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Archive for the ‘Cakes & Cupcakes’ Category

Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting {William’s 1st Birthday!}

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Parties & Entertaining, tagged , , , , , , on May 20, 2013 | 4 Comments »

Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting

What a title!  This cake deserves every descriptive word in that title, and it was the perfect cake to celebrate my sweet boy’s first birthday.

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A few weeks ago William turned one, and we celebrated with a relaxed party at home with family and a few close friends.  I thought and thought about a party theme, and nothing seemed quite right, until I settled on a color theme.  I kept things simple, with a few colorful decorations and an easy menu of burgers and salads.  And of course, cake!

I found this cake recipe just two days before the party, and although it was a new recipe I just knew it would be perfect.  The cake was incredibly light and fluffy, and the frosting was sweet and full of delicious flecks of vanilla bean.  I doubled the cake recipe and was able to make a 2-layer, 8-inch cake, a smaller smash cake for William, plus 8 cupcakes with the leftover batter.  I also doubled the frosting recipe, but would have had plenty had I only made one-and-a-half recipes.

First Birthday Cake

The big cake (above)…and William’s smash cake (below)

First Birthday Smash Cake

We had warm weather on party day, which was great for grilling and eating outside in the backyard.  The menu included burgers, this pasta salad, fruit salad, and a green salad.  After dinner William opened his gifts, although he was more interested in playing with his toys than opening presents.  Big sister Julia did not mind because that meant she got to do lots of helping!

Monthly Photos

I printed out a photo of William from each month of his first year, starting with 2 days old and ending with a picture of him on the day of his first birthday.  Our guests enjoyed looking at the photos of William from his first year.  This was one of my favorite party decorations!

Monthly Photos

Birthday Banner

I just loved how this colorful birthday banner turned out.  I die-cut the letters out of red construction paper and cut squares out of cute patterned paper and solid color construction paper.  I rounded the corners of the squares and then attached it all together with double-sided tape.   I used mini clothespins to hang each piece of the sign to the ribbon- so easy!  I highly recommend this method as I’ve used the mini clothespins for every birthday banner I’ve made now and they are cute and very easy to work with.

Birthday Banner

Pinwheels in Buckets

To decorate the tables outside, I filled colorful buckets with sand and then placed a few pinwheels in each.  They were fun and festive!

First Birthday M & Ms

I also added color to the party with colorful balloons and mason jars filled with a first birthday candle and M&M’s.  I found this cute idea on Pinterest.

cake

I’m so glad I chose a colorful party theme, and William loved looking at all of the colorful decorations.  He dug right in to his smash cake, and very much enjoyed it!  (Don’t worry, we didn’t let him eat it all, even though it looks that way in the picture.)

Happy Birthday, William!  You are our little joy, full of so much personality and so many smiles.  We love you!

Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting

Printable Recipe

Makes one 2-layer, 8-inch cake

Notes: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients by weight. Also be sure to allow time to let the eggs and milk come to room temperature.

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Cake:

  • 5 large egg whites (150g), at room temperature
  • 1 whole egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (345g) cake flour, sifted
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp (17g) baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. (5g) salt
  • 12 tbsp. (170g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 24 pieces

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting:

  • 3 sticks plus 2 tbsp. (375g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened
  • 3 tbsp. milk
  • Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 cups sifted (475g) confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

For the Vanilla Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two round 8-inch pans, line with parchment, then butter again and dust evenly with flour.
  2. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the egg whites, whole egg, ¼ cup of the milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds, making sure it’s cold. Continue to mix on low speed until the mixture is a fine crumbly texture. Add the remaining ¾ cup milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 additions; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.
  5. Divide the batter between the two cake pans, spreading it evenly.
  6. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 30 minutes. Be very careful to not over-bake. Check the cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and then set the timer for 5 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small knife, and invert onto wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up. Let cool completely before frosting.
  7. You can store the cooled cake at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store. It is best eaten the same day as baked.

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 8 minutes on medium speed. The butter will become very pale and creamy.
  2. Add the milk, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed for 1 minute, and then on medium speed for 6 minutes. The frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy and is best used right away.

To Assemble the Cake:

  1. Place bottom cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup of frosting on top with a small offset spatula. Gently place 2nd cake layer face down on top. Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset spatula and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
  2. Remove from refrigerator and apply a final “coat” of frosting.

