Tag: cupcakes

Peppermint Cupcakes

peppermintcupcakesChristmas baking is underway, and in the last 72 hours, I’ve baked 11 things. Today’s efforts included these peppermint cupcakes, based on a recipe I’ve used before, but a decoration idea I saw a few weeks back while searching for fun Christmas cupcakes.

Two-toned frosting isn’t difficult, despite how it looks. All you need are two colors, some plastic wrap, and an enormous piping bag. I piped blobs straight into my cupcakes, then pressed them into sanding sugar to flatten them out and make them look like the peppermints that inspired these treats.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the frosting

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon milk
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, to taste
  • Red food coloring
  • Sanding sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners; my recipe made 13 cupcakes.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together, then add water, oil, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth; it will be thin.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake tin, filling wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on low speed for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add milk and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add additional peppermint extract to taste; my frosting used just under 1/4 teaspoon.

Divide frosting in half; tint one half red. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and pipe (or just spoon) red and white frosting in alternating lines down the plastic wrap; roll it up into a log, snip off the end, and place in a large (I used an 18-inch) piping bag fitted with a large plain tip.

Pipe blobs of frosting onto each cupcake; place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl and press each cupcake into the sugar to flatten your frosting.

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

spicedapplecupcakesLet’s talk about fall spice mixes for a minute. Thrilling stuff, I know. Pumpkin spice is on every menu right now, and it’s a blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Its cousin, apple pie spice, has everything but the ginger. You can buy spice mixes or make your own and naturally, I make my own.

These cupcakes use apple pie spice instead of just cinnamon, along with apple cider and a caramel buttercream. I thought the caramel/apple combination would work well, and they taste just fine – but they’re not exactly what I wanted. Next time, I’ll go with a cinnamon buttercream instead, or apple pie spice buttercream. We’ll see.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup apple cider

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
  • Apple chips, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes 18 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt; set aside. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and apple cider and beat on low to combine, then stir in flour mixture.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tins; cool on a wire rack before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until all of the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla and caramel sauce and beat to completely combine. Fit a large piping bag with a large open start tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Garnish with an apple chip.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

pumpkinchocolatechipcupcakeOf all the flavor combinations that exist, pumpkin and chocolate –  especially semisweet or dark chocolate –  is the most mysterious to me. It’s not like the salty/sweet combination of peanut butter and chocolate, or the sweet/tart combination of chocolate and raspberry. And yet here it is, being absolutely delicious.

These pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes are no exception. I was hesitant about the frosting, but it works really well – although I think these would be just as delicious without frosting of any kind too.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Dash of cloves
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons heavy cream
  • Miniature chocolate chips for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners; my recipe yielded 18 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until well-combined and smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full.

Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven; immediately remove from tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, then add powdered sugar and cocoa powder all at once and beat on low until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until smooth.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle miniature chocolate chips on top. Store at a cool room temperature for 2-3 days; these cupcakes are very tender and will get a bit sticky if they’re left out much longer.

Kit Kat Cupcakes

kitkatcupcakesThese cupcakes came across my Pinterest feed recently, and as the Kit Kat is my second favorite Halloween candy – and there’s Halloween candy everywhere right now – I figured it was a sign from the universe. The cupcakes themselves are absolutely delicious – exactly what I wanted them to be. But the frosting? It’s only okay.

I’m honestly not even sure what it needs…other than maybe it would be better as a chocolate buttercream with Kit Kat dust mixed into it. Maybe I’ll try that next time – but it seems like there’s just something missing from this recipe. Granted, I’m a really tough judge of my own baking, and everyone else will probably love them. But I’m always afraid I’m one mediocre recipe away from losing all of my baking cred.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  •  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup hot coffee

For the frosting

  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 16 snack-sized Kit Kats, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tines with paper liners; my recipe yielded 16 cupcakes.

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Reduce speed and mix in coffee, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times. Beat for another minute; batter will be very thin and watery.

