Rainbow Cupcakes with Polka-Dot Sprinkles

There are a lot of things in my life that I am thankful for: My husband who loves me, even though I’m sometimes not entirely sure why. My son who amazes me each and every day with how much he’s learning, growing, and making me fall even more in love with him than I was yesterday. My family, immediate and extended, who are all supportive and loving both me and our little family. And my friends, whose numbers aren’t large, but who are all some of the greatest people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for most of my life.

It’s in this last category that I place Jenna, someone I’ve known since I was two, and am lucky enough to receive a call from the past two years to make the cupcakes for her daughters’ birthday party. You may remember last year’s Butterfly Cupcakes for Ella. This year, the request was for rainbows and polka dots to celebrate, not only Ella’s 3^rd birthday, but also her new sister Violet’s, recently brought home from China, 3^rd birthday as well.

This was quite the celebration, so it needed an equally celebratory dessert for two adorable little girls. My own celebration comes from the fact that this is one of the only times of the year that my food is treated to a quality camera and photographer in Jenna. You’ll notice that the first two pictures aren’t anywhere near the caliber of the other 3 in this post, since she is much more talented behind the lens than I am. If you’re in the Milwaukee area and looking for a talented photog to take your family pictures, please hope over to SongBird Photography to check her out.

For these cupcakes, I decided to take a page from my new cookbook Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery that I actually won via a Bon Appétit online contest. To be honest with you, I think this is the first contest I’ve ever won, so I was more than a little bit excited about both the cookbook and simply getting something in the mail that I didn’t have to pay for. The only change I made to this recipe was the addition of a little salt. The result is a very dense vanilla cupcake that works well with a lot of frosting and a big glass of milk.

All of my colored batters waiting to go into the muffin tins.

The layered batter ready for the oven.

Ingredients:

• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  
• 1 cup + 1 Tbsp Sugar
  
• 2 large Eggs
  
• 1 cup Self-Rising Flour
  
• ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
  
• ½ tsp Salt
  
• ½ cup 2% Milk, room temperature
  
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  
• Gel Food Colors
  
• Vanilla Buttercream
  
• Confetti Sprinkles
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350⁰, and line a 12 cup muffin pan, or 3 12 cup mini muffin pans, with cupcake liners
  
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes, using an electric hand mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
  
• Sift the two flours and salt together into a separate bowl. Mix the milk and vanilla together.
  
• Add 1/3 of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in 1/3 of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
  
• For White Cupcakes:
  
  • Carefully spoon the mixture into the cups, filling about two-thirds full.
    
• For Rainbow Cupcakes:
  
  • Divide batter equally into bowls for however many colors you want, i.e. 6 colors = 6 bowls.
    
  • Mix in gel coloring into each bowl until desired tone and vibrancy is achieved. Depending on what you’re making them for, a lighter tone could work, pastels for a baby shower, but I wanted vividly bright rainbows, so I erred on the side of too much.
    
  • Using a small spoon, I used a regular silverware spoon, drop a dollop of each color into each cupcake liner in the order you desire. For the cupcakes pictured above, I added in the following order: purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.
    
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, 15 minutes for minis, until slightly raised and golden brown, and a skewer in the center comes out clean.
  
• Remove from the oven and leave in pan about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before frosting.
  
• Frost as desired. I used a very large round tip to create spiraled mounds that were quickly topped with confetti sprinkles.

Confetti Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

I was asked to make these cupcakes, as well as some Margarita Cupcakes, for a friend’s sister’s daughter’s first birthday party. Did you follow that one? The décor for the party was polka dots in bright colors, and they used this paper to make the invitations and party favors:

Not only was I excited to help them with the baking for the party, but I was also excited to have an excuse to look for some new baking and decorating supplies. Now I have huge containers of large and small confetti sprinkles, and rainbow nonpareils to use for future projects.

