Angel Food Surprise Cupcakes

We had a wonderful Easter dinner at my sister's this year & it was topped off by an angel food cake made by her mother-in-law, Penny. It was beautiful & light, covered with a whip cream frosting. But the best part was the surprise in the middle. She has cut it into two layers & sprinkled crushed Heath bars in between the layers then added more frosting to hold the layers together. I like it so much I wanted to try making a cupcake version.

Instead of cutting the cupcakes into layers I decided to cook the candy right into them. This meant the chocolate & the smaller pieces of toffee melted creating a layer in the middle. The bigger pieces of toffee stayed crunchy. Next time I might leave more in bigger chunks. These cupcakes shrink quite a bit when cooling (does angel food always do this?) making them a perfect 2 - 3 bite treat.

Angel Food Surprise Cupcakes
(adapted from Small Batch Baking)

2 T + 2 t all-purpose flour
1 t cornstarch
4 T superfine sugar (or granulated sugar ground fine in a food processor)
pinch of nutmeg
2 large egg white, at room temp
pinch of salt
1/4 t vanilla extract
1/4 t cream of tartar
5 - 6 t chopped chocolate covered toffee candy (Heath, Skor, Daim)
Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix the flour, cornstarch, sugar & nutmeg together & set aside.

Put the egg whites, salt & vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Beat on medium until frothy. Add the cream of tartar & beat until soft peaks form. While the mixer is still running slowly add the sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in half of the flour mixture. Once incorporated fold in the second half.

Fill five 1/2 cup muffin tins half full with the batter (you can line the muffin tins with paper cups or leave plain & loosen the backed cupcakes with the help of a sharp knife). Sprinkle the chopped candy on top of the batter. Top off with the remaining batter, completely covering the candy.

Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drape a piece of tin foil lightly over the cupcakes. Bake for another 8 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown & spring back when pressed lightly in the middle. Cool cupcakes on a rack. The cupcakes will probably shrink up a bit but don't worry they still taste good.

Top with whipped cream.

Makes 5 cupcakes.


The Easter cake was a hit with the little ones, especially with a cupcake chaser.

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© 2007-2010 Kathy Lewinski

Vanilla Pistachio Cupcakes with Pomegranate Icing

After making pomegranate cupcakes last week I decided I wanted to try using pomegranate juice in my cupcakes again this week but this time in the icing.

At first I was just going to make a plain vanilla cupcake but then this morning I started thinking some nuts added to the batter might be good. I was thinking almonds but there weren't any in the cupboard, what was there were some finely chopped pistachios so I went with them. They add a nice texture & flavor to the cupcakes & certainly make for a pretty presentation sprinkled on top.

For the icing, I wanted to make sure the pomegranate flavor was really there so I decided to cook some of the pomegranate juice down to pomegranate molasses. (Really I wanted to try making pomegranate molasses & it was super simple. I'll use what's left as a glaze for chicken next week.) I think the color of the icing came out really pretty, even Matt commented on how good the cupcakes looked. Still I think the pomegranate flavor could have even been stronger in the icing. If I do this again I'll use more of the molasses & maybe leave out the milk. I wrote the recipe as I made it but play around with it if you want a stronger pomegranate flavor.

Vanilla Pistachio Cupcakes

6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c + 1 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract
seeds for 1/2 a vanilla bean
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c buttermilk
2 egg whites
2 T pistachios, finely chopped (plus extra for the top of the cupcakes)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 muffin tins.

Cream the butter & 1/2 cup of the sugar together until light & fluffy. Beat in the vanilla & vanilla seeds. Add the baking powder, baking soda & 1/4 cup flour, beat until just combined. Beat in half the buttermilk. Beat in 1/4 c flour. Add the last of the buttermilk & finally the last of the flour.

In another bowl beat the egg whites until glossy, stiff peaks are formed. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Once combined fold in the remaining egg whites. Gently fold in the pistachios.

Fill each muffin tin with 1/4 cup batter. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Allow to cool completely on a rack.

Pomegranate Icing

1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t pomegranate molasses (see below)
1 t milk
1 1 t pomegranate juice

Stir everything together until smooth. If too thick add a little more pomegranate juice as needed.

Makes 6 cupcakes

Pomegranate Molasses
(from Simply Recipes)

1 c pomegranate juice
1 T sugar
1/8 t lemon juice

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan & bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until reduced but at least half & thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Let cool before using in icing.

Dark Chocolate & Orange Cupcakes

My idea behind these cupcakes was those chocolate oranges you see in stores especially around Christmas.

I went with dark chocolate because I figured its flavor would stand up better to that of the orange. I was right this flavor combination was just right without either overpowering the other. I was originally going to do a chocolate frosting when it was suggested in Twitter that I do orange & then someone else suggested cream cheese, so I went with orange cream cheese. I think that was a good choice otherwise the chocolate flavor might have been too much. Plus I like that tanginess the cream cheese adds.

I used a little food coloring to dye part of the frosting orange for a decoration.

