Tagged:  Cupcakes

The close proximity at which the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo fall in relation to each other means an agonizing array of decisions must be made. For instance, bourbon or tequila? Derby hats or sombreros? Dainty tea cake sandwiches or chips with salsa and guacamole? If all else falls, throw your hands up in the air, feign submission, and enjoy a little bit of everything. I think it’s the right decision.

A couple of years ago, I made a version of the ever-popular Kentucky Derby Pie, which is a riff on a traditional pecan pie. Instead of pecans, walnuts are used, along with a heavy dose of chocolate chips and bourbon. Throw in pie crust and whipped cream, and you have a pretty fantastic dessert that your Derby watch-party guests will be fighting over. This year, I wanted to put a portable spin on the pie and decided to turn it into cupcakes. Cupcakes with a heavy dose of bourbon, of course.

The base for these cupcakes is a butter-bourbon cake batter (sort of like rum cake, but with bourbon instead) that is loaded with chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, they’re topped off with a vanilla-bourbon buttercream frosting, drizzled with bourbon-butter glaze, then garnished with more chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. If you’d like to ratchet up the bourbon flavor even more, you could brush some bourbon on top of each cupcake when they come out of the oven. (On the flip side, if you’d like to make these without the alcohol, you can simply omit the bourbon in all steps without making any additional adjustments.)

The resulting cupcakes are moist, flavorful and pack a nice bourbon punch. Easier to take to a party and serve than pie, and sure to be loved by all of your Derby-watching friends! Are you planning a Kentucky Derby party for Saturday? If so, what are you serving?

One year ago: Mint Julep Jell-O Shots
Two years ago: Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa
Three years ago: Pecan Sandies and Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread
Four years ago: Three Cheese Beer Bread
Five years ago: Yellow Cake with Chocolate-Hazelnut Filling & Chocolate Frosting
Six years ago: Pepperoni Bread

Yield: 12 to 16 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 18 to 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Cupcakes made in the likeness of the famous Kentucky Derby Pie, packed full of walnuts, chocolate chips and… bourbon!

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons bourbon
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature

For the Vanilla-Bourbon Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon

For the Butter-Bourbon Glaze:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon bourbon

Directions:

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk in the salt, walnuts and chocolate chips; set aside.

3. In a measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and bourbon; set aside.

4. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating each until completely incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the bowl between additions.

5. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two additions, mixing each step until just barely combined. Stop mixing after the last flour addition when there is still a little flour left in the batter. Finish mixing by hand using a rubber spatula.

6. Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full and baked until light golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make the Frosting: Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla and bourbon, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

8. Make the Butter-Bourbon Glaze: Place the butter, sugar and bourbon in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until the sugar is dissolved. Stir and allow to sit for about 15 minutes so that the glaze thickens slightly.

9. Decorate the Cupcakes: Pipe an even amount of frosting on each of the cupcakes. Drizzle a spoonful of the butter-bourbon glaze over each of the cupcakes and sprinkle with some chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips. Leftover cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes:

• If you want to make these cupcakes without the alcohol, you can omit the bourbon from the recipe. Replace with 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract in the cake batter and butter glaze.

Brown Eyed Baker

A couple of months ago, it was announced that Hostess would be going out of business and shutting down or selling off its popular snack brands. At the time, I plunged head-first into a batch of homemade Twinkies after not being able to find a single package in any grocery store within 24 hours of the announcement. I was admittedly never a huge Hostess groupie growing up. First of all, I just flat-out wasn’t allowed to eat stuff like that most of the time; myy mom never kept it in our house. Second, if we were allowed the occasional treat while at the grocery store, I always navigated to the Little Debbie snacks instead (hello, Swiss Cake Rolls!). However, I did manage to get my mitts on Hostess cupcakes now and again while at birthday parties or sleepovers, and I was mesmerized by that dreamy, creamy filling, and what kid doesn’t love chocolate?! Now, after seeing multiple renditions of the homemade version online, I finally created my own. Better late than never, for sure!

Needless to say, these homemade cupcakes are approximately a bazillion times better than I can ever remember those packaged cupcakes tasting. Moist, luscious chocolate cupcakes, filled with a fluffy marshmallow cream frosting, topped with chocolate ganache and garnished with the nostalgic finishing touch: white curly-cued icing.

