Lemon Cupcakes Round 2

So here is my attempt at a more moist, more decadent, lemon cupcake. I have to say I succeeded, but this is definitely for those with a serious sweet tooth!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 package instant lemon pudding

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup hot water

3 eggs

8 oz sour cream

zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all of the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pudding mix) in a large bowl until well blended. Add all of the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Add the lemon zest and incorporate evenly. Fill lined cupcake tins until 2/3 full, the add desired fruit (I added blueberries and raspberries!) Bake 20-24 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and frost!

I have to admit I cheated on this one. I used store bought frosting!! So embarassed... but I shouldn't cause it was totally delicious and when my friend Halley came over to help me decorate, it was much easier! We used two containers of Betty Crocker(TM) Lemon Buttercream, as well as a Vanilla from the same brand. We frosted the whole cupcake with the lemon frosting, put a blue or purple dollop of frosting (colored with Wilson coloring paste) in the center, and topped with a raspberry or blueberry! So cute!

I know this page is for recipes but...

I couldn't resist putting this picture up... I absolutely did not decorate these myself, but my friend Caitlin did! See the friends and family page for more:)

Best Carrot Cupcakes Ever

I really have to stop saying this, but seriously, they're that good.

Ingredients

Group 1:

1 1/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinammon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

Group 2:

2/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

Group 3:

1 1/2 cup finely grated peeled carrots

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tin (it making a cake, grease and line pan with parchment paper... this batter is very sticky!).

Whisk together all ingredients from group 1 until well blended. Add ingredients from group 2 and incorporate with a rubber spatula. Finally stir in ingredients from group 3. Bake for 22-26 minutes until tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, I made a tangy cream cheese frosting with a recipe from Hummingbird Bakery in Notting Hill, London (thanks to my lovely twin sister for the new cookbook!). Here it is:

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tbs butter, room temp

4 oz cold cream cheese

Beat sugar and butter together until the mixture comes together and is well blended. Add the cream cheese all at once and beat until it is completely incorporated. Then increase the speed of the beater to high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, but be careful not to over beat the mixture.. you don't want it to become runny! Frost and ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

First off, I have to apologize for my lack of posting recently! I've just been admitted to graduate school and life has been a little hectic. But there have still been big things happening in the kitchen... It's official. Best cupcakes yet. Is it unfair that I say that every time I make something?

For these DELICIOUS treats I used the chocolate cupcakes recipe that you see in the previous post. To add a little twist, I filled the cupcake molds 1/3 full with batter added a chocolate peanut butter cup candy, and then filled the mold so it was about 2/3 full total. I baked for 20-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the side of cupcake came out clean. I let the cupcakes cool then topped them with my fabulous peanut butter frosting! Here is the recipe:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Simply combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Be careful using a handheld electric mixer, as this frosting is pretty thick! Maybe blend with the mixer then by hand until smooth.

Frost using your favorite method and decorate! YUMMMMM!!! My boyfriend said these made his top two favorite desserts of all time, and the batch I brought to work was polished off very quickly. There is no doubt I'll be making these again and again!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Until now, I have been using a doctored cake mix recipe to make my chocolate cupcakes, and they've always been a huge hit, but it never felt like I had truely made them myself. Here is my own, original recipe for chocolate cupcakes!

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cups powdered cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 packet instant chocolate pudding

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cups oil

3/4 cups hot water

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Buttercream frosting (frosts 12)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Add the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pudding mix to a large bowl and blend throughly (I used a fork to do this step). Then add vanilla and eggs, followed by the oil and hot water (water must be HOT in order to activate the pudding mix, which is a big factor in this cakes moistness). Finally, mix in the sour cream and blend thoroughly. Line cupcake tins with liners and fill about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frosting:

Put room temperature butter in a bowl and add 2 cups of sugar and the milk and vanilla. Using an electric mixer blend on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the remaining sugar 1 cup at a time. After each addition blend for two minutes. Add food coloring if desired. Frost your yummy cupcakes and eat them!!!

These cupcakes are UNREAL. SooOooOoo moist and delicious and chocolatey... I have to admit I am extremely proud of myself. The frosting was, literally, the icing on the cake. So light and fluffy, and just YUM! You need to make sure you add the full 4 cups of sugar and are making the frosting in a cool room, otherwise your pretty designs will essentially melt (I may have had some issues with this...). Otherwise a PERFECT 10!!!!

Lemon Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

Filling- Lemon curd

3 large eggs

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons)

3/4 cup white sugar

4 tbs unsalted butter, room temp, cut into small slices

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs white sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With mixer, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing thoroughly in between each one. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla extract. In a seperate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk until blended. Line cupcake pan with paper liners, and fill 2/3 full. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.

For the lemon curd, creat a double boiler by placing a bowl over a pan of simmering water. In the bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon juice until blended. Stir constantly over heat for about 10 minutes until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat and cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter is completely melted. Over the curd with a piece of saran wrap (to avoid a skin forming) and put in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes or more.

Once the lemon curd is cooled the cupcakes are ready to be filled. I used a paring knife to cut out an inch long cone out of the top of the cupcake. I filled the hole with the lemon curd, cut the "pointy" end of the cone off, and replaced the top of the cupcake!

For the frosting, combine the whipping cream, vanilla extract and sugar into a bowl and mix. Then place the bowl and the whisk (or bandles of the electric beater) in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When sufficently cooled, remove bowl and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form. Add food coloring if you'd like and decorate your cupcakes!