Using a cooking scoop, fill cupcake wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tins; place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make frosting, place 12 Kit Kats in a food processor and pulse them into dust. Cut the remaining 4 bars in half and set aside for garnish. Beat butter in a mixer with the paddle attachment for 1 minute, then add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until all of the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat, then add Kit Kat dust and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. You may need to add an additional tablespoon to thin the frosting enough to pipe it.

To frost, place frosting in a large piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (I used the Wilton 4B) and pipe swirls onto cupcakes, then top with a half Kit Kat piece. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

vanillabeancupcakesA few weeks back I made marble cupcakes, and they were both easy to bake and really delicious. This weekend I wanted to do something basic, so I adapted the recipe to leave out the cocoa and include vanilla bean paste, a substitute for vanilla extract that has those little flecks of vanilla seeds in it. Think of that Breyer’s Ice Cream commercial from the 80s – you could actually see the vanilla seeds in it, and that was a big deal for some reason.

Add some chocolate buttercream to the cupcakes and you’ve got a basic but awesome combination. These would also be delicious with vanilla buttercream if you wanted an all-vanilla treat.

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 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

For the frosting

  • 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; my batch made 15 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, and vanilla bean paste. Stir in flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 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 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.

Butterfinger Cupcakes

butterfingercupcakesThe Butterfinger vs. the Clark bar: do you have an opinion? As a Pittsburgher, I’m more of a Clark bar person, though I’m not really that much of a candy bar girl despite being a baker and really fond of sweet things. Also, if you’re reading this blog and don’t know what a Clark bar is…it’s like a Butterfinger but more mellow in flavor, and used to be made here in the ‘Burgh.

This recipe came from Baker by Nature, and it’s pretty tasty. I’d like to do a Clark bar version, so stay tuned for that sometime. Also, a note about the frosting: I added more chopped up Butterfinger bars than originally called for, and once again, like my cookies & cream cupcakes, couldn’t pipe it through an open star tip like I’d planned. No worries, though – just slather this frosting onto your cupcakes and call it a day. It’s delicious no matter what it looks like.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup very hot water

For the frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 6 tablespoons chopped Butterfinger candy bars
  • Chopped Butterfinger pieces, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my recipe made 24 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan over very low heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl), melt peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool just slightly. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively in two batches, whisking to just combine. Stir in hot water.

Fill cupcake wells with 3 tablespoons of batter, about 3/4 full. Bake for 16 – 18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tins; cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat peanut butter and butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes to fully blend. Add powdered sugar and beat to incorporate fully; add vanilla extract and milk, then stir in Butterfinger pieces. Frost cupcakes by hand (or pipe them if you can!) and top with Butterfinger pieces.

Butterbeer Cupcakes

butterbeercupcakesLast week Mike and I visited Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios in Orlando, and it was everything I, a massive Harry Potter fan, wanted it to be. We rode the Hogwarts Express, bought wands at Ollivander’s (seriously what I’m going to do with a wand now I have no idea), and had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, complete with a butterbeer.

This batch of butterbeer cupcakes – which I found over at Mama Needs Cake – is both delicious and enormous. My recipe yielded 33 cupcakes, far more than the two dozen I expected. I also tweaked the frosting recipe to be closer to one I’ve used before, with my own homemade butterscotch sauce, but you can use butterscotch ice cream topping if that’s easier.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 2 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup butterscotch chips
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk

For the frosting

  • 1 1/4 cups (20 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 6-7 tablespoons butterscotch sauce, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.  In a small saucepan, melt butterscotch chips and water over low heat, stirring until smooth.

In a mixer, cream eggs and vegetable oil, then beat in sugars and melted butterscotch chips. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until just combined.

Fill cupcake wells half full and bake for 13-15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tins; cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute, then add powdered sugar and beat on low until all of the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Add butterscotch sauce and salt and beat to combine.

Fit a piping bag with a large open star tip and pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Drizzle with more butterscotch sauce if serving immediately; if not, reserve additional butterscotch and drizzle just before serving. Makes about 33 cupcakes.

