Double Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Lately I have been making lots of cupcakes!  They are so much fun to make and the flavor possibilities are endless.  One flavor combination I absolutely love is chocolate and raspberry.  Of all the cupcakes I’ve made recently, I think these double chocolate raspberry cupcakes are my favorite.  (Eric agrees).  These cupcakes are fluffy, moist, light and airy.  And they are super rich because they contain both melted chocolate and cocoa powder, and in addition to that, the chocolate flavor is further enhanced by coffee.  The centers of these cupcakes are injected with a delicious raspberry filling, and the cupcakes are topped with a rich and creamy chocolate ganache.  As a final sweet touch, the cupcakes are garnished with chocolate ganache-filled raspberries (whoever thought of filling raspberries with chocolate is a genius!)  These cupcakes do take some time to make, but the end result is well worth the time and effort.

Double Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

(print recipe)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1½ cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• 1¼ tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• ¾ tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 1 (12 oz.) bag frozen raspberries, thawed
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

For the frosting:

• 12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1½ tbsp. sugar
• 1½ tbsp. corn syrup
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl; add the hot coffee and let stand a minute or two, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs on medium-high speed until slightly thickened and pale yellow.  Slowly add the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to the eggs, mixing until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the raspberry filling, puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan to remove the seeds.  Whisk in the sugar and cornstarch, and heat, stirring frequently until the mixture boils.  Once it has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.  Chill before using.
5. Meanwhile, make the ganache.  Add the chopped chocolate to a medium heatproof bowl.  In a saucepan combine the cream, corn syrup and sugar.  Heat until just boiling.  Immediately pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and let stand a few minutes to melt.  Whisk in small circular motions until the mixture is smooth and blended, then whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated.  Let the mixture stand at room temperature to thicken slightly, so it can be piped or spread.
6. To assemble the cupcakes, place the raspberry filling in a pastry bag.  (I used a tip specifically for injecting fillings, but a plain tip is fine too.  This cake is soft enough that you can just stick the tip into the top of the cupcake and pipe away.)  Pipe a few teaspoons of filling into each cupcake.  Spread the ganache over the tops of the cupcakes.  If desired, pipe excess ganache inside fresh raspberries and place on top of the frosted cupcakes (be sure to do this before the frosting sets.)  Allow to set completely before serving.

Note: These cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.  Let them come to room temperature for about 45 minutes before serving.

Yield: 24-28 cupcakes

Source: Annie’s Eats; originally adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Gourmet, March 1999

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I picked this cupcake recipe out of the Magnolia Bakery cookbook, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from it.  I expected them to taste good, but I wasn’t expecting too much because these vanilla cupcakes have such basic, simple ingredients… nothing fancy like fresh vanilla beans or cake flour.  As it turns out, you don’t need all the bells and whistles (i.e. expensive ingredients) to make a delicious vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting.  I’m slightly ashamed to say this, but between the two of us, Eric and I ate all 12 of these cupcakes in just a 3-day period.  I usually have much more self control than that! :)  They really were that good though.  The vanilla cake is fluffy, moist, and has just the right amount of vanilla flavor.  And the frosting is incredible – it’s creamy, chocolaty, fluffy, sweet and rich.  It’s the perfect accompaniment to the vanilla cupcakes.  I can’t wait to make these cupcakes again!

A few notes:

• This cupcake recipe calls for self-rising flour.  Self-rising flour is flour that contains pre-mixed leavening agents.  You can purchase it from the grocery store, but it is super easy (and probably cheaper) to make at home.  A recipe for self-rising flour is included at the bottom of this post.
• I used a large round tip to frost the cupcakes.
• I always store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator.  Before serving them, let them come to room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Vanilla Cupcakes

(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups self-rising flour  (see below for recipe)
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature (I used eggs straight from the fridge)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. In a small bowl, combine the self rising flour and all-purpose flour; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth.
4. Add the sugar gradually and beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla.
7. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat.  Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
8. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 3/4 full.
9. Bake in a 350° oven for 20-25 minutes (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean).
10. Cool the cupcakes in the muffin tin for 15 minutes.  Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Yield: 24 cupcakes (recipe can be halved)

Source: Adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm **
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups sifted powdered (confectioners’) sugar

Directions

**Note: There are 2 ways you can melt the chocolate:

• Place in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for 5-10 minutes; stirring occasionally until the chocolate is completely smooth and no pieces remain; remove from heat and let cool 5-15 minutes or until lukewarm.
• Or you can just melt the chocolate  in the microwave.  To do this, place the chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds.  Then stir the chocolate and continue microwaving in 5-10 second intervals until the chocolate is fully melted.

