What to do?

Ok, so I don't really like having two blogs. But I kinda do. Although, I haven't written in my Disturbia blog since I started cupcaking. Today as I poured through Cook's Illustrated magazine I thought about how much I love to cook and try new recipes. Not just cupcake recipes. So I thought about making my Serendipity blog about cooking, not just cupcakes. But then it also seemed easier to just have one blog that chronicles my life - cooking, writing, eating, parenting, etc. They are all interrelated.

What do YOU, my three or four followers, prefer?

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake

This is in response to my sister-in-law's request for a Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake recipe. I have not made this but this is what I would try first, which I adapted from the Strawberry Shortcake CAKE recipe from the More from Magnolia cookbook.

Take your favorite vanilla cupcake recipe, like Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes or Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes and bake as directed. When completely cooled, remove paper, slice cupcake in half and layer Cream Filling (recipe below) and Berry Filling (recipe below). Put the top on and add another layer of Cream Filling and Berry Filling. A light dusting of powdered sugar would probably look nice on top of the cupcake and on each individual serving plate. WA LAA!

This is something you would want to eat soon after assembling so as not to get soggy, which is why I am not trying it right away. It would be perfect for a brunch, shower or tea party. You could have everything ready - cupcakes sliced, cream and berry filling made - and quickly assemble before serving (using a sifter to dust with powdered sugar).

My main concern would be that the cupcake would fall apart upon slicing in half so you would need to make sure it was thoroughly cooked and cooled. Don't fill the cups too full with batter because then it will be harder to get the cupcake out of the paper in one piece (the 'muffin top' will come off). Both of the above recipes are pretty moist so cook them until the toothpick comes out clean (I do almost clean for frosted cupcakes). The cream and berry filling will keep the cupcake from being dry but don't let it sit too long or it will be soggy!

I'm going to make a Strawberry Cupcake this week (from Martha's cupcake book) which would be another alternative but if you want a cupcake resembling Strawberry Shortcake I think this is your best bet. Fresh vanilla cupcakes.  Fresh cream filling.  Fresh strawberries with sugar.  You can't go wrong!! Done right it will melt in everyone's mouth and surely melt their heart. 

Try the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake and let us know how it turns out! Take a picture!!

Cream Filling

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Berry Filling

2 pints (4 cups) ripe strawberries sliced in half

2 tablespoons sugar

Roasted Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

This is a recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book. I've made banana bread a bajillion times but I've never made it with roasted bananas. Have you ever roasted bananas? A banana cupcake sounds like something I might take to a play date but a roasted banana cupcake sounds like something I might take to a dinner party. Martha's recipe did not have chocolate chips but I just wasn't all that excited about the batter after the very many steps it took to make so at the last minute I tossed in some Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips. Good move. Martha's recipe paired the cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting which I planned on making but since I added the chocolate I decided to go with cream cheese frosting and chocolate curls for garnish. By the way, my kids think it's so cool that I can make chocolate curls.

I delivered the cupcakes to my official taste testing family and they all gave thumbs up. My family gave thumbs up as well. Next time I'll just make bigger cupcakes.


Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, plus 1 to 2 more for garnish (I used chocolate curls for garnish, made by using a vegetable peeler and a chocolate bar. I found a use for the vegetable peeler!)
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
(I added chocolate chips. just eyeballed it)

Directions (don't be deceived; there are way more than 4 steps)
Makes 16 cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 3 whole unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and roast 15 minutes (the peels will darken). Meanwhile, sift together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Remove bananas from oven and let cool before peeling. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

2. With an electric mixer on medium--high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add roasted bananas (I added all the juicy, syrupy stuff you get by roasting the bananas), and beat to combine. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of sour cream, and beating until just combined after each. Beat in vanilla.

3. In another mixing bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites to soft peaks; fold one-third whites into batter to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites in two batches.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. (I made 24 cupcakes instead of the recommended 16 so they were small. 16 would have been better. I cooked them for 16 1/2 minutes)

Streusal Cupcakes

I had a brunch to go to this morning so I decided to make more of a coffee cake type cupcake.  This is from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book.

It turned out fine.  Not great.  The batter was pretty easy and tasted really good off of the spoon (btw, I never worry about salmonella).  The streusal topping I thought was too floury and end up tasting dry on the finished product.  All in all it was time consuming and definitely not better than coffee cake from our local bakery.  It seemed like a real pain in the ass while I was making it but that could have had something to do with the fact that Sam and Henry were trying to get dressed for their first football game of the season, Lucy was trying to pack her backpack to take to the game and I was trying to get these muffins in the oven so I could be to the brunch early so I could make it to the football game on time.

It went a little something like this. 

Sam is half on the bean bag, half on the floor watching TV in a Lucky Charm coma.  Henry is wandering around aimlessly in his football girdle (which is way too big on his little body).  Lucy is screeching at me from upstairs at regular intervels. I am making the streusal topping which I just realized has to be refrigerated for 30 min before it can go on top of the batter. 