Dark Chocolate & Orange Cupcakes

4 T unsalted butter
2 T unsweetened dark cocoa (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
3 T water
1/2 t orange extract
1/2 c sugar
2 T buttermilk or yogurt
2 T beaten egg
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 5-6 muffin tins.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the cocoa until smooth. Whisk in water. Remove from heat & whisk in the orange extract, sugar, buttermilk & egg. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Its ok if the batter is a little lumpy.

Fill the muffin tins 1/2 - 3/4 full depending on how big you want your cupcakes (I did mine 3/4 full & they were very rounded on top.)

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 5 - 6 cupcakes.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 t orange extract
zest from one small orange
3/4 - 1 c powdered sugar

Beat the butter & cream cheese together until fluffy. Beat in the orange extract & zest. Beat in sugar 1/4 c at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Makes enough to frost 6 - 8 cupcakes

Cinnamon & Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Rum Frosting

A lot of times when trying to come up with a cupcake to make each week I'll start by thinking about what ingredients I already have in the house. This week I had some mini chocolate chips leftover from making ice cream. I thought about using them with a raspberry flavored cupcake but then decided I really wanted chocolate & cinnamon.

The flavor of these cupcakes is a bit like a muffin but the texture is lighter. The icing is rich with a more of a glaze-like texture than a buttercream would have. I decided to add rum to the icing because I knew its flavor would compliment the chocolate & cinnamon well, plus I had an open bottle on hand.

Cinnamon & Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1/4 c + 2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c + 1/2 T sugar
1/8 t vanilla
2 T milk
1 large egg whites

3 T mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 muffin tins.

In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon.

In a large bowl cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add vanilla & beat. On low speed add half the flour mixture until just blended. Add milk until blended. Add remaining flour & mix until just blended.

In another bowl beat the egg white until stiff, glossy peak appear, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined. Add remaining egg & fold until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Divided equally among the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Makes 4 cupcakes

Chocolate Rum Icing

2 T unsalted butter
3 T Hersey's Special Dark Coca
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 t rum

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk if too thick or more powder sugar if too thin. Stir in rum. Allow to cool before icing cucpakes.

Enough to frost 6 - 8 cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Azteca Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

With all the cold, snowy, icy weather a lot of you are struggling through this week I thought I'd make a cupcake that would warm you up a little.

This dark chocolate cupcake is flavored with ancho for a nice chile flavor & cayenne for a bit of heat. After you mix the batter test it for heat. If it seems subtler than you wish or just where you want it add a little more cayenne, as it will lessen a little more during baking. I've also added cinnamon to the cupcake & frosting as that is traditional is Mexican chocolate.

I love that dark chocolate color!

Dark Chocolate Azteca Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

1/4 c unsalted butter
2 T Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
3 T water
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T well beaten egg
2 T buttermilk
1/2 T vanilla
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t ancho chile powder

1/8 t or more of cayenne depending if you like some heat
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 5 - 6 muffin tins.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ancho, cayenne and salt into the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (it will be a little bit lumpy).

Fill muffin tins to about 2/3 full for rounded cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. It's a moist cake, so don't worry if a few crumbs stick to your tester.
Allow cupcakes to cool.

Cinnamon Buttercream

1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 c powdered sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

dash of vanilla

pinch of salt

Beat the butter until light & creamy. Beat in 1/4 c of sugar, cinnamon, vanilla & salt until combined. Continue to add the sugar 1/4 c at a time. Taste & add more cinnamon if you wish.

Makes 5 - 6 cupcakes

I'm submitting this to the Cinnamon Celebration over at A Southern Grace. You have never met anyone who loves cinnamon as much as Grace!

Pineapple Meringue Cupcakes

Don't you just love it when an experiment goes right? These cupcakes topped with meringue were a total experiment & I'm thrilled with the result.

We always have frozen fruit on hand for our morning smoothies but they can also be a great for baking. It's been so cold here lately I decided to use some of our frozen pineapple to bring a little tropics into our life, well into our kitchen anyway. I wanted to do a meringue topping so it would be almost like a pineapple meringue pie. I started thinking why couldn't I just bake the meringue on the cupcake like you would a pie. What do you know it worked!

The cupcake itself was really good with a wonderful pineapple flavor. The meringue topping was super easy to make & you put it on the cupcakes part way through baking. I really like baking cupcakes but making & applying frosting is not my favorite part so, having a cupcake that comes out of the oven frosted & ready to eat, sign me up. I probably could have done a neater job putting the meringue on but I rushed worrying it would melt on the hot cupcake. It actually didn't so next time I'll spend more time on the presentation. Hmmm....a key lime meringue cupcake....

Pineapple Meringue Cupcake

Pineapple Cupcake

2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 c + 1 T sugar
1 egg, separated
1/8 t vanilla
1/2 c + 1 T all-purpose flour
1/2 t + 1/8 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 c milk
1/4 c frozen pineapple, chopped (no need to thaw)

Meringue Topping

1 egg white
1/8 t cream of tarter
1 T sugar
few drops vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 muffin tins.

In a bowl cream the butter, sugar, egg yolk & vanilla until light & fluffy. Beat in 1/4 c of the flour, baking powder & salt. Beat in the milk. Beat in the remaining flour.

