Red Velvet Cupcakes

Today is Valentine’s day! A day designated to express your love and appreciation for that special someone in your life. The go-to treat on Valentine’s day is chocolate and what girl doesn’t like chocolate? On Friday afternoon Obed showed up with a package of about a dozen chocolate covered jumbo strawberries.  I say the boy did good!

Yesterday Obed had to go into the office for a few hours.   He has two favorite cakes, carrot cake, which I made for his birthday last year, and red velvet cake.  I thought that red velvet cupcakes would be very appropriate for Valentine’s day.  While he was at the office I decided to make him some scrumptious red velvet cupcakes and he was excited to come home to a tower of red velvet cupcakes.

I was a little concerned at first by the amount of oil that the recipe called for, but the cupcakes came out moist and delicious.  The bottoms where a little greasy when I removed them from the cupcake mold so you may want to set them on some paper towels.

I had never made red velvet cupcakes before and quickly learned that being a little scattered and disorganized while making these cupcakes can result and red tinted fingers and nails.  I managed to get red dye and powdered sugar everywhere.  It’s a gift….don’t be haten.

Since I purchased my decorations the day before Valentine’s I got them all at a discount which was a sweet bonus.  When I saw these little candy hearts I just had to have them.  They are so stinking cute.  I also added a few drops of red to the frosting to give it a pink tint.

These cupcakes are moist, sweet and have a deep red color when you bite into them.   I don’t know who thought of the red velvet cupcake but they were genius!  If you can’t decided between vanilla or chocolate cupcakes, try red velvet they are sure to please everyone.

However, as I sit here writing this I am currently being tortured by chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes. Which seems to be extremely unjust!  These are two nutritional substances that my trainer would not approve of, but what is a girl to do?   I can not tell a lie…my choice breakfast this morning was a red velvet cupcake with a piece of fruit……covered in chocolate :/

Print Recipe

Red Velvet Cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 2 Tbs unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp red gel-paste food color
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Combine cake flour, cocoa, and salt and whisk together.

With an electric mixer whisk together sugar and oil on medium-high speed, until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.

Tres Leche Cupcakes

Many moons ago I attempted to make some tres leche cupcake.  My first attempt was pretty much a flop.  I went against my instincts and did everything that I shouldn’t have.  Spooning the milk mixture over the cupcakes was a stupid idea, using paper cupcake liners was another not so smart idea and my cake batter does not translate over to a cupcake very well.   I ended up with milk dripping everywhere and soggy cupcake liners.  In summation it was a disaster.

If your first attempt is not a success, do not be afraid to try again.  I decided to attempt the tres leche cupcake idea again, using a bit more common sense.  The first problem I had was that my tres leche cake recipe does not translate over to a cupcake very well.  My recipe if for a very dense pound cake and when I tried to make that into a cupcake I ended up with really hard cupcakes.  Not so good…no.   I went on the hunt for a cake recipe that I thought could work for the cupcakes.  I found Pioneer Woman’s tres leche cake and thought it would be prefect.  The cake is made by separating the eggs and folding in the whipped whites into the cake batter, making for a very light and fluffy cake. 

The second issue was getting the milk into the cupcake.  Spooning it over the cupcake doesn’t work and although I knew this the first time around, like a dork I still tried it.  This time I thought I would use the noodle that God gave me a bit more efficiently and be a little smarter about it.   I got my hands on a meat/flavor injector.  If you have a husband that likes to smoke and grill you may already have one.  If this is the case be sure to give it a really good cleaning and soak the needle and plunger in hot water.  Otherwise go out and buy yourself one, it is well worth the investment and doesn’t cost much at all.

The final issue that I had to over come was the cupcake liner.  A common paper liner will not work, the milk will eventually soak through and start to drip.  It makes quite a mess.  The foil liners held up beautifully. 

Since I was making all these adjustments for the cupcake, I decided to change up the frosting too.  Traditionally the frosting on a tres leche cake is just whipped cream frosting, but it can get kind of sad and droopy sitting on a cupcake out of the fridge for too long.  Besides I seem to have a extreme inability when it comes to making whip cream.  It is just something I am severely deficient at.  I found this frosting recipe,(I can’t remember where), and it works perfectly for this cupcake version of the tres leche cake.

