Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tasty Tuesday: Fancy Vanilla Cupcakes!

Tasty Tuesday: Fancy Vanilla Cupcakes!

So, if you've been around the blog for a while you know cupcakes routinely kick my ass. I can cook. I can bake cookies, make pies and killer pastry crust but cupcakes? Cupcakes make me their bitch every damn time. With out fail. These did a nice job of that too (first go I accidentally doubled the butter) but in the end I think I won this round.


THE CUPCAKE
I went with a very basic cupcake recipe and simple ingredients.

First you'll cream the butter and white sugar until "fluffy" and well combined. 
It'll really be more grainy than fluffy but go with it. 

Next add in the eggs one at a time. Mixing between each until combined. And add in the vanilla.

Next slowly add in the flour and milk alternating between the two. Do this one on a slow speed or you'll be covered in flour :) Add in 3 batches starting and ending with the flour. I'm not sure what happens if you ignore that bit but apparently it's important. 

Once combined spoon the cupcake mix into 12 liners and bake.

Overcooking will dry the cupcakes out so check on them a couple minutes before the lowest suggested time. As soon as the toothpick comes out clean remove cupcakes and let cool. 

THE FROSTING!
The frosting is really simple. 4 ingredients and 5 minutes. 
Toss all ingredients into a mixer and beat until desired consistency. 

The recipe only makes about a cup of frosting but it's plenty enough for adding a nice big dollop on each of the 12 cupcakes. 

It's a sweet, heavy frosting so a little goes a long way.

After cooling the cupcakes completely swirl on the frosting. 
I'm not great at this step but I kind of like that they aren't "perfect". That whole beauty in the imperfections thing. I'm all over that. 

THE DECORATIONS!
These are so easy to make and I love how they make an ordinary cupcake into something a little more special. 

These are made using candy coating melts you buy can buy at craft stores. You can make your own with baking chips and shortening but I wanted a fun color so went with the pre-colored melts. 

Basically you'll melt the coating in the microwave until smooth then use a small piping bag to create your own designs. I'm working on a video of this for next week.

Make sure you criss-cross your design over itself multiple times for added stability.

After refrigerating/freezing for a short time the decorations will easily slide off of the parchment paper and can be gently placed in the cupcake's frosting. 

Sprinkle on a little colored sugar for added flare and you've got a cupcake fit for the holidays!



Fancy Vanilla Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients: (total time 30 minutes)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cupwhite sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Makes 12 cupcakes
  • With an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
  • Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt
  • On low speed alternate adding the flour mixture and milk into the creamed butter/sugar in three batches starting and ending with the flour
  • Fill cupcake liners evenly
  • Bake 17-20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean when testing. 
  • Let cool completely before icing
Frosting Ingredients: (total time 5 minutes)

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla in a bowl and mix on medium setting until well combined, smooth and fluffy
  • Makes 1 cup of frosting, takes 5 minutes
Decoration Ingredients: (total time 15 minutes)
1/3 cup Candy coating melts- any color
parchment paper
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper 
  • Melt candy coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring between each until smooth (about 1 minute 30 seconds)
  • Fill a small piping bag with melted coating. 
  • Cut a very small bit off of the tip
  • Make designs. Make sure that the lines cross each other multiple times to provide stability
  • Place in refrigerator or freezer until set. This only takes a couple minutes
  • Slide designs off of parchment paper and place gently onto frosted cupcakes

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