Bottom line, even if you were never a Hostess cupcake fan, you owe it to yourself to make some crazy-good cupcakes. You can even eat them for breakfast if you want and I won’t tell a soul… I’m totally on board the “eat cake for breakfast” band wagon. Anyone else want to join?!

One year ago: Minestrone Soup and Chubby Hubby Rice Krispies Treats
Two years ago: Maple-Bacon Kettle Popcorn

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

A homemade recreation of the famous Hostess Cupcakes – chocolate cupcakes with a creamy white center, topped with a chocolate glaze and white curly piping.

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ cup brewed coffee, still hot
¾ cup bread flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1 cup marshmallow creme
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar

For the Ganache Frosting:
2½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup heavy cream

For the White Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon whole milk
Splash vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

2. Place the chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl. Pour the coffee over the mixture and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

4. Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until set and just firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Remove each cupcake from the tin, set on the wire rack, and let cool completely before filling and frosting, about 1 hour. (Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.)

6. Make the Filling: Beat the marshmallow creme and butter on medium speed until soft and light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once it has all been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large, round tip (I used an Ateco #804) and refrigerate until ready to use.

7. Make the Ganache Frosting: Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Place the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the stove, and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then gently whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Set aside to thicken for 5 to 10 minutes.

8. Make the White Icing: Beat together the powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla on medium speed until completely blended and smooth. Transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small, round tip (I used a Wilton #3) and refrigerate until ready to use.

9. Assemble the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down (just like I did in

(Cupcake recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated All-Time Best Recipes)

Brown Eyed Baker

Happy 4th of July! I hope you have a fun day planned with lots of food, fireworks and fun with friends and family. If you’re looking for a last-minute dessert for today and have some strawberries in the fridge, these cupcakes are it. I honestly had never given strawberry cupcakes a thought up until a couple of years ago. My Chief Culinary Consultant and I ventured into Georgetown for an afternoon of cupcake hopping. After waiting in an insanely long line during one of the hottest days of the summer in D.C. for some Georgetown Cupcakes, we went off the beaten path and made our way to Baked and Wired. I chose a red velvet cupcake while my CCC went for the strawberry cupcake, which was noted as the bestseller on the menu. My red velvet was fabulous, but after one bite of his strawberry, I immediately regretted my decision. It was fabulous – a yellow cake with fresh strawberries in the batter and topped with beautiful pink buttercream. It’s taken me a couple of years, but I’ve finely baked up my own version and amped up with strawberry quotient even more!

My Chief Culinary Consultant proclaimed that this is the best cupcake I have ever made. That’s saying quite a bit, considering that the likes of chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, chocolate & peanut butter cupcakes, margarita cupcakes, pb&j cupcakes and many, many more have graced my kitchen. So what makes this cupcake so amazing? Two very important elements: An incredibly moist and light cake that’s loaded with tons of chopped fresh strawberries, and a strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream that is absolutely to die for.

I’ve seen Swiss meringue buttercream in many cookbooks and on tons of other blogs, but this was my very first time making it. To be perfectly honest, it always just seemed like a lot more work than was necessary for frosting. You can now consider me a total convert. This Swiss meringue buttercream is fluffy, has a light-as-air texture, isn’t overly sweet and completely melts in your mouth. The addition of pureed fresh strawberries makes it the perfect complement to the strawberry-studded cake beneath.

This recipe comes from the book Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, which I love, but have one complaint about – the bizarre number of cupcakes that each recipe yields. Never one or two dozen, but usually larger quantities. This recipe will make 34 cupcakes, which is perfect if you’re making them for a crowd or taking them to a party. If you need to size the recipe down, know that one dozen cupcakes is about 35% of the total recipe below. My suggestion would be to utilize weight measurements to make sure that you scale down accurately. Alternately (and probably an easier option, in my opinion), you can make and freeze both the cupcakes and the frosting (separately) and then thaw as many as you need when you’re ready.

My guess, though? You’re going to want to make sure you have a full batch of these on hand, because once you eat one, you’re not going to be able to stop!

