Baptismal Cake and Cupcakes

This is another project I did just recently for my a schoolmate. The theme was a simple fondant cake with a train and teddy bear for his nephew. A whopping 50 pieces of chocolate cupcakes and a 6" fondant cake topper. 

fortunately I was able to find a supplier of a clear plastic packaging for cupcakes.

The finish product. 

I admit I still have a long way to go to be able to create great pieces of fondant artworks. But overall I find this too cute and I'm looking forward for more challenging fondant art projects to come in the future. :)

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Chocolate Tablea Cupcakes

The brown butter muscovado glaze adds the sweet notes to this decadent cupcake.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Baking Time 20-22 minutes

¾ cup tablea chocolate,  finely ground
¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
240 ml boiling water
¼ cup yogurt, at room temperature
¾ cup full cream milk, at room temperature
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cup white sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

For the brown butter muscovado glaze:
½ cup salted butter
1 cup muscovado sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted


1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a bowl, mix the tablea chocolate and cocoa powder together. Pour the hot water of the chocolate mixture, mix to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until it is at room temperature.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt and the milk together. Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together and mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 20 seconds after each addition or until just combined.

5. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while beating on medium speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

6. Add half of the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add half of the milk mixture onto the chocolate mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients. Do not overmix.

7. Pour the batter evenly into a prepared cupcake pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cakes are firm to the touch. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.  

8. Make the glaze: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once it is melted, it will start bubbling and will start slowly browning. Let the butter brown for 4 to 5 minutes; watch it carefully because it can burn.

9. Once the butter is browned, add the muscovado sugar and constantly stir over low heat until the sugar is melted.

10. Add the milk and bring the mixture up to a boil, constantly stirring. Take it off the heat.

11. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, then gradually add the powdered sugar until it becomes a smooth spreadable glaze. Glaze the cupcakes as desired. If using, sprinkle toasted walnuts over the glaze immediately.  



Source: Yummy

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Caramel Filled Cupcakes with Whipped Caramel Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix (I prefer Pillsbury)
3 whole eggs
½ cup water
⅓ cup oil
1 cup sour cream (8 ounces)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding

For the filling:

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the frosting:
2 sticks butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup heavy cream, or more if needed
16 oz. confectioners’ sugar (~ 4 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes, thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Bake at 325° for about 18 minutes.
2. Allow the cupcakes to cool while you make the filling (or use pre-made Caramel sauce from a jar, such as Smuckers). When cool, use an apple corer to remove the center and prepare for filling.
3. To make the filling (if you're not using pre-made), add the butter, brown sugar and milk to a small saucepan. Heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool slightly and it will start to thicken. Spoon it into the cupcake holes.
4. For the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add in the brown sugar and cream. Heat until it boils, then remove it from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar while mixing. Add the vanilla. Continue mixing until the frosting is completely cooled and is whipped up light and fluffy.
5. Frost the cupcakes (I used a large round tip) and enjoy!!

Happy Caking!



Source: Cake Journal

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Lemon Vanilla Cupcake

Ingredients

½ cup (120 grams) butter, room temperature
Note: I do not use unsalted butter, whenever I bake. but you can of course use unsalted butter if you prefer. (Just add ¼ tsp of salt to the recipe)
¾ cup (135 grams) white granulated sugar
3 eggs
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Zest from 1 large lemon
1 ½ cup (200 grams) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup (60 ml) milk or cream, room temperature
12 cup muffin pan
12 cupcake paper cases

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (175 C) Do not use the fan.
2. In a bowl, mix together flour and baking powder with a whisk and set aside.
3. Cream the following: butter, white sugar, eggs, vanilla seeds and the lemon zest. Using your hand or kitchen mixer. Cream until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when needed.
4. Sift in half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Then add the milk and give the batter a quick mix before adding the last part of the flour mixture. Give the batter a final mix until it is smooth.
5. Fill the cupcake paper cases ¾ full with the lemon vanilla batter and bake the cupcakes in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Remember to check with a cake tester/toothpick to see if the cupcakes are done.
6. Transfer the cupcakes from the pan to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before frosting.

Notes:

They are best freshly baked but can be stored in a air tight container for two days.

