Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

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Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

My friend Shelly is getting married in June, and she’s chosen a beach themed wedding. She wanted something fun, fruity, and beachy – and thought a strawberry daiquiri cupcake sounded like a good contender for her cupcake lineup. I went to work in the kitchen, and this are what I ended up with. The ones we make for her big day will be much more subdued – with more natural looking decorations. But, I couldn’t help gussying them up with a cute cocktail umbrella. Can you blame me?

So, it’s a strawberry daiquiri cupcake – which is a vanilla cupcake that I spiked with some homemade strawberry daiquiri mix, and a glug of rum. They turned out moist and delicious. I then topped them with a rum buttercream – which was the absolutely perfect addition. Frostings are so much fun, there’s always a fun new flavor to create and experiment with! I used rum extract, as well as a little of the “hard stuff” to flavor the frosting, and I think it was a nice balance.

Just looking at them makes me want the beach! Another month or so, and we’ll be taking a batch of these cupcakes to the sandbar (via boat!) to share with our friends. Come on summer!

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup strawberry daiquiri mix
2 Tbsp rum (I used Capt. Morgan Spiced)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 drops red liquid food coloring (optional)

For the buttercream:
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp rum
1/2 tsp rum extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cupcake tins with liners. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside. In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, daiquiri mix, rum, and vanilla. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

With the mixer running on low, add the flour and buttermilk mixture in three increments – beginning and ending with the flour. Add the food coloring, if using, and mix until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between liners, filling about 2/3 of the way full.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to cool on wire rack.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Add the rum, as well as the rum extract. Mix to combine. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Cheerwine Cake

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Cheerwine Cake

First of all, let me just apologize now for introducing you to this cake. I’m usually not a fan of sheet cakes – but this one is in a stratosphere all it’s own. It’s totally a cake that your Southern grandmother would have made, that is – if you had a Southern grandmother. But with this cake, you can totally pretend you did, and say it’s a recipe that was handed down from her!

Our friends Jamie & Alex came over for dinner a couple weeks ago, and Jamie brought this as dessert.  I’d heard her rave about it before, so I was excited to try it. She said an old woman who used to come to her mom to get her hair cut would bring this cake, and she loved it as a little girl. Then, thanks to Pinterest – she found a recipe and gave it a whirl. I was enamored – rich, gooey, sweet deliciousness.

The traditional version is make with Coca-Cola, but when I made my version I used Cheerwine. It’s a cherry-ish flavored soda that hails from North Carolina (or “Cackalacky” as we like to call it). We rarely drink soda, but I’m always looking for an excuse to buy some Cheerwine! There’s also a bit of soda in the glaze/frosting (it’s kind of somewhere in the middle) and I added some maraschino cherry juice to bump up the flavor a little bit more. It always stays a little bit soft, but forms this awesome glaze-like slightly crunchy top layer.

This will be the moistest chocolate cake you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. And, it’ll be the easiest chocolate cake you’ve ever had the pleasure of making. Do you see why I apologized in advance? Have a great weekend everyone!

Cheerwine Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
4 cups confectioner’s sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan well with butter or shortening.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix to combine.

In a small saucepan combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and buttermilk. Stir over medium heat until butter has melted and mixture has combined.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat, and with the mixer running on low, slowly pour into the flour mixture. Add in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Mix until combined, then pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make the frosting/glaze. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and maraschino juice. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar until smooth.

Pour the frosting over the warm cake. Let sit for at least 2 hours before cutting, or even overnight. I’ve found it’s even better on the second day than it is on the first!

Source: adapted from MayFlaum.com, originally published from The Junior League of Athens, GA

Hummingbird Cupcakes

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Hummingbird Cupcakes

Is it warm and sunny enough to be deemed Spring where you are yet? We’re still working on it here on the Eastern Shore – but I’m confident it will be in full bloom before too long. We’ve had daffodils coming up for a couple weeks now, which is always a sure sign. I’m glad I went and picked them all (at my house, as well as my Aunt’s beach home), because after we got snow on Monday – the ones I left behind outside were looking pretty frail and beaten-down come Tuesday.

