No Turnips - cupcakes, cooking, food, thoughts

Troop 1499 and Thin Mint Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:36:00 +0000

I was a member of Girl Scout Troop 1499 for many years. The troop number may have changed as I moved through the ranks, but it was the same group of girls. I loved everything about Girl Scouts. Crafts, lots of crafts, camping, some cooking, a few community projects mixed in and annual cookie sales. I did pretty well hawking cookies thanks to my parents and relatives. I even did a little door to door sales in my neighborhood, back when it was okay to do that kind of thing. I'm thankful I never had to stand outside the Giant and push cookies like they do today. The Girl Scouts outside of my Giant must be working on their "Relentless Badge." They hit me up going in and coming back out. And then again at the WaWa. Geeze.

I decided to put all those badges to work and make my own Girl Scout cookies. First on the list - Thin Mints, everyone's favorite, so much that I have friends who will hide a box or two from spouses. I chose to use chocolate that was 70% cocoa which made the cookies a little darker and much more flavorful than the traditional thin mints. Mine were also a bit thicker, next time I will go just a bit thinner -- keeping with the thin mint moniker.

Thin Mints
2 1/4 c AP flour
1/4 c cornstarch
6 T Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter, room temp
1/3 c milk
1/2 t vanilla
1 t peppermint extract

Combine flour, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in bowl, whisk to combine. Set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer, cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add milk, vanilla and peppermint. Add flour mixture in 3 installments. Mix until fully incorporated. Shape dough into two logs about 1 1/2" in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours.

Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment or Silplat. Slice dough into rounds no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cookies will not spread, you can put them fairly close together. Bake 13-15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10 oz dark chocolate, broken into chunks
1/2 c butter, room temp
1/4 t peppermint extract

Combine chocolate, butter and extract in microwave safe bowl. Place in microwave and heat on high, stirring every 45-60 seconds until smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating. Using a fork, dip cookie in melted chocolate coating both sides. Tap fork on edge of bowl to remove excess. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet to set-up. If chocolate becomes thick re-heat in microwave.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Cookies gone bad

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:32:00 +0000

I love the internet, sometimes, most times. It brings the whole world to my fingertips. Zillions of recipes from cooks and bakers around the world and in my back yard. Cooks with varying skills levels and tastes. And cooks who might even have typos (eek) in their recipes. I was invited to a gathering on Sunday. As my M.O. I like to bake a tasty treat to bring along. Cautioned early on the hostess' kid is allergic to eggs I was left with a bit of a baking challenge. I was thinking cookies, so I do what I do when I'm contemplating what to bake/cook. I googled "cookies without eggs" and got many, many pages of options. I like to look for familiar blogs and websites when I randomly search for recipes, after three or four pages I didn't see anyone I know. I then started to check out recipes, weeding out the ones that looked wonky or ingredients I didn't have or won't use, like lard. No lard on hand, not baking with lard. Feel free to voice your opinion, but I doubt I'll sway. And by wonky, sometimes people post recipes that only make sense to a select few or method is so disjointed that you know things will go bad quick. At face value my chosen recipe looked spot on. I went to work. I even opted to double the recipe, lots of yummy cookies! I swapped lemon for almond in the flavoring. I added some purple sprinkles (pixie dust to ensure a Raven's win) and then.... "Preheat oven to 450." My gut said "NOOOO!" My head said "NOOOO!" My fingers dialed up 450 and we baked. In case you are wondering, a temp that high yields a very cake like cookie, that stays soft and limp. The texture not very cookie like. But I baked on, in my happy place, hoping the next cookie sheet or the sheet after would be better. Not so much. Guess I could have dialed the oven down, didn't. I kept baking.

Rule of thumb, don't trust everything you find on the internet, especially that email requesting $2,000 wired to Jamaica and you will get $100,000 in return. Some things just aren't right and this cookie recipe was one of them.