In a small bowl beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold a small amount of the egg white into the batter. Fold in the remaining egg white until completely incorporated. Fold in the pineapple.

Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes, the top should just be setting.

While the cupcakes are baking make the meringue. Beat the egg white until foamy. Add the cream of tarter, sugar & vanilla. Beat until you get still shiny peaks.

When the cupcakes have baked for 15 minutes take them out of the oven. Use a knife or spatula & divide the meringue topping between the cupcakes. Use your knife to pull up & make peaks.

Return to the oven & bake for another 10 minutes. The meringue should be golden brown.

Let cool for a little bit in the muffin tins before removing. Cool on a rack & store in the refrigerator.

Makes 4 cupcakes.

Cherry Chip Cupcakes

When I was a little girl I always thought the most tempting cake mix on the shelves of the grocery store was the Cherry Chip. That pale, pink cake with those sweet, bright pink flecks in it, what little girl could resist. I know now as an adult that there was no cherry in those cupcakes at all instead there is something called cherry flavored pieces (pieces of what I'm not sure). So, I decided to use some of the dried cherries I got for Christmas to create my own Cherry Chip Cupcakes.

Now these don't have the hot pink flecks of the store bought mix but the chopped cherries add a great flavor to each bite. I added a little pink food coloring to make them a little girlie but you can totally leave that out & just have a white cake.

I had planned on frosting these with a vanilla bean buttercream but after we tasted one without frosting we decided a cream cheese frosting would be even better.

Cherry Chip Cupcake
(adapted from Martha's Stewart Coconut Cupcake)

1/4 c dried cherries, chopped

3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c + 1 T  sugar
1/4 vanilla bean
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c buttermilk

pink food coloring (optional)
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 - 8 muffin tins.

Place chopped cherries in a bowl & cover with very hot water. Let sit for 10 - 15 minutes to soften. Drain & set aside.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. 

In a large bowl cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean & add to butter mixture. Add vanilla & beat. On low speed, add half the flour mixture until just blended. Add milk until blended. Add remaining flour & mix until just blended. Blend in food coloring if you wish.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peak appear, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined. Add remaining egg & fold until combined. Fold in the chopped cherries.
Divided equally among the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla

Blend the cream cheese & butter together until light & fluffy. Bend in sugar & vanilla.

Makes 6 -8 cupcakes

Bailey's Mocha Cupcakes

Awhile back Matt & I had been discussing ideas for cupcake flavors. We knew we wanted to try one with Bailey's in it but I never went out to buy a bottle just for cupcakes. Then while shopping for wine & such over the holidays Matt picked up a bottle so I knew the time had come to try these.

Matt likes his Bailey's on the rocks where I prefer it mixed into a little coffee or hot chocolate, you know a little something to ward off the winter chill. I decided to mix it with both espresso & chocolate for this cupcakes. This was a bit of an experiment since I used Bailey's instead of milk or yogurt. Luckily the experiment worked & these cupcakes came out beautifully moist with a wonderful flavor. The Bailey's flavor is what stands out the most with a hint of the espresso in the background.

Bailey's Mocha Cupcake

4 T unsalted butter
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
3 T water
1 t instant espresso (if you don't like espresso just leave this out of the recipe)
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 T Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 c flour
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 muffin tins either with cupcake papers or by greasing & flouring them.

Melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa. Add the water & instant espresso & whisk to combine. Remove from the heat & stir in the sugar, eggs & Bailey's. Then stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. The batter will seem very watery. Divide evenly between the 6 muffin tins.

Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.

Bailey's Chocolate Buttercream

4 T unsalted butter, a room temp
2 t Bailey's Irish Cream
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Beat the butter, Bailey's & vanilla until creamy. Beat in the sugar 1/4 cup at a time until combined, adding the cocoa powder with the first addition. Beat in the salt.

Frost cupcakes & sprinkle with instant espresso.

Makes 6 cupcakes

(Ok, I have to make a confession here. When I made these cupcakes I read my own writing wrong & put in two eggs instead of 2 T of egg. Matt really liked the way the texture of the cupcake turned out so I wrote it up here this way.  does create a very dense cupcake. You could easily just use one egg in this recipe., I think I will next time.)

Eggnog Cupcakes

Last night we had a baked goods exchange with our Cookin' Minnesota group. Matt took a variety of the cookies I've been baking the last couple of weeks but I decided to go another route. I've been wanting to make an eggnog flavored cupcake every since Matt had one from Sprinkles that didn't taste like eggnog at all & this was the perfect opportunity.

I looked at a few different eggnog recipes & came to the decision that the two ingredients I needed to get the flavor right were rum & nutmeg. I used eggnog in the cake batter instead of milk to up the flavor even more. The cupcake itself came out really tasty with a great texture but its really the frosting that makes this taste & smell like eggnog to me. These are quite rich so I'm glad I made mini cupcakes this time around, just the perfect little bite. They certainly seemed to be a big hit last night.


Eggnog Cupcakes

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 c + 3 T sugar
2 t rum
1/8 t vanilla
1 1/3 t baking powder
2/3 t salt
2 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c eggnog
5 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 48 mini cupcake tins or 18 regular.

