Peppermint Oreos

Hello there! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas :)
These cookies are a holiday version of my beloved homemade oreos. Just because Christmas is over doesn't mean you can't enjoy peppermint!
They're great if you're looking to make something easy that will wow the masses at your New Year's Eve gathering.
Homemade Oreos with Peppermint Creme Filling
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: ~20 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
Flour- 1 1/4 c
Unsweetened Dutch process cocoa- 1/2 c
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Sugar- 1 to 1 1/2 c (use less if you don't want the cookies to be super sweet)
Unsalted butter- 1/2 c plus 2 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks), room temperature
1 large egg
{Creme filling}
Unsalted butter- 1/4 c (1/2 stick)
Vegetable shortening (Crisco)- 1/4 c
Sifted powdered sugar- 2 c
Peppermint extract- 2 tsp
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Process/beat, make sure it's combined well!
3. With the mixer running, add the butter, then the egg. Continue beating/processing until the dough forms a mass.
4. Take rounded teaspoons of the batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, approx. 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, lightly press the dough to flatten.
5. Bake for 8-9 minutes (8 if you want them a little soft/chewy), rotating pans once for evenness. Set on baking rack to cool completely.
6. {For the creme filling} Beat butter and shortening in a mixing bowl until combined. Add powdered sugar gradually, then add peppermint. Turn mixer on high and beat for 2 minutes.
7. Place creme filling in a pastry bag fitted with a jumbo pastry tip. Pipe onto half of the cooled cookies, then sandwich them with their matches. Serve with a glass of milk!!!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Lemonade Cookie Sandwiches

I go through phases with my baking. Right now, I'm all about super easy treats.

These totally qualify!
When you don't have a lot of time but you really want (need) something sugary, there's nothing better than a quick, easy recipe.
These are Strawberry Lemonade Cookie Sandwiches. Nom.

Strawberry Lemonade Cookie Sandwiches
Courtesy of Back for Seconds
Yield: ~12 sandwiches
Ingredients:
Strawberry cake mix- 1 box
Unsalted butter- 1/2 c (1 stick), softened
1 egg
Filling:
Unsalted butter- 1 c (2 sticks), softened
Powdered sugar- 3 1/2 c
Vanilla- 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 3-4 tbsp
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, stir strawberry cake mix, butter and egg until combined. Spoon batter onto an ungreased baking sheet and flatten gently. Bake at 350 degrees F for ~8 minutes- watch them carefully! You do not want them to burn!
2. While cookies are baking, make the filling. In a medium bowl, cream butter. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and lemon juice and beat to combine. Spread a generous amount of filling on cooled cookies.

See? Easy peasy!
Enjoy!!

Baking Therapy, Parte Tres: Mojito Cupcakes

Tomorrow is the 2-year anniversary of my best friend Natalie's death.

Me, Cat & Nat

A year ago, I posted recipes for Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake and Tres Leches Cupcakes.
Today, it's Mojito Cupcakes.

When Cat and I went to Mexico for Spring Break this March, we thoroughly enjoyed having mojitos poolside.
I made the management decision that Mojito Cupcakes will help us get through tomorrow.

I make really good management decisions.

Mojito Cupcakes with Lime Curd Filling
Adapted from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine
Yield: 12 cupcakes
The Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
Milk- 1 c (whole is fine)
Fresh mint- 1/2 c, bruised and coarsely chopped, plus 1/4 c for garnish
Limes- 2: zest and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Sugar- 3/4 c
Canola oil- 1/3 c
Dark rum- 1 tbsp
Flour- 1 1/4 c
Cornstarch- 2 tbsp
Baking powder- 3/4 tsp
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Green food coloring, optional
Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine milk and chopped mint. Heat to just a gentle simmer, then remove from heat and cover. Let mint steep in warm milk for ~15 minutes.
2. Press milk through a mesh sieve held over a small bowl. Discard mint, and set milk aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
3. Combine lime zest and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub zest against sugar until it becomes moist and aromatic. Set aside.
4. Add lime juice to cooled milk, and whisk vigorously until foamy.
5. Add foamy milk mix, canola oil and rum to lime-infused sugar. Beat on medium-high speed using a paddle attachment until well-combined.
6. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, do not overmix. Add a drop or two of green food coloring, if you'd like, and stir until combined.
7. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees F for ~20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and the tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

Mojito Frosting (Rum + Lime)
Ingredients:
Cream cheese- 8 oz, softened to room temp
Unsalted butter- 1/2 c (1 stick), room temp
Pinch of salt
Dark rum- 1 tbsp
Lime juice- 1 tbsp
Powdered sugar- 2-4 c (depending on desired consistency)
Directions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy.
2. Add salt, rum and lime juice and beat until incorporated.
3. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 c at a time, until it reaches desired consistency.