Yummm.... Eggnog cake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 01:51:00 +0000

I don't usually make resolutions, New Years' related or otherwise. I more commitment phobic preferring to make more subtle promises and set "life improvement" goals. One such goal is go back to my blog. I have not stopped baking and cooking, I only stopped writing about it. Not sure why. Something to do with cupcake frosting, I got tired of making frosting and the whole thing came to a halt. Crazy, right? So I'm back and I promise to hang out for a while, maybe even embrace frosting again, who knows. Its a whole new year!

First recipe of the year, Eggnog Cake. Fitting right? We had the better part of a container of Nog left over and I kept tripping over it in the refrigerator. (Rob had one glass of said eggnog and deemed it much thicker than he remembered and moved on. Isn't thickness part of the eggnog charm? Maybe thinned with a wee bit of rum?) For me, often its a single ingredient that spurs an entire recipe. I like to make the most out of my groceries, hating to let ingredients go to waste. It makes me crazy to have my refrigerator bogged down with items not in "active duty." So, Eggnog Cake. Tasty and pro ported to be good with coffee too. Thank you Nancy for the recipe. http://tinyurl.com/2w7aw84.

For the record I baked two loaves, one with rum flavoring and the second with a bit of actual rum, Kracken.

Not enough time.

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:18:00 +0000

Behind again, sorry. I'm baking, just have blogging block. Will catch up this week

Cupcake 88 - Madmen returns, a tribute cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:44:00 +0000

I've been thinking about a cupcake for Madmen for several seasons. I toyed with some boozy goodness, but it seemed too easy. And a scotch flavored cupcake did not really appeal to me. I debated the classics -hot milk cake and red velvet, still not "Madmen" enough. I tried to channel my inner Betty and all thoughts of cupcakes came out slightly angry and confused. Maybe a Joan cupcake, it would need to have a rather pointed top. Trying to be fair to all Madmen , I opted for Coffee and cigarettes, the mainstay of most Ad agencies in the 60's.

Cupcake 82 - Strawberry black pepper

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:43:00 +0000

Black Pepper, Chocolate and Strawberry Cupcakes

1 c butter, room temperature

1 c sugar

1/2 c salt

1 t baking powder

2 c self rising flour

1 t freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs 1 t strawberry extract

1 t vanilla 1/2 c chocolate chips

Combine flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, set aside. In bowl of standing mixer beat butter until light and fluffy, add sugar, extracts and eggs. Mix well. Add flour mixture in two increaments, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill wells of cupcake pan 3/4 full. Bake 350, 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Frosting
1 c cream cheese, room temperature

3 T butter, room temperature

1 t vanilla pinch of salt

1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar

1/4 c strawberry preserves

In bowl of standing mixer, combine cream cheese and butter, whip until light. Add salt and vanilla, mix to incorporate. Add confectioners' sugar in three increments, scraping down sides of bowl. Add preserves, mix on high 3 - 4 minutes.

Cupcake 84 - Red hot and blue (with pop rocks!)

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Forth of July cupcakes with Pop Rocks! Red Hots and pop rocks and chocolate.

Cupcake 86 - Raspberry

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Raspberries are summer. I stopped by the Farmer's Market on Saturday and just couldn't resist. I had another cupcake in mind, but abandoned the idea to use the fresh raspberries. A little lemon and nutmeg worked well with the berries.

adapted from Washington post 11/5/08

Cupcake

1 1/2 cup plus 1 T AP flour
1 c plus 2 t cake flour
1 1/3 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
dash of nutmeg
1 t lemon zest
1 c fresh raspberries
3/4 t salt
1/2 c canola oil
2 c sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c heavy cream
1 1/3 t vanilla
1 c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Line wells of cupcake pan with paper liners.

Combine flours, baking powder, nutmeg, zest, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, combine sugar and oil, mix until smooth and well incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, beat for one minute. Add dry ingredients in 2 increments. Mixing well after each addition. With motor on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk, mix until well incorporated. Stir in raspberries. Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full. Bake 18 - 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Frosting
2/3 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 t salt
1/2 c raspberry jam
1 t vanilla
4 c confectioners' sugar
1 t milk

In bowl of standing mixer, whip butter on high until light and fluffy. Add salt, vanilla and jam, mix well. Add sugar in three installments, mixing well. Add milk until desired consistency is reach, beat on high 3-4 minutes.