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Three year ago: Red, White and Blue Stained Glass Jello Stars
Four years ago: Classic White Bread

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Yield: About 34 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 25 to 30 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 egg white
1 cup whole milk
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries

For the Strawberry Meringue Buttercream:
1½ cups fresh strawberries (about 8 ounces), rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped
4 egg whites
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ cups unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together both flours, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3.  With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg white, on at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to pans to wire racks to cool for 15 minutes; turn out the cupcakes onto the rack and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers before frosting.

5. Make the Strawberry Meringue Buttercream: Puree the strawberries in a food process or blender; set aside.

6. Combine the egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

7. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

8. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all the butter has been added, scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add the strawberry puree and beat until combined. Stir the frosting with a rubber spatula until the frosting is smooth. Keep the buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

9. Decorate the Cupcakes: Spread or pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

(Recipe source: Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)

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Tags: 4th of July, Cupcakes, Summer

Brown Eyed Baker

Remember yesterday when we were talking about hamburger buns, and I mentioned that I’m very much a “meat and potatoes” kind of girl? Well, along those same lines, I’m typically a beer girl, not a mixed drink kind of girl. I’ve always enjoyed a good beer and usually find most mixed drinks to be either way too sugary, or way, way too heavy on the alcohol, so much so that it ruins them. As a result, I don’t venture far outside of my comfort zone (see: living in a bubble and my affinity to Ron Swanson) when it comes to ordering drinks and will more often than not just order a beer. My Chief Culinary Consultant is also very much a beer person (although we both enjoy wine with a nice dinner), but he has mentioned numerous times over the last few years about how he always enjoyed mojitos. I’d never had one myself, and made a mental note to try one in the future. It took until our vacation in Florida a few months ago for me to finally get my first mojito! We went out to dinner on my birthday and I decided that it was the perfect time to try a new drink, especially since we were in Southern Florida. It was complete shock and awe for me. Quite possibly the most delicious drink I’ve ever had – so light, bursting with flavor and refreshing. I could have easily had multiple drinks, but lucky for me (and those with me), I capped it at one The combination of lime, mint, rum and sparkling water was amazing, and almost as quickly as I drank it, I knew I wanted to make a cupcake version of the drink.

My birthday mojito:

Mojitos are similar to margaritas in that they both use lime to impart citrus flavor, but a mojito adds fresh mint and uses a white or clear rum instead of tequila. The flavor profiles are similar enough that I was easily able to adapt my favorite Margarita Cupcake recipe into a Mojito Cupcake with a tremendous amount of success.

One of the best parts of growing a little herb garden out on the deck? Being able to pop outside, cut off a few sprigs of mint (or basil or parsley), and not have to pay $ 4.99 at the grocery store for the same amount. It’s so liberating!

One of the key steps to making a mojito is the “muddling” or bruising of the mint leaves. This is basically rubbing the leaves together or using the back of a spoon to smash the leaves together so that they look darkened and bruised. This helps to release the oils of the mint, which strengthens the flavor. That’s especially important in these cupcakes since we’re relying on an infusion of flavor. Your kitchen is going to smell fantastic!

A couple of quick notes on the recipe and ingredients:

• Make sure to use sweet mint or spearmint in this recipe; you don’t want to use peppermint.
• An authentic mojito uses white or clear rum. For these cupcakes, I picked up a bottle of Don Q Crystal white rum after reading through some recommendations on Chowhound.
• The quantities for the frosting are based on my preference to pile frosting nice and high on top of cupcakes (as seen in the photos).

These cupcakes are light and moist, infused with a fantastic combination of lime and mint, with a subtle undertone of rum throughout the cupcake and frosting. The flavors reflect the best part of the drink – bright and fresh, and bursting with flavor. They’re not too heavy or overpowering, which makes them perfect for any summer picnic or party. Recreating favorite drinks into baked goods is always a fun challenge; I’ve already got a few more ideas up my sleeve!

What’s your favorite mixed drink?