Lime Curd (allrecipes.com)- Strawberry-Lime Cider Cupcakes original post
Ingredients:
Sugar- 1 c
Butter- 1/4 c (1/2 stick)
Fresh lime juice- 3/4 c
Lime zest- 1 tbsp
Eggs- 2
Directions:
1. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, butter, lime juice and lime zest in top of a double boil over medium-high heat. Stir until butter melts.
3. Spoon 2 tbsp of heated sugar mix into small bowl with eggs and stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into top of double boiler.
4. Turn heat down to medium and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour into heatproof bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

ASSEMBLY:
Using a cupcake corer (or a knife), remove the middles of the cupcakes (save the tops!). Spoon lime curd into the middle, then replace the top. Pipe frosting on, and rest a small mint sprig on top.

Love you, Nat :)

Enjoy!

Cupcakes for the Queen's Jubilee!

We got a four-day weekend in honor of Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!
Yesterday some of my friends and I went to see the Flotilla on the Thames, which was freezing and raining, but still really fun. We might go to the Trooping of the Colour tomorrow, which would require us to get up at 5 am to get good spots... I'm gonna need long underwear for this.

In honor of the Queen's 60 years on the throne (and our four-day weekend), I made Strawberry-Lime Cider Cupcakes.
I tried this cider our first week here at a pub with the group at the recommendation of another student, and it was delicious. I decided I had to make a cupcake out of it!

I used my favourite Strawberry Cupcake recipe, buttercream frosting with some cider, and lime curd, my first time making any kind of curd!

Strawberry-Lime Cider Cupcakes

Strawberry Cider Cupcakes

Yield: 3 dozen regular-sized cupcakes

Ingredients:

Strawberries- 2 cups, pureed into 1 cup (frozen is fine, but thaw them first!)

Milk- 2/3 c

Strawberry-Lime Cider (Rekorderlig recommended)- 2 tbsp (or suited to taste)

All-purpose flour- 3 c

Baking powder- 2 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Unsalted butter- 1 c (2 sticks), room temp

Sugar- 2 c

Eggs- 4

Pink food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. Puree the strawberries using a food processor. Pour into a bowl, then add milk and strawberry-lime cider. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl (stand mixer is best), beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.

4. Gradually add 1/2 flour mix with mixer on low speed. Once combined, beat in milk mixture, then remaining flour. Add pink food coloring if you'd like :)

5. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full (they don't rise very much).

6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until the tester comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

Lime Curd Filling
(From AllRecipes.com)
I cut the recipe in half and had plenty left over, but here's the original recipe:
Ingredients:
Sugar- 1 c
Butter- 1/4 c (1/2 stick)
Fresh lime juice- 3/4 c
Lime zest- 1 tbsp
Eggs- 2, beaten
Directions:
1. Combine sugar, butter, lime juice and lime zest in the top of a double boiler over medium-high heat. Stir until butter melts.
2. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Spoon 2 tbsp of the heated sugar mixture into the small bowl and stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into top of double boiler.
3. Turn heat down to medium and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour curd into a clean glass jar, cover and refrigerate.
Strawberry-Lime Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
Butter- 1 c, softened
Powdered sugar- 2 c
Strawberry-Lime Cider- 2-4 tbsp, depending on the consistency you want
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Add powdered sugar 1 c at a time, beating until combined.
3. Add strawberry-lime cider and salt, and beat until combined.
ASSEMBLY:
Use a cupcake corer (or a knife, if you're abroad and forgot yours...) to cut out the center of the cupcakes, reserve the tops! Spoon in the lime curd, then pipe on the frosting. It's NOM TIME!

In a semi-related note, I just realized I've started spelling things in British.. like "colour" and "favourite." Uh oh.

Enjoy the cupcakes and have a great week!