In a mixing bowl cream the butter & 1 1/3 cups of sugar together until light & fluffy. Beat in the rum & vanilla. Add the baking powder, salt & 2/3 cup flour, beat until combined. Beat in 1/3 cup eggnog. Then beat in another 2/3 cup flour, followed by the rest of the eggnog & then the rest of the flour.

In another bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter until completely combined then fold in the remaining egg whites.

Divide the batter between the cupcake tins, filling each one 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes for mini cupcakes or 22 for regular. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Cool completely on a rack.

Spiced Rum Buttercream

1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 c powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 t cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 T rum

In a mixing bowl beat the butter until soft & creamy. Add in the powdered sugar a little at a time until all the sugar is absorbed. Beat in the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg & rum. Frost cupcakes & sprinkle with more nutmeg.

Makes 48 mini cupcakes or 18 regular

You can substitute run extract for the rum but I think it has a stronger flavor.

Update 12/28/08: There was originally a typo in this recipe & I wrote baking soda instead of powder. Powder is correct. Thanks to Danya for catching it.

I also had the wrong amount of sugar (I must have been drinking the rum when I wrote this!). Its correct now.

Iron Cupcake Earth - Cranberry Mocha Cupcakes

This month's Iron Cupcake Earth ingredient is Cranberry, how perfectly seasonal. I batted around a couple different flavor pairings when this one came to me. Its inspired by all the fancy espresso drinks that stores like Caribou & Starbucks have for the holidays.

The cupcake is flavored with dark chocolate & espresso then studded with jewel like fresh cranberries. Whipped cream is of course the traditional topping for these coffee drinks so its the frosting on this cupcake. Then then whole thing is topped with a little grated bittersweet chocolate.

I think this might be one of my favorite cupcakes I've made to date (maybe because I'm such a huge fan of mochas to start with). The cranberries give a nice tart note against the sweet mocha.

Cranberry Mocha Cupcakes

1/4 c unsalted butter
1/8 c Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
3 T hot water
1 t instant espresso
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T well beaten egg
1/8 c buttermilk (plain yogurt will work too)
1/2 c all-purpose flour plus extra to coat the cranberries
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1/3 - 1/2 c fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare muffin tins.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Mix the instant espresso into the hot water. Add this mixture into the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (it will be a little bit lumpy).

Roll the cranberries in a little flour to coat them. Gently mix the cranberries into the batter.

Fill muffin tins to about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. It's a moist cake, so don't worry if a few crumbs stick to your tester.
Allow cupcakes to cool.

Makes 5 cupcakes

Whipped Cream Frosting
(Adapted from Allrecipes)
The gelatin in this whipped cream makes it hold up to piping, just make sure it is completely melted so you don't get lumps.

1/2 c heavy cream
1 t confectioners sugar
1/4 t vanilla
3/4 t cold water
1/4 t unflavored gelatin

Whip the cream, sugar & vanilla together just until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Mix the water & gelatin together in a small bowl and microwave briefly, about 10 seconds, until the gelatin is dissolved. Allow to cool slightly but not get hard. Add to cream & continue whipping until stiff peaks are formed. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Makes enough to frost 5 cupcakes.

Pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes & grate a little chocolate over the top.

If you want to join the fun of Iron Cupcake Earth next month you can find all the information here plus links to all the fabulous corporate & Esty prize sponsors. 

Voting is open on Iron Cupcake - go here to vote.

Sweet Potato Cupcake with Goat Cheese & Honey Frosting

The idea for this cupcake came from my wanting to bake using the sweet potato butter I made earlier this week. Then I was chatting with Kris at To Be Mrs Marv & she mentioned a pumpkin cookie with a goat cheese & honey filling. That got me thinking that goat cheese & honey would make a fantastic frosting for the sweet potato cupcakes . I had hoped to make this my Iron Cupcake - Cheese entry but got a little behind this month & missed the entry date by 2 hours.

We are torn on the finished cupcake here at Chez Good Appetite. Matt & I agree the cupcake is fabulous! The flavor of the sweet potato butter with just that little bit of cinnamon & allspice in it really comes through, especially since I used a little as filling too. The cake is nice & fluffy like a cupcake not heavy like a muffin.

Where we are torn is the frosting. Matt thinks it tastes too strongly of goat cheese & doesn't like it. I really like it & think the tartness of the goat cheese perfect with the sweet cupcake. I think the honey gives the frosting a subtle sweetness that sugar wouldn't.

I would definitely make these cupcakes again but would probably make a cream cheese frosting for them so that everyone in the house will be happy.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

(adapted from Small Batch Baking)

1/4 c + 2 t sweet potato butter (get the recipe here) 

1/8 t baking soda

1/8 t baking powder

1/4 t vanilla

1 egg yolk

1/2 c flour

6 T sugar

1/8 t salt

2 T unsalted butter, at room temp

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 muffin tins.

In a small bowl mix the 1/4 c sweet potato butter, baking soda & baking powder together. Mix in vanilla & egg yolk & set aside.