For these cupcakes, I folded in rainbow nonpareils into a yellow cupcake batter. I think I’ll try using the confetti sprinkles next time, as the nonpareils bled a little, and the final cupcakes turned out a little more marbled than I would have liked. I think the “client” was please with the final result, and I know that Carter and Jim have been pleased with the leftovers.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 3 cups Cake Flour, not self-rising
  
• 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
  
• ¾ tsp Baking Soda
  
• 2 ¼ tsp Baking Powder
  
• 1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  
• 2 ¼ sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  
• 2 ¼ cups Sugar
  
• 5 large whole Eggs plus 3 Egg Yolks, room temperature
  
• 2 cups Buttermilk, room temperature
  
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  
• ¼ cup Jimmies or Sprinkles (depending on what people call them where you are. )
  

Frosting:

• 2 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
  
• 4 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
  
• 1/8 Tbsp Salt
  
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
  
• 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
  
• White-White Icing Color, as needed
  

Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
   
2. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
   
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low.
   
4. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.
   
5. Fold in colored sprinkles until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, as color may bleed into batter.
   
6. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarter full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes for full sized cupcakes and 11 minutes for minis.
   
7. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
   

Frosting:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
   
2. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.
   
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds.
   
4. If the mixture isn’t as bright of a white as you would like at this point, due to the yellow of the butter and tint of the vanilla, add a few drops of white-white icing color.
   
5. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Margarita Cupcakes

When I was looking for a recipe for a margarita cupcake, I asked the ladies of a message board I frequent for their recommendation, and I got multiple replies pointing me to Confections of a Foodie Bride’s recipe for Margarita Cupcakes. I didn’t change anything about the cupcakes themselves, but I did brush them with margarita simple syrup to up the margarita flavor, and keep them moist. Also, the flavor in the original buttercream was a little too subtle for me, so I increased the quantities of lime juice and tequila, and added some triple sec as well, for a truer margarita essence. Finally, what’s a margarita without salt? I wanted a slight saltiness to the final cupcake, just like when you’re sipping an ice cold margarita, so I sprinkled the tops with a combination of sanding sugar and salt, and topped with a lime slice.

Ingredients:

Lime Cupcakes:

• 3 cups flour
  
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 4 eggs, at room temp
  
• Zest of 3 Limes
  
• 3 oz Lime Juice, about 3 to 4 Limes or bottled juice
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  

Margarita Simple Syrup*:

• 1 cup Sugar
  
• ¼ cup Tequila
  
• ¼ cup Triple Sec
  
• ½ cup Lime Juice, fresh or bottled
  

Margarita Buttercream:

• 2 cups sugar
  
• 8 egg whites
  
• 3 sticks butter, room temperature
  
• 3 ½ Tbsp Lime Juice
  
• 2 Tbsp Tequila
  
• 1 Tbsp Triple Sec
  

Decoration:

• Green Sanding Sugar
  
• Coarse Margarita Salt
  
• Limes, sliced thinly and then into halves
  

Directions:

Lime Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.
   
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one. Add lime zest and lime juice. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.
   
3. Fill each muffin cup ~3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.
   

Margarita Simple Syrup:

1. While cupcakes are baking, bring sugar, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice to a simmer and allow to cool.
   
2. When syrup and cupcakes have cooled, brush tops with margarita syrup.
   

Margarita Buttercream:

1. Place the stand mixer bowl over a simmering pot of water; the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Whisk the sugar and egg whites until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees with a candy thermometer, or you cannot feel any grains of sugar when you rub the mixture in-between you thumb and forefinger.
   
2. Place bowl on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until the mixture is cool and holds stiff, glossy peaks, approximately 10 minutes.
   
3. Change to the paddle attachment and beat in one tablespoon of butter at a time on medium. The mixture might appear curdled but keep going, it will pull back together.
   
4. Add lime juice, tequila, and triple sec. Increase speed to high and beat until the frosting reincorporates and is smooth and fluffy.
   

Decoration:

1. Mix 2 parts sanding sugar with 1 part coarse salt.
   
2. After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle with about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of the sugar/salt mixture, and press in a lime slice.
   

*Extra margarita simple can be used to make a delicious and refreshing “Mock-arita”: Fill a glass with ice, pour in 3 oz of margarita simple syrup, top with Sprite and a slice of lime.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

I have been looking for a new cupcake to make for Mothers’ Day. Personally, I would like something deep, dark, rich, and chocolaty like these, but I figure I should appeal to the masses on this one. Given that it’s May, and finally above 50⁰ here in Wisconsin, I started thinking about warm weather and summer, and lemonade seemed like the perfect flavor.