The Ultimate Vanilla Cake

I've tried a lot of vanilla cake recipes.
The Vanilla Nirvana cupcakes didn't translate all that well to cakes.
The Almond Anniversary Cake wasn't as good when I subbed vanilla extract for the almond.
The Fluffy Vanilla Cake was good, but not great.
The 1-2-3-4 Cake was the same story.
Vanilla cakes are hard. They're not traditionally as moist as chocolate cakes, and even though there are tons of recipes out there, I've had a hard time finding one that stays moist and tastes super vanilla-y.

*Enter Warren Brown's Yellow Butter Cake*

It's so pure white, so beautiful. 

So vanilla-y. 

Not the easiest recipe to make, but so worth it.

It's filled with pastry cream (my first time making it), and topped with the most luxurious Italian Meringue Buttercream I've ever tried. I'm usually opposed to making IMBC recipes that call for a pound of butter, but just this once, I actually had enough butter in the apartment to try.
WORTH IT.
I've been putting off making this cake because I didn't feel like paying $9 for potato starch at Martin's or ordering it online. But then I found it for cheap at a cute shop in Harrisonburg called Grandma's Pantry!

I'm pretty sure this vanilla cake is The One.

THE Vanilla Cake
Yield: two 9" cakes or 2 dozen cupcakes
Note: Make the pastry cream first! It'll need to refrigerate for a while.
Pastry Cream
Courtesy of Macarons by Annie Rigg via The Faux Martha
Ingredients:
Egg yolks- 3 (save whites for IMBC)
Extra-fine sugar- 3/4 c (food processing regular sugar is fine)
Corn starch- 1 tbsp
Whole milk- 1 c
Unsalted butter- 3 tbsp, diced
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Heavy cream- 1/2 c
Directions:
1. Whisk egg yolks, half the sugar and corn starch in a medium heatproof bowl.
2. Heat milk and other half of sugar in a small saucepan just until it starts to boil.
3. Pour the hot milk mixture over yolk mixture and whisk constantly until smooth. Pour mixture back into saucepan and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens.
4. Strain into a clean bowl and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave to cool. Once cooled, put in refrigerator.
5. Once chilled (takes ~30-45 minutes), take out of the fridge. In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, then fold into pastry cream. Re-cover and put back in the fridge until ready to use.

Yellow Butter Cake
Courtesy of Cake Love by Warren Brown via The Faux Martha
Ingredients:
Flour- 1 1/4 c
Potato starch- 1/4 c + 1 tbsp
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Half & half- 1 c
Vanilla extract- 1 tbsp
Unsalted butter- 1 1/2 sticks, room temp
Extra-fine granulated sugar- 1 3/4 c
Large eggs- 4
Directions:
1. Sift flour into a medium bowl. Add potato starch, baking powder and salt, and whisk together. Set aside.
2. Pour half & half and vanilla extract into a small bowl and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 3-5 minutes.
4. With the mixer still on low speed, add eggs one at a time.
5. Add dry ingredient mixture alternately with liquid mixture, starting and ending with dry. Don't wait until each addition is completely incorporated before adding the next.
6. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium an additional 15-20 seconds.
7. Prepare two 9" cake rounds- spray the bottom of each pan and line with parchment paper, but do not spray the sides of the pan (this will prevent the cakes from doming in the middle).
8. Divide batter evenly into the pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 28 minutes (22 for cupcakes), or until the tester comes out clean.
9. Cool cakes 20 minutes in the pan. Use a small offset knife to loosen the cake from the rim of the pan. Carefully invert and remove parchment paper. Cool completely before icing.

Warren Brown's IMBC
Courtesy of Cake Love by Warren Brown via The Faux Martha
*I used some of the things I've learned from using Whisk Kid's recipe
Ingredients:
Egg whites- 5
Extra-fine sugar- 1 1/4 c
Cold water- 1/4 c
Unsalted butter- 4 sticks (1 lb), diced into 1 tbsp pats
*I added 1/4 tsp clear vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Pour egg whites into stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Measure 1/4 c sugar into a little bowl and set next to stand mixer.
2. Measure 1 c sugar and the water into a 1-qt, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gently stir to combine.
3. Clip candy thermometer into sauce pan, and heat mix over medium-high heat. Partially cover with lid to capture the evaporating water.
4. When the sugar syrup reaches 200 degrees F, turn stand mixer on (high speed). When the egg whites start to form soft peaks, slowly pour in the 1/4 c sugar.
5. When the sugar syrup reaches 245 degrees F, remove thermometer and slowwwly pour into the meringue, with the mixer still running. Keep the mixer running on medium for ~8 minutes, until the mixture has cooled down.
6. Turn mixer back up to high, and add the butter 1 tbsp at a time. After all the butter has been added, keep beating for ~2 minutes (you can add the vanilla at this point if you'd like).

