Inspire. Create. Bake.: cupcakes

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Cookies & cream cupcakes

A crowd pleaser for sure — these were the first to go at Ekklesia. I wish I had taken a picture of the cupcake cut on half. There are Oreos in the batter and on the bottom. This recipe was found on Annie's Eats. If you haven't explored her page yet, you are missing out on some wonderful recipes. I am already thinking about when I can make these again. This recipe makes 24.

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CUPCAKES
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped and quartered

FOR THE FROSTING
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

FOR THE GARNISH
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE CUPCAKES
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING
Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract.
Beat in the powdered sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

FOR THE GARNISH
Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats from Beantown Baker

Read More 10 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Red velvet cupcakes

In search of several cupcake recipes for last weekend, I usually stop at Annie's Eats first. She has several fun options to choose from. With a special ingredient added, these cupcakes were super moist and tasty. My friend Joyce filled me in on a little something she adds to the batter - mayonnaise. Whaaat? Yes. You can't taste it. It's pretty amazing. You should try it next time you make cupcakes. It makes the cake super moist. 1/2 cup will do for any recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

FOR THE FROSTING

1 block of cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, mayo, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Adapted from: Annie's Eats from Apple a Day

I linked up at:

tasty tuesdays - for the love of blogs

sweet shot tuesdays - life with my 3 boybarians
tuesdays around the world - communal global

Read More 15 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

This is my new favorite cupcake. I made these last weekend with my friend Naomi. The church service we go to, Ekklesia, was celebrating its two year anniversary and we were asked to make cupcakes, of course we said yes. We made three different kinds, and this was my favorite. This past Friday my friend Joyce and I got together to make four dozen to give away for Mother's Day today. Baking with friends is such a fun experience. Plus the dishes are clean before we even finish decorating! These are not overpowered with lemon flavor but just enough to keep you wanting more. Did I mention the frosting has cream cheese and lemon in it? Nuff said. This recipe makes 24 delectable lemon cupcakes.

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

4 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

lemon zest from 2 lemons

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. pure lemon extract

FOR THE FROSTING

12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. lemon extract
juice of one lemon

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, Whisk the buttermilk and egg whites together.

In a mixer bowl, add sugar and lemon zest. Mix together with your hands, rubbing together with your fingers, causing the sugar to become moist and fragrant.

Add the butter to the sugar-lemon mixture and mix for 3 full minutes on medium speed.

Beat in the extracts, then add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture, and then 1/2 of the flour mixture until incorporated. Add the rest of the egg-milk mixture until well mixed, then add the last of the flour mixture.

Finally, beat the batter for two more minutes for thorough mixing and aerating the batter. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and spring to the touch.

Cool on a wire rack.

FOR THE FROSTING

Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined, about three minutes. Add in the vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Decorate cupcakes after they have cooled.

Adapted from: My Baking Addiction

Read More 5 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Snickers cupcakes

Another beast of a cupcake to make, but worth it in the end. Perfect for a lover of Snickers and all things sweet. The recipe was found on Annie's Eats. She has so many cupcakes to choose from, I typically start there when I'm looking for something new and different. As you can see from my pics, my icing was a little dry. It needed more cream or less powdered sugar. I've adjusted the recipe accordingly. This recipe makes 20 cupcakes.

Snickers Cupcakes
Adapted from: Annie's Eats
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CUPCAKES
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. coarse salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream, room temp.

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

FOR THE FILLING
22 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped
3/4 cup caramel sauce

FOR THE FROSTING
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup caramel sauce
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tbsp. heavy cream

FOR THE GARNISH
8 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped

DIRECTIONS
FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted.

Remove from heat and transfer to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until mixture is cooled.

Mix in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition.

Mix in vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add in dry ingredients, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way full.

Bake 18-20 minutes and rotate the pans halfway through baking. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to foam a bit. It will look and smell like it's on the verge of burning.

Remove from heat and add heavy cream. Stir until the sauce is smooth. You may need to return it to the heat to smooth it out.

Mix in the vanilla and salt. Let cool. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

FOR THE FILLING

Cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife. To make the filling, combine the chopped Snickers bars in a bowl with 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce. Mix to coat. Drop a spoonful of the filling mixture into each cupcake.

FOR THE FROSTING
Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed 1 minute until smooth. Blend in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, caramel sauce and salt until incorporated. (Note: the caramel sauce should be just warm enough that it is workable, but not warm enough to melt the butter in the frosting.) Add the heavy cream and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

TO FINISH

Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Drizzle the frosted cupcakes with additional caramel sauce and garnish with chopped Snickers bars.

Cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife.

Drop a spoonful of the filling mixture into each cupcake.

I linked up at:

tasty tuesday - for the love of blogs

sweet shot tuesdays - life with my 3 boybarians
tuesdays around the world - communal global
blog it forward tuesday - sweep tight
tiggerific tuesday - the things we find inside

Read More 19 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Guinness cupcakes with Baileys Irish Cream frosting

That was a mouthful. I didn't want to leave anything out of the title — it sounds too good. I've recently came across several recipes for Guinness cupcakes and I knew I had to make one of them. I went with my tried and true, imaginary blog friend, Annie's Eats. She found the recipe on Smitten Kitchen's blog, another good one. Since Annie loved them, I was sure to feel the same way.

My husband loves a good Guinness, especially if it's on tap. When we went to the Guinness factory in Dublin, he was on cloud nine. It was a great experience seeing how the stout is made and the long process it goes through. We made a point to eat lunch there as well. I've wanted to explore cooking with Guinness more, I just forget. It has such a unique flavor.

Back to the story — Saturday morning I got up early and was ready to start baking. I took several pictures along the way, and I found my new favorite cupcake. I created some tags to go with the cupcakes as well. The only thing I would change — to add a bit more heavy cream (or Bailey's) to the ganache to make it a little creamier. It was delicious, but it just sat in the middle of the cupcake. I'd like it to ooze just a bit. It makes 24 cupcakes. I'm already thinking about when I can make more.

Guinness and Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES
1 cup Guinness stout
2 sticks of unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
FOR THE GANACHE FILLING
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temp.
2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish cream
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp.
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together eggs and sour cream until blended. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just until combined. Mix in dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE GANACHE FILLING

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined.

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.) Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this). Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Alternate adding the three to four cups of powdered sugar and the Bailey’s until desired consistency is reached for piping. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats and from Smitten Kitchen

Butter and Guinness ... oh my

Chocolate ganache

Plaid cupcake liners

The liners lose their appeal a bit after baking

Cool down mode

Made some holes for the ganache

Filled some holes with ganache

While I was waiting for my cupcakes to cool, I went out and bought a new frosting tip and I love it. I wanted some height on the frosting.

The finished product and it's ready to eat!

I created some tags for the cupcakes. I thought they needed a bit of flare. Plus, what kid doesn't like their name on a cupcake?? The green cupcakes were made at the same time, and I blogged about those here.

Read More 4 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Graphic designer, baker and a photo taker. Inspired by Jesus, photography, stellar design, all things creative, cooking, the arts and funny stuff. I prefer to visually tell stories through photographs; whether a trip I was on, a dessert I made or a recent vintage find. Art is all around me, and I capture it whenever I can.

Cookies & cream cupcakes

Red velvet cupcakes

Lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Snickers cupcakes

Guinness cupcakes with Baileys Irish Cream frosting

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