This recipe, from Confections of a Foodie Bride, brought it over the top with the addition of fresh strawberries in the buttercream topping off the lemonade cupcakes. I’ve adapted it slightly by switching from a Swiss meringue buttercream to a basic buttercream. I also brushed the top of my cupcakes with lemon syrup to keep them from drying out and adding another layer of lemon flavor. Finally, I added some gel food coloring to both the cupcakes and the frosting to really make them pop.

These were a total hit, despite the fact that by the time I was ready to make these cupcakes the weather had turned and we were told to expect snow, and I’m already dreaming up ways to alter the flavors into different combinations: cherry/lime, raspberry/orange, blackberry/grapefruit …

 

 

Ingredients:

Lemonade Cupcakes:

• 3 cups Flour
  
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  
• ½ tsp Salt
  
• 1 cup, 2 sticks, Unsalted Butter, at room temp
  
• 2 cups Sugar
  
• 4 Eggs, at room temp
  
• Zest of 3 Lemons
  
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• 1 tsp Vanilla
  
• 1 cup Buttermilk
  
• Lemon Yellow Gel Food Coloring, optional
  
• 1 cup Lemon Juice
  
• 1 cup Sugar
  

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

• 16 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  
• 8 to 9 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
  
• 4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  
• Zest of 2 Lemons
  
• ¾ cup Strawberry Puree, from about 6 medium, hulled strawberries
  
• Red Gel Food Coloring, optional
  

Directions:

Lemonade Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins with paper liners or baking spray.
   
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar on a high until pale, light, and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next one. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Turn mixer to the low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated.
   
3. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pans at the halfway point. Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the pans before removing.
   
4. While cupcakes are baking, bring lemon juice and sugar to a boil and then allow to cool. When syrup and cupcakes have cooled, brush tops with lemon syrup.
   

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
   
2. Add 4 cups of the sugar; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Add 4 more cups of sugar and continue mixing until combined.
   
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add lemon juice and strawberry puree ¼ cup at a time, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, between each addition.
   
4. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. If you notice the frosting isn’t as stiff as you would like, add in the last cup of sugar, beating on low until combined, and then finishing on high for 2 to 4 minutes.
   

 

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Oh, the Irish Car Bomb. Since Jim believes that college is for 3 things, one of which is drinking, he wouldn’t be surprised to know that the first time I enjoyed one of these was in Stevens Point. He would also like to tell you other stories about when I was in college, but I won’t bore you, or embarrass myself, with those. Irish Car Bombs are delicious. If you’ve ever had an Irish Car Bomb, you know the drill, if not, here’s what you do:

1. Add a ½ shot of Bailey’s and a ½ shot of Jameson to a shot glass, layering the Bailey’s on the bottom.
2. Pour Guinness into a pint glass or beer mug ¾ of the way full and let settle.
3. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug.
4. If you don’t drink it fast enough it will curdle, and that’s gross.

I used this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and adapted my own buttercream recipe, swapping the Baileys Irish Cream for the heavy cream I usually use.

Makes 20 to 24 cupcakes

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4 tsp Irish whiskey (optional)

Baileys Buttercream:

• 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp table salt
• ½ cup Bailey’s Irish cream

Directions:

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.
2. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend.
4. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
5. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Ganache Filling:

1. Melt chocolate in microwave by warming for 20 seconds at a time, and whisking inbetween until melted through. Add in cream 1/3 cup at a time, whisking to combine between additions.
2. Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.
3. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped. The fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes, and don’t overchill.
4. Meanwhile, using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. I didn’t have either of these, so I cut out my holes with a paring knife, which worked fine.

Baileys Buttercream:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
2. Add salt and half of the sugar; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Add the rest of the sugar and continue mixing until combined.
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add Baileys ¼ cup at a time, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, between each addition.
4. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Do ahead: You can bake the cupcakes a week or two in advance and store them, well wrapped, in the freezer. You can also fill them before you freeze them. They also keep filled — or filled and frosted — in the fridge for a day. (Longer, they will start to get stale.)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Malted Frosting

Me: I’m such a dork. I’m totally bummed that there are so many people who won’t be coming out for my 30^th birthday party on Saturday.

Friend: You’re not a dork. People are busy, and Jim didn’t start planning this thing until a week ago.

Me: True. So, I’m thinking I’ll be making chocolate cupcakes with vanilla malted frosting for the party.

