Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Fosting

I just simply adore Holiday baking, and  cupcakes are just darling to give as gifts in adorable little boxes and baskets!

This recipe from Cupcake Goddess Elinor Klivans for Gingerbread Cupcakes calls for Lemon Filling as a surprise delight, but I opted for a lightly-lemon frosting that was just as divine. 

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Yield 12

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

I doubled the recipe to yield 24 cupcakes, and it doubled perfectly.

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup(1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses together until blended. Using a large spoon, stir in the flour mixture in 3 additions and water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and stirring until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth. Fill each paper liner with 1/3 cup of batter, to about 1/4 inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.

Elinor Klivans' Lemon Filling

• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and lemon juice over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is hot, about 130°F on a thermometer.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together to blend them, then whisk in the dissolved cornstarch. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot butter and lemon juice into the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a large spoon, just until it comes to a boil and thickens; it will take about 6 minutes. When thickened, the sauce will leave a path on the back of the spoon if you draw your finger across it and look clear rather than cloudy. Immediately remove from the heat, strain into a small bowl, and stir in the lemon zest. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce, use a toothpick to poke a few holes in the plastic wrap to let steam escape, and refrigerate until cold. The sauce will thicken further as it chills.

The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or, spoon the cold sauce into a plastic freezer container, leaving at least an inch of space in the top of the container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Lemon Kissed Buttercream Frosting, a la Cupcakery Blog

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (I wanted it to be lightly flavored, so I used just 1 Tbsp.)

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and salt for about 30 seconds.

2. Add half of the powdered sugar and the milk to the butter and beat again until combined. Scrape down the bowl. 

3. Add the remainder of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl again.

The lemony frosting was just such a pretty pale yellow!

All packaged up for Holiday gifts!

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes, or Zombie Apocalypse Twinkie Cupcakes

• Orange Creamsicle Cupcake Ingredients:
  3/4 cup self-rising flour
  2 large eggs
  1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  7 tbsp sugar
  2 tsp orange flavoring
  1 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract instead of the suggested vanilla)
  2-3 tbsp milk

  Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (I bake at 375 degrees.)
  2. Line 2 12 cup muffin tins with baking paper cups (yield 18-24 cupcakes)
  3. Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blend until smooth.
  4. Pulse while adding the milk down the funnel to make for a soft consistency. It doesn't seem like enough batter, but it will all work out, scrape every bit from the bowl and try to fill each cup about 2/3
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden on top. It's best to start checking them at 12 minutes.

  These are sooooooo very moist and subtly orange-flavored, perfect for October!

  This recipe called for Orange Cream Cheese Icing, but as I am not a fan of cream cheese frostings I didn't use it.....I'm including it for you, though :-)

  Orange Cream Cheese Icing:
  1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter softened
  8 oz softened Cream cheese
  1 cup powdered sugar
  2 tsp orange flavoring

  Directions:
  1. Combine the room temperature butter and cream cheese together in a mixer with a paddle attachment.
  2. Slowly add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time and add the orange flavoring at the end.
  3. For the easiest results put the icing in piping bag with the tip of your choice and pipe onto cupcakes.

  This was the frosting I used, simple easy basic frosting. I may have made it up, I have no idea where it came from but it's delicious and easy-peasy!

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons milk, divided
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• Now. Here is where all hell broke loose in my kitchen. Pay attention. 
• I attempted to decorate after being sent a picture. It was a picture of Twinkie-decorations on top of yummy perfectly frosted cupcakes. Irresistible, right? What could be cuter? 
• This was foolishness on my part as 
• 1. I am a baker, not a decorator. 
• 2. I forgot to consult the afore-mentioned picture.
• 3. I did not obtain the appropriate implements for decorating.
• This is what the cupcakes should have looked like:
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Nerdy, cute-as-a-button minions.

This is what my Twinkie creations looked like:

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE TWINKIE CUPCAKES!!!!

(hiding in shame under the bed, the TWINKIES secured, 

my cupcake rep in tatters)

Sweetest Cupcake Displays EVER!!!!!

Sweetest Cupcake Displays EVER!!!!!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

There is a definite chill in the air here, and with the weather unseasonably cool for Atlanta, I find myself missing the Fall Season, my hometown of Portland, Maine....and MOMMA DELANEY!!!! who returns here today with her amazingly delicious Pumpkin Cupcakes, special from her own mother.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Yield 24-30

Ingredients

4 cage free eggs

2/3 cups water 

1 cup salad or canola oil

1 16oz can of pumpkin

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Beat eggs. Add oil, water, and pumpkin and mix "very well," according to Momma. 

Sift flour. Measure and sift together flour, sugar, soda, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the pumpkin mixture. Thusly - 

Beat until blended. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool on wire racks. These are perfect and moist as is, or with the addition of the Cream Cheese Frosting. This recipe can also be converted into 2-3 large Pumpkin Loaves. ( Momma is very versatile!)

• Cream Cheese Frosting
• - from Real Simple
• Ingredients 
• 2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
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• Simply beat both ingredients together until creamy - could it be any easier??!! 

Aren't these cupcake liners just perfect for Fall??!!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

A New England favorite...yes, I am biased :-) but these truly are so scrumptious, so moist, I will admit I consumed 4 in one sitting, as well as the vanilla pudding insides and the frosting (eeeeek!!!!)



If we could please discuss the frosting for one small moment. This recipe, a Martha Stewart-kitchen-goddess-extraordinaire favorite, includes Chocolate Ganache Glaze. Those of you who know me, however, know that I have a strong penchant and therefore bias for Martha's Chocolate Frosting recipe, which is what I chose to adorn my cupcakes with!!!! It simply could not be helped :-) I shall include both toppings and allow you, dear reader, to choose.....



Simple Yellow Cupcakes
Yield 18
350, 15 minutes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool. Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.

Vanilla Cream Filling

Yield 1 1/2 cups

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Yield 1 1/4 cups

2/3 cup heavy cream

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

Martha's Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

(the BEST Chocolate Frosting in all of the world!!!!!!!)

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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• In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; stir until smooth and free of lumps.
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• Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes, Martha's photo
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• Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes, my version :-)
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Quick Vanilla Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Quick Vanilla Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Quick Vanilla Cupcakes (from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans, one of my favorite Kitchen Goddesses)

Yield 12 
Bake at 350*

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the whole egg, egg yolk, and sugar on medium speed until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl as needed. On low speed, add the oil and vanilla until blended. Mix in the sour cream and then the flour mixture until everything is incorporated and smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 - 23 minutes.



Caramel Frosting (by my Mother, Eleanor Delaney, my original Kitchen Goddess!!!!!!)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar

In larg sauce pan, melt butter and add brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring

frequently.  Boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened.  Remove from heat and

add heavy cream (or you can use half n half.) Beat with wire whisk until smooth.

Add vanilla and beat again.  Then add enough powdered sugar until desired

spreading consistency.  Let cupcakes cool before frosting. 

Utterly Darlin' Cupcake Displays

Utterly Darlin' Cupcake Displays

An homage to the dessert table, one of my absolute favorites 

at a reception or party....from elegant to wildly colorful and cute, 

just a sampling of a few favorites!