Source: Cake Journal

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Double Chocolate Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

 1½     cups self-raising flour, sifted
 ¾       cup caster sugar
 ¾       cup milk
 1        tsp. vanilla essence
 ½       cup cocoa powder, sifted
 ¾       cup dark choc bits or milk choc bits
 1        Tbsp. cocoa powder, extra, to serve
 125 g  butter, melted, cooled
 2 (x 59 g) eggs, beaten

Chocolate icing

 ½ cup cream
 200 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 x ⅓-cup capacity muffin pan. Alternatively, line holes with paper cases. Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Stir in cocoa powder and choc bits. Make a well in the center.

2. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine.

3. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

4. Make icing: Place cream and chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Remove from heat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until a spreadable consistency. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with cocoa or any of your favorite toppings.

Source: Taste.com.au 

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Double Chocolate Muffins

Muffins may look the same as cupcakes, but they belong to the category of quick breads. 

BAKER'S TIPS: It is usually a good idea to drop a piece of Hershey's Kisses or small pieces of good chocolate in the center of unbaked chocolate muffin to give it a more chocolaty surprise. The muffin should be baked at 375ºF. This will make the outside of the muffin thoroughly baked, with it's top a bit crispy, while leaving the center a bit under cooked to retain a fudgy texture.

INGREDIENTS

½    cup melted butter
½    cup brown sugar
1     cup all-purpose cream
2     eggs 
1     tsp. vanilla extract
1¾  cups all-purpose flour
¼    cup cocoa powder
1¾  cups chocolate chips 
2     tsp. baking powder
½    salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease the bottom sides of a twelve-cup muffin pan or line it with baking cups.
• In a bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, all-purpose cream, eggs and vanilla extract; stir until smooth and the mixture is well blended.
• In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredient. Add the melted butter mixture and stir until only a few traces of flour are visible. Do not overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin pans, filling the cups three-fourths full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top interior of the muffins are firm and dry.

**Sweet Trivia

English style muffins which are yeast raised and cooked on a griddle, may date back to the 10th or 11th century in Wales.

American style muffins are 'quick breads' made in individual molds. Quick breads (chemically leavened as opposed to yeast leavened) were not developed until the end of the 18th century. This took place in America, where pearlash was discovered. Pearlash is a refined form of potash, and it produces carbon dioxide gas in dough. In 'American Cookery' (1796 - the first American cook book) Amelia Simmons published recipes using pearlash, and we exported some 8,000 tons to Europe in 1792. Baking powder was not developed commercially until 1857 (phosphate baking powder).

Quick bread muffins really need to be baked in molds because they are made with a batter rather than a dough.

Adapted from: Baking Secrets

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Mamon

INGREDIENTS: 

2 ½  cups all-purpose flour

1      cup white sugar

1      tablespoon baking powder

1      teaspoon salt

½     cup vegetable oil

8      egg yolks

2      tablespoons grated orange pee

1      teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓     cup orange juice

⅓     cup water

8      egg whites

½     teaspoon cream of tartar

½     cup white sugar

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Preheat an oven to 325 º F and grease 16 muffin cups. Stir the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the oil, egg yolks, grated orange peel, vanilla extract, orange juice, and water. Mix well by until no lumps
2. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy in a large glass or metal mixing bowl. Gradually add the ½ cup sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Fold the flour mixture into the egg whites. Pour the resulting batter into the prepared muffin cups to about ⅔ full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe from : Easy Dessert Recipes

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Coconut Macaroons

INGREDIENTS:

