Monday, March 23, 2009

Vanilla Cupcakes with Simple Frosting


Almost every food blog I went, the authors are searching for the perfect vanilla cupcakes.. Well, i haven't found mine yet.. But I've always found comfort in vanilla cupcakes rather than chocolate.. I'm not sure why Im not such a fan of chocolate things.. I love chocolate.. But if there's a chocalate cake, there should be a vanilla cream or something white.. I do not like overdose of chocolate.. Unless it the Guanaja cake from Rive Gauche.. haha.. It depends but usually I don't really like too chocolatey stuffs..

Anyway, im digressing again.. So.. vanilla cupcakes.. I'm still searching for the perfect vanilla cake.. I like mine to be more cakey than moist for the cupcakes.. So I think Martha Stewart's is the best BUT i find it a bit tooo cakey and dry.. Haha.. I know.. So contradicting rite.. Hmm.. well.. till then.. my search continues..

Actually this post is to focus on the frosting which was the simplest frosting I ever made and it's nice on plain cupcakes.. And I think it would go well with various other deserts.. It appears glossy when you make it but once you frost it, it will go matt and hardened.. But when you eat it, it won't like break into pieces or anything.. Haha.. It's still soft but not that liquidy.. It's some sort like meringue tasting.. Super Sweet~ However, please keep in mind that the frosting's not something that can be piped.. :)

Magnolia's Famous Vanilla Cupcakes (taken from http://cupcakerehab.com/)

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (175 deg cel)

2. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcakes papers

3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well afer each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using the rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

6. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarter full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. remove from the tine and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Simple Sugar Frosting (told from my sis who watched Nigella on tv)

2 egg whites
150g icing sugar
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Just beat the egg whites and sugar together and add the lemon juice.. If you want a less liquid consistency, add less lemon juice.. Or just add more sugar if it become to liquidy.. Or you can always store in the fridge for a while..

~I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven~

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Cranberry Orange Zest Muffins

I haven't made muffin in a very long time.. This was really refreshing.. I love the orangey taste and the crispy top... Healthy tasting snack.. It's nice eaten hot.. And the good thing about it is that you don't have to use any hand mixer!!

Cranberry Orange Zest Muffins (taken from http://howtoeatacupcake.net/)
Makes 8

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (I used plain yoghurt)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
1/4 cup orange juice
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 175 deg celcius (375F). Line muffin pan with 8 paper liners. (I got 15 cups using my usual aluminium tray)

2. Combine 1/4 cup dried cranberries with orange juice in a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl. Microwave 1 minute or until mixture is hot. Let sit for 5 minutes to plump the cranberries. Drain off orange juice and pulse cranberries a few times in a food processor.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla, orange zest and cranberry puree. Stir into dry ingredients until almost completely moistened. Fold in the ramining 1.4 cup cranberries until incorporated.

4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Generously sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm.

~hey Girl you know you drive me crazy..
One look puts the rythm in my hand
Still I never understand why you hang around
I see what's goin down~

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Nutella Frosted Cupcakes

This is my 2nd attempt as the first one failed because the my baking powder has expired.. Also, I used my old oven which makes everything I bake burnt easily.. Nevertheless, this is one of the simplest recipe to make and it's really nice especially if you're a fan of Nutella just like I am..



Nutella Frosted Cupcake (taken from http://novice-baker.blogspot.com/)

10 tbsp (140 grams) butter, softened
3/4 cupwhite sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups (200 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Nutella (1 tsp for each cupakes)

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree celcius (325F). Line muffins tins with paper liners.

2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, until fluffy and incorporated. Don't worry if the batter doesn't look smooth. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, salt baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains.



3. Using an ice-cream scoop or spoon, fill each muffin liner with batter. They should be 3/4 full, if you're not using a scoop. Top each cake with 1 heaping teaspoon of Nutella. Swirl Nutella in with a toothpick (I used 2 toothpicks), making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the Nutella. (do not swirl too much as you do not want to turn it to become 'Nutella batter'.. Just a few rounds so that you can still bite into those delicious nutella)

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

5. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.


