Recipe of the Week: The Classic Red Velvet Cupcake!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and the red velvet cupcake is THE classic for the holiday in red!

McCormick

(yes...the makers of red food coloring)

Classic Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food color
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare muffin tins with liners. 

Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each one 2/3 full. Bake 16-20 minutes, checkingfrequently after 16 minutes. Cool completely.


Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese - room temp
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter - room temp
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream & vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 4 cups confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Acorn Cupcakes

These may not actually qualify as cupcakes, but they are cakes and I did put them in muffin cups.  The acorn pan from Williams-Sonoma was a gift from my niece.  The pumpkin spice cakes had a great texture for this pan and I made cream cheese icing with 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon added.  I trimmed the acorns to make them flat for the "sandwich" effect.  Dee-lish!

Recipe of the Week - Sweet Potato Cupcakes

A few days ago one of my co-workers brought in a food magazine and there was a sweet potato cake on the cover...inspiration!  With the autumn cupcake season fast approaching, I decided to get an early start with this week's recipe.

From Apples to Zucchini  (blog)

justjenn  via  Flickr

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 17.2-oz. can vacuum-packed sweet potatoes (unsweetened), mashed
1/2 tsp. vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with liners.

In medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt - set aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla, beating until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until combined (batter will be thick).

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake about 15-20 minutes checking frequently after 15 minutes.  Cool completely.

Frost with cream cheese frosting (and you know my recipe is the best) or just melt a marshmallow on top! 

Recipe of the Week - Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Week 36

Even though it snowed last week here at Lake Tahoe, there are many signs that spring is coming.  We are noticing trees and shrubs starting to get buds and there are many species of birds that are already building nests in our yard.  We had two pair of wild mallards land on our pond yesterday.  No hummingbirds yet...but I will bet they are on the way!

jordansissel via Flickr

The traditional southern Hummingbird cake is very moist due to the addition of crushed pineapple and bananas.  Here is my family's recipe:

Hummingbird Cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil   (altitude change:  use 1/4 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained  (I puree mine in the food processor)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 cups mashed bananas

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, pecans and bananas.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins with cupcake liners. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes (check frequently after 15 minutes).  Cool completely.

Frost each cupcake with your favorite cream cheese frosting.  Store in the refrigerator if you are not going to eat them right away.

Recipe of the Week - Eggnog Cupcakes

Week 21

Tis the eggnog season....just a cupcake-lishuss idea to use your leftover eggnog!  A cinnamon stick would make a great garnish.

Eggnog Cupcakes

1 (16 oz.) pound cake mix

1 1/4 cups eggnog

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin cups with liners.  Beat all ingredients for two minutes.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Cool completely.

Make a standard cream cheese frosting (see recipe from this week) and add 1/4 cup eggnog, 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg and 1 tsp. vanilla.