ME: Sam start getting dressed for football.
SAM:  Huh?
ME: Start getting dressed! 
LUCY:  (from upstairs) Mooooooom! I need paper and markers!!!
ME:  Lucy, pack your toys and then come downstairs and I'll get them for you.
HENRY:  Mooooom.  I can't find my game pants.
ME:  Go look in the laundry room.  SAM?!
SAM:  What? 
ME:  START GETTING DRESSED!!
LUCY:  Moooooom!!!! I need little markers and paper!!!!
HENRY:  Mom, I found them.
ME:  Henry, those are your practice pants, not your game pants.  Those were in the bathroom, I said look in the LAUNDRY room.  Sam, are you getting dressed? Lucy, COME DOWNSTAIRS AND STOP SCREAMING AT ME!
SAM: I have my pants on.
HENRY: I found my pants.  I can't find my pads.  Well I found these pads, where do they go? I'm missing one of these pads, where does it go? Oh, and I found this pad.
ME:  That's a hip pad and you already have that in your girdle.  Those are thigh pads and you are missing a knee pad.  Get dressed.
HENRY:  But I don't know how to put the pads in!!
ME:  Ok, let me finish this f*g streusal topping and I will help you get dressed.  Look in the hall closet for the knee pad.  Sam PUT YOUR SHOES ON!
SAM: Huh?  I AM dressed.  Oh, ok, yeah.
LUCY:  Screaming something from upstairs that I am no longer listening to.
HENRY: I looked everywhere and I can't find it.
ME:  Ok, I'm finished, I'll help you.  Both of you go pick up your rooms so Sherry can clean today.
SAM & HENRY:  Whaaaaattttt???!!! 
ME:  Maybe you'll find Henry's missing knee pad.  NOW DO IT!
Meanwhile I locate Henry's missing pad and put all of the rest of his pads in his game pants. 
ME:  Sam, SHOES and SOCKS.  Henry, Here's your pants, put them on.
HENRY:  Moooommmm, this pad is in backwards.  I can't find my white jersey.
ME:  Lucy, I'll be up in a minute!!

Sam and Henry are dressed and ready to go on time! I go up and help Lucy finish packing her backpack.  Chad is out the door with all three kids to pick up our friends that he is car pooling with. Chad runs back in to get the directions (it's an hour away). Two minutes later the phone rings.

CHAD:  Lucy forgot her markers and paper. 

Some time during all that I finished the batter, put it in the pan and topped  it with streusal.  That fucking streusal was all over the place. What a mess and what a waste of time. Next time I'll spend the $8 and go to the bakery down the street.

Soccer Birthday Cupcakes

These are Billy's Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream for a friend's birthday. She is a serious soccer player and she was bringing these cupcakes on her birthday to a soccer game. The team's colors are gold and black so we did gold foil liners with black non pareils and a pick with her picture on one side and a soccer ball on the other.

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

Today's cupcake is Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes. It was fabulous. Very moist. Buttery. It's topped with the Easy Vanilla Buttercream found in prior posts. There were oohs and ahhs all around. It's the first recipe I've made using cake flour. Interestingly enough, none of the chocolate recipes I've found call for it. I may substitute it one of these days and see what happens.

Ingredients
Makes about 30 cupcakes
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Last week I made Magnolia Bakery's vanilla cupcake. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures. They tasted good but were not pretty as I tried to bake two 12 cup pans in the oven at the same time They did not cook evenly AT ALL. I topped them with Martha's recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream. A pain in the ass to make without a standing mixer but oh so delicious. The general consensus was that the Magnolia cupcake had "cornbread with butter on top" flavor. Interesting. I would not have said that but I was in the minority. I definitely want to try the cupcake recipe again and see if the results are the same.

Martha Stewart Chocolate Cupcakes with Easy Vanilla Buttercream

This chocolate cupcake recipe was from marthastewart.com. It was very good. A little dense. I think I will try to combine this recipe with the Cook's Illustrated and see if I can create a less dense cupcake with more intense chocolate flavor. Once again I made the easy vanilla buttercream.

I made these for Lucy's last day of Princess Ballet Camp. The wrappers are a little cheesy but perfect for a 3 year old princess!

Ingredients
Makes 12

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream


Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2.Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
3.Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4.Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Easy Vanilla Buttercream

This recipe I didn't care for. It had brown sugar and coffee granules in it. Not bad but not great.

The frosting was easy and delicious. I used a closed star tip (#5) from my Williams Sonoma Mechanical Pastry Bag set. A gift from my darling sister-in-law.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream from Cook's Illustrated

Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 12 cupcakes. Published March 1, 2005.

This can be made ahead and refrigerated; if refrigerated, however, it must stand at room temperature to soften before use. If using a hand-held mixer (which I did), increase mixing times significantly (at least 50 percent). This recipe can be doubled to make enough for a two-layer cake.

Ingredients
10 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (5 ounces)
Pinch table salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions
In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

This is not your ordinary chocolate cupcake. It is a decadent, rich, dark chocolate, superbly moist, made from scratch cupcake complimented by light and fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting. It melts in your mouth. After savoring every bite you will surely be satisfied yet oh so tempted to have another.

Makes 12 cupcakes. Published March 1, 2005, Cook's Illustrated

This recipe does not double very well. Cupcakes made from a doubled batch and baked side by side in the oven yield a slightly compromised rise. It's best to make two separate batches and bake each separately. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refirgerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Ingredients
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa (1 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup sour cream (4 ounces)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. (To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.)


Easy Chocolate Buttercream

Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 12 cupcakes. Published March 1, 2005, Cook's Illustrated.

This can be made ahead and refrigerated; if refrigerated, however, it must stand at room temperature to soften before use. If using a hand-held mixer, increase mixing times significantly (at least 50 percent). This recipe can be doubled to make enough for a two-layer cake.

Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
1 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch table salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , melted and cooled


Instructions

In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then reduce speed to low and gradually beat in chocolate. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice

FYI: I don't have a standing mixer yet. So far the hand mixer works fine but I can definitely see how things would go faster with a standing mixer. Maybe an anniversary gift?