Marble Cupcakes

marblecupcakeMany people in my life have been to the beach in the last few weeks. The beach makes me think of ice cream, specifically those chocolate-vanilla swirl soft serve cones, and this is as close as I can get at the moment: a marble cupcake with a chocolate-vanilla buttercream swirl.

The cupcake recipe itself comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction and it’s delicious on its own; so delicious, in fact, I think the frostings are kind of too much for it. I used my vanilla buttercream and chocolate buttercream, which are also delicious on their own, but I think they’re a little too much for the cupcake. Next time I think I’ll use my cocoa frosting instead, so stay tuned.

Ingredients

  • 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 plus 1 tablespoon milk, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 batch vanilla buttercream
  • 1 batch chocolate buttercream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 15 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, 3/4 cup milk, and vanilla extract. Stir in flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Remove 3/4 cup of batter and place in a small bowl; stir in cocoa powder and remaining tablespoon of milk. Batter will be thicker than that of the vanilla mixture.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop portions of vanilla batter into cupcake tins; top with a tablespoon of chocolate batter, then another scoop of vanilla, until all batter is used. Swirl if desired or just let the batters do their own thing, which is what I did.

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 vanilla buttercream, place butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes using the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat; add milk if necessary, but you want this frosting to be thicker in consistency so it’s easier to pipe along with the chocolate buttercream.

To make chocolate buttercream, place butter and salt 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 if necessary, but like with the vanilla, you want this frosting to be thicker in consistency.

Fit an 18-inch piping bag with a large open star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and carefully fill half of the bag with vanilla buttercream and the other half with the chocolate buttercream so the frostings are side by side vertically in the bag. Pipe swirls onto cupcakes; you’ll have some frosting left over that you can use for other treats.

Rolo Cupcakes

rolocupcakesLast week’s pecan turtle cupcakes left me with about a cup of caramel sauce. Homemade caramel lasts about three weeks in the fridge, and while you could pour it over ice cream or drink it straight from the bottle, I decided to make chocolate caramel buttercream with mine. Think of a Rolo, probably the second best candy invention behind the Reese’s peanut butter cup, but in buttercream form.

I wish I’d baked a chocolate cupcake instead – I think the overall flavor would have been better – but these are pretty delicious.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk

For the frosting

  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Scant 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • About 3/4 cup caramel sauce
  • 10 Rolos

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners; this recipe yields 10 cupcakes.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until very light and fluffy. Add egg and beat to combine, scraping down your bowl, then add vanilla and beat to combine.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk in alternate batches, starting and ending with the flour and scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Batter will be kind of fluffy. Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared pans, filling about half-full.

Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. My cupcakes were done around 17 minutes. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tin; cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt on low speed until the sugar and cocoa powder are completely incorporated into the butter. Add caramel sauce a few tablespoons at a time and beat to combine, scraping your bowl well along the way. Taste as you go; this is a fairly subtle flavor so you can go heavier on the caramel than you might think.

Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip and pipe swirls of buttercream onto cupcakes; top with a Rolo.

Pecan Turtle Cupcakes

pecanturtlecupcakePecans are good for you. Probably less so when combined with chocolate and caramel like in a pecan turtle, but let’s not get too technical here. These treats are a cupcake version of the turtle, with a chocolate cupcake base, caramel buttercream, toasted pecans, and milk chocolate drizzle. Wildly delicious.

I made my own caramel sauce for the frosting, but you can use caramel ice cream topping to save time. It’s not as sweet as you’ll expect, so add your caramel slowly and taste along the way to make sure you have the flavor you want. Whatever you do though, toast your pecans. They taste infinitely better when toasted instead of raw.

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 frosting and decoration

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • About 1/3 cup caramel sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and cooled

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 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 15-17 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 frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add caramel sauce and vanilla and beat to combine completely. Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Top with three toasted pecans and drizzle with melted chocolate chips.