Coffee and Cream Cupcakes

I love me some coffee with cream but rarely drink it in the summer because well it it hot and so am I.  Here is the next best thing to a steaming cup o'joe.  The cupcakes are coffee flavored and the icing is a nice sweet cream flavor, definitely knock your socks off worthy.

To start preheat your oven to 350.  Cream 1 1/2 sticks UNsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups sugar.  Add 2eggs plus the whites of 1 egg slowly and mix well.  Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 3/4 teaspoon salt.  Slowly add 3/4 cup of cool coffee.  Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa.  Mix very well.  Now add 1 3/4 cups flour slowly.  Lastly add 2 tsp baking powder.  This will make 24 cupcakes.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until done.  Do NOT over bake because if these start to burn in the slightest they will taste rancid. 

To make the Sweet Cream Icing start by creaming 3/4 cup UNsalted butter with 1/2 cup Crisco.  Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla.  Mix in 1 lb (about 4 cups) powdered sugar.  This will get THICK.  Add 1 tablespoon of cream at a time.  I used about 3 tablespoons. 

To finish cupcakes I dropped a dollop of icing on the cupcake.  No spreading, no piping, no fuss.  I wanted part of the cupcake to be seen around the edges.  Let me say that these are too good.  I mean could sit down and eat the how batch good.  These are the ones you make and eat a couple then give away for fear of eating the rest.  So this summer when it is hotter than Hades our there have a "cup"cake of Coffee & Cream. 

Coffee Cupcakes

3/4c UNsalted butter (room temp)

1 1/4c sugar

2 eggs plus whites of 1 egg

2tsp. vanilla

3/4c coffee (cooled)

2tb cocoa

3/4tsp salt

2tsp baking powder

1 3/4c flour.

Cream butter and sugar.  Slowly add eggs and mix well.  Add vanilla and cooled coffee.  Mix in cocoa and baking powder.  Slowly add flour until well mixed.  Spoon into lined cupcake pans and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.  Let Cool.

Sweet Cream Icing

3/4c UNsalted butter (room temp)

1/2c Crisco

1lb. Powdered Sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 tbl cream

Cream butter and Crisco.  Mix in vanilla.  Slowly add powdered sugar until all incorporated.  This will be thick.  Add cream 1 tbl at a time.  Dollop on top of coffee cupcakes.

Coconut Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Almond Icing

So my birthday is tomorrow and I really wanted to do something different for a birthday cake.  I love making cupcakes, they are super easy and look cute!  I decided to recreate one of my favorite candy bars, an almond joy.  I went with a coconut cupcake and dark chocolate almond icing, why...meh because it sounded good.  *grin*

The cupcakes are from Martha Stewart's Cupcake book.  This was a nice and fluffy cupcake that baked up nicely and was airy, not dense.  Perfect for summer.  I bet this would be smashing with a pineapple icing also.  Kinda Pina Cola type pairing. 

You can find the recipe on her blog here but here is a quick run down on how to do it. 

Cream 3/4 cup butter and 1 1/3 cup sugar.  Add in 2 eggs and 2 egg whites one at a time.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Add 2 teaspoons baking powder.  Shred 1/2 cup packed sweetened coconut in food processor.  Mine was already shredded but I did it till it was smaller pieces.  Add to mixture.  Add 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 of the coconut milk (3/4c unsweetened coconut milk total).  Add remaining 1 cup flour and remaining coconut milk.  Spoon into cupcake tins and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.  I got 24 cupcakes from this recipe. 

The icing I made up as I went.  I creamed 1/4 cup Crisco and 1/4 cup butter.  I added 1 cup of cocoa, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract.  Then slowly added 1/3 cup of milk and 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar.  Because I wanted to make it extra almond/chocolaty I added 1/4 c of Dark Chocolate Almond Butter (found with the peanut butters)

It was yummy with and without so if you don't want to splurge on this you won't be missing out too much. 

To finish the cupcakes I sprinkled toasted coconut on top.  Let me say that it is like the grown up version of an almond joy.  Lite cupcake, rich icing, nut coconut.  All around yummy goodness!

Let's hope these bad boys make it till my birthday tomorrow!

Coconut Cupcakes from Martha Stewart

1 3/4c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c shredded sweetened coconut (shredded more in food processor)

1 1/4c unsalted butter

1 1/3c sugar

2 eggs plus 2 egg whites

3/4c UNsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla and salt.  Add baking powder and coconut.  Alternate adding flour and coconut milk.  Spoon into tins and bake at 350 for 20 min. 