1. To make the buttercream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter using an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy.
2. Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth.
3. Add the melted chocolate and beat well for 2 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes.
5. Gradually add in the sugar and beat on LOW speed until creamy and of desired consistency.

Yield: Enough frosting to frost 24 cupcakes or a 9-inch two layer cake.

**For icing a 3-layer cake use the following measurements: 2 cups unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups sifted powdered sugar.

Source:  The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Self Rising Flour

Ingredients

• 1 ½  cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

Directions – Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

Yield: 1 ½ cups of self-rising flour

Source:  All Recipes

Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes

These little beauties are the perfect combination of a cupcake and a hot fudge sundae.  The recipe is from one of my favorite blogs, “Joy the Baker”- when I saw these on her blog, I couldn’t wait to try them.  They have all the yummy toppings you would find on a sundae, only instead of ice cream, the base is a vanilla cupcake.  The vanilla cupcakes are topped with a layer of chocolate ganache, followed by whipped cream, and finished off with sprinkles, nuts, and a cherry.  These cupcakes were really easy to make.  The cupcake batter takes mere minutes to whip up, and the ganache takes only a few minutes to make too.  You can use whipped cream from a can, but it’s so easy to make it yourself (and it tastes way better too).  The whipped cream recipe below, found in my trusty Williams Sonoma Baking cookbook, is amazing- the proportions of cream, sugar, and vanilla extract are spot on.  These cupcakes are the perfect thing to make to satisfy an ice cream sundae craving on a cold day (or any day!)  Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes:

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• a scant ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or use a handheld beater and beat on slow speed until the mixture is a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
3. Whisk the egg, vanilla and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side or the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue mixing until the batter is smooth. Just a few minutes. Do not over mix.
4. Spoon the batter into paper lined muffin tins, dividing between the 12 cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan, and then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Chocolate Ganache:

Ingredients

• ¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Put chocolate chips in a small bowl.  Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan.  Pour cream evenly over chocolate.  Let stand for one minute to soften, and then stir until smooth.  If frosting is too loose to spread, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, frosting will continue to thicken as it stands.

Source: (for cupcakes & ganache) –  Joy the Baker; Originally from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Ingredients

• ¾ cup heavy cream, well chilled
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a deep bowl, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla.  Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat at medium-high speed until soft peaks form and the cream is billowy, about 2 minutes.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 2 hours.

Yield: 1 ½ cups

Source: The Williams Sonoma Baking Book, Pg. 377

To assemble the cupcakes:

Top the vanilla cupcakes with a layer of chocolate ganache, slightly sweetened whipped cream, slivered almonds, sprinkles and a cherry.  Serve immediately.

 

To assemble the cupcakes, spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache onto the cooled cupcakes with a spoon, knife, or offset spatula.

 

 

Next, pipe whipped cream onto the cupcakes. I used a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip to pipe the whipped cream. (You could also just put a dollop of whipped cream onto the cupcakes with a spoon, or fill a Ziploc bag with whipped cream, snip a corner off, and pipe it on).

 

 

Top with sprinkles, nuts, and a cherry, and then eat one!

 

Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes

It’s pumpkin season!  Fall is my favorite time of year, and lately I’ve been cooking and baking a lot with pumpkin.  Besides these cupcakes, I’ve also made pumpkin scones and winter squash soup, and there are many more pumpkiny things on my “to-make” list.  These cupcakes were fabulous!  They were light and fluffy and full of the flavors of pumpkin and spices.  The spices included in the batter are cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg – together these 4 spices comprise what is simply referred to as “pumpkin pie spice.”

I made half of the cupcakes with pecans, and half without, to compare.  Both Eric and I agreed that the ones with pecans were much better.  They added flavor and crunch to the cupcakes.  These cupcakes are great served for breakfast, dessert, or even a snack– (trust me; we kept going back for seconds – and thirds!  all day long).  I think these cupcakes would also be wonderful baked with a streusel topping of chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter – which essentially would turn them into muffins.

For the frosting, I used cinnamon-whipped cream, but they would also be great with cinnamon butter cream or cream cheese frosting.  And for a cute and festive touch, I garnished the cupcakes with a candy corn.  Enjoy!