In another bowl whisk the flour, sugar & salt together. Add the butter & 1/2 the sweet potato mixture & beat until light & fluffy. Add the remaining sweet potato mixture & beat a few more seconds.

Put about 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter in each muffin tin, smooth out to flatten. Spoon 1/2 t of sweet potato butter on top of the batter in each tin. Top with remaining batter.

Bake for 23 minutes or until golden brown & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack completely before frosting.

Makes 4 cupcakes

Goat Cheese & Honey Frosting

3 oz goat cheese, at room temp

1 T unsalted butter, at room temp

1 1/2 T honey

Put everything in a bowl & beat with a mixer until smooth & creamy.

Frosts 4 cupcakes.

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting

Last week I had plans to make a cupcake that looked like a candy corn but after two failed attempts I gave up. What I did find was this great recipe for pumpkin cupcakes. When I made this batch I decided to brown the butter to add a richer, nuttier flavor plus, I love browned butter with squash. I like this pumpkin cupcake because it comes out light & fluffy not heavier like a pumpkin bread of muffin.

Matt inspired the idea for the dulce de leche frosting by printing out a couple different recipes for dessert featuring it. I planned to go the simple route & just buy a can of it but the grocery store I was at didn't have any & I didn't feel like running from store to store looking. So, I ended up buying a can of sweetened condensed milk to make my own.

This was our first time making dulce de leche & it was actually quite easy. You just take the label off a small can of condensed milk & poke two venting holes in the top. Place the can in a pot with the holes facing up. Put water in the pan up to 1/4 -inch from the top of the can. Bring the water to an easy simmer. Allow the can to simmer in the water for about 4 hours, adding more water as needed. The condensed milk will thicken & change to a dark golden brown.

(I had a spoon of this in my coffee this morning, what a treat!)

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Pumpkin Cupcakes)

1/4 c unsalted butter

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t ground ginger

pinch of nutmeg

1 large egg

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c white sugar

3.5 oz pumpkin purée

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 muffin tins.

In a small skillet melt the butter over medium-low heat. Cook the butter over low heat stirring from time to time until it is a golden brown & smells nutty. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Remove from the heat & allow it to cool.

In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg together & set aside.

In another bowl lightly beat the egg. Whisk in the sugars & cooled butter. Add the dry ingredients & whisk until smooth. Finally whisk in the pumpkin & maple syrup.

1/4 T maple syrup

Divide the batter between the 6 prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20 -22 minutes, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Allow to cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Makes 6 cupcakes

Dulce de Leche Frosting

1/4 c unsalted butter, at room temp

2 T dulce de leche

1/2 t vanilla

1 c powdered sugar, plus more if needed

Beat everything together with an electric mixer on medium until smooth, about 3 minutes. If the frosting is not stiff enough add more powdered sugar 1 T at a time, beating for about a minute with each addition.

Makes enough to frost 6 cupcakes

Banana Caramel Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes

Whenever the season or holiday changes I like to see what Super Target has in its baking section. Usually it's themed sprinkles or cupcake papers. Currently in their Fall/Halloween section the have something from Kraft called Caramel Bits. Basically, they are small pebbles of caramel made for baking. We bought a bag & have tried them so far in brownies & oatmeal cookies. The brownies came out with a weird texture (not sure if that was the fault of the caramels) but the cookies were sooooo good! I decided to also try them in this week's cupcake.

The cupcake is banana flavored with bits of caramel mixed in. Then I melted some chocolate chips & swirled the chocolate into the cupcake batter. The frosting is a chocolate caramel ganache, also using the caramel bits.

Oh, is this flavor combination tasty. I love the chewy chunks of caramel in the cupcakes. The caramel does stick to paper cupcake liners but comes right off the foil ones so keep that in mind if you decided to bake them.

Banana Caramel Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes

3/4 c sugar
1/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/2 t baking soda
2 T sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 c mashed banana, about 1 banana
3/4 c flour
1/2 t vanilla
2 T caramel bits
4 T semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 8 muffin tins.

Cream butter & sugar together until light & fluffy. Beat in the egg.

Dissolve the baking soda into the sour cream. Beat that into the the butter mixture. Stir in the banana, flour & vanilla. Once that is all combined stir in the caramel bits.

In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.

Pour about 1 T of batter into each muffin tin. Scoop 1/2 T of melted chocolate on top.

Top with the remaining batter. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the chocolate into the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes until the cupcakes are golden brown. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Makes 8 cupcakes

Chocolate Caramel Ganache

3 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 oz caramel bits
6 T heavy cream
1 T butter

Put everything in a microwave-safe bowl & microwave until everything is melted, about 1 minute. I like to stop the microwave about every 20 seconds & give everything a good stir. Frost the cupcakes (if the ganache is too runny let it sit a few minutes) then put them in the fridge to allow the ganache to harden.

Frosts 8 cupcakes

Asian Plum Cupcakes

Last week Matt & I went to a monthly Meet-up called Cookin' Minnesota. The theme of the September event was Preserving Summer.