Dark Chocolate Almond Icing

1/4c Crisco (shortening)

1/4c unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

1/3c milk

2 1/2-3c powdered sugar

1/4c dark chocolate almond butter (optional)

Cream shortening and butter.  Add extracts and milk.  Add almond butter.  Add powdered sugar. 

Top cupcakes with toasted coconut.  (To toast put a thin layer on a cookie sheet and place in 450 over.  Stir every 2 minutes till toasted)

Valentine's Cupcakes

So I know that Valentine's Day was last month but these are too cute, too easy and too tasty to not post.  Plus they could be modified to fit any celebration/holiday and did I mention they were super easy!?! 

To start print out an easy design, where these are for Valentine's Day I am using a heart (creative I know).  Place the printed paper on a flat surface and cover with parchment paper, what you don't have any?  Then you obviously did not read this Tool Tip Tuesday. 

To make chocolate hearts melt good quality chocolate chips in the microwave.  I used ghirardelli chips because I love how they taste, I think it is a good quality for the price.  Microwave in small increments until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  To create the lacy design you can chose to do this a couple different ways.  You could pour the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle, use a decorating bag with a small opening cut off or use a decorating bag with a tip.  I used the decorating bag with a #3 tip.  *Most of the time I would say you could use a sandwich bag for piping but not in this case.  The chocolate gets too hot and can melt the bag some making the chocolate have a funny taste and I love chocolate too much to do that to it.  Okay, so pour chocolate into bottle/bag (to get the hot chocolate into the bag without burning yourself stand the bag up in a glass and then pour chocolate in) and trace hearts with the melted chocolate.  Then fill in hearts with squiggles that overlap a little, make sure to have the squiggles contact with the sides you traced so that you heart will be structurally sound (never thought you would hear that term with baking did ya).  Let hearts harden (ohh that sounds so cruel). 

 

I put my completed cupcakes in the cutest little bags but I wanted a base for them to sit on so I got coordinating scrapbook paper.  I measured the base of the bag for length and width, I then added 1 inch to each side so that there would be a 1 inch lip all the way around.  To make it easier to fold the sides up cut a 1 inch square from each of the corners.  Fold sides up and then slide your base into the bags.  I used plain, cheap cello bags. 

To top the bag off I used the coordinating scrapbook paper and cut a piece that was 1 inch wider than the bag measured so my paper measured 5 inches by 3 inches.  I then folded the paper over and attached a sticker with a saying on it, or you can write something, or leave it...completely up to you.  Fold the top of the bag over and place folded paper over it, then punch 2 holes through paper and bag (this is for the ribbon).  

With cupcakes it does not matter how they look if they taste nasty so use what you are comfortable with.  With these I was pressed for time so I used a box mix that I added to.  I add a tablespoon of vanilla and a couple drops of lemon extract to the white cupcakes and I added 1/2 tablespoon vanilla, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the chocolate cupcakes.  Now the icing is a different story, canned icing just does not work well for piping and honestly homemade tastes loads better.  But fret not my pretties, it is simple to make. 

Buttercream Icing

1/2 cup shortening (i.e. Crisco)

1/2 cup UNsalted butter (trust me on this one)(room temp.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 cups confectioner's sugar (about 1lb.)

*8-10 tablespoons of water.

Cream shortening and butter, add extracts and water.  Slowly add sugar. 

*The amount of water you add will vary.  You want barely soft peaks to form.  If your icing is too stiff it will tear the cake, too soft and it will not hold its form.   

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp.)

2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

3/4 cup of cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

*1/3 cup water

 Cream butter, add extracts and salt.  Slowly add cocoa.  Mix in water and then slowly add sugar. 

* The amount of water varies but this is a good estimate. There are times I use more and times I use less, again you want soft peaks to form. 

To pipe icing I used a decorator's bag with no tip, I just snipped the end the size I wanted.  You could use a gallon ziploc bag as well for this.  Place hardened hearts on top *giggle* (you would think I was a school girl or something).

To package these I placed a piece of double sided tape on the bottom of the cupcake and placed in the bag.  These are tied closed with a ribbon. 

These make wonderful gifts for teachers or for you child to take to school on their birthday.  These are also great for take home treats at baby showers, bridal showers, weddings, etc.  You can make the cupcakes as plain for fancy as you would like.  These are simple, fast and adorable, not to mention too yummy for words.