Cupcake 85 -- Germany visits the UK or very dark german chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:38:00 +0000

German Chocolate Cupcakes
These were a husband request for his birthday. Good mix of flavor, not traditional German Chocolate which is made with a lighter chocolate. Instead I made these darker with bittersweet chocolate, 92%, and Guinness beer. I topped them with a dark chocolate ganache and pecan coconut topping.

Cupcake 87 - tasty Krimp-cake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:37:00 +0000

Tastycakes, krimpets in particular are a regional favorite, found mostly in the Maryland/Pennsylvania area. Growing up they were a lunch room staple with a very "high trading" value in cafeterias all over Maryland. Krimpets traded at a premium, above devil dogs, ho-hos and Little Debbies. As an adult, they are a guilty pleasure with a glass of cold milk. A thin strip of butterscotch frosting over a light sponge cake

For the Cupcakes
6 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
3 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 c milk
3 T butter, room temperature
3 c AP flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line wells of cupcake pan with paper liners.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In bowl of standing mixer beat eggs and sugars until thick and pale, 3-5 minutes. Heat milk and butter in small pan, until butter is just melted. Do not boil. Set aside. Gradually add flour mixture into egg mixture, mix at low speed until just combined. With mixer still running, add milk at low speed. Mix until combined. Fill cupcake wells 3/4, bake 14-18 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Frosting
2/3 c butterscotch chips
1 c butter, room temperature
3 c confectioners' sugar
4 T milk
1/2 t salt

Melt butterscotch chips and butter together in medium sized, microwave safe bowl. Whisk to combine, allow to cool to room temperature. Beat butterscotch mixture and confectioners sugar and salt, adding milk until desired consistency is reached.

Cupcake 81- Green Tea & Black Pearl Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Tea was on my mind this week, thanks to lots of rain and a head cold. I kept the theme going for this week's Green Tea cupcake. I borrowed Rachel's (of Coconut and Lime) very tempting cake recipe which I easily turned into a beautiful green cupcake. I reduced the baking time to a quick 20 minutes for 10 cupcakes and topped them with a super easy icing of Greek yogurt and powdered sugar. Moist and delightful.

Cupcake 80 - Nutella and Nibs

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:16:00 +0000

I'm of the mind you have "go to" foods you grow up with and then there are are foods you meet along the way. Some foods you take for granted, like butter and bacon, while arugula and curry are new-ish. Some people are more food friendly seeking new food relationships regularly. They are very open, not particularly fearful to make new acquaintances. Then there are the "other" people who won't venture out of their comfort zone, clinging to tradition and hanging onto narrow list of acceptable foods. You know these people, the ones who order spaghetti in a Chinese restaurant and who go to wonderful Spanish restaurant and order spaghetti. They have a long list of foods they don't like and won't ever try. Nutella is new relationship for me. I tried it a while ago, right out of the jar, thinking peanut butter and was not impressed. A little to rich for a PBJ sandwich and far too rich for a quick spoonful right out of the jar (guilty pleasure.) I revisited Nutella in baking and it works well tempered with cake batter and cookie dough. Crunchy coca nibs combine nicely with the creamy hazelnut flavor. If you haven't met, introduce yourself to Nutella, it may have a place in your pantry.

Nutella Cupcakes
20 T butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c white sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
2 t vanilla
3 1/2 c AP flour all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
4 t baking powder
1/2 c Cocoa Nibs
2/3 c Nutella

Glaze

1/2 c powdered sugar
3 t whole milk

Preheat oven to 325. Line wells of 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder in bowl, set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, cream butter and sugar, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add flour in thee increments, mix until incorporated. Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full. Top each cupcake with 1 1/2 t of Nutella. Swirl Nutella with skewer, top with 1 t of Coca Nibs. Bake for 20 - 23 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

For the glaze - combine powdered sugar and milk drizzle scant 1 teaspoon on each cooled cupcake.

