The Diva Frosts a Cupcake (26 page)
Read The Diva Frosts a Cupcake Online
Authors: Krista Davis
Strawberry Cupcakes
This recipe uses almost an entire 16-ounce box of strawberries, but it’s split between the various steps. Please note that these cupcakes do not freeze well.
CUPCAKES
3
/
4
pound fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar, divided
1
/
2
cup unsalted butter (one stick), at room temperature
2 eggs
1
/
2
teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
1
/
2
cups flour
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher. Sprinkle with
1
/
3
cup sugar and stir to combine. Set aside. Cream the butter with the remaining
2
/
3
cup sugar. Beat in the eggs. Beat in the sea salt and baking powder. Beat in the flour, alternating with 1 cup of the mashed strawberries. Add the cream and vanilla and beat. Fill cupcake liners almost full and bake for 16–18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack before frosting.
FROSTING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (
1
/
2
stick)
1
/
4
cup mashed strawberries
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Beat the butter with the salt and strawberries. Add the sugar and cream, alternating until you reach the desired consistency.
FILLING
Carve a small cone out of the top of each cupcake. Drop
1
/
4
to
1
/
2
teaspoon of the mashed strawberries into each hole and replace the top. Frost the cupcakes.
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
CUPCAKES
1
1
/
4
cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
/
4
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
4
teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (
3
/
4
stick), at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1
/
2
cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Alternate adding the flour and milk. Add vanilla and lemon juice and beat well. Divide between cupcake liners, filling only half-full. Bake 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
FILLING
1
/
3
cup sugar
1
/
3
cup water
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 egg yolk
1
/
8
cup lemon juice
1
/
2
teaspoon butter
Combine the sugar,
1
/
3
cup water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water into a paste. Add it to the boiling sugar mixture, stirring constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Whisk the egg yolk together with the lemon juice and pour into the cornstarch mixture. Stirring constantly, return the mixture to heat and cook until it boils again. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Cover and cool. If not using right away, refrigerate when cool.
MERINGUE
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
1
/
4
cup sugar
Combine the egg whites and salt and beat until they just begin to take shape. Add the sugar and beat until glossy.
ASSEMBLY
Bake the cupcakes and make the filling. When the cupcakes are cool, make the meringue. Cut a divot out of the center of each cupcake. Fill with the lemon filling. Replace the caps that were cut out. Frost with the meringue and bake at 350 for 4–5 minutes or until the meringue is set.
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Caution: Raw egg warning. The meringue will not cook enough to kill salmonella or other food-borne illness.
Basic Vanilla Cupcakes
1
1
/
4
cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
/
4
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
4
teaspoon salt
1
/
3
cup vegetable oil
1
/
3
cup milk
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1
1
/
2
teaspoons vanilla
1
/
4
cup unsalted butter (
1
/
2
stick), at room temperature
1
/
2
cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Mix the oil, milk, cream, and vanilla in another bowl. Cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add roughly
1
/
3
of the flour mixture, then
1
/
3
of the milk mixture, beat well, and alternate between them until all ingredients have been incorporated. Pour into cupcake liners. Bake 16–18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack before frosting.
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Coco Loco Cupcakes
Please note that these cupcakes freeze very well.
CUPCAKES
1 cup flour
1
/
4
cup high quality unsweetened powdered chocolate, like Penzey’s
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
/
4
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
4
teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (1 square)
1
/
2
cup light coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the flour, powdered chocolate, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix well with a small whisk or a fork. Melt chocolate square in microwave in short bursts.
Cream the butter with sugar. Add each egg and beat well. Add the flour mixture in small amounts, alternating with the coconut milk. Beat in the melted chocolate and then the vanilla. Beat to combine.
Divide between cupcake papers, filling each about half-full. Bake 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
(Makes 24 cupcakes)
Coconut Creme
FILLING
1
/
2
cup Marshmallow Fluff
1
/
3
cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon heavy cream
Mix all ingredients. Carve a divot out of each cupcake and fill with coconut creme. Replace divot.
FROSTING
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1
/
4
cup heavy cream
3 cups powdered sugar
1
/
4
cup milk
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in short bursts. Allow to cool. Cream the butter with the chocolate, then add the vanilla and cream. Add the powdered sugar
1
/
2
cup at a time, adding milk as needed until the desired consistency is reached. Beat in the coconut. Frost cupcakes with a knife or an offset spatula, heaping it on and swirling. Frosting will not be smooth due to the coconut.
(For 12 cupcakes)
Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosted Mocha Cupcakes
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
/
4
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
4
teaspoon kosher salt
1
/
4
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (
1
/
2
stick), at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
3
/
4
cup milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the egg and beat. Dissolve the coffee in the milk. Alternate adding the flour and the milk to the egg, butter, and sugar mixture. Add the vanilla and beat well. Divide between cupcake liners, filling only half-full. Bake 14–16 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack before frosting.
SIMPLE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
This recipe makes just enough frosting for 6 cupcakes. If you want to frost 12 cupcakes, double the frosting recipe. If you don’t need 12 cupcakes, frost half a batch to serve now, and freeze the other 6 cupcakes. You can frost them later just before serving. To defrost cupcakes, simply remove from freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for 30–60 minutes. Then top with the frosting of your choice.
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate (1 square)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1
/
2
teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk
Melt the square of chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds at half strength. Repeat until melted. Beat the chocolate with the butter, then add sugar and beat. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Beat in the powdered sugar, adding the additional tablespoon of milk. Add more milk or powdered sugar if necessary to obtain desired consistency.
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Applesauce Spice Cupcakes
Please note that these cupcakes freeze very well.
3
/
4
cup flour
1
/
2
teaspoon baking powder
1
/
2
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
1
/
2
teaspoon cinnamon
1
/
4
teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (
1
/
2
stick), at room temperature
1
/
2
cup dark brown sugar, packed
1
/
4
cup regular sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1
/
2
cup applesauce
Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake papers in a cupcake pan. Use a fork to mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Set aside. Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the egg and beat. Add the applesauce and beat. Beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Fill cupcake liners half-full. Bake 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack before frosting.
CARAMEL FROSTING
1
/
4
cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1
/
4
cup white sugar
1
/
4
cup dark brown sugar, packed
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1
1
/
2
to 2 cups powdered sugar
Place
1
/
4
cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, the white sugar, and the brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. (I use a Pyrex 2-cup measure.) Microwave in short bursts of 20 to 50 seconds, stirring each time until the mixture bubbles up and is hot. Set aside to cool. The mixture must be completely cool to make the frosting. (After it cools substantially, I place it in the fridge for half an hour while the butter comes to room temperature.)
Beat the 8 tablespoons of butter well, scraping the sides and beating again. Add the 2 tablespoons of cream and the cooled caramel mixture and beat. Add the vanilla and beat. Slowly add the powdered sugar until frosting reaches the desired consistency.
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Rosemary Bacon Corn Cupcakes
1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 egg
1
/
3
cup milk
1 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary
1
/
2
cup chopped cooked bacon
OPTIONAL GARNISH
sour cream
bacon
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with liners. Combine all ingredients. It’s okay if the batter is slightly lumpy. Fill cupcake liners just over half-full. Bake 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Best served warm. If serving cold, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and an inch-long piece of bacon.
(Makes about 10 servings)