(I will post the recipe for the cinnamon-whipped cream tomorrow).

Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. ground allspice
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional, but really add a nice flavor and texture)

Directions

1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
2. In another large bowl whisk pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until completely combined.
4. Stir in the chopped pecans.
5. Scoop batter into cupcake pan, lined with paper liners.  Fill cups about 3/4 full.  This batter perfectly makes 12 standard sized cupcakes.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 (F) degrees for 22-24 minutes.
7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Then transfer cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Source:  Glorious Treats Blog; Originally adapted from the cookbook Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski

Looking for other delicious cupcake recipes?  Try these:

 

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

 

 

 

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

 

 

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

 

 

White Cupcakes

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

 

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

In my opinion, coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven.  I love all things coffee related, so when I saw these cute cupcakes on the Brown Eyed Baker’s blog, I just knew I had to make them.  According to my #1 taste tester, these cupcakes were “freaking awesome.”  The cupcakes were chocolaty with a hint of creamy coffee flavor.  They were extremely fluffy, and so tasty (trust me, I just devoured one :) ).  The frosting was velvety, creamy, sweet, and deliciously coffee flavored.  I garnished the cupcakes with a few chocolate sprinkles, but I think a chocolate covered espresso bean would also be a fabulous (and yummy!) topper for them.  Even if you aren’t a fan of coffee, you will love these cupcakes!  Enjoy!

Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup strong brewed coffee
• 1½ teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature

Directions

1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, and ending with the flour mixture.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Source: Brown Eyed Baker Blog, Originally adapted from My Baking Addiction

Note: I made the cupcakes the day before I made the frosting.  After the cupcakes had cooled, I stored them in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2½ cups powdered sugar
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons espresso powder

Directions

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.
2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two.
4. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Notes:

• Do not skimp on the whipping of the frosting.  It may seem like a lot, but it really does give the frosting a wonderful fluffy, silky, & delicious texture!
• I stored the leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  They kept very well this way!  Before serving, let them come to room temperature for 30-45 minutes.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker Blog

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Last weekend I had a delicious chocolate cupcake from Sprinkles bakery and it inspired me to bake my own chocolate cupcakes.  This was my first time making chocolate cupcakes from scratch, and I’m very happy with how they turned out!  As a home baker, I like to have a collection of reliable, “go-to” recipes for certain common baked goods (including chocolate chip cookies, various cake/cupcake flavors, pie crusts, and sugar cookies).  Sometimes I have to try multiple recipes to find exactly what I’m looking for (I tried at least 5 sugar cookie recipes before settling on the one that I now call my favorite), so I consider myself lucky to have found this fabulous chocolate cupcake recipe on the first try.  I will definitely be making these cupcakes again in the near future!

The cupcakes were really moist and fluffy and had just the right amount of sweetness and chocolaty flavor.  The batter was super easy to mix up with just a wire whisk — no mixer required!  I made these cupcakes for a family dinner last weekend and everyone really loved them.  I frosted the cupcakes with a simple chocolate buttercream frosting that I whipped up in my stand mixer.  The addition of melted chocolate and a little milk gave the frosting a nice glossy sheen.  Like the cupcakes, the frosting had just the perfect amount of sweetness and chocolate flavor, and it complemented the cupcakes very well.  Try these cupcakes- you won’t be disappointed!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• ½ cup whole milk plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 12 cupcake molds or muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.
2. To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, and white sugar.  Whisk in the milk, coffee, and melted butter.  Then whisk in the dry ingredients.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tin, filling each about three-quarters full.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove the cupcakes from the pan and continue to cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Source: All Recipes

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar, sifted
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).  Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the melted chocolate and 1 tablespoon of milk and beat on low speed until incorporated.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.  (If frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk and beat until desired consistency is reached.)

