Recipes!

I'm back from my blogging hiatus (unintentional, but more on that later...)

This weekend I had the honor of baking cupcakes and cake balls for my friend, Jena's baby shower. She's due August 15th, but is on bed rest (and has been since May!), so we celebrated at her house. It was so fun to get lots of ladies together and listen to all the moms give advice about raising children. Someday, I'll have a lot to learn! Jena is such a CUTE pregnant lady and her spirits seem so great, even though she's getting to know her couch really well. Can't wait to meet little Gianna in August!

Some people were asking for recipes for the cupcakes, so here you go!

*I saw a tip on another website that said if you want to keep your cupcakes nice and moist (no one likes dry cupcakes!), put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes right after they're baked. It's supposed to help retain moisture. It seemed to work, because mine didn't seem dry!

Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting were up first. I got the recipe from i.am.baker. She's an incredible baker, so I tend to try her recipes pretty often. I made the frosting without the cinnamon and it was great. Makes a good amount, so don't be shy with your cupcakes! The only thing I might change to make these a true "red velvet" is to put a bit less cocoa powder in... red velvet's not supposed to be too chocolatey (Paula Deen's recipe only uses 2 tsp!). Otherwise, great cupcakes!

My Favorite Red Velvet Cupcakes

recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

makes one dozen cupcakes, double recipe to make 2 9-inch layer cakes

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons red food coloring (I using a dash less)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Turn mixer to high and add  the egg.  Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste.  Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.  You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk.  Add half of the flour and mix until combined.  Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour.  Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar.  Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

double recipe to frost a 2 layer 9-inch cake

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)

scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.  Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

These cupcakes had some of the most perfect domed tops I've ever seen. I almost didn't want to frost them... but, who am I kidding, the frosting's usually my favorite part!

Next, I made some dark chocolate turtle cupcakes. I found this recipe at Bakerella. I only needed a dozen, so I did just one-third of the recipe. Thank goodness my husband is good at math! :-)

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa (I used Hershey's dark chocolate cocoa powder)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 c milk, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare cupcake pans with 36 baking cups.
• With a wire whisk, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• In a mixer, cream sugar and butter.
• Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides with each addition. Add vanilla. Mix until fluffy (a few minutes).
• Add flour mixture to the creamed butter in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour)
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until done.
• Cool and frost.

These turned out a little too flat (not the perfect dome tops that the red velvet cupcakes had), and I wanted them to look really pretty, so I decided to dip them in chocolate ganache, then drizzle them with homemade caramel and put some crushed pecans on top. Turtle cupcakes... that were SO good. You couldn't even tell they were flat because I put the pecans right where they dipped a little. Brilliant (if I may say so myself). :-)

Dark chocolate cake balls rounded off the baby shower. This recipe is also from Bakerella and is SO easy and impressive. My suggestions are in this great purple/pink color.

1 box dark chocolate cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)

1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.) (or any flavor you'd like)

1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)

wax paper 1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. I put mine in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment and it was soooo easy.

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) I just dumped the can in the mixer with the crumbled cake and continued to mix. SIMPLE!

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.) Make sure you do this step! I was in a hurry and didn't let them chill long enough, which led to some cake crumbs in the white chocolate.

5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.) I stuck the completed cake balls in the freezer overnight because I think they're better cold. Just an idea. ;-)

Hopefully you're inspired to make some of your own fun cupcakes! I'll try to remember to put up some pictures tonight so you can see just how great they were!