7 3/4 cups (3, 7 oz packages) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup canned cream of coconut
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
6 oz. semi sweet chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350º F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.
3. Sprinkle 1 cup of the coconut onto the prepared baking sheet and bake 5-7 minutes (stir after 3 minutes, then check every minutes or so after) until golden brown.
4. In a large bowl mix toasted coconut, remaining coconut, flour, and salt.
5. In a another large bowl mix condensed milk, cream of coconut, vanilla, almond extract and egg. Stir together vigorously with a whisk.
6. Pour liquid mixture into the bowl of coconut (mixture) and stir until well combined.
7. Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop mixture onto a parchment paper lined or silpat lined baking sheet. Use a moist finger to press down any shreds of coconut that are hanging out (otherwise they will burn before the cookies are fully baked).
8. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown. Cool a minute on the baking sheet, then move to a wire rack to continue cooling.
9. When the cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave (on 50% power). Remove the chocolate from the microwave when almost melted, then stir until the chocolate is fully melted. Dip macaroons in the chocolate and set on a (clean) parchment lined or silpat lined baking sheet. When you've filled the baking sheet, move to the fridge and allow the chocolate to set up.
10. Store cookies (covered) at room temperature up to 3 days.

Recipe from: Glorious Treats

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Brownie in a Mug

serves 1

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt  
2 tablespoon olive oil (one that’s not too strong is better)
1 1/2 tablespoons water, at room temp 
1 egg

PREPARATION

• Sift together the sugar, flour and cocoa powder. Add the salt.
• Mix together the olive oil, water and egg. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Pour into a mug and microwave for 2 minutes (no peeking!!)

PRESENTATION

Photo Credit: Ryan Scotts

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Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

YIELD: 8 servings
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 24 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the Cupcakes

1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

DIRECTIONS:
For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed and add vanilla, then slowly add in the food coloring. Note: If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with the machine running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter between the 12 wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

To Assemble in Jars

1. Slice cupcakes horizontally to create layers. Each cupcake will yield 2-3 layers depending on how thick you want your layers to be.

2. Place one cupcake layer into the bottom of your jar, pipe a layer of cream cheese frosting directly onto the cake layer. Repeat the layering process until you reach the top of your jar. If desired, garnish with festive sprinkles or red velvet cake crumbs.

NOTES:
- This cupcake recipe has been scaled down from the original recipe by The New York Times. Follow the link provided to view the full recipe.
- Clear vanilla extract was used in the cream cheese frosting recipe to maintain a bright white color. Feel free to substitute pure vanilla extract in its place.
- I used a Wilton 1A tip to pipe the frosting into the jars.
- The sprinkles are made by Wilton.
- Jars seen in photos are Weck Tulip Jelly Jars.

Photo Credit: mybakingaddiction

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How to make Better than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

In this episode of In the Kitchen with Matt, I will show you how to make Better then Reese's Peanut butter cups. They taste so much better then the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. They are easy to make, and sure to impress at parties, etc. You can watch the video by clicking the image above, or follow along with the steps below.

Ingredients 

1/2 cup of peanut butter (divided into 2 halves)

1/3 cup of powdered sugar (you may wind up adding a tad bit more if it is too sticky)

1 Tbs of butter

1/4 tsp of salt

1/2 bag of chocolate chips (any kind you want)

2 chocolate bars (any kind you want) you will want to match whatever the chocolate chips are.

***You can use chocolate candy melts instead if you like.

The History of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

In 1917, Reese found an advertisement to work on a dairy farm owned by Milton S. Hershey, owner of the Hershey Chocolate Company, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Though he didn't know it at the time, taking the job would shape the rest of Reese’s future. He worked on the farm for several years and later began working in the company’s chocolate factory, where he became inspired by Hershey and set out to make his own chocolates.

Initially, Reese considered his chocolate venture to be a means of providing a little extra money for his family. He started creating confections in his basement, naming bars and candies after his many children. He used fresh ingredients for his candy creations, along with a large quantity of Hershey’s chocolate.

In the 1920's, Reese’s basement-born enterprise was doing much better than expected, with the candies selling successfully to the local market. He decided to take the business even more seriously and set up the H.B. Reese Candy Company. In 1928, Reese also started selling chocolate and peanut butter confections he simply called peanut butter cups or “penny cups” as they cost just one penny each at the time. They were so successful that Reese was able to sell five-pound boxes of the cups to local retailers for their candy displays.

Reese was soon able to quit his job at the Hershey factory to concentrate on his own business. He even built a 100,000 square foot factory on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, Pennsylvania, making a wide assortment of candies including raisin clusters and chocolate covered dates. However, during World War II, Reese was forced to abandon his other projects due to scarcity of supplies and economic hardship. He chose to focus solely on his peanut butter cups, which were his most popular product, and the investment paid off.