We made Hibiscus Apple Sauce (that Matt has been eating a jar at a time) & talked about canning safety as well as met a lot of other great Twin Cities foodies. Kris, the event coordinator, even made Pumpkin Butter & Plum Jam for all of us to take home. Lucky us!

Well of course, my head started working around how I could work some of these goodies into a cupcake. I decided I wanted to try something with an Asian twist using the plum jam. The idea first started generating from remembering the plum seasoned popcorn I had in Hawaii & then I thought about the flavors of Asian plum sauce & I was off.

I have to say I was a little afraid of how this cupcake would turn out but when it was done I absolutely loved it. The cake has a wonderful texture, moist but not heavy (it could be one of the best cupcakes I've ever made). The brown sugar gives it a warmer, almost molasses type flavor when compared to cupcakes made with white sugar. The ginger makes these smell heavenly & really adds the Asian flavor. The plum jam in the cake & icing gives a fruity sweetness.

I decided to go with a very simple icing for these cupcakes that just adds some sweetness & more plum flavor. I do think this cupcake would also be wonderful with a cream cheese frosting. I garnished the cupcakes with a few slivers of crystallized ginger.

Asian Plum Cupcakes

1/2 c flour
1/8 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk, from a large egg
6 T packed light brown sugar
3 T buttermilk
1 T plum jam + extra to put in middle
2 t grated fresh ginger (or 1 t dried ground ginger)
2 T unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 muffin tins.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda & salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolk, brown sugar, buttermilk, jam & ginger. Add 1/2 of this mixture & the butter to the flour mixture. Beat on low until the dry mixture is wet then turn up to medium & beat for about a minute until light. Add the remaining wet mixture & beat for another 30 seconds.

Fill each tin about 1/4 full. Spoon a dab of jam on top of the batter in each tin then top with more batter until each tin is 1/2 full. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

Makes 4 cupcakes

Plum Icing

1/2 c powdered sugar
2 t plum jam

Mix the sugar & jam together to form icing. If its too thick add a little more jam or some milk. Ice cupcakes & allow to sit for 15 - 30 minutes to set.

Enough to ice 4 cupcakes

Peach Melba Cupcakes

Peaches are in season & we got raspberries in our last CSA delivery so Matt suggested I make a cupcake showcasing those flavors.

I've had trouble getting a good flavored peach cupcake in the past so I searched the web to see what others had done. 52 Cupcakes used a recipe from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes that sounded like it would be perfect so I used that. The only changes I made were to size it down & to use Peach Schnapps instead of vanilla.

(Doesn't the peach on here look like its had one too many?)

The cupcakes come out pretty interesting. They are very moist & have a lot of peach flavor thanks to the peach pieces in it. The peaches tended to sink to the bottom & made the cupcakes fall apart a bit when you are eating them. 52 Cupcakes said they are better the next day when the juices have really sunk in (we ate some this evening & they were better after sitting).

The frosting is just a basic buttercream flavored & colored with raspberry coulis. The raspberry flavor is nice in this & the fresh raspberry on top really adds to the flavor as well.

Peach Melba Cupcake

Peach Cupcake
(adapted from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes)

1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
7 T white sugar
2 1/2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1/2 t peach schnapps
1/4 c milk
2/3 of a peach, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced & cut into small chunks (save the rest of the peach to put on top of the cupcakes)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 muffin tins.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg & salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl beat the sugar & butter together. Add the egg & beat until light & fluffy. Add the peach schnapps & blend. Alternately beat in the flour mixture & the milk, making 3 additions of flour & 2 of the milk. Fold in the chunks of peach.

Split the batter evenly between the tins. Bake for 35 - 28 minutes. The cupcakes will be very golden brown & the top should spring back when touched. Allow to cool on a rack completely before frosting.

Makes 6 cupcakes

Raspberry Buttercream

heaping 1/4 c of raspberries, about 6 T
2 1/2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 t vanilla

Put the raspberries into a fine sieve & push them through over a bowl. Leave seeds in the sieve. Scrap the bottom of the sieve to get any juice & pulp from it.

In a small bowl cream the butter & salt until smooth. Alternately blend in the sugar & raspberry juices, beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla.

Makes enough to frost 6 cupcakes

Decorate with a slice of fresh peach & a raspberry.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

I'm a little late posting my cupcake this week because my first version of these came out like little apple rocks & the frosting was too runny. I must have been having a bad day in the kitchen. So, I decided to start over.

I used the apple cupcake recipe from Chockylit with a few changes. She bakes apples to make an apple mash but I had some all natural (meaning it only contained apples, sugar & cinnamon) apple jam in the house so I decided to use that instead. I also left out the apple juice since I didn't want to buy it for 2 tablespoons, I added buttermilk instead. This new version created a nice high cupcake that didn't fall once taken from the oven. The flavor & texture were quite a bit like a carrot cake, I actually wish it had been a bit more appley, perhaps it needed that extra apple juice.

For the frosting I made caramel cream cheese, I thought the tartness of the cream cheese would be a nice flavor against the sweetness of the caramel. The first version came out too runny & never hardened up in the fridge. I think my ratio of caramel sauce versus butter & cream cheese was too high. For the second version I added more of both & the frosting had a nice whipped cream texture to it & it does stiffen up a little in the fridge. I recommend using a butterscotch caramel sauce if you can find it, we liked the flavor better than the plain caramel in the frosting.

