20 Sweets in 20 Weeks - #14: Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

Before we talk baking I have to say thank you everyone for your kind words and support in regards to my post on post natal depression. It has been so wonderful reading through all of your lovely comments, knowing that I am not alone in this and that the blogging community is always there to give me big virtual hugs. It is funny, since I wrote that post I have actually started to feel a lot better in general - like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. So thank you everyone for listening and not judging.

Now on to the cupcakes. First of all - why is it that each week the sweet that I want to win the poll never makes it. I was really hoping to make a Cherry Ripe cupcake! Sheesh! But seriously I was kind of hoping that Death by Chocolate wouldn't win because I'm not actually that big a fan of chocolate. So of course it did win - Murphy's law!

These cupcakes are quite devilish - a moist chocolate buttermilk cake filled and topped with dark chocolate ganache, then a swirl of white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and finally drizzled with milk and white chocolate. Wowsers - that is a lot of chocolate! I had quite a few taste testers for these cupcakes because I brought them to a dinner party - and they were definitely a hit. So if you or someone you know are a chocolate lover you should definitely give these cupcakes a try.


Chocolate Buttermilk Cake (from The Australian Women's Weekly - Classic Cakes)
Makes 24 cupcakes

180g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
330g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
110g self-raising flour
35g cocoa powder
180ml buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake papers.
2. Beat butter, extract and sugar in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. 
3. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, until just combined.
4. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk.
5. Beat egg whites in clean small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, fold into cake mixture in two batches.
6. Divide mixture into cupcake papers and bake for approximately 20 minutes (or until a skewer comes out clean). Note: my oven is not tip-top so your cupcakes make bake quicker/slower.
7. Allow to cool slightly in muffin trays and then move to a wire rack to cool.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

226g dark chocolate, in small pieces
2/3 cup thickened cream

1. Place chocolate into a bowl.
2. Bring cream to boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat immediately and pour over chocolate.
3. Stir until chocolate melts.
4. Place ganache in fridge and stir every 10 minutes until you reach a good piping consistency.

White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Follow the directions for Almond Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but omit the vanilla extract and almond essence, and instead add 200g of melted white chocolate that has been slightly cooled.

Assembling the Cupcake

1. Cut out a well in each cupcake (eat the cut out piece :D).
2. Fill the well with dark chocolate ganache (I piped in the ganache).
3. Smear a layer of dark chocolate ganache on the top of the cupcake.
4. Pipe a swirl of white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream on top.
5. Melt 200g of milk chocolate, cool slightly and then coat the buttercream on each cupcake.
6. Melt 100g of white chocolate, cool slightly, place in a piping bag and swirl onto the milk chocolate on top of each cupcake.

Plush Cupcake Tutorial

As you may have read in some of my earlier posts I am participating in the Valentine Craft Swap being put on by Becky over at Strumpet's Crumpets. As soon as I was assigned my swap partner (hi Ruth!) I knew straight away what I wanted to make - a plush cupcake! It is something that I have been wanting to make for a while now and now I had the perfect reason to make one. So I sat down, drew up a pattern, bought my material and got sewing! I have to say it was a lot of fun and it has definitely made me want to do a bit more sewing. I thought since I am relatively new to it all that it would be a bit weird for me to post up a tutorial, but then I thought 'what the hell?'. So here we are the first ever Red Deer tutorial!

How to make a plush cupcake

Pattern
Cupcake top (pdf) and Cupcake bottom (pdf)

Tools
Tracing paper
Pencil
Scissors
Pins
Sewing needle
Sewing machine
Stuffing stick (or chopstick)

Materials
Felt for the cupcake top (I used bright yellow)
Felt for the hearts (I used light and dark pink)
Felt for the eyes (I used black)
Felt for the cheeks (I used light pink)
Felt for the mouth (I used red)
Fabric for the cupcake bottom (I used a cream cotton fabric)
Matching embroidery thread for the hearts, eyes, cheeks, mouth and cupcake bottom
Sewing thread to match cupcake top and bottom
Stuffing (polyfill)

Instructions

Download and print the patterns for the cupcake top and bottom. Using your tracing paper and pencil trace out the cupcake top, a heart, an eye, a cheek, the mouth and the cupcake bottom.

Cut out all of the shapes from the tracing paper, pin to the appropriate fabric and cut out the pieces. (Obviously you will need 2 cupcake tops, 2 cupcake bottoms, 10 hearts, 2 eyes, 2 cheeks and 1 mouth).

