Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

When I first moved to Atlanta, GA everyone I met would say "You have to try the Red Velvet Cake" and so I did.  I was very disappointed.  I found that the Red Velvet Cake was a little too dry for me.  As years went by I wanted to give it a try, but this time I was going to get in my kitchen and make it myself.

I started comparing different recipes from baking cookbooks I own and recipes online.  I found this recipe from a book I purchased a few months ago, The Complete Cook's Country TV Show Cookbook.  I reviewed the recipe and it sounded easy and the cake on the picture didn't look dry.

So, this weekend I decided to try out the recipe and I'm so happy I did.  Instead of a cake I decided to make cupcakes.  These cupcakes are delicious, super moist and with the Cream Cheese Frosting, a perfect combination.  Now I have a different opinion of this cake.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This month flew by and I just realized that I had not baked anything with pumpkin.  I started looking for recipes and came across this recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes. 

I'm crazy about anything that has pumpkin in it, from coffee to cakes, pies and my new favorite, pumpkin doughnuts.  I baked these cupcakes and decorated them with cream cheese frosting to make them look like little pumpkins.

The house smells delicious.  I love the scent of cinnamon and cloves, it reminds me that Christmas is right around the corner.  

 

Variety-Pack Doughnut Muffins

These muffins offer a grown-up version of one of childhood's greatest pleasures, the variety pack of doughnuts.  My favorite one has always been the powder sugar doughnut.  I remember as a kid, my brothers and I would eat a whole box in a couple of hours.  

I made 24 doughnut muffins and took some over to my neighbors.  I can't keep this many doughnuts around..they are trouble.  

 

Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

I'm having a jewelry party tomorrow at a friends house and I decided to bring some Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream frosting.  Is always fun to bake cupcakes and decorate them too.  I'm sure people are going to enjoy them.

Lemon Cupcake Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

1. Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

4. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.

5. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.

6. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.

7. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.

8. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch -- a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Source: Cafe Mom

 Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (one stick) of butter or margarine soften
1 tsp of vanilla extract (or any flavor you prefer)
4 cups of confectioners sugar
2 tbsp of water

In a large bowl beat the shortening and butter until nice and creamy.  Add the vanilla extract and beat. On  medium speed start adding the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time. It will appear dry, add the water..beat until creamy and fluffy scraping the sides of the bowl.  Add food coloring to the frosting.  Wilton Products offer a big selection of colors.  You can find all of their products at your local Michael's Craft store or Joan's Fabrics.
* Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

To decorate your cupcakes really fancy, get a decorating tip and a frosting bag.

Banana Nut Muffins

If you don't know what to do with those ripened bananas you have sitting on your counter, why not make some homemade banana nut muffins.  They are really easy to make and perfect with a cup of coffee as your morning breakfast.

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts or pecans

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ripe large bananas mashed well

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 350 degree

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or butter or spray with a non stick spray.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nuts.  In another bowl combined the mashed bananas, eggs ,melted butter and vanilla. 

 With a spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky.  Do not over mix the batter.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Place on a wire rack and cool.  Makes about 12-16 muffins depending on size.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream Frosting

Baking cupcakes can be so much fun, specially if you have children.  As much as I like to bake cakes..lately I have been enjoying baking cupcakes and decorating them.  I love baking from scratch, but from time to time if I'm in a time crunch from cooking other stuff, I would just buy a box.  Not my preference, but it's still good.  One of my favorite cakes to bake from scratch is just a simple white cake.  A white cake you can pretty much add any flavor to it, from lemon, orange, vanilla and almond which is my favorite.

These are vanilla cupcakes with an almond flavored buttercream frosting. These were made from scratch.