ASSEMBLY
Spread pastry cream on first layer of cake, then stack. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to let it solidify (makes it easier to frost). Ice cake with a crumb coat, then let sit for 15 minutes. Frost with another layer, then decorate as you please.
Refrigerate after assembly!

This cake is so good. So rich, so yummy! You'll have pastry cream and IMBC leftover. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Pie Cupcakes

The apple kick continues :)
The first time I made these was in October, and I tried the caramel version as listed on the original website. The caramel turned out HORRIBLY. Same thing happened the second time I made them, last Tuesday. So I gave up, and used some leftover Vanilla Buttercream. My parents and I agreed the buttercream suited the cupcakes well, but I knew deep down that the Swiss Meringue would be best...
So on Saturday, I made the cupcakes again, and didn't bother with the caramel. Instead, I made Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect :)

PLEASE do yourselves a favor, and make these babies. They're incredible. Truly, truly amazing. The cupcakes, apple pie filling, and buttercream are all courtesy of Craving Chronicles. I altered a couple of ingredients in the filling and buttercream.

Cinnamon Cupcakes
Yield: ~2 dozen cupcakes
Ingredients:
Milk- 1 c
Butter- 1/2 c (1 stick), room temp
All purpose flour- 2 c
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon- 2 tsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp
Large eggs- 4
Sugar- 1 3/4 c
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Directions:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and butter until butter melts. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes, or until thick ribbons form. Add flour mixture and beat on low until just incorporated. Add milk mixture and vanilla, and beat until blended.
4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. I set my timer for 16 minutes, then rotated the pans and let them bake for two more.

Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients:
Butter- 2 tbsp
Honey Crisp Apples- 4 medium (about 1.5 lbs), peeled, cored, finely diced
Sugar- 1 tbsp
Dark brown sugar- 2 tbsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Cinnamon- 1/4 tsp
Cornstarch- 1/2 tbsp
Water- 1 tbsp
Directions:
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, sugars, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cook until apples are tender and release their juices- you can tell when they're cut in half easily, and are soft and smell yummmy. This will take about 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water; make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to apples and stir, cook until thickened. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature.
3. Final step: Try not to eat all of the filling before you use it in the cupcakes.

Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients:
Large egg whites- 6
Sugar (regular, not powdered)- 1 1/2 c
Coarse salt- just a pinch
Butter- 3 sticks, cut into cubes and room temp
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon- 1 tsp
Directions:
1. Combine egg whites, sugar, and coarse salt in the bowl of a standing mixer (or a double boiler). Place over a saucepan of simmering water over medium heat.
2. Whisk egg white mixture constantly until it gets thick and the sugar has dissolved. The temp on a candy thermometer will read 160 degrees OR if you don't have one, pinch some of the mixture between your fingers- if it's smooth, you're good to go.
3. Remove bowl from heat and attach to stand mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form and the outside of the bowl has cooled (it will be white-hot when you first take it off the heat). This will take about 10 minutes.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add one cube of butter at a time; don't add the next until the previous has been fully incorporated. Kaitlin of Whisk Kid recommends waiting 15 seconds. This is very key: do not panic if the mix gets soupy or curdles! Just keep beating, and I promise it will all be fine.
5. Once the butter has been added, beat until smooth. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Mix in the cinnamon by hand.

ASSEMBLY
Use a Cupcake Corer or cut out a cone in the center of the cupcake, and fill with apple pie filling. Then pipe the delicious Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream onto the cupcakes, and inhale them :)

Baking Therapy, Parte Dos

As I've mentioned before (Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake), baking is really therapeutic for me. When I'm cranky or stressed, I bake.

I first discovered the true therapeutic effects of baking when my best friend Natalie passed away. 

Me & Nat, in the Dominican Republic
for my 16th birthday

Last night, I found out my cousin Tim passed away on Thursday night; today, I turned to baking to comfort myself, and to take my mind off of the grief. It was so sudden, unlike Natalie's death, and after experiencing a sudden death, I can confidently say both suck. Majorly. We're waiting to hear about any possible funeral arrangements, so in the meantime, all I can really do is bake (and study, but that's a different story...). 

