Sunday, March 31, 2013

Key Lime Cupcakes

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www.goddessofbaking.com


Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a great Easter.  I love holidays so I have spent the last week getting decorations ready and trying to plan everything out.  We dyed some Easter eggs, had an egg hunt, and ate a ton of food.  In my opinion, these cupcakes were the best part!  I was a little disappointed I didn't double the recipe.  They were a big hit at both my moms house and at my boyfriends family party.  The cupcakes were very light and refreshing, a perfect summer recipe.  I have a half bag of key limes left and I am seriously considering just making more cupcakes to eat, and not sharing this time.  Please try these! I can guarantee you will love them!


I love all the lime zest!


Key Lime Cupcakes - Adapted from Sprinkles Cupcakes
Yield: 12 Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:
1 1/2 Cups Flour, sifted
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Whole Milk, room temperature - I used 1% Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoon Key Lime Juice - Plus some for brushing on after baking
1 Tablespoon key Lime Zest
1/2 Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, room temperature
2 Egg whites, room temperature

toothpick or skewer

For the Frosting:
1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter , firm but not cold
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted - I am lazy and didn't sift...
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons Key Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Key Lime Zest
1-3 Tablespoons Milk - depending on desired consistency


Cooking Directions

For the cupcakes:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 
  3. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, key lime zest and the lime juice; set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. 
  5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
  6. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
  7. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely.
  8. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke the tops of the cupcakes with holes. Use pastry brush to brush remaining lime juice over the top of the cupcake.
  9. Let cupcakes dry slightly before topping with key lime frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
  2. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. 
  3. Add vanilla, key lime juice and zest; mix until just blended. Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream. - I didnt want mine as thick so I added more milk. 
  4. Frosts over one dozen.
  5. ENJOY!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

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So remember the Super Bowl a few weeks ago, well we were invited to a party and it can be considered rude to show up at a party empty handed, so I made these.   They were a huge hit and everyone loved them!  If only the 49ers would have won, it would have made these taste even better.   Although, they did taste pretty good with a few beers in my belly.  I thought it would be fun to make football themed cupcakes so I found these cupcake toppers online somewhere and glued them to toothpicks.  I hope you like them!
  

This chocolate cake recipe comes out perfect every time!!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes - Adapted from My Baking Addiction
Chocolate Cupcake
Yield: 24 Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 Box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 5.9 Ounce Package Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix - I used Chocolate Fudge Pudding
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Instant Espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water - I use a Starbucks VIA packet
24 Reese’s Miniatures, FROZEN - this prevents them from disappearing into the batter


Peanut Butter Buttercream
Ingredients:
3 Sticks Butter, unsalted and room temperature
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
5 1/2 Cups Confectioners' Sugar, sifted
6-8 Tablespoons Heavy Cream - I used about 4 tablespoons milk

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and espresso water mixture. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.
  3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well. Press one frozen Reese’s Miniature into the center of each cupcake.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. 
  5. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.
  6. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.
  7. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy. 
  8. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended.
  9. Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy
  10. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
  11. ENJOY!!