Source: Sweetapolita, who adapted the cake recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum and the frosting recipe from Donna Hay.

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Butterfly Cupcakes for Julia’s Butterfly Birthday Party

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Parties & Entertaining, tagged , , , , on March 18, 2013 | 3 Comments »

Butterfly Cupcakes by Kristine's Kitchen

We recently celebrated Julia’s 4th birthday.  I feel like I say this every year, but I can’t believe how the time has flown by since she was our tiny baby girl:

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Today she is a beautiful, independent four-year-old who loves hugs and kisses, stories and songs at bedtime, doing artwork, pretend play, gardening with Daddy, baking with Mommy, and playing with her baby brother.

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When I asked Julia what kind of birthday party she wanted, right away she said a butterfly party.  There are so many cute ideas that go along with a butterfly party theme, and it was lots of fun planning and getting ready for the party.

To make the invitations, I bought some pink and purple cardstock at Michael’s, along with some pretty pink polka dot ribbon.  I used a butterfly punch to cut butterflies in a few shades of pink and purple cardstock.  I printed the invitation wording using my printer, and attached it all together with double-sided tape.

Butterfly Birthday Party Invitation

It’s become somewhat of a tradition for me to make a Happy Birthday sign each year for Julia.  This year’s was really easy to make, since I used already die-cut flowers and butterflies and used my printer to print the letters.  I’ve found that tiny clothespins work great to hang the parts of the sign from the ribbon.

Birthday Banner

I loved how these balloon centerpieces turned out.  I taped the balloon strings to the inside of some cute polka-dot boxes, and weighed the boxes down with a few marbles.  Some colorful tissue paper and cut-out butterflies on the balloon strings completed these fun and festive decorations.

Butterfly Balloon Centerpieces

A simple idea that added a fun touch was to use a piece of wrapping paper as a table runner.  I loved how this colorful polka-dot paper brightened up the dessert/favor table.

Butterfly Party

I found the idea for these butterfly favors in a few different places, and Julia loved them.  To make these, I made a snack mix with Chex, marshmallows, M&M’s, and raisins and then filled snack-size zip-top baggies with 1/2 cup of the mix.  I painted clothespins with purple glitter glue, using a toothpick to spread it and then attached the wiggly eyes while the glue was wet.  A 6-inch pipecleaner is twisted around the center of the baggie and then shaped into antennae before the clothespin is attached.

Butterfly Party Favors

Julia, we are so lucky to have such a special daughter and can’t wait to see how you grow and change each day in the coming year.  We love you sweet girl!

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And now on to the butterfly cupcakes…

Butterfly Cupcakes

Butterfly Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

You’ll need:

  • 24 chocolate cupcakes
  • About 3 cups buttercream frosting, 1 cup tinted blue and the rest tinted green with food coloring
  • 48 pretzels
  • 24 green M & M’s (I used pastel green from a bag of Easter M & M’s)
  • thin black licorice, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Directions:

  1. Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely.  Then, working in groups of about 6 cupcakes, use an offset spatula to frost them with the green buttercream.  Gently place two pretzels on top of each cupcake for the butterfly wings and add an M & M for the head.  Attach two short pieces of licorice under the head for the antennae.
  2. Scoop the blue buttercream frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.  Pipe 4 small dots onto each butterfly for the body.

Sources:

Butterfly Cupcakes inspired by Martha Stewart.

Butterfly Favors inspired by Plum Print.

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Pecan-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Orange Glaze

Posted in Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Muffins, Scones, and other Pastries, tagged , , , on January 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

pecan sour cream coffee cake

Are you one to make New Year’s resolutions? I like to look at the new year as an opportunity to reflect on goals that I have for myself, rather than making strict resolutions. This year, when I think about what I’d like to accomplish, the theme is consistency. I’d like to consistently exercise at least 3 (well preferably 5 but I’m trying to be realistic :) ) times each week. I’d like to be more consistent with devoting time to this blog and posting regularly. Most importantly, I want to remember to enjoy each day, because although the individual moments of the day have their ups and downs, we need to cherish the time we spend with family and friends.