One year ago: Peanut Butter and Jelly Pie Bars
Two years ago: Blueberry Boy Bait
Three years ago: Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies
Four years ago: New York-Style Crumb Cake

Mojito Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup mint leaves, bruised
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Zest and juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons white rum
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

To Brush the Cupcakes:
2 tablespoons white rum
2 sprigs fresh mint

For the Frosting:
1½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
4¼ cups powdered sugar
1½ tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons white rum

1. Combine the buttermilk and the ½ cup mint leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm until just starting to steam (do not simmer), then remove from the heat and cover. Let steep for 15 to 30 minutes. Once finished, strain the milk into a bowl using a fine mesh sieve. The milk may appear curdled or clumpy, but don’t worry, it will come back together. Press on any milk solids and mint leaves to extract all the liquid possible. Give the milk a quick stir to smooth it out and set aside.

2. While the mint is steeping in the milk, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

4. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

6. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and rum. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry, it will all come back together, power on!)

7. Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.

8. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pan at the halfway point.

9. While the cupcakes are baking, combine the rum and mint sprigs in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until the rum is heated through (do not let it simmer). Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let steep until ready to use.

10. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the mint-infused rum. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.

11. To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice and rum and mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes and garnish, if desired, with a lime wedge and sprig of fresh mint.

(Recipe adapted from my Margarita Cupcakes recipe)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

You didn’t think that I’d tease you with salted caramel sauce yesterday and not provide you with something deliciously evil to do with it, did you? As I mentioned when we talked about the sauce, I’ve had a lot of fun with salted caramel baked goods over the last year, and I have loved each and every one of them. Yet, there was something missing. One crucial recipe that I had yet to perfect. Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting. After seeing (and trying) tons of salted caramel cupcakes at various cupcake shops, I kept meaning to make my own. How something like that gets pushed to the back burner, I’ll never know. You all have Michelle C. to thank for getting salted caramel cupcakes back to the front and center of my mind, where it absolutely needed to be. Michelle shared a photo of her brand new KitchenAid mixer that she received as a Mother’s Day gift on the BEB Facebook page. When I asked her the first thing she made, she said she was waiting to break it in with a salted caramel cupcake recipe, and was waiting to see one from me. I can’t have me be the only thing standing in the way of a woman and KitchenAid bliss, so I made it my business to catapult salted caramel cupcakes to the top of my “to do” list. Well, Michelle, I hope you love these cupcakes as much as I did, and that they make your inaugural KitchenAid baking experience fun and delicious!

When it comes to salted caramel cupcakes, there is certainly no shortage of variations. Salted caramel cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. Brown sugar cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. Vanilla cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. Chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting. As you can tell, there was definitely one constant – salted caramel frosting. That was perfect, since I already knew, without a doubt, that my cupcakes would be adorned with salted caramel buttercream frosting. Now, what type of base to use?

I thought long and hard about it, and at first was leaning towards an all-salted caramel cupcake, but then stepped back from the ledge. I thought it might be a little overkill. Salted caramel is awesome, but I think the essence of it really shines when it’s used in combination with a contrasting flavor and texture. That’s what makes it such an amazing pairing with brownies, ice cream, and hot chocolate. At the end of the day, I couldn’t ignore my infatuation with all things salted caramel and chocolate. A chocolate cupcake it was!

While there isn’t any salted caramel used directly in the cupcake itself, there is one part of the process that creates a caramel-like flavor, which adds to the recipe as a whole. Instead of beating together the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl as most recipes would call for, the butter and sugar are cooked slowly in a saucepan until the butter is completely melted. The result is a little bit of a mix between a nutty, caramel flavor and smell, and that of browned butter. I wish I could have supplied you with a scratch and sniff here! That one little step adds volumes in terms of flavor and how well the chocolate cupcake complements the salted buttercream frosting.

So, there you have it. An incredibly moist, amazing chocolate cupcake with just a hint of caramel undertones, topped with a salted caramel cream cheese buttercream frosting. Drizzle a little extra salted caramel sauce on top and finish off with a pinch of flaky sea salt, and you have one seriously phenomenal cupcake.

One year ago: Peanut Butter Brownies
Two years ago: Guacamole

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Yield: 22 to 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 & 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sour cream

For the Salted Caramel Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup salted caramel sauce
4 cups powdered sugar

To Garnish:
Salted Caramel Sauce
Fleur de Sel (or other flaky sea salt)

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard-size muffin pans with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth, and the butter is completely melted. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cool, about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture, beating until smooth.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix each addition until just incorporated.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make the Frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 5 minutes (I like to use the whisk attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer, but it’s not necessary). Pour in the salted caramel and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional two to three minutes, until light and fluffy.