Me & Tim (right)

On a lighter note... yesterday I tried my hand at food photography, with my little digital camera. I'm going to start publishing to foodgawker (!), and I guess I'll see what some of the feedback is.

Chocolate Ganache + Italian Meringue Buttercream = Deliciousness.

One of my projects was to try out The Faux Martha's Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes. I really like the cupcakes themselves- they're a reliable chocolate cupcake, and a good alternative to my super demanding Award-Winning Chocolate Cupcakes. I felt like the chocolate ganache, in this case, sort of overwhelmed the Italian Meringue Buttercream; next time, I think I'll skip the filling.

Here's the recipe!

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Italian Meringue Buttercream

Chocolate Cupcakes

Courtesy of The Faux Martha

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour- 1 1/4 c + 2 tbsp

Unsweetened cocoa powder- 1/2 c

Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp

Sea salt- 1 tsp

Half & half- 1 c

Pure vanilla extract- 1 tbsp

Butter- 1 1/2 sticks, room temp

Extra-fine granulated sugar- 1 3/4 c

Large eggs- 4

Directions:

1. Sift flour. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sea salt {the dry ingredients} in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. 

2. Whisk half & half and vanilla in a small bowl {the wet ingredients} in a separate small bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar on low speed for 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mix on low speed after each is added.  

4. Alternate dry and wet ingredients- start and end with dry. Don't overbeat- this should only take 60 seconds total. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are equally incorporated. 

5. Fill cupcake liners a little over halfway full. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes. {The cupcakes are done when tester/toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cupcake} Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan, and cool completely before frosting.

Ganache Filling

Ingredients:

Bittersweet (60%) chocolate chips- 3/4 c

Heavy cream- 1/2 c

Directions:

1. Bring cream to a light simmer in small saucepan. Measure the chocolate and put in a heat resistant bowl.

2. Once cream reaches light simmer, pour it over the chocolate. Wait for 10 seconds, then whisk to combine. Let ganache cool for at least 20 minutes before using to fill the cupcakes.

For Italian Meringue Buttercream, click: Victory!

ASSEMBLY

Cut out a cone from the center of the cupcakes (recommended: use a Cupcake Corer!), fill with spoonful of ganache. Replace the tops of the cupcakes, and frost with Italian Meringue Buttercream. The sprinkles I used were recommended by Sweetapolita, and I stumbled upon them at the World Market at Pentagon City in Arlington, VA. They are De Ruijter Milk Chocolate Sprinkles. You can buy them here! 

Here's a picture of them, one that the lovely Rosie from Sweetapolita took. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. 

Courtesy of Sweetapolita

I want to be like her when I grow up.

Anyways, I will post my Food Gawker gallery soon. In the meantime, hug your loved ones. You never know what might happen tomorrow. <3 

My Award-Winning Chocolate Cupcakes!!!

Photo courtesy of Michele Argiro

I've been basking in the glory of my win all day. Not trying to sound cocky or crazy, I really have been feeling all glowy and whacked out all day! Hahahaha. I'll come crashing back down to Earth in the morning...
And here, my darling readers, is the recipe for my First place-winning chocolate cupcakes :)

{Just a note: My method is a little different than Cook's Illustrated. They suggest pressing the ganache into the cupcakes before baking, but I prefer to core the cupcakes after cooling, then adding a teaspoon of the delicious filling.}
Devilishly Chocolate Cupcakes
Courtesy of Cooks Illustrated via Pink Parsely
Yield: 15-18 cupcakes


Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Bittersweet chocolate- 3 oz, finely chopped
Dutch-processed cocoa- 1/3 c
Hot, strong-brewed coffee- 3/4 c
Bread flour- 3/4 c
Sugar- 3/4 c
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
Canola oil- 6 tbsp
Large eggs- 2
White vinegar- 2 tsp
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Directions:
1. Put chocolate and cocoa in a bowl, then pour the hot coffee over it. Whisk until smooth, then transfer to refrigerator until cool, 20-30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together, and set aside.
3. Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar into the cooled chocolate mix.
4. Add flour mixture to the mix, and whisk until batter is smooth.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes. In my oven, it worked best when I rotated the cupcake pan at 17 minutes, then let them bake an additional two {it would probably be better to do it halfway through... let me know what you find!}



