquid; stir in melted butter, dark brown sugar, molasses, eggs, and milk. Add to flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.

Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes; cover the top loosely with foil to prevent over-browning, then continue baking another 10-20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the loaf tin for about 20 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the drizzle icing, combine powdered sugar, water, and pumpkin spice and stir until smooth. Drizzle over loaf and allow to set before serving. Makes about 10 slices.

Applesauce Cupcakes

applesaucecupcakesSo, it’s fall. Cue pumpkin spice madness! Almost three weeks into this season, I haven’t baked anything pumpkin yet, but it’s on the horizon. Today, though, I made these amazing applesauce cupcakes. I found the recipe over at The Toasty Kitchen, and the original called for a browned butter buttercream frosting, but I went a different route. These cupcakes are really tender, and I thought buttercream would be too heavy, so I made a variation on a butter glaze-style icing that uses powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, water, and a little bit of cinnamon.

While the apple flavor is very subtle and these are more of spice cupcakes – which I always find is the case with apple treats in general, except for pies – they’re delicious and were very easy to make.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup applesauce, at room temperature

For the icing

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Cinnamon to taste – I used about 1/8 teaspoon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line cupcake tins with paper liners. My batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to combine; set aside. In a mixer, cream sugar and butter until fluffy, then add egg and beat to combine. Add half the flour mixture, then half the applesauce, mixing to just combine. Add the remaining flour and applesauce and mix until just combined; be careful not to over-mix your batter.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake or 16-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tin; cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, water, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Using a tablespoon, drop portions of icing onto each cupcake and spread with the back of the spoon. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Maple Cupcakes

maplecupcakesA cupcake without sugar? Well, you don’t need sugar when you’ve got maple syrup. This recipe comes from Inspired by Charm, originally written as maple walnut cupcakes and including chopped walnuts in the batter. Instead of sugar, it uses a cup of pure maple syrup as its sweetener. Hear me now, friends – do not use pancake syrup in this recipe, because it is absolutely not interchangeable with pure maple syrup.

But speaking of pancakes, these treats do taste like them. I actually wish I’d added some cinnamon to my batter, so I might do that next time, and I plan to develop a maple pecan version as well. One note – the original recipe said it makes 16 cupcakes, and this wasn’t true for me; my batch yielded 23 and could have probably made 24 if I’d measured better.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Walnut halves, toasted and cooled, if desired for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes about 23 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat maple syrup and heavy cream to combine, then add eggs, vanilla extract, and butter and beat to combine. Stir in flour mixture to combine completely.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from the tins; cool on a wire rack.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add maple syrup and vanilla and beat to combine completely.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Top with a toasted walnut. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Cinnamon Bundt Cake

cinnamonbundtThe importance of properly greasing and flouring your Bundt pan cannot be overstated. When you do, you get a lovely cake that pops right out. When you don’t, you get…well, the disaster below. See that fault line of sorts on the right side? It’s a chunk of cake that stuck to the pan and I had to scrape out and then stick back together. Good times.

I usually flour my Bundt pan with Wondra flour, an awesome product of powder-like consistency that serves many purposes, from thickening gravies to properly coating Bundt pans. But I went with regular flour this time, and I paid the price. I referred to this cake earlier as the bride of Frankenstein and really, I think she should be offended. Regardless of appearance, it’s absolutely delicious. When I make it again (there will be a next time, for sure) not only will I properly grease and flour my pan, but I’ll likely mix in some orange zest as well.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract

For the icing

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract
  • 4-5 teaspoons water

Preparation

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

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and butter extract. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients to completely combine.

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, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, butter extract, and 2 teaspoons water; add enough additional water to make a thick but pourable icing. 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 for a very long time.

Lessons in proper greasing and flouring can be learned from the following:

brideofrankenstein

Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes

lemonvanillacupcakesIt’s August, the height of summer. And with August comes Leo season, the zodiac sign of my birth. Technically Leo season begins in July, but that’s okay. My friend and colleague Melissa and I always mark the beginning of August by saying “it’s Leo season” and agreeing that everything should go right for us during our birth month. That has never happened, but there’s a first time for everything, so we’ll see how this Leo season goes.

Anyway…lemon is a great summer flavor and felt like a good choice for Leo season. These cupcakes are a combination of lemon and vanilla, which I’d never made before – and while they’re delicious, I think I like lemon and almond better. Next time!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 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 vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 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 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 1 small lemon*
  • 2-3 drops yellow food coloring

*If you’re worried about lemon zest being weird in your frosting – which sometimes, it can be given its texture – then just add another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract to taste. 

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, yogurt, 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 lemon zest and beat to combine completely. Add yellow food coloring if desired. 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.

Beach Cupcakes

beach cupcakesBeach-themed baking continues, since once again, almost everyone I know is taking, has taken, or is currently on a beach vacation. I feel like these treats need something else design-wise but I can’t figure out what. A mermaid tail? Shells? An oyster made of miniature vanilla wafers with a sugar pearl inside? Or perhaps my favorite, a teddy graham laying out wearing a bikini? Maybe next time.

Flavor-wise they’re a caramel almond creation; almond cupcakes with caramel frosting, convenient for the color of the sand.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 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 vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • About 1/3 cup caramel sauce*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

*I used Smucker’s Caramel Ice Cream topping to save time but you can also make your own caramel sauce. Homemade caramel sauce is absolutely delicious.

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, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. 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 caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat to combine completely. Using an offset spatula spread frosting on half of the top of each cupcake; tint the remaining frosting blue and fit a piping bag with a medium star tip; pipe “waves” onto each cupcake.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate if it’s really warm out, which it is in Pittsburgh today – 83 degrees right now.

Shark Cupcakes

sharkcupcakesIt’s Shark Week. Apparently this annual effort to educate people about sharks – breaking down misconceptions established by movies like Jaws (terrifying, I tell you) – has been a Discovery Channel staple since 1988. Happy 36th anniversary, Shark Week. To celebrate, I baked these shark-themed cupcakes, a basic chocolate cupcake with some vanilla almond buttercream and a sugar cookie fin.

Despite being completely terrified by Great Whites thanks less to Jaws and more to their generally creepy appearance, I actually really like sharks, especially the small ones in aquariums. They always look serene, just kind of gliding around in the tanks. Here’s to you, serene sharks. Maybe someday I’ll be less terrified by your enormous, razor-mouthed cousins.

Ingredients

For the fin cookies

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

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 frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Blue food coloring

Preparation

Start by making your fin cookie dough, as it can chill while you bake your cupcakes and make your frosting.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla and almond extracts and about half the flour mixture, beating until combined; beat in remaining flour. Form dough into a disc and wrap in plastic; chill for 30-45 minutes.

Make your cupcakes:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes.

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.

While cupcakes are cooling, bake your fin cookies. Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut into circles using a large, 4-inch round cutter. Cut each circle into fourths, then using a fluted cutter, slice off a small portion of the dough to create your fin shape. Place on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes, until edges are just golden. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding to your cupcakes.

While fin cookies are cooling, make your frosting. Beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine. Tint frosting blue; I used both a light blue and dark blue color to swirl together to make my waves. Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe frosting back and forth in a zigzag on each cupcake, then top with a fin cookie. I’m waiting to put all my fins on until just before I serve these, so the cookies don’t get soggy, which can happen because of the buttercream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.