Cupcake 79 - Rachel Alexandra

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:31:00 +0000

I'm always intrigued by the Preakness. I think I like the tradition of it. Not so much the actual horse racing. Baltimore celebrates in a big way when Preakness rolls around -- lots of festivities and a parade. Who doesn't love a parade? I try not to get caught up in event cupcake baking; but Preakness draws me in. I don't know of a specific food connected to the race. Crabcakes of course, because it's Maryland, but nothing else. Preakness does have fair amount of alcohol, along with lots of beer, there is the "Black Eyed Susan." I've never had one, but after a few searches it seems to be citrus based with alcohol, recipe to recipe it differs, not sure what the decider might be. There is also the lesser known "Horsey Hilltop," a rye based drink with a touch of brown sugar and a dash of bitters. My nod to Preakness is a burnt butter, brown sugar cupcake with a bitters buttercream. Cheers Rachel Alexandra!
You go girl!

Cupcake 75 - Caraway Seed with lemon glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:37:00 +0000

Sorry no pix

3 C AP flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 t nutmeg
1 C butter, room temperature
1 t vanilla
2 T caraway seeds
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 eggs + 2 yolks, room temperature
1 c milk
zest from 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 350. Line wells of two cupcake pans/24 wells with cup cake liners.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, lemon zest and caraway seeds, mix well. Alternate sugar and eggs in three increments, beating well and scraping down sides of mixing bowl. Alternate flour and milk, beating well with each addition.

Fill wells 3/4 full, bake for 17-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon Glaze
1 1/4 c powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t lemon zest
1 T boiling water

In medium bowl combine sugar, zest and salt. Add lemon juice and water, mix well. Drizzle on cupcakes.

Cupcake 78 - Mint Angel Food with chocolate cream and a bellybutton

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:01:00 +0000

I've been in the mood for a lighter cupcake lately. I love Angel Food cake and don't make it often enough, it goes with my love of all things plain. I do however, spend far too much time tying to find a use for all the egg yolks when I make angel food cake. I hate to waste. Oddly, the cupcakes shrank a bit, after I took them out of the oven, they were much lighter than regular cupcakes and a bit smaller, very cute. For these cupcakes I added mint chocolate chips to the vanilla batter, a creamy chocolate filling and a drizzle of glaze on top. I covered the filling hole with a Junior Mint

Cupcakes
12 eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 c confectioners sugar
1 c AP flour
1 1/2 t cream of tartar
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t mint extract
1 c sugar
1/2 c mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Line wells of 3 cupcake pans/36 wells with paper liners.
Separate eggs, set yolk aside for another use.

Combine confectioners sugar, flour. In bowl of standing mixer beat egg whites and extracts until thick, add cream of sugar, tarter and salt and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture.
Fill cupcake pans 3/4 full. Gently drop in 2 t mint chocolate chips and stir with knife. Bake 10-14 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Glaze:
3 T butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar
pinch of salt
3 T water
Combine butter, salt and confectioners sugar in small bowl. Add water until you reach desired consistency.

For the chocolate cream:

12 T confectioners sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 Tbsp milk
2 c heavy cream
pinch cream of tartar

Whisk together sugar, cocoa and milk, set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, whip cream and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Whisk in chocolate mixture, refrigerate until ready to use. (And don't eat it all!)

To assemble:

Pipe filling into cupcakes using the cone method. Be careful not to "blow out the bottom." Angel food is much more porous than other cake. Drizzle glaze, top with Junior Mint.

Cupcake 77- Meyer Lemon with Lavender Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Meyer lemons have a very powerful aroma, a little citrusy, but much more perfumey than a "grocery store" lemon. I expected the taste to much more vibrant, not so much. And again the lavender I used for the filling was overwhelming when I was steeping the dried flowers. My kitchen smelled like a cupcake whorehouse, if there is such a thing (adult Candyland, maybe?) between the lavender and Meyer lemons. I was thankful the tastes were were much more umm..meek.

Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
3 C cake flour
1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C sugar
1 T Meyer lemon zest
4 eggs, room temp
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c buttermilk
3 T Meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cupcake pans/24 wells with liners. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer combine butter and sugar mixing until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and beat for one more minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix well.