Unfortunately, as his cups were growing rapidly in popularity, Reese died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 1956, just a few days before his 77th birthday. Seven years later, six of Reese’s sons decided to sell the family business. The Hershey’s Chocolate Company, that had inspired Reese, purchased the H.B. Reese Candy Company for $23.5 million in 1963 with H.B. Reese’s children getting roughly a five percent share in the Hershey Company (which is today worth about $20B, 5% of which is $1B).

Reese’s Cups continued to prosper under Hershey’s. There have been dozens of variations on the candy, including “big cups,” miniatures, and minis, as well as dark chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, and hazelnut cream flavors. Other variations include Reese’s cookies, Reese’s Pieces, and Reese’s Puffs Cereal (of the “It’s Reese’s for breakfast!” fame—promoting “healthy” breakfast options for children everywhere).

The candy is now available in many countries around the world and enjoyed by millions of people every year. Starting from its humble beginnings in the basement of a determined entrepreneur just looking for a way to support his enormous family, it’s now an extremely popular candy, counted among the top ten favourite chocolate treats in the U.S.

SOURCE: REESE

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BEST CUPCAKE RECIPES

One of today's most popular desserts, cupcakes are the talk of the town. Whether it's making a batch for your family, treating your co-workers, or just a little something for yourself, these small delights seem to always fit the bill.

Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for every occasion. Swirled and sprinkled, dipped and drizzled, or otherwise whimsically decorated, cupcakes are the treats that make everyone smile. Cupcakes are the star attraction for special days, such as birthdays, showers and holidays as well as perfect everyday goodies.
No matter what the age of the recipients, these inspired creations will be such a hit, you'll need to make enough for seconds. Actually, make that thirds.

Chocolate Chip Angel Cupcakes with Fluffy Frosting

Ingredients


CUPCAKES:

½     cup sifted cake flour
3/4   cup sugar, divided
6      large egg whites
½     teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8   teaspoon salt
1      teaspoon vanilla extract
¾     teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3   cup semisweet chocolate mini chips

FROSTING:

½    cup sugar
2     tablespoons water
1/8  teaspoon cream of tartar
2    large egg whites
½   teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt

REMAINING INGREDIENT:

¼ cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 6 tablespoons sugar, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 6 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and juice.
4. Sift ¼ cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat procedure with remaining flour mixture, ¼ cup at a time. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Place 24 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Bake at 325° for 15 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pans; cool on a wire rack.
6. To prepare frosting, combine ½ cup sugar and next 4 ingredients (½ cup sugar through 2 egg whites) in top of a double boiler; place over barely simmering water. Beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form and candy thermometer registers 160°. Beat in ½ teaspoon vanilla. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon frosting over each cupcake. Sprinkle evenly with coconut. 

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients


1      cup all-purpose flour (about 4 ½ ounces)
1/3   cup unsweetened cocoa
1      teaspoon baking soda
1/8   teaspoon salt
2/3   cup granulated sugar
¼     cup butter, softened
½     cup egg substitute
1      teaspoon vanilla
½     cup 1% low-fat buttermilk
1 ¼  ounces dark (70 percent cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
2      tablespoons powdered sugar

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
• Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to granulated sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with muffin cup liners. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

Photo Credit: ezrapoundcakes

Ingredients

2 ¾    cup(s) all-purpose flour
½      cup(s) cake flour (not self-rising)
1        tablespoon(s) baking powder
1        teaspoon(s) salt
8        ounce(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 ¼   cup(s) sugar
3        large eggs
1        large egg white
1        cup(s) whole milk
1 ½    teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
2        cup(s) finely chopped strawberries
Small strawberries, for garnish
Strawberry Buttercream

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
• Reduce speed to low. Mix milk and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk mixture and ending with dry ingredients. Stir chopped strawberries into batter. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with Strawberry Buttercream. Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with a strawberry just before serving.