Apple Cupcakes
(adapted from Chockylit)

1 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1/2 c apple jam
1 large egg
1/4 c oil
2 T buttermilk
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 4 - 5 muffin tins.

Mix all the dry ingredients together & set them aside.

In another bowl beat the egg. Add oil, apple jam, milk & vanilla. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients & stir until just combines.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full for a high rounded cupcake or 1/2 full for a flatter version.

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool before frosting.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

3 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 oz cream cheese
3 T caramel sauce
6 T powdered sugar

Beat the butter & cream cheese together until smooth. Add the caramel sauce & beat until incorporated. Shift the sugar into the bowl & beat until blended.

Makes enough to frost 6 - 8 cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Matt wanted me to make zucchini bread this week with the 2 giant zucchinis we still have in the fridge from the last 2 CSA boxes. Instead I decided to make zucchini cupcakes, with dark chocolate of course.

When researching recipes for these cupcakes I worried that they were going to turn out too heavy & bread-like. While bread is good that isn't the texture I wanted in my cupcakes. Then I found this recipe. It's for a chocolate & zucchini cake instead of bread & claimed to be moist yet not heavy, I figured this was just the starting point I needed. I sized the recipe down quite a bit in order to just make 8 cupcakes. I also changed some of the proportions in hopes of making it even lighter. Buttermilk was exchanged for regular milk because I like the extra flavor it adds especially with chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
(adapted from Simply Recipes)

4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c sugar
1 egg
3/4 t vanilla
2 1/2 T Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa (if you can't get this just use your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder, though this makes for a wonderful dark chocolate)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 T buttermilk
3/4 c grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 8 muffin tins.
Beat together the butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in the egg & vanilla. Add the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & 1/4 c of flour. Beat to combine. Add the buttermilk & beat until combined. Add in the remaining 1/2 c flour & beat until just combined, the dough will be quite stiff but don't worry the zucchini adds a lot of moisture. Stir in the zucchini.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 22 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Makes 8

The smell of these baking was incredible, like the best chocolate cake! It was all I could do to not eat one right out of the oven. The cake is just perfect, light, moist, fluffy & chocolaty.

We made two different flavors of cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes. Half the batch was vanilla & half was orange. Both flavors complimented the cupcake perfectly. I was afraid the orange would be overpowering but it wasn't in the slightest. Neither of us could decided which flavor we liked better.

Fluffiest Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese, slightly softened
1/3 c sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 t vanilla or orange extract
1/2 c heavy cream

In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar, salt & vanilla until smooth & not grainy from the sugar, about 3 - 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat the cream until stiff peak form. Fold 1/3 of the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Once incorporated, fold the remaining cream in.

Makes enough to frost 8 - 10 cupcakes

Looking for other ways to use zucchini?
Zucchini & Turkey Lasagna
Pesto Pasta with Corn, Zucchini & Bacon
Baked Penne with Sausage & Zucchini

You take the good, you take the bad...

If you've followed this blog at all you know that every week I post a new cupcake flavor. Well, this week's cupcake was such a disappointment I almost didn't share it but then I thought I can't only show you when things work out, you all need to share in my failures too.

First of all let's talk about my poor choice in piping design with this frosting. Yes, I know what it looks like. We now affectionately call this cupcake "the poopcake." No, that was not my vision.

Now, let's talk about flavor. This was supposed to be a chocolate covered cherry cupcake. I started with my favorite white cupcake recipe. I replaced most of the milk in the recipe with really good cherry preserves. I liked the idea of big chunks of cherries in the cake. Then on a whim I threw in some chocolate chips. The cupcakes took a lot longer to cook than normal, like 5 minutes longer & still some felt a little wetter than I like. The cake did have a nice subtle cherry flavor but they were like little heavy muffins not nice fluffy cupcakes.

So then I whipped up some chocolate buttercream. The buttercream actually came together though is seemed to have a lot of air bubbles when I piped it (am I over beating it?). Did my oh so lovely piping job & tried a finished cupcake. Well, I might as well been eating nothing but chocolate because that is all you tasted, sigh. The cherry flavor was completely hidden by the frosting.

So, I'll not be sharing a cupcake recipe with you this week as this one is headed back to the drawing board. The cake recipe needs to be lightened & the flavors intensified. As for the frosting, I think a nice ganache might be better suited here. Luckily, Matt still thinks they are good enough to eat.

Dark Chocolate Grasshopper Cucpakes

Before you get worried, there are no grasshoppers in this cupcake. Matt asked me to do a cupcake this week based on a grasshopper, the cocktail, pie or cake. The one thing he specified was the mint part had to be really green.

This cupcake features my favorite dark chocolate cake, a creamy mint filling & dark chocolate buttercream. If you've followed my baking exploits at all you know of my off & on success with buttercream. Strangely enough, I've had better luck with the harder Italian & Swiss buttercreams than the relatively easy American buttercream. This time though I think I've got the American buttercream down. The frosting came out creamy yet stiff enough to pipe (not that my piping skills are anything to write home about.). As Matt was licking the beaters (he likes cupcake baking day) he said this version was what he thinks of when he thinks of buttercream so I'll be sticking with it.