Friend: What? You’re making your own birthday cupcakes? Now that makes you a dork.

Me: That’s what’s clinching it? Well, if I don’t make them, who will?

Friend: What about Jim?

Me: Really? Who would want to eat that?

Friend: Well, then buy them.

Me: Buy them?!?!? Why? I can make some that taste better and don’t cost as much. Seriously though, I don’t mind, and I’m excited to try out a new creation.

 

So, even at the risk of pronouncing my dorkiness to the entire blogosphere, I am presenting you with my newest cupcake. Inspired by the Crunchy Chocolate Malt Cupcakes from the January/February issue of Food Network Magazine, I decided to use my tried and true chocolate cupcake and top with an adaptation of our new favorite buttercream. I really like how this frosting came out, and it’s not a frosting that I would plan on coloring. It’s got a pretty color and look from the malted milk powder and the specks of vanilla bean. There is a great flavor too, and it smells delicious, which is something I’ve never really noticed about buttercream before. The batter made 1 ½ dozen regular cupcakes and 2 dozen minis, and the buttercream yielded more than enough to generously top them all.

 

Oh, and as for my dorkiness? After 30 years of living with it, I really think it’s time to fully embrace it and live proudly as the food dork I was intended to be. Coolness be damned, if they turn out as great as these, I plan on making my own birthday cupcakes for years to come.

 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot, strong brewed coffee

Frosting:

• 1 ¼ lbs (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 cups Confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup malted milk powder
• 1 tsp table salt
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped
• ¼ cup heavy cream

 

Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of stand mixer.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
4. Add to mixer, and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in hot coffee, and pour into muffin tins, filling about 2/3 to the top.
5. Bake 17 to 20 minutes for full size and 10 to 12 minutes for minis, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
2. Add salt and half of the sugar; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Add the rest of the sugar and continue mixing until combined.
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds.
4. Add in malted milk powder, and stir at medium to combine.
5. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Today is my sister-in-law’s birthday, and since she loves the color pink, I decided I had to make something with bright pink icing. For some reason, the miniature chocolate chips I had in the cupboard popped into my head, and that is how the recipe below came to be. The batter is really thick, so it works well with the chocolate chips mixed in, because it keeps them from all falling to the bottom of the cupcake.

I adapted the Martha Stewart recipe for Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes I had used previously by adding chocolate chips and used the Easy Vanilla Buttercream frosting recipe from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, which is also featured on Annie’s Eats. Today’s baking made me love this cupcake recipe even more than I did before, as I committed a classic “Jaimeism”. I have a habit of starting to bake without fully reading the recipe and/or checking to ensure I have all of the ingredients. So, when I got to the point of adding the eggs, I discovered that I didn’t have the 8 that the recipe called for, . . . I had only 4. I started to panic, and then figured I would keep going and see what happened. Well, they still turned out great only using half the eggs the original recipe called for. How great is that? Pretty awesome if you ask me!

 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
• 5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature, (no buttermilk, try this substitute)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups Confectioners’ sugar
• 1/8 tablespoons table salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

   

Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low.
4. Add flour mixture in three batches, reserving about ¼ cup, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.
5. Add chocolate chips to remaining flour mixture and mix well so that all chips are coated in flour. Fold into batter.
6. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Frosting:

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
2. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.
3. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Red & Green Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

When Chaos in the Kitchen‘s recipe for red velvet cupcakes came through my Google Reader, I knew I just had to bookmark it. But for what worthy celebration would I bake these? Why Christmas of course! Though, me being the way I am (we don’t need to get into details), I just couldn’t keep well enough alone, so I decided to split the recipe, dying half red and the other half green. They were a complete success and got rave reviews Christmas Eve and day, as well as during testing and at home as we’re trying to finish up the leftovers. Keep in mind, you don’t just have to use this technique for Christmas, but keep it in mind for other holidays that could use a little color as well. I already started mentally planning my cupcake Christmas tree for next year . . .

 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 3 ½ cups cake flour
  
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• No Taste Red & Kelly Green gel coloring
  
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  

Frosting:

• 12 oz cream cheese, room temp
  
• 8 oz unsalted butter, room temp
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 vanilla bean pod
  
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  

 

Directions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper or line a 12 cupcake pan with paper liners.
   