Thank you for reading, more recipes to come...Happy Baking! :)

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Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

Photo Credit: mybakingaddiction

YIELD: 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes

1 (18 ounce) box French Vanilla cake mix (see note below)
1 (3.4 ounce) package Jell-o Coconut Cream pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk; divided use (see note below)
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the Frosting

remaining 9 ounces of coconut milk**
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
zest of 2 medium limes
1.5 pounds (about 5 3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners or spray wells with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs and 1/2 cup (4 ounces) coconut milk. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined. Fold in the shredded coconut.

3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.

5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Prepare the frosting.

For the Frosting

1. Place the remaining coconut milk into a medium saucepan with high sides. Over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat and reduce the coconut milk for about 20 minutes. Turn the burner off and allow the coconut milk to cool completely. Cover and chill (about an hour), this will cause the coconut milk to thicken up a bit

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and reduced and cooled coconut milk on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. Add in the lime zest and mix to combine.

2. Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until it is completely incorporated. Add in extracts and mix until incorporated. Turn off the mixer and check the buttercream for taste and texture. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy.

3. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and if desired, garnish with a dusting of shredded coconut.

Source: My Baking Addiction

**Facts about Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is obtained by grating the meat of the rape coconuts. It should not be confused with coconut water - liquid substance young coconuts contain inside of their shell. Benefits of coconut milk are enormous. It boasts a huge variety of useful qualities. The use of coconut milk can be very helpful for you health. It is a rich source of sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Coconut milk is also enriched with a range of vitamins, like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B complex vitamins etc. Proteins, carbohydrates and dietary fiber are the key components as well.

Coconut milk contains more calcium than regular milk does. It can easily be a good substitute for regular milk. It may be added into food or drinks like coffee or tea.

Due to high manganese content coconut milk is recommended to be included into the diet for people, who suffer from glucose intolerance.

Coconut milk is quite beneficial for skin care. Applying the milk on your skin it moisturizes and softens it. Consuming coconut milk may contribute to keeping your skin healthy, flexible and elastic as the milk contains important minerals like copper and Vitamin C and E, which are known for its favorable effect on the skin. When taking a bath, you can add coconut milk into the water.

If you struggle with hair loss, apply coconut milk on your scalp, rubbing it into the roots of your hair. Regular coconut milk applications can significantly reduce hair loss, and in the course of several weeks, the results would be striking.

The high phosphorous content is instrumental in making your bones and teeth healthy and strong. Along with calcium it prevents the bones from becoming fragile.

A cup of coconut milk can provide your organism with about one fourth of a daily dose of iron. A great number of people worldwide suffer from iron deficiency, which causes anemia. The lack of iron in the body leads to poor haemoglobin development in the blood, which, in its turn, does not allow to keep the proper level of oxygen. So, with every reason you can include coconut milk into your diet.

After strenuous physical activity you can drink a cup of coconut milk. It relaxes muscles, relieves their soreness.

You try your best to lose weight? Or it is hard for you to control it? Try coconut milk. It is known to aid in keeping your weight in balance, preventing your body from gaining fat. The milk speeds up metabolism. Due to the high dietary fiber content it makes you feel replete very rapidly. The milk of the coconut contains highly saturated fat, which consists of short-chain fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids. So the fat does not store in your body, it is turned into energy. That is why coconut milk is a perfect means for those struggling with weight issues.

Due to selenium content, which is a major antioxidant, coconut milk can be helpful in alleviating arthritis symptoms and other joint inflammations.

The milk also aids to reduce high blood pressure, because of the high potassium content.

Coconut milk is perfect to boost your immune system. It increases our body resistance ability to various diseases, infections and other ailments. Coconut milk supplies your body with a sufficient number of vitamins, which help to improve your immunity. The lauric acid content possesses antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

Coconut milk improves digestion. The very lauric acid due to its antibacterial qualities fights off various bacteria, which cause digestive disorders.

Those, who are lactose intolerant, can add coconut milk into their diet without any fear. It is dairy-free.

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LEMON BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup whole milk
1 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line two muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soad and salt. Set aside.
3. Gently toss blueberries with a light coating of flour.  Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment.  Beat until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time.  Mixing well after each egg.
6. Add one third of your dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined.
7. Add one half of your milk.  Mix gently.
8. Add in remaining ingredients, alternating dry, wet, dry.  Do not over mix.
9. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.  Top each cupcake with 3 to 4 blueberries.
10. Bake 17-19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 lbs confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lemon, zest and juice

• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.
• Gradually add confectioners sugar until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix again.