Ganache Filling
Ingredients:
Bittersweet chocolate- 2 oz, finely chopped
Heavy whipping cream- 1/4 c
Powdered sugar- 1 tbsp


Directions:
1. Place chocolate, cream, and powdered sugar in a microwave-proof bowl. Cook on high until mixture is warm to touch, about 30 seconds.
2. Whisk mixture, then put bowl in refrigerator. Let stand until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Creamy Insanely Delicious, Super-Creamy Bowl of Yumness (aka Chocolate Frosting)
Ingredients:
Sugar- 1/3 c
Large egg whites- 2
Salt- a "pinch"
Unsalted butter- 1 1/2 sticks, softened & cut into cubes
Bittersweet chocolate- 6 oz, melted & cooled to 85 degrees
Vanilla extract- 1/2 tsp

Directions:
1. Mix sugar, egg whites, and salt in bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl over pan of simmering water, and whisk constantly until mixture is foamy and registers 150 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Put bowl in stand mixer, and beat mixture on medium with whisk attachment 1-3 minutes, until slightly cooled and the consistency of shaving cream.
3. Add butter, one cube at a time. If it looks curdled halfway through, DO NOT PANIC! Just keep beating, just keep beating, just keep beating, beating, beating :) {couldn't help it!}
4. Pour in the cooled chocolate and vanilla. Mix until combined, then increase speed to medium high, and beat for another 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

ASSEMBLY
After the cupcakes have cooled, and the ganache has been in the fridge for 30 minutes, use a cupcake corer (or a knife), and reserve the cupcake "tops." Fill with yummy ganache, then replace the "tops" and frost as desired. I used my jumbo open-star tip :)

Note: I brought milk with me to the competition, and I whole-heartedly recommend having a nice, tall glass nearby.

ENJOY!!!

A very fuzzy picture from my cell phone of my display table at the competition :)

Also, if you would like to watch WHSV Harrisonburg's Litsa Pappas's segment on me and my business, please check out the following link!
JMU Student Starts Business to Avoid Unemployment after College

Whoa 2.0

*Places self in dog house*
I suppose I'm a bit overdue in getting this recipe to you, huh?
I do apologize for the recent infrequency of my posts- last week was midterms, this week will be much calmer. HOWEVER, this week will end in an incredibly exciting event:
CUPCAKES FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
It's a cupcake competition in Harrisonburg, VA, and all the proceeds go to supporting those in the surrounding area that have been affected by lung cancer.
And I'm entering!!!
I won't reveal which cupcake I will be entering, but it's gonna be ballin :)
In the words of the great Kristen Wiig, I'M SO FREAKIN EXCITED!

Anyways, on to the promised recipe.
I combined two recipes to make these bad boys, and it turned out pretty well. They were a little messy, so I'm gonna try to tweak the combination in the future. It turned into a rather disastrous adventure as my impulse control seemingly vanished.. As you may know, I've been on a chocolate "detox" for the last two and a half months to see if it is a potential migraine trigger. Instead of slowly introducing chocolate back into my diet like a normal person, I went ballistic, and I ate THREE.

When you make these cupcakes, you will understand why eating three is a really bad idea, whether you've been deprived of chocolate for two and a half months or not.

Needless to say, I was in a rather extraordinary chocolate coma the following day. I was so dizzy I could hardly get out of bed. BUT I refuse to accept the possibility that chocolate is a trigger... I believe that I can  enjoy chocolate, just in moderation... We'll see how that works out.

Okay, here's the recipe for real!
Note: I doubled the Creme and Ganache recipes. The original recipe can be found via the link below :)


Chocolate Marshmallow Creme Filled Cupcakes
Courtesy of Sweet Baking Supply and Glorious Treats
Yield: 30 cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Sugar- 2 c
Flour- 1 3/4 c
Cocoa- 3/4 c (*NOTE: Orig. calls for unsweetened, I used Hershey's Dark and it was amazing!)
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda- 1 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Eggs- 2
Whole milk- 1 c
Canola oil- 1/2 c
Vanilla extract- 2 tsp
Boiling water- 1 c

Directions:
1. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for one minute on medium speed.
3. Stir in boiling water (DO NOT PANIC, the batter is supposed to be thin!).
4. Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. BE CAREFUL. I definitely overfilled my liners, and it turned out a little crazy.
5. Bake approx. 22-24 minutes at 350 degrees.