What do I not plan to do once 2013 is here? Stop baking delicious treats, because consistency also means balance and enjoying a little something sweet each day. This pecan-sour cream coffee cake was a great way to ring in the new year with something sweet. The pecans are toasted, finely ground, and then mixed into both the cake batter and a streusel layer throughout the middle of the cake. An orange glaze adds just the right touch of sweetness to finish off the coffee cake.

pecan sour cream coffee cake

Pecan-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Orange Glaze

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients:

For the streusel:

  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted, cooled, and ground fine*

For the cake:

  • 16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted, cooled, and ground fine

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Zest of one orange
  • 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:

  1. Make the streusel: Combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Make the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with cooking spray or grease with softened butter.
  3. Whisk the eggs, sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.
  4. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pecans until combined. Add the butter pieces and half of the egg mixture and carefully beat on low speed until the mixture begins to come together, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining egg mixture, and beat on medium speed until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl again as needed).
  5. Pour 5 cups of the batter into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth the surface. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter and then cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly.
  6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 50-60 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  7. Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest, and orange juice together in a medium bowl. Using a fork or small whisk, drizzle the glaze over the cake. Enjoy!

*Note: You’ll also need 1/2 cup toasted, cooled, finely ground pecans for the cake batter. Be sure to toast them and grind them all at once to save time. A food processor works well for grinding the pecans; grind them until they are sandy and fine, but do not overprocess or they will form a paste and clump together.

**Make ahead note: The unglazed cake can be cooled completely, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw the cake, still wrapped, at room temperature, then remove the plastic wrap and glaze.

Source: Slightly adapted from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen, 2007.

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Lemon Pound Cake

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , on October 16, 2012 | 1 Comment »

I made this lemon pound cake about two months ago, and I’m finally getting around to sharing it with you! After editing the photos just now, I’m really wishing I had a slice to nibble on as I type this. While the time to enjoy summer berries is coming to an end, this pound cake is delicious all on it’s own. Drizzled with both a sweet syrup and a glaze, how could it not be?

If you happen to have lemons on hand, you likely have all of the ingredients that you need to make this lemon cake. I always have Greek yogurt in my fridge, so I subbed that for the sour cream called for in the original recipe and it worked wonderfully. Pound cakes like this one are great because you feel like you’re eating cake (and you are), but they’re a lot less fussy to mix up than many other types of cakes. You’ll love the refreshing balance of tart and sweet in this lemon pound cake.

One year ago:  Pumpkin Bread and Banana Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Lemon Pound Cake

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) cake flour
  • 3/4 cup (3.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. (7.9 ounces) sugar
  • 2 tbsp. grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

For the syrup:

  • 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray the paper. Sift both flours, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. In a small measuring cup, whisk together the yogurt (or sour cream), lemon juice, and vanilla.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and zest together until fragrant. Add the butter and salt; beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are in, stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, then continue beating for another 2-3 minutes. Reduce the mixture speed to low, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the sour cream mixture. Continue alternating additions of dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl and mix for another 20-30 seconds, until the flour is thoroughly incorporated.
  3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, rotate the pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
  4. While the cake is cooling, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  5. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack set over a piece of foil or parchment paper. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top and sides of the loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely, at least 30 minutes. (The soaked but unglazed cake will keep, wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and frozen, for up to 6 weeks.)
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice. Pour the glaze over the top of the loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving. (The glazed loaf will keep for up to 3 days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature.)

Source: adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, via The Way the Cookie Crumbles.

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Coffee Cocoa Snack Cake

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , on September 17, 2012 | 1 Comment »

I’ve survived the first three weeks of school, and my return to work after my maternity leave. I’m enjoying getting to know my new group of third graders, and there is something to be said for quiet mornings of getting ready while my two kiddos are still sleeping (even though it means the alarm goes off at 4:45a.m. on workdays). The beginning of a new school year is always super busy, so I haven’t had much time for baking lately. Plus, those early morning wake-ups (in addition to a middle-of-the-night baby feeding most nights) have left me tired, so I’ve been using weekends to catch up on sleep, as much as the kids, household tasks, and schoolwork will allow, at least.

This weekend, I needed some baking therapy, so I made a batch of cookies and this cake. The cake is so easy to make, and clean up is a breeze too, as you mix it all up in one bowl. The ingredients are all pantry staples, so you probably won’t even need to visit the grocery store before you start baking.