2. Sift the cake flour into a bowl. Normally I would skip this but cake flour tends to clump so, do it. I use a mesh colander rather than a sifter.
   
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.
   
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
5. In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa, vanilla, and salt into the buttermilk. If the mixture isn’t combining set it aside for a minute then re-whisk.
   
6. Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are just incorporated.
   
7. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
   
8. If using two or more colors, divide equally among bowls. Add in gel colors a little at a time, folding into batter until color is distributed evenly and you get to your desired color. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take the color out once it’s added.
   
9. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. For cupcakes bake approximately 15-20 minutes, fitting two pans in the oven at once on the top third and lower third. Rotate the pans after 10 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick after 15 minutes.
   

Frosting:

1. Slit your vanilla bean in half and use the tip of your knife to scrape the vanilla bean paste from each side of the pod.
   
2. Whip cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth.
   
3. Add butter and beat to combine.
   
4. Add vanilla and vanilla bean paste.
   
5. Beat in powdered sugar a little at a time until frosting is as thick and sweet as you’d like.
   

 

 

And remember . . .

Never leave a half eaten cupcake unattended.

Brown Sugar-Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

When I was paging through the November issue of Bon Appétit, I saw this recipe and was instantly drooling. When I read it out loud to Jim, he was drooling a little bit too, and I knew we were in trouble. As Thanksgiving approached, I knew it would be the perfect time to try it out without having to worry about having all of that caramelly goodness at home to tempt us. The recipe didn’t disappoint, and I received many compliments from everyone who tried them. They reach a nice balance of a not too sweet cake with a flavorful frosting, which I love. I think the cupcake part would even be good on it’s own as a muffin for brunch.

It was a pretty simple recipe, even with the inclusion of making caramel from scratch. I had decided to make mini-cupcakes instead of regular sized ones, so I reduced the baking temperature to 325⁰ and time to 15 minutes. They turned out perfect.

 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  
• 1 cup all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup cake flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup sour cream
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Frosting

• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• 2 large egg yolks
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  
• 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
  

Preparation:

Cupcakes

• Put rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spray 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray; line with muffin cups.
  
• Whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in medium bowl. Stir in chopped pecans. Beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; beat on low speed just to blend. Divide batter among muffin cups.
  
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.
  

Frosting

• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil until syrup turns deep amber, swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble up). Stir over low heat until caramel bits dissolve. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl. Very gradually whisk hot caramel into yolks. Cool to room temperature.
  
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and salt in large bowl until smooth. Beat in caramel. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Let stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread, about 1 hour.
  
• Spread frosting over cupcakes. Place pecans on plate. Roll edges of cupcakes in nuts. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
  

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

When the FaceBook friend I asked to make Carter’s birthday cake emailed 5 days before the party to let me know that Swine Flu had made its way to her house, my first reaction was concern, as she is pregnant and has 2 little guys at home that could be sick. Not shortly thereafter though, I went into panic. I already had a long list of items to accomplish before the party, and had not planned on baking a cake being one of them. When I got myself back together, I decided cupcakes were the perfect fix. I dyed them pumpkin orange and topped with green frosting to go with the theme of the party. They turned out great, and I’m looking forward to finding out other ways I can “theme” these go-to cupcakes.

 

 

 

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes
(makes 36)

This was Martha Stewart’s recipe, and we really liked it. It wasn’t too sweet and had a great texture.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
  
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
  
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 2 ¼ cups sugar
  
• 5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
  
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
   
2. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
   
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low.
   
4. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.
   
5. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
   
6. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
   

 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
(makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes)

Another Martha Stewart recipe

Note: This is a little time intensive, I think it took almost an hour start to finish, but the result it worth it. Also, I added additional sugar, as I thought the result was a little too buttery for my tastes. This addition is reflected in the recipe below. Also, I think this recipe makes enough for way more than 28 cupcakes. I frosted all 48 of the cupcakes for this project, and still have about 1/3 of the batch leftover.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
  
• 10 large egg whites
  
• 4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 2 cups powdered sugar
  
• Gel icing colors
  

Directions:

1. Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
   
2. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don’t worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
   
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add in powdered sugar to taste. Continue to beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets for about 5 minutes.
   
5. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
   
6. To color, mix in gel icing tints until you achieve the desired shade, keeping in mind color will darken slightly as it sets.