8. To finish, pipe frosting onto the top of each cupcake (or use an offset spatula to spread the frosting), drizzle with some additional salted caramel sauce, and sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel. (Note: I used an Ateco #864 decorating tip to frost these cupcakes.)

(Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes; Frosting recipe adapted from Baked Bree)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

I have been hearing about hummingbird cake and hummingbird cupcakes for quite a few years now, but never took the time to do any serious investigative work. I guarantee that had I done so when I first heard about it, these cupcakes would have been made eons ago. Hummingbird cake is very popular in the Southern region of the United States and includes pineapple chunks, banana, coconut, and either walnuts or pecans, and is topped with a cream cheese frosting. Basically, hummingbird cake is a tropical version of carrot cake with chunks of sweet, fresh ingredients. I can’t ever get enough of carrot cake, and I certainly can’t get enough of hummingbird cake.

Some say the cake earned its name because each bite makes you hum with delight. (True.) Others say it’s because the cake is as sweet as the sugared water used to attract hummingbirds. No matter how it got its name, one this is certain – hummingbird cake is the real deal, and I’ve been missing out. For Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to create individual cupcakes, complete with their own dried pineapple flowers (you’ll find instructions below on how to make them). A quick note – if you decide to garnish the cupcakes with the dried pineapple flowers, be sure to allow yourself enough time. Once dried, they should sit overnight so that their shape holds.

An early Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with family, and get to eat all of your favorite treats!

One year ago: Gazpacho
Two years ago: Classic Baby Shower Cookies

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Yield: 22 to 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

Dried Pineapple Flowers (garnish):
1 whole fresh pineapple

Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 & 1/3 cups mashed banana (2 to 3 large bananas)
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained (about half of a 20-ounce can)
2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
2/3 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened will work)
1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs

Frosting:
12 ounces cream cheese
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar

1. Make the Dried Pineapple Flowers: Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple, and slice off the outer rind. Using a small melon baller or measuring spoon, remove and discard the pineapple “eyes”. Use a sharp knife to cut the pineapple crosswise into very thin slices. Place the slices on the baking sheets. Bake until the tops look dried, about 30 minutes. Flip slices; bake until completely dried, 25 to 30 minutes more (or longer, depending on their thickness). Pinch the center of each pineapple slice to shape into a cone; let cool in a clean muffin tin to form flowers. Let sit overnight so that they retain their shape. Once completely dried and shaped, the flowers can be stored (stacked) up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

2. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard-size muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In another bowl, stir together the banana, pineapple, walnuts, and coconut; set aside.

4. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the banana mixture to the egg mixture, beating until combined. Stir in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. (Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.)

6. Make the Frosting: Using the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix to incorporate. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar, until it has all been incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Assemble the Cupcakes: To finish, pipe frosting onto the top of each cupcake (or use an offset spatula to spread the frosting) and top with a dried pineapple flower. (Note: I used an Ateco #806 decorating tip to frost these cupcakes.)

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)

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Tags: Cupcakes, Easter, Spring, Summer

Brown Eyed Baker

You had to figure that it was only a matter of time before I showed up here with a peanut butter and jelly cupcake, right? I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me so long. If only my little 5-year-old self had been introduced to these… oh boy. I don’t think she would have ever eaten another thing. It would have been a nightmare for my mom, for sure. It’s a good thing I was a responsible adult (who still, at times, sustains herself with only peanut butter and jelly) before I discovered these beauties. I’ve had them bookmarked forever in my cupcakes book, but they sat on the back burner of my mind for some time before a reader asked a couple of months ago if I had a recipe for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes. As a card-carrying member of the peanut butter addict club, I was slightly ashamed that they weren’t already nestled in a cozy little spot on the site. I’m happy to say that they now their spot. Too bad I don’t still have my old peanut butter and jelly sleeping bag I used as a kid – what an appropriate way for peanut butter and jelly cupcakes to cozy up!