Source: Adapted from Joy of Baking

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting with Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes & Dark Chocolate Garnishes

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting with Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes & Dark Chocolate Garnishes

This was my first time making chocolate whipped cream and it was a huge success.  I love my other chocolate frosting recipes, but when I made these cupcakes I was in the mood for something a little lighter than standard chocolate frosting, which is often very rich.  Whipped cream is such a perfect pairing for cakes and cupcakes, but I was craving chocolate, so I pulled out several of my baking cookbooks in search of a recipe for chocolate whipped cream.  The first ones I checked had nothing (Baking Illustrated & The Williams Sonoma Baking Book).  I found a recipe in the third one (Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan), however it required 4 hours of chilling in the fridge, and I didn’t have that much time (I made these cupcakes on a whim).  Finally, I found a recipe that I could use, that would be ready in the time it took to whip the cream- perfect!  It’s so easy to make this whipped cream, and such a fun change from regular whipped cream, although it has the same fluffy airy texture.  It reminded me a lot of chocolate mousse (yum!) and it also tasted like hot chocolate to me.  (That’s probably because I used the same Ghirardelli chocolate powder that I use when I make hot chocolate).  Eric and I loved this frosting.  He raved about it, and was sad that I washed the mixer bowl before he got a chance to lick it clean (sorry babe!).

The more I make whipped cream, the more I realize that it really is very customizable.  For example, if you add crushed Oreo bits, you get Oreo whipped cream.  I already have so many other ideas for desserts that I want to make with this frosting.

For the cupcakes, I used my favorite white cupcake recipe.  And because I like to switch things up with my favorite recipes, I folded ½ cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter.  I also halved the recipe and baked them in my mini cupcake pan (it made 24 mini cupcakes) – the perfect little treat!

Then, onto the really fun part!  Playing with chocolate.  :)  I decided to make the cupcakes extra pretty by adding little dark chocolate garnishes to them.  This is a super easy way to dress up a cupcake and make it look fancy and whimsical.   All you have to do is melt chocolate chips in the microwave, pour the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle, “draw” your designs onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, and freeze until set.  It’s like edible chocolate art- yum!

For the cupcakes: I used this recipe, and folded 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter before filling the muffin tin.  As noted above, I halved the recipe, which yielded 24 mini cupcakes (or 12 regular sized cupcakes).

I found these cute black and white polka dot mini cupcake wrappers at Michael’s. Love them! (I have an embarrassingly large collection of cupcake wrappers… I can’t resist a cute design! At least they are cheap :) )

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 oz) heavy cream, chilled
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted before measuring
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted before measuring

Directions

1. Using a chilled metal bowl and chilled beaters, whip the cream for 2 minutes until it just starts to thicken.
2. Add the sugar and cocoa and continue beating until thick enough to hold firm peaks.

Yield: About 2 cups

Note: Cupcakes can be made & frosted ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.  I also recommend storing the whipped cream in the refrigerator if you aren’t going to serve it within an hour or so.

Source: Williams Sonoma Baking Cookbook (Pg. 317)

Dark Chocolate Garnishes

Ingredients

• ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips, stirring every 15 seconds until the chocolate is fully melted (in my microwave, this took approximately 90 seconds). Pour the melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle.
2. Line a small baking sheet (the baking sheet must fit in your freezer) with waxed paper.  If desired, place a piece of white paper with your “designs” underneath the waxed paper so that you can trace them (see photo below).
3. Squeeze the chocolate onto the waxed paper lined baking sheet.  You can either trace your designs or draw them freehand.
4. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until the chocolate is set.  Once hardened, remove the chocolate with a thin spatula and garnish cupcakes as desired.

Notes:

• These chocolate garnishes melt quickly.  Make sure you store them in the freezer until you are ready to remove them from the waxed paper and assemble the cupcakes.
• The chocolate garnishes can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the freezer.
• If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, you can use a ziplock bag (snip the corner off) or a pastry bag.  You can purchase squeeze bottles at craft stores.

I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips to make the garnishes.

Squeeze bottle filled with melted chocolate.

K for Karen – To make this design, I printed out a “K” on my computer and traced it with chocolate. I think it would be really cute to make chocolate monogrammed cupcakes for a party.

My favorite chocolate design.

My other favorite – sometimes the best designs are the ones where you just scribble!

A heart that I traced from my computer print out. It turns out, hearts are much easier to draw freehand.

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

I first came across this cupcake recipe a few months ago on Beantown Baker’s blog, and have wanted to make them ever since.  The idea to put an Oreo cookie on the bottom of the cupcake was so creative that it caught my attention, and they just looked so cute!  Then I saw this same recipe again on the blog Annie’s Eats last week, and it reminded me that I needed to find time to make them soon!