Mix lemon juice into butter milk. Alternate flour and buttermilk in three increments, mixing well and scraping sides of bowl between each addition.

Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full, bake 17-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lavender Cream
3 T dried food grade lavender blossoms
3 T sugar
1/2 c water
pinch of salt
1 1/2 c heavy cream

Bring water, sugar and lavender to boil, sirring well to dissolve sugar. Turn off burner, allow to steep 20 minutes. Strain and allow lavender water to cool.

In bowl of stand mixer beat cream until thick add 3T lavender water and a pinch of salt, beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Meyer Lemon Buttercream

2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4 c powdered sugar sifted
1/2 t vanilla
1 t lemon extract (optional)
2 T Meyer lemon zest
3 - 4 T Meyer lemon juice

In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter until light, add zest, pinch of salt and vanilla, beat well. Add powdered sugar in four increments, beating well and scraping sides of bowl. Add juice to reach desired consistency. Beat buttercream on high 3 minutes.

To assemble.

Use cone method to pipe filling into cupcakes, frost with buttercream, top with lavender.

Cupcake 76 - Black Pearl Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:38:00 +0000

I had this recipe in my "interesting to make" file for over a year. I stumbled across it when I was doing a little reorganizing. So many recipes not enough time. The black sesame seeds, ginger, wasabi and chocolate got my attention, I was curious how they played together for flavor. Is this a good desert after meal of sushi? Maybe so. I liked the Asian influence. Next time I might increase the wasabi, just a little.

Your mind wanders when your baking, at least mine always does. As I was working through the laundry list of ingredients getting everything lined up -- chopped, scrapped and measured, this recipe struck me as a bit "over the top. " Chocolate cupcakes, bathed in ginger syrup, coated with ganache and topped with frosting. Decadent, I think so. I found this recipe over a year ago, before were consumed with the economy, before job cuts were an everyday occurrence, before the magazine racks were filled with promises of "meals on a budget" and before websites were littered with recipes tagged "from the depression era." The recipes I'm seeing now have fewer exotic ingredients, the focus is on pantry staples, quantity still reins, but without as many bells and whistles. I wonder how baking will be effected long term? Will we have recipes from the Recession of 2009?

Heavily adapted from epicurious.

Black pearl ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 c whipping cream
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t wasabi powder
2 T black sesame seeds
1 T corn syrup
1/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

In small pot, bring cream, wasabi and ginger to boil. Pour cream mixture over chopped chocolate and allow to stand 15 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add sesame seeds and corn syrup, mix well. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature, stir in butter. Allow to cool overnight.

Ginger syrup
1 c water
1/2 c sugar
5 T matchstick-size strips peeled fresh ginger
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

In small sauce pan, combine water, sugar vanilla bean seeds and ginger.Place 1 cup water, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 minutes remove from heat. Allow to stand at room temperature for one hour. Strain liquid into small jar. Chop ginger. Cover and refrigerate.

Cupcakes
2 c boiling water
1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 c AP flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 1/4 c sugar
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
4 eggs, room temperature
1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans/24 wells with wrappers. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In medium heatproof bowl add coca and ginger, whisk in two cups of boiling water. Set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Mix in vanilla. Alternate flour mixture and coca mixture beating well between each addition. Fill cupcake well 3/4 full. Bake for 17-21 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Ginger Butter Cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 t vanilla
1 t ground ginger
1 T whole milk

In bowl of standing mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt and ginger, beat well. Add sugar in three increments, beating well between each addition. Add milk until desired consistency. Whip on high 3 minutes.

To assemble

Poke holes in cooled cupcakes using a wooden skewer. Bush tops of cupcakes with ginger syrup. Pour ~ 2 t ganach on top of each cupcake, sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Pipe rosette of buttercream on top.