The cupcake base tastes almost exactly like a peanut butter cookie – lovely, moist, and dense with pieces of chopped peanuts studded throughout. If you closed your eyes and ate it, you might think you were eating a peanut butter sandwich. With a bit of cake-like texture, of course. Throw on peanut butter frosting and a healthy dose of strawberry jam (you can use your favorite flavor – jelly or jam) and you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In a cupcake. Which is every kind of awesome.

The frosting for these cupcakes is very, very similar to the peanut butter/cream cheese mousse filling that is used in the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte (one of my all-time favorite desserts and my Chief Culinary Consultant’s favorite birthday dessert). You mix together cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar, and then separately whip cream to medium-stiff peaks and fold it into the peanut butter mixture. The result is a rich, smooth, mousse-like frosting that spreads on like a dream. Carve out a little nest in the top and drop in your favorite jam or jelly.

Share some, and hoard some. Then proceed to eat at least one a day until they are gone. Oh how I wish there were still some left!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Yield: 22 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 22 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
¾ cup coarsely chopped salted peanut butter

For the Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream

½ cup strawberry jelly or jam

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in peanut butter. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture; beat until just combined. Mix in the sour cream and peanuts.

3. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Bake, rotating the tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

4. Make the Frosting: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the salt and peanut butter, and beat to combine. Beat in vanilla.

5. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold the cream into the peanut butter mixture. use immediate, or refrigerate, covered tightly, up to 2 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and stir with a flexible spatula until smooth.

6. To finish, use an offset spatula to spread frosting over each cupcake, leaving a small well in the middle. Dollop about 1 teaspoon jelly into each well. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 1 day in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

Nothing says fun quite like turning one of your favorite drinks into cupcakes. So far I’ve introduced you to Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, Limoncello Cupcakes, and Margarita Cupcakes. This time I decided to leave the alcohol behind (for a couple of days anyway, stay tuned for a fun treat later this week!) and create a cupcake tribute to one of my favorite sodas as a kid. I mentioned yesterday when talking about the Fig Bars that my parents didn’t routinely keep sweets or pop in the house while we were growing up, so we really only got them when it was a special occasion (birthday party/sleepover) or we were eating away from home. I always remember getting a Cherry Coke when we’d find ourselves at Eat n’ Park grabbing dinner. I don’t know why I associate my Cherry Coke consumption with that particular restaurant, but I don’t remember having it anywhere else. Needless to say, when I saw this rendition of a childhood favorite in cupcake form I knew they would be gracing my kitchen before long.

This recipe begins with a chocolate-cola cake, is filled with cherry pie filling, topped with a sugar-cola glaze, then finally topped off with fresh sweetened whipped cream and a cherry, of course. What’s a float without some whipped cream and a cherry?! Although there are multiple components, I was surprised at how relatively quickly these came together.

The combination of chocolate, the faint Coke flavor, the cherry filling, and then the light whipped cream on top is a sensational combination of flavors and textures. It’s a fun treat, it makes you feel like a kid again, and it’s something that I guarantee all adults will enjoy.

These would be a fun cupcake option for someone who is a fan of black forest cake. Although it’s not traditional, it’s definitely a modern twist on the chocolate/cherry combination. I also think that these cupcakes would be great for summer picnics, much like the Root Beer Float Cake that I made last year. Whether you cozy up to these now during the winter or save them, you are definitely going to want to make these cupcakes – so much fun to eat, and absolutely delicious!

Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 minutes | Bake Time: 18 to 20 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup Coke (don’t use diet)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

For the Glaze:
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Coke

For the Icing:
1 cup heavy whipped cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
Maraschino Cherries, for garnish

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.

2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter and beat on medium-high until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beating for an additional minute. In a large mixing cup or small bowl, combine the buttermilk, Coke and vanilla extract. (Make sure you wait for the foam to go down when measuring the Coke and don’t worry if your mixture looks curdled when you add the buttermilk.)

4. Beginning with the flour mixture, add in 4 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the Coke mixture. Beat each addition just until incorporated. Give the final mixture a good mix with a rubber spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the muffins tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Fill the Cupcakes: Once cooled, use a paring knife to cut out a cone shape in the middle of each cupcake. Add a spoonful of cherry mixture (2 to 3 cherries) to the well.

