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March 16, 2012

Blue Moon Cupcakes

I’ve never been much of a beer drinker but these days I’ve been having so much fun baking with beer.  The wheat in the Blue Moon comes out in the cakes and the hint of orange compliments them wonderfully.

Cheers!

Blue Moon Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
3/4 cups butter, at room temperature
1-3/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 orange
1 cup Blue Moon
1/4 cup milk
Orange/lime wedges and sanding sugar for garnish

For the Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar,
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

 

Preparation:

For the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 24-cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, beating after each addition then add the vanilla and orange zest.
Combine milk and beer and alternatively add this mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture with the mixer on low speed, starting and ending with the flour. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

For Frosting:
In a stand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until all sugar has been added, scraping down sides of the bowl after each cup of sugar. Stir in the orange juice until fully incorporated.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes or spread with an offset spatula.

1 comment

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May 16, 2012 - 1:32 pm

Jacquelyn - Excited to try these! Thanks!!

March 13, 2012

Triple Chocolate Milkshake

This has to be one of the most versatile chocolate milkshakes ever.  The frozen yogurt keeps it light and airy, perfectly frothy.

Staying dairy free?  Switch out the frozen yogurt for Coconut-milk ice cream and the milk for almond milk and it’s just as amazing.

Triple Chocolate Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Chocolate Frozen Yogurt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Sauce

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth and creamy.  Pour into a glass and garnish with chocolate sauce.

 

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March 8, 2012

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Lemon is such a classic.  Tart and Sweet and Delicious in so many ways.

Fresh lemons are the only way to go here.   The Raspberry compliments the lemon wonderfully keeping the cupcake light and airy,  perfect for Spring.

Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (the zest of approx 2 lemons)
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
24 teaspoons seedless raspberry jam

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. almond extract

Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, and lemon zest in large bowl until blended, then beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in half of flour. Add buttermilk and lemon juice; beat to blend. Beat in remaining flour.
Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin liner. Spoon 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over. Cover with remaining batter, dividing equally.
Bake cupcakes until tester inserted halfway into centers comes out clean, about 20-23 minutes.

Cool cupcakes on a cooling rack.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the almond extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.
Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

1 comment

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March 10, 2012 - 9:40 pm

Kristin - I wish I was eating one of these right now! Lovely!

March 5, 2012

Dairy-Free Caramel Apple Milkshake

Milkshakes have always been a comfort food for me.  A bad day.. Milkshake!   Good News?  Have a Milkshake!  Still to this day, My father and I will have a Milkshake as a special treat… just because.   “Just Because” is just enough reason for me.

This Milkshake tastes just like a Caramel Apple.  Not concerned with staying dairy-free?  Go ahead and use your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Caramel Apple Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream
1 cup fresh-pressed Apple Juice
2 tablespoons Caramel Sauce

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth and creamy.  Pour into a glass and garnish with additional caramel sauce.

 

2 comments

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March 5, 2012 - 10:30 pm

Kristina - Yum Yum Yum! Love Coconut milk-Love this recipe-sad I don’t have these ingredients right now. I swear I could slurp the top off of that one pic.

March 5, 2012 - 10:36 pm

Jessica - Yes! I’m trying dairy-free at the moment and love coconut milk ice cream! Haven’t tried it yet in a shake, but this looks and sounds fantastic.

March 1, 2012

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Filling

This year for St. Patrick’s Day I’m revisiting a Classic.  My Chocolate Stout Cupcakes, inspired by the legendary Irish Car Bomb Cocktail.    Cupcakes + Chocolate Ganache + Alcohol = Total Win.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Irish Cream Filling

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
1 cup stout  -  Recommended: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

Frosting:
6 to 7 cups confections’ sugar
3 sticks (1 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 to 7 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

For the Cakes:

Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Mixture may start to separate after cocoa is incorporated, this is okay.

In a separate large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Using a stand mixer, beat eggs and sour cream until blended. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just until combined.

Add the dry flour mixture gradually at slow speed. Do not over mix.

Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 17-20 minutes, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly. Cool cupcakes on a rack.

 

For the Filling:

While cupcakes cool, make the filling. Chop the chocolate into coarse but roughly even pieces, and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it is simmering (but not boiling) and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for about a minute and then stir until smooth. Add the butter, Irish Cream, and whiskey and stir until combined.

Make space for the filling. Be sure cupcakes are completely cooled before proceeding. Gently cut a small circle in the top of the cupcake using a small knife. Cut approximately 2/3 of the way down and remove the center making room for the filling.

Fill the cupcakes. You can pipe in the filling, or if it is still pretty smooth and fluid, you can just spoon it in.

 

For the Frosting:

Make the frosting. In a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium speed until it is very fluffy. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, starting with a few tablespoons at a time of your sugar until the frosting looks thick enough to spread (approx 5 cups). At this point, add in the Irish Cream and whip it until combined. Beat in as much or as little of the remaining confectioners’ sugar until the frosting has reached your desired consistency.

Frost your cupcakes. Pipe the frosting with a large round tip.

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