Cupcake 74- Apricot Cupcakes with Chocolate Bark

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:04:00 +0000

Apricot Cupcakes

2 (15.25 oz.) cans California apricot halves, drained

3 C + 4 T cake flour

4 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

6 T butter, room temperature

1 3/4 c sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 t vanilla

1 c milk, room temperature

Drain liquid from apricots. Take half of the apricots and puree in blender until smooth, this should make about 2/3 c puree. Chop the remaining apricots and set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and and salt. Set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add apricot puree and mix

Chocolate Bark

8 oz. dark chocolate
3 tbsp of dried cranberries
8 dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp sliced almonds

Line large rimmed baking sheet with silpat mat or parchment paper. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Pour melted chocolate in center of lined baking sheet. Using rubber spatula spread chocolate into large rectangle, about ¼” thick. Sprinkle chopped fruit and nuts on top of bark. Place tray in fridge for about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Pull bark off mat and break into pieces.

Cupcake 73 - Cherry Blossom Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Heavily adapted from Food and Wine's Sensational Cakes

2 c plus 4 T AP flour
4 T cornstarch
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 t vanilla bean crush
1 t almond extract
1/2 c canola oil
1 c milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 liners.

In medium bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In large bowl of standing mixer, beat sugar, eggs and extracts until thick and smooth. Add butter and oil and beat until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and milk in three alternating batches, beating well between each addition. Stir in cherries by hand. Fill cupcake wells 2/3 full. Bake 17-20 minutes.

Frosting
1 c butter, room temperature
3 C powdered sugar
pinch of salt
¼ c cherries, finely chopped
1 t vanilla
¼ t almond extract
Place butter in bowl of standing mixer, whip until light and fluffy. Add extracts and salt mix well. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well with each addition. Add cherries and beat on high until well incorporated

Cupcake 72 - Lemon Thyme Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Lemon Thyme Cupcake

Not sure why lemons shot spring, but they do. I did a quick check on the web and lemons are in season "August through July," pretty much year round. After a dreary, rainy winter in Maryland, I've been looking for any signs of spring. The four crocus' that the squirrels left behind, gave me hope spring was on the way. But I needed a little more. Lemon cupcakes were the answer. How much lemon flavor could I muster?

Coming off of last week's candied orange peel, I was anxious try candied lemon peel.

Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2001

Lemon Thyme Cupcakes

2 ½ c cake flour
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
½ c plus 12 T butter, room temperature
1 ½ c sugar
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ t grated lemon peel
1 t vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 c whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 liners.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and zest . Mix in flour in three additions alternating with milk. Fill cupcake wells ¾ full, bake 18-22 minutes.

Frosting

Candied Lemon Peel

3 lemons, washed well
1 T salt
2 C sugar, plus extra for rolling
½ t fresh thyme

Zest the peel in long strips, make sure to scrape off all the white pith. Place zest in non-reactive bowl with salt and 4 C water. Let stand overnight.

Drain and rinse the peel, place in small sauce pan. Cover with cold water, heat to boiling and drain. Repeat three times. This will remove any bitter taste. Add ½ c water, peel and sugar, heat until sugar dissolves, cook until peel is translucent. Drain any remaining liquid.
Combine 3 T sugar and thyme, roll peel in sugar mixture, place on rack and allow to dry. Sprinkle candied peel on cupcakes after frosted.

Cupcake 71 - Tomato Soup Cupcake

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:59:00 +0000

(sorry no photo, we forgot.)

I've been seeing a bunch of recipes falling into the category "cost saving" lately. Along the same theme, a lot of really old recipes from the 50's and 60's are being revisited. The Tomato Soup cake is one of those classics, along with the mayonnaise, 7-Up and sauerkraut cake. All were regulars in community and church published cookbooks. Very simple cake using tomato soup for a sweetener. Not one of my 10 cupcakes, but a good spice cake in a pinch. I had the strange urge for a grilled cheese sandwich while I was baking these cupcakes. I used cream cheese frosting as a nod to the grilled cheese.

Tomato Soup Cupcakes

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 t baking soda
1/3 c butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 t cinnamon
2/3 t ground cloves
½ c self rising flour
1 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 325. Line the wells of one cupcake pan with 12 liners.