I used mint extract to flavor my filling because I didn't want to buy a whole bottle of creme de menthe just for 5 cupcakes though it would be more traditional. I was afraid the mint wouldn't be strong enough to stand up the the dark chocolate but it really came through & the flavors blended together perfectly.

(I think that filling is green enough!)

Dark Chocolate Grasshopper Cupcake

Dark Chocolate Cupcake

1/4 c unsalted butter
1/8 c Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
3 T water
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T well beaten egg
1/8 c plain yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 T vanilla
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare muffin tins.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (it will be a little bit lumpy).

Fill muffin tins to about 2/3 full for rounded cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. It's a moist cake, so don't worry if a few crumbs stick to your tester.
Allow cupcakes to cool.

Makes 4 - 6 cupcakes. (I got 5)

Mint Cream Filling

1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 t confectioners sugar
1/2 t mint extract (or creme de menthe)
1/2 t cold water
1/8 t unflavored gelatin
food coloring (I used neon green with a dash of neon blue)

Whip the cream, sugar & mint extract together just until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Mix the water & gelatin together in a small bowl and microwave briefly, about 10-20 seconds, until the gelatin is dissolved. Allow to cool slightly but not get hard. Add the gelatin & food coloring to the cream & continue whipping until stiff peaks are formed. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Makes enough to fill 6 cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream

2 T shortening
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 t vanilla
1 c powdered sugar, sifted
3 T Hersey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1 T milk
3/4 T light corn syrup

Cream the shortening, butter & vanilla together. Sifted in the powdered sugar & cocoa, beat until well blended. Beat in the milk & corn syrup until light & fluffy.

Makes enough to frost 5 - 6 cupcakes.

Assembly


After the cupcakes have cooled completely, fill a piping bag with a large star tip attached with the mint cream filling. Insert the tip into the center of the cupcake about 3/4 - 1 inch. Squeeze the bag to fill the cupcake with filling as you slowly pull the bag up & out. I like to let the cupcakes chill a few minutes in the refrigerator before frosting to allow the filling to set a little.

Frost with the dark chocolate buttercream & garnish with a fresh mint leaf.

Thai Mojito Cupcakes

You've heard of Iron Chef well this is my entry for Iron Cupcake. The secret ingredient this month is chili. I wasn't sure what I was going to make until Matt & I went out for Asian food the other night & he ordered a Thai Mojito. I took one sip of it & a lightbulb went off in my head, there's my cupcake flavor!

The cake is flavored with lime, rum, ginger, fresh mint, fresh basil & cayenne pepper. It has a nice warm at the back of the throat heat, not a hot burn your lips kind of heat. The cupcakes are really pretty flecked with the fresh herbs & lime zest.

The icing is made from lime & coconut milk. For a little decoration I made candied chili lime peel, once again using cayenne pepper.

Matt was very skeptical about how these flavors were going to work together in a cupcake. I was a little unsure about amounts since I was making it up as I went along. The finished product though was definitely a taste success. The flavors all blend together really well & the sweetness of the icing balances the heat of the cayenne. I also like the tartness of the lime with all the other flavors. I think it mimics its namesake drink quite well. Allez Cuisine!

Thai Mojito Cupcakes

6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c + 1 T sugar
1/2 t rum
1 t lime juice
1/8 t freshly grated ginger
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c coconut milk
2 large egg whites
1/4 c loosely packed fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 c loosely packed fresh mint, finely chopped
zest of 1/2 lime

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 muffin tins.

Cream together the butter & 1/2 c sugar until light & fluffy. Mix in the rum, ginger & lime juice. Add the baking powder, salt, cayenne & 1/2 of the flour, mix until just combined. Mix in the coconut milk. Mix in the remaining flour until just combined.

In a small bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. With the beater still running slowly add the 1 T sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the flour mixture. Once completely incorporated, fold in the remaining egg whites. Add the mint, basil & lime zest, fold to combine.

Divide the batter equally among 6 muffin tins. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely on a rack before icing.

Makes 6 cupcakes

Lime Coconut Milk Icing

1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t lime juice
coconut milk

Stir together sugar, lime juice & 1 t coconut milk. Continue at add coconut milk 1/2 t at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Allow cupcakes to stand for about 15 - 30 minutes after icing to set.

Ices 6 cupcakes

Candied Chili Lime Peel

1/2 lime
1/3 c water
1/3 c sugar
1/4 t cayenne pepper

Using a peeler or knife carefully remove only the green peel from the lime. Slice into strips.

Bring the water to a boil. Add the lime peels & boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon.

Add the sugar & cayenne to the water (you may need to add little more water if its boiled down to far). Bring back to a boil. Return the peels to the saucepan & boil until transparent.

Using tongs remove the peels to a silicone mat or other non-stick surface. Allow to dry completely.

Makes about 10 small pieces of peel depending on how good you are at removing it from the lime.