~I got something to give..
I need somone to hold..
I got a special kind of somthing..
That I just need to share~

Sunday, March 1, 2009

My 1st Regular Sized Cupcakes

How do you always start baking? Hmm.. I start by reading through the recipe over and over again and understand the steps and instructions.. Then I will analyze what I ingredients I need to get.. After everything, I start baking.. Hence, I usually mentally and physically(?) prepare myself one day before.. Usually..
I just bought my first standard size muffin/cupcake tin.. I don't usually like this size cos I feel that it's big.. I worry that it would be too much for people and that they would stop at 1 cupcake.. :) I like my cupcakes small as it makes me want to eat it more.. haha.. But I really wanted to buy the muffin tin anyway.. So the cupcake who has the honour of being the first cupcake to be baked in the tin is Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcake.. I was really excited to bake these.. It looked really tantalising the first time I saw it and I knew I had to try it.. It was creative and looks really delicious..
Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcake (taken from http://howtoeatacupcake.net/)
(my notes and comments are in red)

Chocolate Cupcakes (from MarthaStewart.com)
makes 12 (plus 1 smaller cupcake)

Ingredients
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan (omit if you're using paper liners)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan (increased to 1 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Reduced this to 1/4 cup: Use original amounts if you want a really chocolatey cupcake)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk (I used those hi-lo milk cos that's what I have on hand and I think it works just fine)

This is the batter and the cookie dough before it was baked.. it was really cook to see it like this.. I really wanted to eat th cookie dough just like that.. hehe..

This is what happened after it was baked.. The cookie dough disappeared.. :) Magical I tell you.. Haha.. Well... The picture of how it looks inside at the top before the recipe..

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (177 degress celcius). Butter and flour a standard 12 cup muffin pan, or use paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and mix until combined.

3. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, followed by milk; end with remaining flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).

4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Place a ball of frozen cookie dough on top of each cup (do not push it in).

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the centre of a cupcake (but not in the cookie dough) comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookie Dough Frosting

For the cookie dough
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tbsp
2 tsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips (slightly lesser if u dun like chocolate chips as much like I do)

For the frosting
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I only had 1 cup normal whipping cream available at that time)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar (reduced to 2/3 cup)
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

For the cookie dough
1. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add water and vanilla and mix well.

2. Add flour, salt and a stir to combine. Stir in 1/3 cup mini chocolate chip.

3. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and freeze (don't have to place in the freezer, just put in the normal fridge) until firm (I used a cling wrap), about 30 minutes.

4. Break dough into 1/4 teaspoon sized chunks (I would make bigger cos I love the cookie dough part) and place the chunks on a plate or in a plastic container, separating layers with waxed paper (I used cling wrap). Store them in the refrigerator until ready to use. (I got more than 13 balls that I needed for the 13 cupcakes. That's why I would make bigger chunks next time. The leftovers that were used in the frosting were very little but sufficient I guess, but maybe I would make slightly more cookie dough next time)

To make the frosting

1. In a medium bowl (a cold bowl with cold beaters), beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat); set aside. (While refrigerating the cookie dough, I washed my bowl and beaters and placed it in the fridge)

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth.

3. Fold the the whipped cream.

4. Fold the frozen cookie dough chunks into the frosting and immediately frost the cooled cupakes. (those leftover unused cookie dough)

I made it on some random day.. I was just excited to do it.. Anyway.. Not many like the icing but I love the icing with the cupcake.. In fact,I think I would put extra icing on it for myself cos I want to eat every bite of the cupcake with the icing.. Haha.. Although I didnt have sufficient whipping cream, that taste ok to me.. Well.. It was a bit runny.. But I guess it should be fine if you put it in the fridge for a while.. Oh.. Don't put too many cookie dough in it cos some people might not be confortable with the idea of eating uncooked cookie dough.. unless they don't know.. hahaha..

Okay last comments is that.. EAT IT CHILLED... hahaha.. I think it's best eaten when it chilled.. I can't explain why.. But it's just nicer.. To me at least.. Espcially with the icing..

~If you.. if you could return
Don't let it burn, don't let it fade
I swear im not being rude
But it's just your attitude
It's tearing me apart.. It's ruining everything~