Combine tomato soup and baking soda in large bowl. This will foam and rise, set aside. Combine flour and baking powder, set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and spices in bowl. Add egg and mix well. Add tomato soup mixture. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Fill cupcake wells ¾ full, bake 15-18 minutes. Allow cupcakes to sit overnight so that flavors can meld. Frost with favorite cream cheese frosting. Lots of people like walnuts in or on these cupcakes, your choice.

Cupcake 70 - Rootbeer Clove Cupcakes with Orange cream frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:33:00 +0000

Lovely flavor combination, who would have thought? I've been dying to try these for a while. Thanks to Tempered Woman for the great receipe.

Cupcake 69 - Lemon Cupcakes with French Buttercream

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Wonderful cupcakes, one of my favorite so far. The French Buttercream didn't work so well for me, the syrup seized up (I think that's the term candy makers use) I forged ahead, hoping for a viable result. It was wonderfully silky and white, but crunchy. I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be.

Cupcakes
3 c AP flour
3 t baking powder
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 c butter, room temperature
3 c sugar
1/2 t vanilla
5 eggs, room temperature
zest of 2 lemons
1 1/2 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 325. Line wells of three cupcake pans/36 cupcakes with liners.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In bowl of standing mixer whip butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix well. Add zest and vanilla, continue beating. Add eggs one at a time. Alternately add sour cream and flour, mixing well between each addition. Bake 20-24 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon Syrup
1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar
3 T lemon juice
Zest of one lemon

In small sauce pan, combine ingredients, heat to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 20 minutes until reduced by 1/2. Allow to cool.

Lemon French Buttercream
1 c sugar
1/4 c water
3 egg whites
10 ounces butter, room temperature
3/4 t vanilla
zest of one lemon

Combine sugar and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Continue to boil and stir until temperature reaches 240. While syrup is boiling whip egg whites until they are thick and light in color. When syrup reaches 240, slowly pour (in thin stream) into whites whipping constantly. Beat in butter a little at time. Add vanilla and zest, whip on high. I frosting is soft, refrigerate until firm.

Candied Lemon Zest

To assemble
Poke holes in tops of cupcakes with wooden skewer. Brush cupcake tops with lemon syrup. Frost with buttercream, top with zest.

Cupcake 68 - Orange Clove

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Wonderful cupcake! I would have never paired oranges and cloves on my own, but it worked. Thanks Garrett! The candied orange peel was the perfect bit of crunch and burst of flavor. I got really good feedback. After last week's cupcake train wreck I'm happy to be baking.

A gentle warning, if you want to whip up a batch of these, you will need to plan a bit ahead to go through the steps to get the orange peel candied. Not labor intensive by any means, just takes a little time.

Cupcake 67 - Ewww

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Part of my day job is to procure tchotckes. This week it was lollipops. Blue lollipops for a client. In the world of advertising, clients have colors that identify their brand, and in an effort to stay true to their brand they often choose to match food items and logos. This client's logo is blue. Blue lollipops do not taste like anything. They taste umm... sweet.

Same deal with this week's cupcake. It tastes sweet. Not a trace taste from the key ingredients - white chocolate, wassail or cranberry. Only sweet. I was going for a rich, super spicy, fruity thing. Maybe pink cupcakes, after all the big Valentine's Day was nipping at my heels. Nope. The were gray, moist, dense, no particular taste. Nothing that screamed undying love, Hallmark cards and overpriced flowers.

I'll own up, I was using some of the odd things people have given me - a bottle of Wassail-ed wine (I hate hot drinks, hot wine has no appeal) a jar of homemade "cranberry smear" (I think the idea is to spread it on sandwiches and muffins. I'm not a condiment person.) And a huge hunk of white chocolate (for me this is not chocolate and generally wrong and useless.) I don't mean to be ungrateful, really. I try to put these gifts to use, but I struggle and more often than not should just walk away.

No need to post the recipe, you should never make these. Save your butter, sugar, sour cream for something tastier. You will be much happier. Lick a blue lollipop if you are curious about the taste. It's about the same.