Traced Elements

Tag: cupcake

  • Just a couple of cupcakes!

    Just a couple of cupcakes!

    Monday 25th February was National Cupcake Day. Well, it was for SPCAs and Humane Societies across Canada, who encourage the baking and selling of cupcakes as a way to raise money.

    As Qanik was fortunate to have one of his images chosen to be part of the 2019 campaign it seemed only fair that I do my bit too.

    So, having chosen the Victoria Humane Society as my nearest participating society, I had to decide on what cupcakes I was going to make and then get people, mostly work colleagues, to purchase them!

    I decided on giving potential buyers the option of three different flavours:

    The orders started making their way to me and, on Sunday, I spent most of the day baking and icing 89 cupcakes! The flavour that received the most requests was the Dark Chocolate with PB Frosting so here it is for you to make and try for yourself!

    Ingredients

    For the Cupcakes

    •  8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
    •  2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
    •  ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
    •  ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    •  ½ teaspoon baking soda
    •  ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    •  2 eggs
    •  ¾ cup granulated sugar
    •  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    •  ½ teaspoon table salt
    •  ½ cup sour cream

    For the Peanut Butter Frosting

    •  1 cup icing sugar
    •  1 cup creamy peanut butter
    •  5 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
    •  ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
    •  ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    •  ⅓ cup heavy cream

    Directions

    1. Make the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and pre-heat to 350˚ F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325˚ F.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.
    2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat the mixture until the butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
    3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
    4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs then add the sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in the sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is fully mixed and thick.
    5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin pan cups. Bake until a skewer inserted into centre of the cupcakes comes out clean, approx. 18 to 20 minutes.
    6. Cool cupcakes in the muffin pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and set on wire rack to cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

    1. Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the icing sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high-speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
    2. Assemble the Cupcakes: Frost the cupcakes with an offset spatula, or with a decorating tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip and a rose pattern). Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Want to know how to frost in a rose pattern? Check out this quick video tutorial.

    My cupcakes were a success and I managed to raise over $300.00 for my chosen charity. Next up are muffins and dog treats for Treat Week for the Sea to Sky BC SPCA!

  • A zucchini recipe to be thankful for

    A zucchini recipe to be thankful for

    I know, I know! I’ve already written about zucchini, surely there must be some other ingredient I can use?

    Yes there is, but there was still some sitting in my fridge to be used up and Thanksgiving is just round the corner. Plus, I like to make cupcakes for all the boys and girls at my work, just to let them know that they are appreciated so having had success with my other zucchini cake and bread recipes I thought I’d give one more recipe a try.

    Zucchini CupcakesBesides, I am thankful that I had my granny to show me her love for baking and that I have people to appreciate the bakes that I try out on them.

    So enjoy these zucchini cupcakes, which have delicate pumpkin spice flavours and are so soft they melt in your mouth, topped off with a wonderfully fluffy cream cheese buttercream.

    I can’t think of anything better this Thanksgiving.

    Cupcake Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup finely grated zucchini (I actually used a cup!)
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
    • 2/3 cup white sugar
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup milk

    Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 4 oz brick-style cream cheese
    • 3 – 4 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon heavy cream, if needed

    Cupcake Directions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line a muffin pan with muffin papers.
    2. Gently dab the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove excess liquid. It shouldn’t be dry, but there shouldn’t be extra water.
    3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
    4. In a separate large bowl whisk together the oil and sugars until no lumps remain. Then whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and milk.
    5. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then gently fold in the grated zucchini using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
    6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each about 2/3 full. Be careful not to fill them any more than 3/4 full.
    7. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-19 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
    8. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack.

    Cream Cheese Frosting Directions

    1. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft.
    2. Then mix in the cream cheese.
    3. With the mixer on low, beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar until combined.
    4. If needed, slowly beat in the rest of the powdered sugar a little at a time until the desired consistency and sweetness level is reached. If it gets a little too thick, then beat in the cream.
    5. Frost the cupcakes with a knife or using a piping bag and piping tip.

    If they last that long the cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen and thawed in the fridge overnight.

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