Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

 

I'm exhausted.   Exhausted and a total emotional hot mess.  Caring for an angry, cray-cray, aging parent just sucks every ounce of energy right out of you.  Sometimes I wish that this would all end....but then realize what I am wishing for and well, that just isn't right either.  Is it?

With so much going on at home I really have no idea how I am functioning at work these days.   I've been coasting and somehow I have thus far escaped the intense scrutiny of my boss man.  That will no doubt change soon.  I can feel change is in the wind.  ugh.

The Bellman, who is always supportive in every way, really deserves a treat.  I haven't baked or blogged anything at all since this parental craziness all went down.  It's been too long.  Seeing that we have a couple of Guinness rolling around in the fridge I thought I'd whip up something involving beer and chocolate (a Bellman fav). Nuthin' says love like chocolate stout cupcakes, ha!

I made these cupcakes a couple of years ago and surprisingly loved them.  The cupcakes don't really taste like beer, they just taste dense, moist and earthy.  You have to try them!  I added the caramel flavored Bailey's to my buttercream on a whim.  It works!!  No tasting and driving though :)


GUINNESS CUPCAKES
Yield = 24 cupcakes

1C Guinness
1 stick plus 2 TBL butter
3/4C unsweetened cocoa
2C sugar
3/4C sour cream
3 eggs
1 TBL vanilla
2C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda

1.  Preheat the over to 350.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

2.  Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add the butter and heat until the butter is melted.

3.  Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

3.  In another bowl beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into buttery, beery pan.

4.  Finally, whisk in the flour and baking soda.

5.  Pour the cake batter into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

6.  Leave to cool completely in the pans on a cooling rack.

**adapted from Nigella


BAILEY'S BUTTERCREAM
Yield = 4 cups

3 egg whites
1C sugar
1 1/4C butter
1/4C caramel flavored Bailey's liquor

1. Find a pan where a bowl will sit on it comfortably without the bowl touching the water in the pan.  Add an inch or so of water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add your egg whites and sugar to the bowl and whisk until all the sugar has dissolved.  I usually run my finger through it and if there is any grit---keep whisking as it isn't ready yet.  It should feel creamy and smooth. 

2.  When all the sugar has dissolved move the mixture to the mixing bowl.  Using the whisk attachment, whisk until the bowl is cool to the touch.  About 5 minutes.

3.  Add the butter, small chunks at a time and whisk until smooth.  Add the Bailey's.  It's okay to taste test along the way :)

4.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.


Slàinte and Enjoy!

Pumpkin Maple Cupcakes

PSL10.  Thank you, Starbuck's, for officially opening Pumpkin Spice Season.  Who knew we'd ever see such a frenzy over coffee?  I admit I have indulged ......and indulged again.  Loooove that pumpkin spice latte!

Well, anyway let the holiday baking begin, woohoo!!  These pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting are a big hit with my panel of taste testers.  I made them for a Halloween gathering several years ago and they have become a staple now.  These are not fussy cupcakes, 'cuz who needs that?! They are very easy and quick to make and they stay moist and flavorful for a couple of days.  In fact, I think they become better and more spicy the day after baking---yum!

 

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
Yield = 12 cupcakes

1C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg, fresh ground
2 eggs
1C canned pumpkin
1/2C sugar
1/2C brown sugar
1/2C veggie oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Heath Toffee bits for garnish

1.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg (I grind my nutmeg fresh.  It makes a huge difference I swear!).

2.  In larger bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.

3.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix--they'll get tough if you do.

4.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

5.  Pipe maple frosting (see below) onto cooled cupcakes.  Sprinkle with Heath toffee bits for garnish is desired.


MAPLE FROSTING

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbl butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp maple extract
2C confectioners sugar

1.  Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add maple extract and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.  You can add more or less to suit your tastes in flavor and consistency.

Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes

What do you do with two brown mushy bananas?  Feed them to The Bellman (he likes them that way I swear) or.......make banana cupcakes!  This is one of those recipes I have made so many times I have it memorized.  I especially love it because it is really easy and fast to put together and doesn't mess up my kitchen too much in the process.  The end result is an incredibly moist and fragrant cakey-muffiny treat. 

While these cupcakes are great on their own, they are even better with a dollop of peanut butter on top--but then isn't most everything?!  This time around I happened to have bag of mini peanut butter cups (the tiny pop in your mouth kind) in the house and just to be truly decadent I folded them right into the batter and baked them up. Whoa!  Chocolate, peanut butter and banana.  I must be channeling Elvis.