Next using the lines on the cupcake bottom pattern as a guide embroider some running stitches on both cupcake bottom pieces using an embroidery thread that matches the fabric.

Using matching embroidery thread sew the eyes, cheeks and mouth on to the front of one of the cupcake bottom pieces.

Using matching embroidery thread sew the hearts onto the two cupcake top pieces - using the cupcake top pattern as a guide for placement.

Now you are ready to piece together your plush cupcake.

Sew the cupcake tops onto the cupcake bottoms using the same embroidery thread that were used to embroider the cupcake bottoms.

Now you are ready to finish this baby!

Pin the two cupcake pieces together (right sides facing) and using your sewing machine sew around the edge leaving at least a 1cm border, and leaving a small gap (4cm or so) on the cupcake bottom for stuffing. Now take your scissors and clip the fabric around the curved edges.

Turn the cupcake the right side out through the gap that you left - be gentle!

Stuff the cupcake using the stuffer/chopstick to push the filling into all of the corners of the cupcake. Then pin the stuffing opening and use a blind stitch to close it.

Voila! You now have a plush cupcake!!

Hope you like your present Ruth - and I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's day!

Lemon Cupcakes

So it is Mat's second week at his new job, and he loves it - yay! So since his new work is treating him well I thought they deserved another batch of cupcakes. This time it was a recipe that I have been meaning to try for some time because I found the method quite interesting. The end result was really good, the cake has a nice soft crumb, isn't too sweet and has a nice subtle lemon flavour. And how can you ever go wrong with cream cheese frosting?


Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (from Better Homes and Gardens - Christmas 2007)
Makes 17 cupcakes

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1 1/3 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup almond meal
160ml cream
100g unsalted butter, melted
Juice of 1 lemon

For the frosting:
80g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted (I used 4 cups so that it was nice and stiff)
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
125g cream cheese, softened (I used 250g)

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
   
2. Put the eggs, sugar, salt and lemon rind in a medium mixing bowl, and using the whisk attachment on our electric mixer for 3 minutes or until light in colour. Sift in the flour and baking powder with the almond meal and cream. Whisk until well combined. Add melted butter and lemon juice and whisk again.
3. Spoon mixture into cupcake cases and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   
4. To make the frosting: beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, slowly add the icing sugar beating continually, finally add the lemon juice and rind and beat until smooth.

Cake Slice - Mississipi Mud Cake (or cupcakes)

The Cake Slice Bakers have struck again! This time the monthly recipe was Mississipi Mudcake from the book Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. I wanted to make something that was easy for Mat to take along to his first day at his new job, so I decided to make cupcakes instead of one big cake. As you can see that had some interesting effects on the marshmallow topping. In fact most of the cupcakes had marshmallow oozing down the sides of the paper cases - a huge sticky, delicious mess!

The cake has a Brownie like texture, not muddy like I expected - but it still tasted great. I loved having sweet fluffy melty marshmallows on the top, but that frosting was a bit too sweet for me - and that is saying something, I have a major sweet tooth!


Mississipi Mud Cake (from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott)
Makes 17 cupcakes

250g unsalted butter
½ cup cocoa powder
4 eggs, beaten well
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups caster sugar
1½ cups plain flour
¼ tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I omitted these)

For the Frosting: (I would halve the amount next time)
3 1/4 cups icing sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
125g unsalted butter, melted
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups mini marshmallows (I used one packet of large marshmallows)

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases. In a medium saucepan combine the butter and cocoa powder and cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter is melted and the mixture is well blended, about 3 – 4 minutes. Stir in the beaten eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, salt and pecans and beat until the batter is well combined and the flour has disappeared.
2. Quickly pour the batter into the prepared muffin trays and bake for 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched gently in the center.
3. While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting so it is ready to pour over the hot cupcakes. (I wouldn't do this until the cupcakes are ready, as the frosting goes hard very quickly!)
4. In a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar and the cocoa powder and stir to mix well. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla and beat everything together well. Set aside until the cake is done.
5. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, scatter the marshmallows over the top and then return the cupcakes to the hot oven for about 2 minutes to soften the marshmallows. (I did mine for a bit too long and they melted too much - so keep an eye on them!)
6. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack. Pour the frosting all over the marshmallows and eat right away or allow to cool to room temperature.
   

Cake Slice - White Chocolate Cake or should I say cupcakes!

This month The Cake Slice Bakers decided to make a white chocolate layer cake, which is just perfect for Christmas in my opinion. The recipe calls for either 3 x 8" cake tins or 2 x 9" cake tins, and guess what? I only have 2 cake tins and they are both 6". So I headed out to the local supply store to get some 8" tins only to discover that they were $12 each!!! Ouch! Way too much money for me at the moment, so I decided to make cupcakes instead.