Last weekend we had friends over for dinner, so it was the perfect opportunity to make these cupcakes for dessert.  The Oreo flavor really came through in both the cupcakes and the frosting.  Not only is there an Oreo cookie half on the bottom of the cupcake, there are chunks of Oreo throughout the cupcake and Oreo crumbs in the frosting.  If you like Oreo cookies, you will love these cupcakes!  Enjoy!

A few notes:

• The cupcake recipe I used has a cream cheese frosting recipe with it, but I don’t like cream cheese so I made whipped cream frosting instead.  The whipped cream was super easy to make.  Just pour all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and the let the mixer do all the work.  One tip I’ve learned when making whipped cream is to chill the mixer bowl in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before making the whipped cream.  This keeps the whipped cream cold while you are mixing it, which is helpful.  The whipped cream went really well with these cupcakes!  The cupcakes can be frosted ahead of time, just make sure to store them in the refrigerator.
• The recipe makes 24 cupcakes, but that was way more than I needed so I halved it to make 12.  It was a little challenging to get ½ an egg white, but here’s what I did: Separate the yolk from the white.  Place the egg white into a ¼ cup measuring cup.  Then pour out half of it.  I think that is a pretty good estimate.  Also note that 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons.  The rest of the measurements are easy to halve.
• I found that it was much easier to work with the Oreos if they were cold, so I just stuck them in the freezer for a few minutes before chopping them and halving them.  This prevented the filling from being to melty or sticky.

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

(print recipe)

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk (I used whole milk)
• 20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped  or quartered

For the frosting:

• 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream
• 3 tbsp. powdered sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp. Oreo cookie crumbs

For garnish:

• Oreo cookie crumbs
• 24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.  Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients.
4. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To prepare the frosting, in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.  Beat on medium-high speed until the whipped cream holds stiff peaks.  Gently fold in the cookie crumbs with a spatula.
6. Scoop the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe frosting decoratively on top of the cupcakes.  Garnish with Oreo cookie halves.

Yield: 24 cupcakes (recipe can be halved to yield 12 cupcakes)

Source: Cupcake recipe adapted from Annie’s Eats; Originally from Beantown Baker and Frosting recipe from Annie’s Eats

Other cupcake recipes:

• Raspberry Cream Cupcakes
• White Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

The other day I stumbled upon this really old photo of these cupcakes on my computer.  I used to make this recipe all the time for dessert.  It’s always a winner, and has earned a permanent spot in the “desserts” section of my recipe binder.  My recipe binder is full of all my tried and true, most favorite recipes.  (In the future, I’m planning to write a post about how I organize my recipes, so stay tuned!)

I first made these cupcakes years ago, after watching Giada de Laurentiis make them on the Food Network.  They are really easy to make because a boxed white cake mix is used as a base for the cupcakes.  The addition of egg whites, butter, and almond & vanilla extract bring these cupcakes to life, making them so much better than an ordinary boxed cake mix.  The whipped cream has mashed berries mixed into it, which imparts a wonderful pink color and makes it extra delicious.  This is the perfect recipe if you are pinched for time and need to whip up dessert on a moment’s notice!  Enjoy!

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
• 1  1/3 cups water
• 3 large eggs whites
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3  cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting

Directions

1. Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Using about 1/3 cup of batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.
4. Using a fork, coarsely mash 1 ½ containers of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.
5. Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries.

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Recipe from: The Food Network, Giada de Laurentiis

White Cupcakes

White Cupcakes

You know a recipe must be good when you find yourself wanting to make it twice in the same week.  I have always wanted to find a good white cake recipe, and after making these cupcakes, I’m happy to say that I’ve found it.  These cupcakes were delicious!

I made the first batch just because I was in the mood for cupcakes, and I frosted them with vanilla butter cream frosting.  Then, last weekend I was in charge of bringing dessert for my sister’s birthday dinner, and I immediately decided to make these.  Only that time I frosted them with chocolate frosting.  It was the perfect opportunity to try out two new frosting recipes!  (Be sure to check back in a few days for posts on the chocolate and vanilla frosting).  Enjoy!

White Cupcakes

(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups cake flour
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
• 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp table salt
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Directions

1. Set oven rack in middle position.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
4. Add all but ½ cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.
5. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes.
6. Cool completely prior to frosting.

Yield: 24 cupcakes (recipe can be halved to yield 12 cupcakes)

Recipe from: Beantown Baker Blog;  Originally from The Way the Cookie Crumbles Blog