Any which way, plain or peanut buttered, you'll love them!

BANANA CUPCAKES
Yield:  16 cupcakes

1/2C butter
1C sugar
2 eggs
1/2C sour cream
1tsp baking soda
2C flour
1tsp vanilla
2 bananas, mashed
6oz Reese's mini peanut butter cups (I used the balance of an 8oz bag after first counting out 16 for a garnish and then sampling a couple :)

1.  Cream together butter and sugar.
2.  Add eggs.
3.  Add sour cream, flour and baking soda.
4.  Add vanilla and mashed bananas.
5.  Fold in the mini peanut butter cups.
6.  Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill three quarters full with the batter.
7.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
Yield: 2 Cups

1C powdered sugar
1C peanut butter, creamy
5tbl butter, room temperature
1tsp vanilla
1/4tsp kosher salt
1/3C heavy cream

1.  Whip it....whip it good.

When cupcakes have cooled, pipe the frosting on top and garnish with one mini peanut butter cup each.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chocolate Cupcakes

Hellooo Cinco de Mayo! If you didn't already know, I am a big fan of the cuisine being offered up on this day.   All that cheesy spicy goodness--I love it! I had been on the hunt for ancho chili powder for quite some time and stumbled upon it in the least likely of places--a tea shop in Tarpon Springs, FL.  Tarpon Springs is a Greek community and I'm thinking ancho chilies are not commonly used in Greek cuisine? Ancho chili powder is made from ground ancho (pablano) peppers. It is a smoky chili with mild to medium heat. It is a pepper most commonly used in authentic Mexican cooking.

So, I have been waiting for the right moment to break it out and spicy chocolate cupcakes on Cinco de Mayo seemed pretty appropriate.  The Mayans would approve, don't ya think?! These cupcakes are nicely spiced and not too sweet.  You'll like them, trust me!

 
SPICY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Yield:  12 cupcakes
 

6T butter
1/4C  Dutch-processed cocoa

1/4C cocoa powder
1/3C coffee, freshly brewed
1C flour
1C brown sugar
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ancho chili powder
1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp ground cayenne
1/3C sour cream
2 eggs

2tsp vanilla 
 

1.  Melt butter in microwave.
2.  Combine butter, cocoa, coffee.  Whisk to combine.
3.  In another bowl combine eggs, vanilla and sour cream.
3.  Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, ancho chili powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne in a large bowl.
4.  Add the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients.  Stir in the sour cream mixture. 
5.  Fill lined muffin tin 3/4 full with batter.
6.  Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.
 

FROSTING

1 stick (1/2C) butter
1/2C cocoa powder
1/4C milk
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp ancho chili powder
3C powdered sugar

1.  Cream butter until smooth and fluffy.
2.  Add cocoa powder, ancho chili powder and cinnamon.
3.  Add milk.
4.  Add powdered sugar until combined to desired consistency.
5.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. 

!Salud!
 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

Sweet Tea, Grits and Red Velvet.  When you see any of the three on a restaurant menu you know you must be south of the Mason-Dixon Line.  Southerners lovvvvve their Red Velvet cakes. To me, Red Velvet is a moist, colorful not very chocolaty cake used merely as a vessel to move that yummy cream cheese frosting into your mouth.  It is also a tad bit messy.  My first venture into baking Red Velvet from scratch left enough red splatter in my kitchen to keep Dexter busy for hours.  Needless to say I don't make it often.  However, a birthday request from a friend can't go unanswered, right?!  So, this batch is for Natalie.  Happy birthday y'all!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Yield: 18-20 cupcakes

2 1/2C flour
1tsp cocoa powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1 1/2C sugar
1C buttermilk
1 1/2C veggie oil
2 eggs
1tsp vinegar (white)
1tsp vanilla
1 oz red food coloring (one bottle)

1.  Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
2.  In another bowl, mix together sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vinegar.
3.  Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended.
4.  Add vanilla and red food coloring and mix again on low speed until well blended.
5.  Fill lined muffin tin 3/4 full with batter.
6.  Bake 350 approx. 20-25 minutes.


CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2C butter, at room temperature
16 oz confectioner's sugar
1tsp vanilla

1.  Cream together cream cheese and butter. 
2.  Add sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
3.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. 

Enjoy!