Sangria Cupcakes

So I have totally fallen in love with the idea of this blog, Spain In a Cupcake. I seriously want to try everything she has posted so far.

I started last night by making her version of a sangria cupcake. I was really excited for these, they sounded very interesting.

Well, let's just say that there were aspects of this experiment that were successful and some that were a total disaster. But I'm still new to baking, and learning along the way.

First off, let's start with the good points:

I really liked the flavor of these treats. They were unlike any other cake I've ever had. It was quite dense and very moist with some dark notes from the red wine coming out. Since I used an actual sangria wine instead of just a red wine the citrus flavors really came out without me actually having to add anything.

The fruit that was added I felt was unnecessary, especially because I had used sangria that already had the citrus in it.

Now comes the failure part. My buttercream. I've made some pretty awesome buttercream frostings in the past (remember the Bailey's one? Yum!). I don't know what happened with this one. It literally started melting everywhere the minute I put it in the bag to start piping. Looking back I'm thinking I didn't cream the butter enough and it just separated. I remember looking at it when I put the die in and it didn't look quite right.

The buttercream tasted pretty good, it just didn't look good. I took a picture anyway, so I can remember this little lesson and move on.

I wish it had turned out better because I thought these would look so pretty, I even created some cute little toppers that looked like wine glasses made from white chocolate and red sprinkles.

So I will actually be trying this recipe again tonight. Leaving out the fruit and trying my buttercream again. Hopefully they look better. Even if they don't they still tasted good.

Red Velvet

I can tell just by that picture I over mixed. I'm still learning.

Cooling before the decorating

When out of piping bags a ziploc works nicely

All ready to eat

Tasty!

Metric v. US

I recently found a recipe I really want to try. Unfortunately the ingredients are listed in metric units. So I'm trying to convert it for my personal use. I'll let you know how it goes.

Wish me luck.

Cooking: Ikea Style

I saw these pictures today for the new Ikea cookbook. They are kind of pretty. I wish all my ingredients were laid out so precisely before I start cooking.

(via Carl Kleiner)

Tie-Dye Birthday

I created these for a friends birthday tonight. She is gluten intolerant so I had to go in a direction I hadn't tried before, gluten free deserts. I cheated a little on this one by using a boxed mix. I actually was looking forward to the frosting on these ones more than the cake.

The cake turned out better than I thought and I think they look pretty awesome as well. I was pleased with my effort.

For the frosting I did a simple white frosting and divided it into 4 bowls. I used a gel dye to color the frosting because I feel like the gel gives it a more vivid color and you also don't run the risk of changing the consistency of your frosting. I then put each color into the bag, trying to keep them as separate as possible. To mix it up just a little more without actually running the colors together I stuck a knife down in the bag just a few times. Then decorate away!

I'm usually not a fan of using box mixes, especially when making cupcakes from scratch is so easy. But I was short on time today and when in a rush they will do. Maybe in the near future I'll try to make a gluten free cake from scratch. But that's an adventure for another day.


(Just a note: I'll improve the pictures in the future. These first ones were all taken on my cell phone.)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

This recipe is also from Frosted!. There were parts of this recipe I liked and parts I didn't. The frosting was to die for. It tasted like a cookie. Amazing.

The filling in the center will not be in my next batch if I make these again however. It was tasty and I admit I ate some of the remaining dough but it was an odd texture for the center of a cupcake. It was too hard compared to the soft cake around it.

Overall I really did like these cupcakes and I'll probably make them again very soon.

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For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

If you haven't noticed, I like to make cupcakes. I know there is a big cupcake craze right now around the country, but they really are a great little treat. The perfect size and so many things you can do with them!

I also made these ones for the cupcake housewarming party. I really liked them. They were a little heavier than most cupcakes I've had but at the same time they had a really light taste to them.

The original recipe from Frosted! calls for shortening in the buttercream but I tried it with the shortening with only butter and preferred the butter version. But it's your choice.

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Makes 24 cupcakes.

4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar (granulated sugar) place in food processor and make super fine
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 sticks melted butter (cooled)
2 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp lemon extract
juice and zest from about 2 med lemons (4T juice, 2T zest)

Preheat oven 350 set rack in middle of oven

Sift together flour and baking powder. Cream eggs and sugar for 2 minutes until pale. Add in melted butter, lemon juice, zest, ricotta, and extracts and finally the flour/baking powder mixture until well mixed on medium. The dough should be smooth and silky. Stop and scrape down the sides then mix on medium for 30 more seconds.

Fill cupcakes 3/4 full and bake 20-25 minutes until tops bounce back when pressed slightly and tester comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 min. Then remove to cooling rack.

Raspberry Buttercream

1 cup butter + 1 cup shortening (or 2 cups butter)
4-6 cups powdered sugar
4T milk (if necessary)
1 cup raspberry pie filling (puree so it’s smooth before adding)
1 tsp Raspberry Extract
Dash of Salt

Cream butter and shortening together for 5 minutes. Add Raspberry Pie Filling, Raspberry Extract and Salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk until you reach your desired piping consistency.