I have to say this cake was not what I expected. The cake was moist and light in texture, but I could barely taste the white chocolate. The icing on the other hand was great a delicious combination of cream cheese and white chocolate.


White Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Nancie McDermott)
Makes 30 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

2 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
½ cup boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
¾ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups icing sugar

Method for the cupcakes:

1. Heat the oven to 180C and line 3 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
   
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix them well.
3. Bring 3 inches of water to an active simmer in the bottom of a double boiler or a saucepan that will accommodate a medium heat proof bowl so that it sits snugly over the water. Melt the white chocolate in the top of the double boiler or in the bowl over the simmering water. Stir often, and then pour in the ½ cup of boiling water and stir to mix well. Remove from the heat.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and the sugar and beat with a mixed at medium speed to mix them together well. Add the egg yolks, one by one, beating each time to keep the mixture smooth. Add the white chocolate and the vanilla, and stir well to mix.
5. Add about a third of the flour mixture, and then about half of the buttermilk, beating with a mixer at low speed just long enough after each addition to make the flour or buttermilk disappear. Mix in another third of the flour, remaining buttermilk and then the last of the flour.
6. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites at medium speed until they are foamy and opaque. Continue beating at high speed until they swell into thick, pillowy mounds and hold peaks that are stiff, but not fry. Add one third of the egg white mixture to the bowl of batter, and fold it in gently using a spatula. Add the remaining egg whites and continue to fold with a light touch, until the egg whites are blended in well, with only a few streaks showing.
7. Transfer the batter to the cupcake cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool.

Method for the White Chocolate Frosting:

1. In the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, melt the white chocolate over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often. Remove from the heat once melted and let cool to lukewarm.
   
2. Transfer the melted white chocolate to a large bowl, and add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat together at medium speed until you have a smooth sauce.
   
3. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.

Cupcake Hero - Snowball Cupcakes

It is that time again people - Cupcake Hero time! The magic ingredient for the challenge this month was coconut - and when I think of coconut I think of Golden Rough (yummy chocolates), Bounty, Cherry Ripe, Lamingtons, coconut cream pie and yummy marshmallows covered in tasty toasted coconut. So many good things have coconut involved in them!

I figured that since I am an Aussie gal that I should make some lamington themed cupcakes, and if you don't know what a lamington is then you are missing out. It is a sponge cake cut into cubes or rectangles, dipped in chocolate glaze icing and then coated in coconut. Yeah it is good.

So my plan was to have a chocolate cake (because I think that is tastier than a plain old sponge), topped with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) and then coated in chocolate and rolled in shredded coconut. And I did follow that plan, but what I ended up with was not a lamington cupcake, but a snowball cupcake (a snowball is a marshmallow coated in chocolate and then rolled in coconut). Seriously when you bite in to this cupcake it feels like you are eating a snowball and for that reason these cupcakes are completely and utterly awesome. I think I might be making these again!


Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 20

50g cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
185g unsalted butter, softened
330g caster sugar
3 eggs
225g self-raising flour
75g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line two 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
2. Mix cocoa and boiling water in a cup. Set aside to cool.
3. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
4. Sift flours with bicarbonate of soda and stir into butter mixture. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the cocoa and water, mixing constantly.
5. Divide into cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
270g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking. To test rub the mixture between your fingers and if you can't feel any sugar granules then it is ready.
   
2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again. This should take about 4-6 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.

To Finish

350g milk chocolate
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup shredded coconut (approximately)

1. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler.
   
2. Add the vegetable oil and stir until completely combined. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Put the coconut on a plate.
   
3. Dip each cupcake in the chocolate mix and then roll in the coconut. Be careful - I had two cupcakes where the frosting came off completely in the chocolate - whoops!

Dipped in chocolate...

Rolled in shredded coconut...

Cut in half and ready to devour...

Yum...

Cupcakes for a friend

One of my friends had an awesome birthday party on the weekend - lots of fantastic people, wonderful food and sing star of course. I was asked to bake the birthday boy some cupcakes for the event. So I baked 12 ferrero rocher cupcakes and 12 snickers cupcakes - mmm so much chocolatey goodness.

Well I should of baked more, because these babies were demolished in a matter of minutes and everyone loved them! It was great to see everyone enjoying my cupcakes - it put a huge smile on my face :)

Yay for cupcakes!