7. Glaze the Cupcakes: In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and coke. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes to thicken. It should drip off of a soon very slowly. Using a small offset spatula, drizzle a little of the glaze onto the middle of each cupcake and then gently spread it over the top.

8. Frost the Cupcakes: Beat the heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl with whisk attachment (or hand mixer), beginning on low speed. Once the cream gets frothy begin adding the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, increasing speed as the cream comes together until you reach medium-high speed. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks (if you dip a spoon in it, the whipped cream should stay on the spoon when you turn it upside down). Pipe the whipped cream onto cupcakes as desired and top with maraschino cherries for garnish.

(Recipe adapted from The Novice Chef)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

When thinking about baking for Christmas I think most everyone (including myself) automatically thinks of cookies. They’re easy to arrange on trays, and hello! That’s what you need to leave for Santa. And everyone knows if you don’t leave milk and cookies for Santa then he might not stop at your house. Obviously, very important consideration needs to be given to cookies. However, the one thing I tend to overlook at the holidays is cupcakes. Such a shame, because once I started thinking about it, they provide a great opportunity to put festive flavors into portable little desserts. Perfect for office potluck parties or gatherings with friends. Since snickerdoodles are one of my all-time favorite Christmas cookies, I thought that transforming their flavor into a cupcake would be awesome. And it totally is.

These taste exactly.like.a.snickerdoodle. Exactly. Which sort of amazes and delights me all at the same time.

The cake part is soft, moist and infused with cinnamon. You know how snickerdoodles don’t just taste like cinnamon cookies, but have that can’t-put-your-finger-on-it unique flavor? Well, these cupcakes capture that flavor to a tee. As a result, I adore them! They are topped with a sweet little kiss of seven minute frosting and then are dusted with cinnamon-sugar.

Christmas cookie in a cupcake. Love it!

Four years ago: Chocolate Chip Tea Cookies

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Yield: 28 cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¾ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups whole milk

For the Seven-Minute Frosting:
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 egg whites, at room temperature

For the Garnish:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.

3. Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes and frosting. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. Make the Frosting: Combine 1½ cups granulated sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230 degrees F.

5. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, beating to combine.

6. As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees F, remove from the heat. With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise the speed to medium-high; whisk until the mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.

7. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco #809 or Wilton #1A), pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold the bag over the cupcake with tip just above the top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak.

8. Combine the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Using a small, fine sieve, dust the peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Frosted cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

(Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes)

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Tags: Cupcakes

Brown Eyed Baker

I’m not sure how many times I have said this in the last month, but it bears repeating: I am totally in love with Pinterest. While you can browse and bookmark virtually anything, I find it especially useful for finding new recipes and food ideas that I otherwise may not have noticed. Case in point: these incredibly adorable little candy turkeys. I saved these to my holiday board because they are so cute, but didn’t think I’d really have an opportunity to use them. And then it hit me – cupcake toppers! They look so regal sitting up there on the chocolate cupcakes, totally festive and worthy of a Thanksgiving dessert. Plus, these are a perfect project for kids if you have little ones that want to help out in the kitchen. (Or, big kids that love eating discarded pieces of candy. That would be me.)

This is all you need to make turkeys! Helloooooo candy

Here is your ingredient list:

Cupcakes, tops flattened and lightly frosted (see Dark Chocolate Cupcakes and Chocolate Buttercream)
Oreo cookies
Whoppers
Miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups
Candy corn
Assorted icing – yellow, white and red

I am going to send you over to Our Best Bites for the step-by-step instructions on making these. Sara did a seriously awesome job of walking readers through how to make them, and I definitely couldn’t do it better! Plus, her turkeys are so stinkin’ cute. They would certainly take 1st prize in a turkey beauty contest. But my guys were just as delicious

Don’t you just love the holidays?!

One year ago: Thanksgiving Tips: Cooking the Turkey
Two years ago: Thick and Hearty Chili

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Tags: Cupcakes, Fall, Thanksgiving

Brown Eyed Baker

A couple of months ago I posted something on Facebook about zucchini – probably a new recipe that I had posted – and follower Bobbie mentioned that she had a recipe for Zucchini-Pineapple Cupcakes with Orange Sour Cream Frosting and asked if I’d like her to send it to me. Oh yes! The recipe sounded awesome and I couldn’t wait to make it! I love so much when readers send me their recipes – it means a lot to me to have you share a little bit of your kitchen with me. Remember when Lissa shared her filling for those Homemade Peanut Butter Cups? Sublime. And these cupcakes? Sublime.