This Coffee Cocoa Snack Cake is incredibly moist, and the flavors of chocolate and coffee both come through in the finished cake. As the name suggests, it’s great for snacking on, grabbing a little piece here and there. It’s also great for a non-fussy dessert to serve to company, either on it’s own or with a little vanilla ice cream on the side.

One year ago:  Orzo with Sausage, White Beans, and Spinach

Coffee Cocoa Snack Cake

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 9-inch square cake, 16 servings

Ingredients:

  • 10 tbsp. very soft unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. (7 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
  • 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee, cooled to warm

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch square pan. Line the bottom with parchment, butter the parchment, then flour the bottom and sides of the pan, tapping out any excess flour. (Please don’t skip the parchment or any of these steps, as this cake is incredibly moist.)
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
  3. Sift the dry ingredients directly into the batter, than pour the coffee over. Gently whisk until the dry ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth and mostly free of lumps. Pour batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 35-43 minutes. Place pan on a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pan and invert the cake to remove from pan. Turn right side up and cool until just warm.
  4. The cake can be stored, well wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Source: Fine Cooking via Cook Like a Champion

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Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , , , on May 10, 2012 | 2 Comments »

This pound cake was my first baking project after William was born. I could not wait to get back into the kitchen, especially since I wasn’t able to enjoy sweets while pregnant (and therefore didn’t bake much). The other day, William was fed and napping and I was feeling up to it, so I made this ricotta orange pound cake.

I’ve enjoyed a couple of slices of this cake with a morning cup of coffee, but it’s actually more of a dessert treat than a breakfast treat. It’s incredibly rich and buttery, with a delicious orange flavor. The cake would make a great dessert topped with some fresh strawberries. I’d recommend macerating the strawberries to bring out their juices, by sprinkling them with a little sugar and then letting them sit for a few hours so that they become sweet and syrupy. Or do what I’ve been doing the past few days and just grab a small slice here and there to snack on. :)

One year ago:  Blueberry Smoothie

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

Printable Recipe

Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

Ingredients:

For the pound cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. almond extract or 2 tbsp. Amaretto
  • Zest of 1 orange

For the orange syrup:

  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, almond extract (or Amaretto), and orange zest and mix until combined.
  4. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack. Place a sheet of parchment paper below the rack.
  5. While the loaf is cooling, make the orange syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the orange juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.
  6. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with orange syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.

Source: Sweet Pea’s Kitchen, originally adapted from Food Network.

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Funfetti Cupcakes

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Parties & Entertaining, tagged , , on March 14, 2012 | 1 Comment »

We recently celebrated Julia’s 3rd birthday. I cannot believe my baby is 3, and she’s definitely not a baby anymore. She’s her own little person, who loves to sing, color and cut, blow bubbles, and help her mommy with “jobs,” especially in the kitchen.

Julia’s favorite character right now is Curious George so we had a Curious George party to celebrate her birthday. Since I’m seven months pregnant and trying to take it easy, I kept the party simple this year. I incorporated the George theme in the party color scheme, table decorations, cupcake toppers, party hats, and a few other simple goodies for the kids. The menu included veggies, chips, and dip, make-your-own sandwiches, and salads. And of course, cupcakes.

These funfetti cupcakes are so fun for a child’s birthday, and are really delicious too. I loved both the cupcake and buttercream frosting.

Julia had the cutest look on her face as everyone sang, “Happy Birthday,” to her and then was so excited to eat her cupcake.

Happy Birthday, Julia!  Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much.  We cannot wait to see how you will continue to grow and change in the coming year.

One year ago:  Julia’s Ladybug Birthday Party

Funfetti Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
  • 1/3 cup colored sprinkles (preferably Jimmies)

For the vanilla buttercream:

  • 16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
  • 4 cups (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • Sprinkles, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners of your choice.
  2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the milk, egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract, whisking until well combined.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on low speed, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, one piece at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture to the batter and beat at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture and mix at medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the sprinkles until combined.
  4. Divide the mixture evenly among your cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes. (I recommend baking only one pan of cupcakes at a time. I tried baking both one and two pans at a time, and they baked much more evenly when I only did one.) Let cool 5 minutes in pan, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt on low speed until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 90 seconds. Pipe as desired onto cooled cupcakes. Decorate with additional sprinkles, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Baking Illustrated, via The Curvy Carrot.