To Assemble

Once cupcakes are cool, swirl cream cheese frosting onto each cupcake using a pastry bag fitted with a #2A tip.  Garnish with strips of lemon zest and extra blueberries.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

TIP:  If the icing is not holding its shape while decorating, refrigerate icing 20-30 minutes.  The chilled icing with pipe nicely into a soft swirl.


recipe by Carrie Sellman
{makes 24 cupcakes}

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BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Facts about BANANA

A banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry, produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. - Wikepedia.

RANDOM THINGS ABOUT BANANAS:

• The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which means “fruit of the wise men.”
• Bananas float in water, as do apples and watermelons.
• Hawaii is the only place in the U.S. where bananas are grown commercially, although at one time they were also grown in southern California and Florida. The overwhelming majority of the bananas Americans eat come from countries in Latin America and South America, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras, Panama, and Guatemala.
• The type of banana you see in the supermarket is called a Cavendish banana. The preferred variety was originally the Gros Michel, which essentially became extinct by 1960, thanks to a fungus called Panama disease.
• Some cultures (most notably Japan) use the fiber in the banana plant to make fabric and sometimes even paper.
• The fastest marathon ever run by a competitor dressed as a fruit was 2 hours, 58 minutes, and 20 seconds—recorded at the Barcelona Marathon on March 6, 2011. The runner was Patrick Wightman from the United Kingdom, who dressed as a banana.
• The Banana Club Museum, located on Highway 111 in Mecca, Calif. (just south of Palm Springs), houses the world’s largest collection devoted to any one fruit. It contains more than 17,000 banana items, most of which have been donated by members. (To join the club, visit www.bananaclub.com.)

AMAZING BUT TRUE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH BANANA PEELS (AND BANANAS):

• Thanks to its oil, rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite (or other bug bite) or on poison ivy will help keep it from itching and getting inflamed.
• If you rub the inside of a banana peel on a scrape or burn, it will help the pain go away, keep the swelling down, and keep the wound from getting infected.
• If you rub the inside of a small piece of banana peel on a wart every night (or tape a piece of peel over the wart), the potassium in the peel can make the wart disappear in one to two weeks.
• If you tape a banana peel over a splinter, the enzymes help the splinter work its way out of your skin (and also heal the wound).
• To whiten teeth naturally, rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth for about two minutes every night. If you gargle with salt water, this will heighten the effect. Expect results in about two weeks. It works because of the effect of the potassium, magnesium, and manganese in the banana peel.
• Bananas make great conditioner that helps restore dry, damaged hair. Mash a banana and add a tablespoon of heavy cream and a tablespoon of honey to the mixture. Then apply it to dry hair, cover your hair with a shower cap, and then wrap your head in a warm towel. Leave it on for up to an hour and then rinse thoroughly with warm water before shampooing.
• Rubbing a banana peel on your forehead can help cure a headache.
• Bananas and banana peels make great fertilizer (you can compost them, bury them whole, or cut them in small pieces and mix them with garden soil) because of their phosphorous and potassium content. Roses especially like them.
• Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on houseplant leaves makes the leaves shiny.
• You can use the inside of a banana peel to clean and polish leather shoes.
• Banana peels also make a good silver polish—just rub silver with the inside of a peel and then buff with a cloth.

BANANA STATISTICS:

• More than 100 billion bananas are eaten every year in the world, making them the fourth most popular agricultural product.
• Americans eat an average of 27 pounds of bananas per person every year.
• More than 96 percent of American households buy bananas at least once a month.
• 51 percent of bananas are eaten for breakfast at home.
• The highest average per capita consumption of bananas in the world is in Uganda, where residents eat an average of 500 pounds of bananas per person every year. In fact, the Ugandan word matooke means both “food” and “banana.”
• India produces more bananas than any other country on the planet, accounting for about 28 percent of the worldwide crop. (China is number two, with ten percent.)
• A man in India once ate 81 bananas in a half hour.
• More songs have been written about bananas than about any other fruit.