The batter for these cupcakes smells amazing, and the aroma that comes pillowing out of the oven? I could almost taste them. The variety of flavors that complement each other so well in these still blows my mind – the sweet pineapple, spicy cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, and then contrasted beautifully by the sweet, tangy and orange-flavored frosting.

Now you all know that about 95% of my food is 100% from scratch, but from time to time I grant myself the use of some pre-made mixes. This is one of those recipes. As I’ve said before, if it’s not a habit but a once-in-a-while thing, I’m okay with it. Plus, I think it’s good to have a few recipes on hand that you can whip up pretty quickly and easily if the need arises!

I hope you all enjoyed the little guessing game yesterday! I thought it would be something fun to do. Plus, I got tons of awesome recipe ideas, love your creativity! Many of you had really great guesses that were reallllly close to the recipe, but the first person to guess the exact recipe was Jessica, who said:

“A Zucchini CupCake with Crushed Pineapple for moisture and flavor, with Orange Sour Cream frosting!”

Congratulations Jessica, you win the $ 50 Williams-Sonoma gift card!

If you still have a bounty of zucchini to use up, stay tuned because I’ll have another zucchini recipe (one of my grandma’s!) featured next week!

One year ago: Salted Caramel Brownies
Two years ago: Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Cookie Bars
Three years ago: Zebra Cake
Four years ago: Samoas Brownies

Zucchini-Pineapple Cupcakes with Orange Sour Cream Frosting

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
1 package (about 18 ounces) yellow cake mix without pudding in the mix
3 eggs
1 cup low- fat buttermilk
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini (1 medium zuccini. unpeeled)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pinapple, well drained

For the Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup sour cream (not non fat or fat-free)
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard muffin pan cups with paper baking cups; coat paper cups with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Combine cake mix, eggs, buttermilk, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in large bowl; beat according to package directions. Fold in the zucchini and pineapple; mix well to distribute evenly. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.

3. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pan on wire rack. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

4. Combine powdered sugar, sour cream, and butter in large bowl with electric mixer at low speed. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoons orange peel. Frost cooled cupcakes with an offset spatula. Garnish with additional orange peel, if desired. Serve at room temperature. Store leftover cupcakes in refrigerator.

Tags: Cupcakes, Zucchini

Brown Eyed Baker

Today’s guest post comes from my wonderful sister, Lauren! Lauren is an Entertainment Producer and Graphic Designer, and she maintains a blog with all of her current design projects at LiLoLa Designs. You can follow Lauren on Twitter @LiLoLaDesigns and become a fan on Facebook.

Recipe and text from Lauren. Photos from yours truly.

When my sister asked me to be a guest blogger this week, I was SO EXCITED! I normally just eat everything she makes, and I’d rather be out of the kitchen than doing something in it. Being a designer, I love to create things. Logos, invitations, paintings, etc. Baking is not always on the top of my list, so finding a healthy, easy recipe is important to me. I adapted a plant-based diet over a year ago and this has been one of my favorite dessert recipes. It’s always a hit and is a great recipe to add to any collection of ‘vegan desserts’. It’s a couple of easy steps, and a great one to try with your kids!

These are Glazed Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes. NOW, I’m sure some of you just made an ‘avocado what??’ face at that title, but I ASSURE you that if you give these a chance, you will fall in love with them. Avocados are used as an egg replacement, and keep the cupcakes moist and tasty! The original recipe calls for soy milk, but I substituted almond milk, and any nut or rice milk will work here. This is a great recipe as well for people with egg allergies. I hope you enjoy them!

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 cup pure maple syrup
¾ cup plain almond milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Glaze:
¼ block soft silken tofu (from 14-ounce container), drained and patted dry
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semisweet vegan chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Purée avocado in food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup, almond milk, oil, and vanilla, and blend until creamy. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture.

2. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake cups. Bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached. Cool.

3. To make the Glaze: Blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Dip tops of cupcakes into glaze, pulling straight up from glaze to form peaks.

(Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times)

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