Marshmallow Creme Filling
Ingredients:
Marshmallow creme- 14 oz (two 7 oz containers)
Butter- 1 c (softened)
Powdered sugar- 2/3 c
Water- 2 tbsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Note: Mine wouldn't really get fluffy, I'm not entirely sure why. If you get better results than I do, let me know in the comments section, please!

Ganache Frosting
Ingredients:
Semisweet chocolate chips- 24 oz (two 12 oz bags)
Heavy cream- 2 c

Directions:
1. In microwave, heat chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl until chips are soft. Let sit for one minute to continue melting the chips.
2. Stir, then allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.

ASSEMBLY
There are several approaches to filling a cupcake. My preferred method is using my Cuispro cupcake corer, then using a spoon to position the filling. The original recipe suggests filling a piping bag with a large tip and coupler and inserting it into the cupcake, then filling it until the cupcake expands slightly. This did not work for me, as my creme filling was a little runny. Whichever method floats your boat! :)

Note: HAVE MILK LEFTOVER FOR DRINKING! These cupcakes are SOOO chocolatey and delicious, and they're even better with a nice cold glass of milk!

THE Cake

This is It. The Big One. The Project I've been gearing up for all summer.

July 27th, I was scheduled to make a cake for my dad's best friend's birthday. I decided a couple weeks in advance to combine two concepts I'd seen on Sweetapolita- the ruffle cake, and the neapolitan cake. To do this, I had to: 1) Master Swiss Meringue Buttercream, 2) Learn how to make those ruffles, and 3) Practice ahead of time.

I learned a LOT of lessons in this process, which we will get to eventually :)

First up, I tried making the cupcake version of this cake, so I could get comfortable with the cake recipe, and, most importantly, get some practice in at making swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC). I had made it once before, but this cake was really important, and I wanted to make sure I did it right. For an excellent tutorial on how to make SMBC, you can visit two of my favorite sites: Sweetapolita or Whisk Kid.

I'm not even going to go into full details about making these cupcakes. It was nothing short of a disaster. Seriously, I don't remember the last time I failed so horribly. The SMBC turned out great, but when I tried to add the strawberry puree to make the strawberry SMBC, it turned into a horrible, icky, gooey, curdle-y mess. I'm not entirely sure what went wrong, but immediately after I went out and bought some Strawberry Essence. Fortunately for me, there's a gourmet food supply shop in Old Town Alexandria, La Cuisine. The Strawberry Essence was pretty pricey, at $12 for 2 oz, but it was worth every penny.


Lesson #1: Buying the better, more expensive ingredient is almost always the best move for a serious baker. 


Another thing that went wrong was the cupcakes were too short- I think if I make these again, I'll make fewer cupcakes so they can be taller. Eventually, I just took the strawberry disaster and filled the chocolate cupcakes with it (it still tasted good even though it looked dreadful), and I piped the SMBC on top.

Now, on to the main event!
I used the following recipes & techniques & ideas for this creation.

Southern Devil's Food Cake
Courtesy of Sweetapolita
Yield: One 3-layer 8" round cake
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter- 3/4 c, softened
Dark brown sugar- 2 c
Vanilla extract- 2 tsp
Eggs- 3, large, at room temperature
Flour- 1 3/4 c
Unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder- 3/4 c
Baking soda- 1 1/4 tsp
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Kosher salt- 1 tsp
Buttermilk- 1 1/2 c, at room temp
Mayonnaise- 1/4 c

Directions:
1. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high (6) speed until it is slightly increased in volume and lighter in color, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Lower the speed to a medium speed (4), and add the eggs one at a time.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. After sifting, add salt. Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk into creamed mixture. Mix until just incorporated (do not overbeat).
4. Fold mayonnaise into batter, and whisk until just blended.
5. Prepare the cake pans, either with butter & flour or with Baker's Joy (a spray that combines both).
6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. (Rotate pans after 20 minutes)

It's time for another lesson! Here's what happened..
When I was done preparing the batter, I decided to use only 2 of the cake pans, and to save the extra batter- I had just purchased two mini (4") cake pans, and I wanted to try making mini cakes, so my family and I could enjoy them; they also served as the guinea pigs for my ruffling practice. My plan was to slice the 2 big cake layers in half, so I would have a four layer cake. This had worked with the recipe I used for my mom's birthday cake, so I figured this wouldn't be a problem!