I’ll also have to get my hummingbird feeder out soon, as the males like to come early to “check out the scene”. While they enjoy the food (simple syrup – they are easy to please!) in the feeder, they adore the Mimosa tree in our backyard even more. I love to sit out there in the warmer months with a glass of iced tea, and just watch them flitter and flutter around, doing their noble work, while the boys play outside.

So, about these cupcakes – so incredibly good. A boatload of tropical fruits are added to the batter, which adds an incredible level of moistness. Jon & I both agreed that they were reminiscent of carrot cake – but fruitier. I topped it off with a coconut cream cheese frosting, the slight tang from the frosting was just perfect against the sweet, fruity cake.

I hope everyone has a great Easter weekend. We’re going to be dying eggs, hunting eggs down, and eating alot of ham for days to come. These cupcakes would be just perfect on your Easter table, and the dried pineapple flowers – though a little time consuming, are super-easy and make such an impressive garnish. I don’t think a hummingbird himself could resist!

Hummingbird Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
11 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces butter (1 stick)
3 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/8 tsp. salt
Dried Pineapple Flowers, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, vanilla, and sugar and beat until blended and smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the mashed banana. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Gently fold in the pineapple, walnuts, and coconut with a spatula until evenly mixed.

Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese, extracts and salt in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until incorporated and beat on medium-high until completely smooth.

Frost cupcakes as desired. Garnish with dried pineapple flowers, if desired.

Source: cupcakes from Martha Stewart Cupcakes via Annie’s Eats, frosting adapted from here.

“Skinny” Chocolate Cupcakes

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Skinny Chocolate CupcakesThose folks at America’s Test Kitchen – I just don’t know how they do it, or what I’d do without them! They’re working tirelessly, churning out great recipes for us, day in and day out. They’ve taught me probably 75% of what I’ve learned in the kitchen, the other 25% being owed to Alton Brown. Anywho, they’ve got a new cookbook on the shelves that gives our favorite comfort foods a revamp, making them a little bit more figure friendly. A few of my favorite bloggers have been sharing recipes, and when I saw this lightened-up chocolate cupcake – well, I just couldn’t resist giving it a try!

Now, if I hadn’t just told you they were low-fat – you’d honestly never know! Everyone that tried them enjoyed them, and there was nary a peep about them being low-fat. You honestly couldn’t tell! They were incredibly moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was delicious and rich – without being too sweet, like many frostings can. The secret to the cupcakes is the boiling water, which does a great job of “blooming” and releasing the flavors of the cocoa, but also adds moisture. And for the frosting, instead of copious amounts of butter being used – milk is the main component to bring everything together. Along with delicious bittersweet chocolate, and a small amount of butter to give a gorgeous sheen and richness to the frosting.

I’m definitely looking forward to trying more recipes out of this cookbook. I love to cut calories where I can, but refuse to sacrifice taste! I know I can always count on the good people at ATK to do just that for me! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

“Skinny” Chocolate Cupcakes

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp instant espresso powder
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
7 tablespoons one-percent milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl add the chocolate, cocoa, and espresso powder. Pour the boiling water over the top and allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to give the chocolate time to melt. Whisk until smooth and then let the mixture cool, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled add the eggs, vinegar, and oil to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk everything together until well combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Measure out 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin. Bake the cupcakes for 17-19 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Pull the done cupcakes from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan, on the rack, for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan once the 10 minutes are up and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack, about 1 hour.

For the frosting, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa together in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the milk, butter, melted chocolate, and vanilla, and process until smooth.

Frost cupcakes as desired. I used Wilton 2D.

Source: Comfort Food Makeovers by America’s Test Kitchen via Bless This Mess