If you don't eat your cupcakes immediately (like I did...) store them in the fridge so the whipped cream frosting doesnt melt and the lemon curd stays fresh! Believe it or not I thought these were even better the day AFTER I baked them! Some thing about them being in the fridge overnight and cooled all the way through was just great! I love the whipped cream frosting on this... cupcakes with such a refreshing flavor as lemon should have a light frosting to go with them, and this was PERFECT! I will definitely make these again, and am already getting requests! Sorry about not adding the pictures to each of the steps, but these cupcakes were an intense labor of love! Happy baking!

Cinnamon Buns!!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• For glaze:
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs milk
• 
  

Instructions

Heat the milk in a saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup margarine, let melt and cool until lukewarm.

In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt and mix. Add the water, egg and milk mixture and mix well. Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time mixing between each addition.

When dough begins to pull together, place on lightly floured surfact and kneed for about five minutes or until smooth.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise for about 10 minutes. During this time, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup margarine, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Spread the dough out to make approximately a 9 x 12 inch sheet and spread the margarine/sugar mixture on top evenly. Then roll the dough up and make sure the end is sealed. Cut into 12 rolls and place evenly on a greased 13x9 inch cake pan, cover, and let rise for about 30 minutes. The rolls should approximately double in size.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for between 30 and 35 minutes until lightly browned. Mix up the glaze to desired thickness and spread over the buns. Then eat!!! These buns are ESPECIALLY delicious just out of the over!

Almond Cupcakes with Sour Cream and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Almond sour cream cupcakes

Ingredients

makes approx 6

1 Cup cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract*

1/3 cup sour cream

Almond paste

*you can use vanilla extract instead for a plain vanilla cupcake

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. In larger bowl, beat butter and sugar until light.

Add egg and almond extract and beat until creamy.

Gradually beat in half the flour, then half the sour cream, then repeat until all ingredients are added. Mix well.

Line cupcake tin with liners and fill until about 2/3 full. Roll a small amount of almond paste into a ball and push gently into the batter in one of the cups. Repeat for all of the cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes are golden brown and springy to the touch. Remove and let cool. Yum!

Chocolate Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz package non-fat cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Blend the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add 3 cups of sugar one at a time until completely blended. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add cocoa power, mix throughly. Frost liberally :)

Thoughts: SoooooOooo much more moist than the vanilla cupcakes I made on Friday! I think the sour cream really makes a different. I also used a regular aluminum pan and the cupcakes didn't burn at all. I've read that non-stick pans conduct heat more readily than regular pans, which is probably why they burn things so badly! The almond paste in the middle is a nice touch, but a little chewy. Maybe its the brand of paste I used, but I might go without it next time. I'm undecided on the frosting. When I licked the spoon I was super disappointed... the combination of the cream cheese, cocoa and almond extract was too much for me. However, on the cupcake it was actually really delicious! Still, next time I would eliminate either the cocoa or almond to make the frosting a little more traditional. So, final verdict: very good! What I would do next time: eliminate the almond paste in the middle, and make the frosting more simple by eliminating a flavor. Happy baking!

Duff Goldman's Vanilla Cupcakes With Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

In all of my baking I have yet to find a decent vanilla cake-from-scratch recipe. Duff is the guy from Ace of Cakes so I figured this recipe would be a good one. I stumbled across it while reading another baker's blog, I Heart Cuppycakes. I ended up halving the recipe but here are the ingredients that make the full cake.

Makes two 9-inch pan cakes or approx. 36 cupcakes

3-1/2 cups AP flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, unsalted
2 cups sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
3 tbsp canola oil
2/3 cup buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 350 ° F

Begin by creaming the butter in with the sugar until light, mixing with a hand held beater or stand mixer.

Once the butter is creamy, add the vanilla. Then add in the eggs one at a time while beating. The batter will begin to look as if it is curdled, but this is OK! Next add your butter milk and oil and mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, sift together the baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour to mix. Add the flour slowly to the wet ingredients, blending thoroughly as you go.

Line the cupcake tins with liners and fill about 2/3 full with batter. Bake about 17-20 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Soooo bad, yet SO GOOD!

Ingredients

4 sticks of Butter (2 cups)

6 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

Cream the butter (this may take a few minutes!). Then add the confectioner's sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mix generously in between additions.

After all the sugar is added , add the vanilla and salt and mix. You're done!

I halved this recipe as well, almost didnt have enough for all of my cupcakes! Next time I will have to plan to make a little bit more!

Thoughts: The frosting was unreal!!! I wish I had planned to make more, but oh well! I thought the cake was going to be amazing, and it definitely wasn't bad, but I was a little let down. It wasn't as moist as I had hope, and I baked it for less than the allotted time (only 16 minutes!). Maybe it was my non-stick pan (I think they tend to burn things easily) or the scaling down of the recipes... Regardless, my roommate said they were delicious!

Bake My Day-Welcome!

Welcome to my very first blog! For the past few months, baking has been a weekend passion of mine... to me nothing is more comforting then mixing a bowl of cake batter or pulling a sheet of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. This blog will serve as a documentation of all my baking adventures, and hopefully provide anyone reading (Hi, Mom) with the most delicious recipes out there! First recipe to come this weekend... enjoy!!!!