chalky

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

strawberry cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes

This year, I'll be celebrating Valentine's Day with the LUV Airline on my way to Houston!  I'm going to see my family for a fun-filled weekend that will include stops in Waco to see one sister teach a class and Abilene to see the other sister... sing an a capella medley and do some very crisp choreography on risers while dressed as a Christmas present. Yeah, you'd have to be there. :)  I'm excited to get to see both of their apartments and hang out with their friends!  Lane comes on Sunday and we'll get to spend the week there, soaking up some above-freezing weather and seeing both of our families.



Last year I celebrated Valentine's Day in a warehouse.  I made cupcakes for my team, and I think I overdid it by doubling both of these recipes.  I made a lot of friends all over the building that night, handing out cupcakes to anyone who looked at me.  I was going through my picture archives and decided, why not one more Valentine's dessert? (Or two)

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 ¾ c. all-purpose flour 
½ c. cake flour (or cake flour substitute)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
2¼ c. sugar
3 large eggs
1 egg white
1 c. buttermilk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. strawberries, pureed
A few drops of red food coloring, optional

½ c. strawberries
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line two metal muffin pans with paper liners. Whisk flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating after every addition.

Reduce speed to low. Combine buttermilk and vanilla together and set aside. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture; end with the dry ingredients. Fold in strawberries. If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring until a pretty pink color is reached. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything has been mixed in. 

Divide batter among muffin cups (about 30), filling them almost all the way to the top.  Bake cupcakes until a knife inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool in muffin tins.

For the frosting, puree strawberries in food processor. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove seeds, and set aside. Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice, vanilla and strawberry puree. Adjust the amount of puree to achieve your desired consistency.  Frost cupcakes when completely cool.

Source: Cake - Our Best Bites, Frosting - Annie's Eats

Chocolate Chip and Mascarpone Cupcakes
Ingredients:
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup water
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2¼ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat to 325 degrees F.
Combine the unsweetened chocolate and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth.
Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in the mascarpone mixture. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and 1 cup chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir until just blended.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with no crumbs attached. Cool the cupcakes completely before dipping, about 1 hour.
Place the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl. Combine the heavy cream and ½ tsp vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips. Using a fork, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Dip the tops of each cupcake in the ganache and transfer to a baking sheet. Place the dipped cupcakes in the refrigerator to set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow cupcakes to return to room temperature before serving.

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