Easter Cupcake Toppers

These are the cupcakes that make me the most proud!

I made them for Easter 2012 and I actually drew a picture outline of my idea!  

Talk about taking baking seriously!

Since my brother, sister-in-law and I all live in Chicago, my parents come to us to celebrate.  However, since we are no... old.. and there is a 6hr trip involved, we no longer get Easter baskets.  These cupcakes were the perfect compromise (and I don't think anyone realized the baskets were missing!!!!)

These cupcakes can be, easily, copied and I will  make them again in the future.

Cupcakes: I used a yellow mix from Elinor Kilvan's book: Cupcakes! (but you could use a box mix!)

Frosting: I did a vanilla cream cheese frosting because it is less sweet than butter cream.  

Bake the cupcakes and let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY before frosting.  Refrigerate cupcakes for an hour or so to allow frosting to firm up.  This will make the decorating process much easier.

With a toothpick make a small hole in the cupcake and lightly push the Twizzler into the cupcake (only about a quarter of the way down) and then repeat on the other side.  It should look like a handle to a basket.  

Next, sprinkle colored sprinkles to the frosting.  

Add a couple of jelly beans (I used JellyBellies!) and add a chocolate egg (I had mini Resee's eggs and mini Cadbury eggs) 

And voila..  a perfect Easter Basket Cupcake

 ENJOY!!!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Does anyone else remember these cupcakes?  I only remember enjoying these at my sister's birthday party... the same year I told her all of her presents.  

(Coincidentally I think that was the year people realized I can't keep secrets...)

Anyways, these cupcakes combine the excitement of a cupcake with ice cream and none of the mess.

I made them at the end of the year last year as a celebratory treat for my classmates finishing up our first year of grad school.  One of my classmates requested them and how could I refuse?

Chocolate Chip Brownie Ice Cream Cone CupCakes

(from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans)

(makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

12 flat-bottomed ice cream cones

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 oz unsweetened chocolate (baking chocolate works)

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

(1 TBS milk- if necessary) 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Place butter and unsweetened chocolate into double boiler and melt until creamy and completely melted. Set aside, but keep warm. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix eggs and sugar on medium speed until the mix is thick and cream-colored, roughly 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl if necessary. On low speed, first add the vanilla until completely combined, then the chocolate mix until completely combined. Continue mixing on low and mix in the flour mixture until completely smooth, then mix in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Fill each ice cream cone to just below the top of the cone. Make sure the batter is even at the top of the ice cream cone; try to fill in any holes. Place one flat bottomed ice cream cones into each cupcake spot in the cupcake tin.

Bake for about 28 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. (If you hit a chocolate chip, try another spot).  (if it’s not clean, check again in 2 minutes) Let the cupcakes cool for 20 minutes in the cupcake tin.

Frosting Directions

Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixture until completely smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly. Gradually increase mixer speed and add vanilla, then beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl. If frosting is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached If it’s too thin, add sugar gradually until it thickens. Frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles. 

ENJOY!!!!

Cookie Bottom Cupcakes with "Magic" Chocolate Frosting

I have a confession.

I've been holding out on sharing one of my cupcake "staples".

BUT before we get to that... let's discuss the vessel on which I deliver my staple.

I made these cupcakes back in March to celebrate the birthdays of two of the kids I nanny for.  

Max (turned 5) requested cookies AND cupcakes.

Amelia (turned 2) requested CHOCOLATE!!!!

They got the best of both worlds!

It's a cookie.

It's a cupcake.

It delivers on the chocolate!

Cookie Bottom Cupcakes

(from How Sweet It Is)

(makes 18 cupcakes)

Cookie layer

1/2 cup butter, softened

 3/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed 

1 egg

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Pre heat oven to 350*

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. 

Line a muffin tin with liners and give each a quick spritz of non-stick spray. Using a spoon also sprayed with non-stick spray, press about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of each liner.

Cake layer

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 whole eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Using an ice cream scoop, drop batter on top of cookie dough mixture. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

For the frosting, the "magic" comes from chocolate extract (available at higher end grocers, online and specialty spice stores!)

Subbing 1/2 the vanilla extract in your favorite buttercream recipe yields a frosting that looks like vanilla buttercream but smells and tastes like chocolate! 

MAGIC

Magic Chocolate Frosting

(from Domino)

3 3/4 C powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon chocolate extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter and extracts.  Using a hand mixer beat on medium speed until creamy.  If desired, add milk (tablespoon by tablespoon) until desired spreadable consistency.

Top cupcakes!

ENJOY

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

 This is my Dad

(with my sisters- circa May 2010)

Dad and I talk almost every day and usually about food.  We also have an uncanny ability to spend the majority of our conversations in uncontrollable laughter.

 Last Christmas I struggled at what to get my dad and I realized (despite putting socks on his list) he'd probably like homemade cookies...every month. So for 2012, every month my dad gets a package of homemade treats. 

Except for May. 

That's his birthday month and the man deserves a cupcake! I made a Lemon Blueberry cupcake topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting.

 These cupcakes taste lighter than air and so deliciously summery. The refreshing lemon flavor and the sweet juicy blueberries all bring their best flavors for an irresistible treat! 

  

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting  

(slightly adapted from Annie's Eats)

 Makes 16 cupcakes 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Zest of  1 lemon

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. lemon juice

½ cup plus 2 tbsp. milk, at room temperature

1 cup fresh blueberries

Frosting: 

8 oz. cream cheese

5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of 1 large lemon

Additional fresh blueberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Blend in the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Fold in blueberries. 

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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 lemon juice and lemon zest. 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 blueberries.

 Enjoy!!!!