The cupcakes were a success!  The cake was moist and fluffy, the milk stayed in the cupcake, there were no soggy liners and everyone loved the icing.  YEAH for me!  Give them a try I am sure you will love them just as much as we did.

 Print Recipe

Tres Leche Cupcakes (adapted from Pioneer Woman) 

1 1/2 dozen

Cupcake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 whole eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 cups whole milk or heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup Cream Of Coconut or sweet condensed milk
• 1 can (12 ounces), evaporated milk
• foil cupcake liners
• meat/flavor injector

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake molds with foil cupcake liners.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Spoon into prepared cupcake molds, 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on cooling rack.

Combine coconut cream, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cupcakes are cool, fill a meat injector with milk mixture, pierce the cupcake and inject about 1 tbs of mixture in three different spots. Try not to inject too deep, or all the milk will settle at the bottom. The milk mixture will seep out the top when full.

Allow the cupcakes to absorb the milk mixture, refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Frosting

• 3 cups powder sugar
• 1 stick butter, soften
• 2 tbs heavy whipping cream

In a mixer beat together powder sugar, butter and whipping cream until fluffy.  You can add more whipping cream 1 tbs at a time for desired consistency.

This frosting is best served room temperature.  Frost your cupcakes on the same day you are going to serve them.  You can pipe on the frosting or spread it on.  Bloat excess syrup off maraschino cherries and use to garnish cupcakes.

Leftover cupcakes have to be refrigerated because of the milk.

Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Obed, “These are the best cupcakes you have ever made hands down!  I love the frosting!” 

In summation they were a hit.  I took them into the office, like I do with every baked good, and they disappeared.  The cupcake itself is very moist and sweet.  The coffee powder brings out the flavor of the chocolate but it does not dominate at all in the cupcake.  I loved this peanut butter frosting!  It was a little thick at first so I thinned it out with whipping cream.  It came out sweet, peanutty and creamy.  I think I may just make this whole thing into a cake next time.

Print Recipe

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins (from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup pan muffin with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. Set aside.

In another medium bowl whisk together the flour, espresso, baking soda, and salt together. Make a well in the center of the flour bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.

Divide the batter among the muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Then finishing cooling on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Frosting  (Bon Appetit January 2003)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons whipping cream

Put powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, adding whipping cream by teaspoonfuls.

Pipe the frosting in swirls over top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles.

Hello Cupcake Winner!

I know who is making cupcakes really soooooon.

Melanie Hopes says:

I would love to make the drumstick cupcakes for April fools day. How fun would that be?

Love your cupcakes they are adorable.

Melanie don’t wait till April Fool’s to makes those cupcakes.   I hope you enjoy your prize and make tons of adorable cupcakes.

Contact me with you info at thenoshery@live.com.

I also have to add this baking fiasco from Hannah, because I thought it was stinking hilarious!

So, I have a baking fiasco story…it was quite an event at my house:

About two years ago, I was planning a weekend trip to Busch Gardens with a few friends. Always looking for an excuse to bake, I decided this trip needed muffins to accompany the ride up. So the night before, I decided to bake a batch of banana-nut cream cheese muffins. Well, the first step in making these suckers is to toast the pecans…to bring out their flava, of course. So they’re toasting away on a baking sheet in the oven while I’m upstairs chatting with my mom. All the sudden, I hear my dad yell from downstairs: “Um, something’s on FIRRRRE!!!” I run down and sure enough, the entire pan is lit up like a fireworks display (how fitting for this time of year). I frantically try to open the oven door…but somehow it had decided to lock itself up (I later realized that the oven had malfunctioned and decided to go into self-cleaning mode…not my fault). Several minutes go by…and now my mom has rushed downstairs, my dad has located the fire extinguisher, the smoke alaram has started to blare, and the fire is now leaping out the sides of the oven. How exciting. My dad tries to play fireman for a second, and manages to kill most of the flames…not all, but most. And then we decide it’s probably a good move to get on out of the house. Which we do…as two large firetrucks come barreling down the street. This is all at around 10pm, mind you. So now all the neighbors are slowly emerging out their houses.