Iron Cupcake - Keep It Simple Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

It is Iron Cupcake time again and this month the not-so-secret ingredient was apple. As soon as the ingredient was announced I started to rack my brain - toffee apples, apple pie, baked apples, apple crumble - arrrghh! What to do? I finally decided that you just can't mess with the apple and cinnamon combination, I know it isn't very inventive but it is darn tasty!

Apple cinnamon cake topped with cream cheese buttercream and dusted with ground cinnamon

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes (from Confetti Cakes for Kids by Elisa Strauss)
Makes 24 cupcakes

3 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup apple sauce
2 apples, peeled and chopped finely

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake papers.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cloves. Set aside.
   
3. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping after each addition.
4. Alternately add the flour mixture and the apple sauce to the butter mixture in three batches, starting with the flour. Scrape down the bowl after each addition and beat until thoroughly combined.
5. Add the apples and stir them in just until they are incorporated.
6. Divide the batter among the cupcake papers and bake for 20-25 minutes.
   

Cream Cheese Buttercream

60g butter, softened

160g cream cheese, softened

3 cups icing sugar (approximately)

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar until you reach the consistency you want.
   
3. Spread over cooled cupcakes and then top with a dusting of ground cinnamon.
   

Look at those yummy chunks of apple...


All lined up ready to be packed up in the cupcake courier...


Well this one didn't make it to the courier :P


Our Generous IronCupcake:Earth Prize Providers:

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne
• Beautiful Baking Liners by Vestli House
• Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Bakery & Cupcakey Supply

Cupcake Hero - Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes

The second round of Cupcake Hero has begun - ding ding! Well actually you can't vote yet - but you can bake if you still want to. The theme for this month is peanut butter, and my first thought was dang, I've already made my awesome peanut butter cup cupcakes. So what to make? Everyone knows that peanut butter and jam go together so I decided against that. But did you know that some people like peanut butter and banana sandwiches? I don't personally, but supposedly it is a done thing. Still peanut butter and banana just seemed to simple so instead I present to you my....

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes

Banana cake filled with peanut butter and dark chocolate ganache, topped with peanut butter swiss meringue buttercream, drizzled with dark chocolate ganache and finished with a choc-dipped banana chip

Before I give you the recipe for these babies can I just say holy moly! These cupcakes were darn good - this flavour combination totally rocks my world. All the folks at Mat's work raved over these cupcakes, in fact I think the only complaint was that it was a bit rich after eating two of them. So if you like peanut butter, bananas and chocolate (and really who doesn't) then I can definitely suggest you make these cupcakes, you won't regret it.

Banana Cupcakes (adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Classic Cakes)
Makes 24

185g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
335g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (I needed 4 bananas)
1/3 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients, mashed banana and milk.
4. Divide mixture into cases and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Let the cupcakes cool in the tins for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Prepare the peanut butter dark chocolate ganache, peanut butter swiss meringue buttercream and choc banana chips while you wait :)
   

Choc-Dipped Banana Chips

24 banana chips (have extras if you feel the need to snack)
100g dark chocolate

1. Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave or using a double boiler.
2. Dip one end of each banana chip into the dark chocolate, then place on a tray lined with baking paper.
3. Leave to set at room temperature.
   

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Ganache (and Dark Chocolate Ganache)

13.5 ounces dark chocolate, in small pieces
1 1/2 cups thickened cream
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1. Place the dark chocolate in a bowl.
2. In a small saucepan heat the cream over medium heat. Bring it just to a boil - be careful to not let it overflow.
3. Pour the cream over the dark chocolate and whisk until smooth.
4. Transfer half of the ganache into a separate bowl and whisk in the peanut butter.
   

Peanut Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
270g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, softened
4 tbsp peanut butter

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking. To test rub the mixture between your fingers and if you can't feel any sugar granules then it is ready.
   
2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature. This should take about 10 minutes.
3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again. This should take about 4-6 minutes.
4. Add the peanut butter and mix on medium speed until combined.

Now that you have all the components ready and the cupcakes are cooled it is time to finish it all off. First using either an apple corer or a small knife cut a well into each cupcake...


Now it is time to fill each cupcake with the peanut butter dark chocolate ganache, I used a piping bag to do this but you could just use a spoon...


Fill each well right up to the top...


Then replace the top of each cupcake...


Finally pipe a swirl of the peanut butter swiss meringue buttercream, add a choc-dipped banana chip and drizzle with some dark chocolate ganache...


Enjoy your chocolate/peanut butter/banana creation...


Yum!