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Vanilla Latte Cupcakes

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , , on March 1, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Coffee lover that I am, I was so excited to try these Vanilla Latte Cupcakes. Coffee-flavored cupcakes are topped with a Vanilla Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Yum.  I especially loved the flavor of the cupcakes themselves, and would have no problem eating them without frosting. The frosting and coffee bean garnish do make for a really pretty presentation, though, don’t they?

This was the first time I’ve tried making a Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and it was a success. I had read about this type of frosting many times, and was interested to see how it differed from a regular buttercream frosting. Swiss Meringue Buttercream does take more time to make, but isn’t really all that difficult. When you add the butter to the meringue, the frosting will deflate and may even look curdled, but if you just keep on mixing it will come together. The frosting is extra smooth and silky, but I still think that I prefer the flavor of a traditional buttercream. Swiss Meringue is a little more buttery, and I’m more of a straight up sweets type of girl.

One year ago:  Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Makes about 18 cupcakes

Coffee Cupcakes:

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. dark roast coffee grounds
  • 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp. coffee liqueur or milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake pans with paper liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and coffee grounds. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the brewed coffee, milk, and liqueur.
  4. Starting and ending with the flour, in a few additions alternately add the flour and milk mixture to the mixer, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
  5. Divide the batter between 18 cupcake liners, filling each cup about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  6. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Espresso Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Seeds from 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped OR 1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder (or to taste), dissolved into 2 tsp. boiling water
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Combine the egg whites and sugar in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer. Place over a pot of simmering water, and heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160 degrees.
  2. Attach the bowl to the mixture (fitted with the whisk attachment). Starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, beat the mixture until the bottom of the bowl cools to room temperature and the egg whites are thick and glossy and form soft peaks.
  3. While mixing, add the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Continue mixing until the frosting comes together. Switch to the paddle attachment and over medium speed, add in the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, coffee mixture, and salt. Beat until well combined and taste and adjust flavorings as necessary.
  4. Frost cupcakes as desired.

*Note:  This recipe made just enough frosting for me to frost 16 cupcakes as shown.  If you like a lot of frosting on your cupcakes, you may want to make 1.5 times the recipe.

Source: Pink Parsley. Coffee Cupcakes originally adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop; Frosting originally adapted from Sweetapolita.

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Blueberry Cupcakes

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , on January 31, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Blueberry Cupcakes

I had a special reason for wanting to bake some blueberry cupcakes, so when Brad came home from the grocery store with fresh blueberries I knew it was meant to be. Although we’re in the middle of winter, the blueberries were delicious and just perfect in these cupcakes.

The cupcakes themselves are not overly sweet, and are almost more like a muffin than a cupcake. And the cream cheese frosting (oh how I love cream cheese frosting!) is sweet and tangy, and is just right with the cupcakes.

One year ago:  Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin

Blueberry Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Makes 24 cupcakes (can be halved to yield 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line your muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, mixing on medium-high speed for about two minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each one and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla and mix until combined.
  4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add the flour mixture (in three batches) and the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among your prepared liners, filling each about 3/4′s full. Bake the cupcakes, rotating halfway through the baking time, until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  6. To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined and smooth.
  7. Pipe as desired onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish each cupcake with fresh blueberries.

Recipe slightly adapted from The Curvy Carrot, originally from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes.

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Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

Posted in Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, tagged , , , , , on January 10, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

If you love Oreo cookies, then these are the cupcakes for you. To start, half of an Oreo is hidden at the bottom of the cupcake. Then, chopped Oreo pieces are mixed into a delicious cupcake base. Finally, the cupcakes are topped with Oreo whipped cream and half of an Oreo cookie. These cupcakes are definitely indulgent, but I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding friends to share them with!

One year ago: Vanilla Ice Cream, Philadelphia-Style

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

Printable Recipe

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

  • 24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 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
  • 20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

For the frosting:

  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp. Oreo cookie crumbs

For garnish:

  • 24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo half in the bottom of each liner, cream side up.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk 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 add 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.

Recipe from Cooking with Karen, adapted from Annie’s Eats

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