Long story short, the firemen go into the house wearing masks, kill the oven, and about an hour later, it’s sitting out in the middle of the driveway…a hot mess (literally). The house airs out, I meet a couple new neighbors, and the chaos dies down for the night. Mission Banana-Nut Muffin aborted. BUT, the sweet ending to the story…insurance paid for a brand-new oven. A MUCH nicer one. And I’ve been getting good use out of that thing ever since. )

THE END.

I plan on baking the TV dinner cupcakes next.  They look so funny!  Look for the post on Monday.  Have a great 4th weekend!

Hello Cupcake Giveaway!

Eat the Rainbow: Rainbow Cupcakes

I know cupcakes twice in one week not my usual modus operandi.  That’s my legal training kicking in.

Yesterday I decided to invite my friend Amber and her 6 year old daughter Mia over to my house to hang out and bake.  Amber is always saying she wants to cook or bake something but she is scared to.  I just laugh and yell “YOU CAN DO IT!”

It took me a little while to come up with something to do since I don’t have children of my own, but then I though some rainbow cupcakes would be fun.  I mean what kid doesn’t want to eat a rainbow?  Right?

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Coffee & Dougnuts

 Today I started working temporarily at Hubby’s office doing reception.  I have a few Noshery fan’s over there who get to enjoy some of my spoils, mainly because I send anything that is unhealthy their way so I don’t eat it.  It’s a secreat conspiricy to foil their wellness plan.

Last night after I came back from dinner with Hubby and Friend I stumbled upon this exchange on Facebook.

New Co-Worker #1
is excited for our new employee to start working tomorrow!

New Co-Worker #2
Who is that?!?

New Co-Worker #1
Meseidy is going to help on reception duty for a while. .

New Co-Worker #2
No s***? She should provide some entertainment for the building. It’s been pretty quiet since Sam left. Yes Sam…we miss you!!

New Co-Worker #3
Haha! Can we also hire her as the Link Chef??

New Co-Worker #2
Yes, I do believe we should get breakfast every morning. You reading this Meseidy!?!

New Co-Worker #1
Weight Gainers R Us!

New Co-Worker #3
Hahaha it’s all fat free I’m telling you

New Co-Worker #2
Something that tastes that good can’t have calories.

This definatly made me laugh…..I felt so loved.  Although I think deep down inside they only like me for my baked goods.

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Lemon Cornmeal Cupcakes with Lemon Icing and Blueberry Filling

If you visited yesterday you saw the Creamy Chicken Carbonara that I made for dinner.  Well I made a truck load and it was so good we just decided to have the leftovers for dinner.  This gave me the opportunity to practice my baking skills.  I’m happy to see that my baking skills are improving, actually I am pretty stinking excited about it.  For the longest time I could not get anything that contained flour to come out right.   I was starting to proclaim myself a failed baker.  However today I think I redeemed myself.

It is apparent that Tulsa, OK weather hasn’t gotten the memo that it is already spring, or it refuses to check the calendar.  Since the weather is being stubborn I figured I can force it a little and make these delicious “springy” cupcakes.  I found this recipe for a Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Icing and Blueberry sauce on, epicurious.com.  (Yes, I know I have done a lot of blueberry lately, it hasn’t been on purpose. I will be turning blue soon I am sure ) I thought how fun would it be to make these into cupcakes, but then I had to think how to conveniently incorporate the blueberry sauce.  It hit me, DUH, make it a filling.  I wasn’t sure how they would hold up, structure and consistency wise, but they did just FAB!

They are a great treat and perfect for Spring.  They are light and just sweet enough, and I am not a huge fan of lemony  sweets, but these just hit the spot.  So good with a nice glass of milk.  Yummyness!

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How freaking cute!

This past week I came across Cakespy.com.  If you haven’t been to this blog I encourage you visit it, it’s adorable. Anyway on her blog she linked to Bakerella’s cupcake bites.  When I saw them I could not resist trying them out because they were so darn cute.  Now mine are not nearly as smooth and proportioned at Bakerella’s but I think they are a pretty decent for a first time attempt.  These cupcake bites are generally easy to make and I think a great project to do with kids.  All you need for these tasty sugary treats is a box of cake mix, cream cheese frosting, candy melts, molds and decorating accessories.  They make a super cute gift or party favor.