HOW BANANAS GROW AND WHAT BANANA PLANTS ARE LIKE

• Bananas don’t actually grow on trees—they grow on plants that are officially classified as an herb (not surprisingly, the world’s largest herb). They’re in the same family as lilies, orchids, and palms.
• Banana plants grow up to 25 feet high, and their leaves can grow to be 9 feet long and 2 feet wide. Their roots can be hundreds of years old.
• Bananas are technically berries.
• Banana plants grow not from seeds but from bulbs.
• A cluster of bananas is called a hand, and a single banana is called a finger. Each banana hand has about 10 to 20 fingers.
• About 75 percent of the weight of a banana is water.
• A few varieties of wild bananas include bubblegum pink bananas with fuzzy skins, green-and-white striped bananas with pulp the color of orange sherbet, and bananas that taste like strawberries when they’re cooked.

HISTORICAL TIDBITS ABOUT BANANAS:

• Bananas first appeared in written history in the 6th century B.C.
• Bananas have been depicted in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
• Bananas were probably the first cultivated fruit, and the first banana farms were located in southeast Asia.
• Portuguese sailors introduced bananas to the Americas, bringing them from West Africa in the 16th century. Bananas first became popular with the masses at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration, where they were sold wrapped in foil for 10 cents each.
• David Evans Strickler invented the banana split in 1904 when he was a 23-year-old employee at the Tassel Pharmacy soda fountain in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. 

WHAT EATING BANANAS CAN DO FOR YOU

• Bananas are low in calories and have no fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol. They contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6.
• Research shows that eating bananas may lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as decrease the risk of getting some cancers.
• Bananas are the only fruit that contains the amino acid tryptophan plus vitamin B6. They help your body produce serotonin—a natural substance that alleviates depression.
• About half of all people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas.
• Bananas are naturally slightly radioactive (thanks to their potassium content)—but the level of radiation is not high enough to cause harm. 

BANANA HANDLING TIPS

• Wrapping banana stems tightly in cling wrap will make them last three to five days longer.
• Banana peels are actually edible if cooked.
• If you peel a banana from the bottom up (holding on to the stem like a handle), you will avoid the stringy bits that cling to the fruit inside.
• Bananas ripen best if they are picked when green.
• To ripen bananas faster, put them in a sealed container—ideally a brown paper bag. Adding another fruit to the container (such as an apple or even a tomato) will further speed the ripening.
• If you put a banana in the refrigerator, the peel will turn dark brown or black, but it won’t affect the fruit inside.

Going banana? You can start incorporating this incredible fruit to your everyday consumption, of course you can eat it alone but there are hundreds-of-thousands of ways to do this and the recipe below is one of the many that you can try. :)

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 large bananas, mashed
1 1/3 cup whole wheat white flour
2/3 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 oz Greek yogurt (I had to top mine up with regular yogurt when I ran out)
1/2 cup (scant) mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees, and spray a 12-cup muffin tin and a 12-cup mini muffin, or line with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey, agave nectar, egg, vanilla, and banana until thoroughly mixed.
3. Separately, whisk together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid, and then add in the yogurt and stir with a spatula until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Bake the regular-sized muffins first separately. Keep the temperature at 375 for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350 and bake for another 10-17 minutes. After that, bake the mini muffins for 10-15 minutes at 350.
6. Let the muffins cool in the pan for another 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you can wait to eat these until the next day, you will be rewarded; they taste great after they’ve had a night to sit.

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OREO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
-makes enough to frost 12-15 cupcakes

A few notes: For the red velvet cupcakes, I used this recipe and reduced ingredients to 2/3 their original quantities, which yielded roughly 26 cupcakes.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces (1/2 block) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
Pinch of salt
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

Using the whisk attachment, beat cool cream cheese on high for 2 minutes.  Add softened butter and continue to beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth and well mixed, scraping down bowl as necessary.  Add vanilla, salt, sugar, and milk, and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add Oreo crumbs and beat for 1 minute on medium high until uniformly mixed, scraping down bowl as needed.  Frost completely cooled cupcakes.

Frosted cupcakes can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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