HUGE MISTAKE.

When I tried to slice the layers in half... disaster struck. I don't know if there's anything worse for a baker than to have completed a cake only to have it BREAK IN HALF after baking. That's right. The layers broke in half. Some of it crumbled. Sheer horror.
Two lessons learned:

Lesson #2: DO NOT slice layers in half unless the recipe EXPLICITLY tells you it's okay. You know what they say about assumptions....


Lesson #3: Never panic! There is almost always a way to correct a mistake. 


Somehow I managed to keep a level head, and it all turned out okay in the end. How? Frosting.

Let me explain...

Frosting, especially SMBC, works perfectly as a glue to hold a bunch of crumbly pieces and layers cut in half together.
Which leads me to....

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Courtesy of Sweetapolita
Yield: 15 cups of SMBC
A note about this recipe:
This recipe makes A LOT of SMBC. It was more than enough to frost and decorate the entire 4-layer cake, as well as the two baby cakes. Rosie, of Sweetapolita, has another version of SMBC that only makes 5 cups, and it would be just as easy to adjust the ingredients to make 10 cups.

Lesson #4: It's always better to make too much frosting. You never want to have a shortage.


Ingredients:
Egg whites- 16 large (450g, or 2 cups) ~ It's fine to use egg whites in a carton for this
Sugar- 4 c
Unsalted butter- 5 c (10 sticks), softened but cool, cut into cubes
Vanilla extract- 2 tbsp
Salt- 1/4 tsp

For strawberry SMBC:
Strawberry essence- to taste
Pink food gel (I used AmeriColor Soft Pink)

Directions:
1. Wipe down ALL of your tools (mixing bowl, whisk attachment, small bowl, and whisk) with a paper towel and lemon juice to remove any possible trace of grease.
2. In the mixing bowl, add egg whites and sugar. Place bowl over a simmering (not boiling) pot of water, and whisk constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 140 degrees F, or, if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot (feel a drop in between your fingers to make sure no sugar granules remain).
3. Take off the stove, and put bowl back in electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip the mixture until it is thick, glossy, and a neutral temperature (feel the outside of the bowl to test it).
4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and, while mixing on low speed continuously, add butter one cube at a time until incorporated, and mix until it has a silky smooth texture (if it curdles, don't panic! keep beating and it will get smooth).
5. Add vanilla and salt, and mix well.

At this point, I separated the SMBC- one half I kept vanilla, and the other I put in a separate bowl.
In one bowl, add the strawberry essence, one 1/4 tsp at a time, tasting it after each addition. I think I ended up with 1 1/2 tsp, but I can't be sure. Just make sure you don't overdo it! Add a couple drops of pink food gel, so you get a nice pink color.


Assembly & Decoration of the Cake
For a tutorial on the ruffling technique, check out this video.

I decided to use the strawberry SMBC as the filling, and the vanilla SMBC as the frosting. It looked gorgeous :)

I feel like I missed a couple things, so I'll be sure to add more soon :) Here is what the inside looked like!

  

Even with the crumbling and splitting and chaos, it still looked okay once I put it all together. 

Not the best looking inside of a cake, but this leads me to my fifth and final lesson...

Lesson #5: Practice makes perfect.

Don't freak out if the first SMBC you make turns out to be a mess, or if your cake crumbles. 

This is baking. It's supposed to be fun! 

Berry Bash Jam

I used this recipe from "The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes" (recipes from the delicious Sweet Cupcakes in Boston) as a filling for my 4th of July cupcakes.

Berry Bash Jam
Yield: Enough to fill a dozen cupcakes. 
Ingredients:
Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries (de-stemmed)- 1/3 cup of each (frozen is fine)
Sugar- 1 1/3 cups
Unsalted butter- 1/8 tsp
Liquid fruit pectin- 3 tbsp (can be found in canning aisle, near Jello. Do not use powderered pectin!)


Directions:
1) Chop berries in a food processor until chopped into a chunky paste (a potato masher is a fine alternative).
2) Put berries into a saucepan and place on high heat.
3) Stir in sugar, then add the butter.
4) Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (one that keeps bubbling even when stirred) and keep on high heat, stirring constantly.
5) Stir in pectin quickly, and return mixture to full rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6) Remove from heat and pour into a heavy duty container (plastic or glass), cover, and refrigerate.