Pretty Please with a Cherry on top - Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Chocolate Ganache

Well hello dear readers! It has been over eighteen months since I last posted, can you believe that?! Why has it been so long you may ask? Well after moving back home to Australia from the UK and jumping head first into my teaching job, I seriously haven't had time, not to mention the energy after the working week to bake, photograph, edit and write a post. I felt like I really needed the time to focus on my job and get my head in the right space and I know that this would mean doing a mediocre job in the baking and blogging world. 

It's my favourite season; autumn. The change in weather and the gorgeous scenery at the moment has really made me home-sick, well I guess my home-away-from-home sick. I am really missing Ol' Blighty. I miss rugging up and discovering new villages, pubs and tea-shops and having all the time to appreciate these things. When I thought more about why I have been missing England so much, it was also my fortnightly ritual of baking up something wonderful and new, staging props and photographing for the blog. I haven't done that since June 2013 and I have a virtual folder bursting at the seams with photos of cupcakes and sprinkles ready to grace the interwebs. 

Another reason which has brought me back to blogging is the release of Sweetapolita's book. Rosie Alyea was my inspiration for starting this blog many years ago and I was very excited to have received my copy in the post on Friday. Combine memories and nostalgia with a new baking book, a free Saturday night AND a new Almond Cream KitchenAid and voila - you have yourself a new post. Here's a new recipe to sweeten your Saturday. Enjoy, here's hoping it's not too long until I visit the lovely blogosphere again xxx

Don't they look darling? Almost like a old fashioned sundae. I thought it was very fitting to use a Sweetapolita inspired recipe so here are...

Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting and Ganache
Recipe from Rosie @ Sweetapolita 

275grams or 2 ½ cups cake flour

OR

100 grams corn flour

175 grams plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup full cream milk

2 large egg whites

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

300grams caster sugar

115 grams butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and center the oven rack. Line 2 muffin/cupcake pans with your favourite standard-size cupcake liner, and put the first cupcake pan on a baking sheet. (You will place the second cupcake pan on the same sheet in the oven once the first tray is baked.)

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup.

3. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment (I used the whisk), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.

4. With the mixer still on medium speed, alternate additions of the flour mixture and milk-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 dry additions, 2 wet), beating after each addition until incorporated. Continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes.

5. Divide batter evenly among your cupcake liners–about 2/3 full–and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs only, about 16 minutes.

6. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool on wire racks. Repeat with second tray.

Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting

227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

175 grams white chocolate

½ vanilla bean, seeded and scraped

Pinch of salt

375 grams sifted icing sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 3-4 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave in a small heatproof bowl, or over a pot of simmering water on the stovetop, stirring often. Let cool.

3. Add melted chocolate to butter and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla bean and salt and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add sifted icing sugar, beating on low speed until just combined, increasing to medium speed until well combined. (I added some pink food colouring and strawberry essence to mine.)

Ganache

260 grams dark chocolate 
1 cup double cream

1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil (watching very carefully) then swiftly remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute and then whisk until smooth.

2. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a frosting. 

Classic Red Velvet Cake with Marscapone & Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake is one of those deliciously rich and luscious "special cakes" that people will seldom attempt at home. The Red Velvet cake is thought to have originated at the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York where it was coined "Waldorf Astoria Cake" funnily enough, but many consider the cake to be a treat from the south. I hadn't made this cake in ages, but recently made it over the Easter weekend for some friends. The Cake was tasted by my friend Whitney who is actually from the south, who gave it the big southern thumbs up of approval. Check out Whit's foodie blog over at Whit's Critiques. Red Velvet is not a cake you should be scared of making at home, it is super easy and super tasty, especially with that delectable Marscapone and Cream Cheese frosting. This cake has more of a rustic look to it since the frosting is much lighter than a regular buttercream, but oh so delicious!

Red Velvet Cake

2 ½ cups self raising flour

2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups caster sugar

2 eggs

120 grams salted butter

1½  teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

2 tablespoons (or more) of pillar box red food colouring

Frosting:

250 grams cream cheese (room temperature)

230  grams mascarpone cheese (room temperature)

1 ½ cups double cream

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175° Celsius.

2. Line two 9 inch cake tins with baking paper and spray lightly.

3. Sift the flour, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

4. In an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar.

5. Add the eggs one by one whilst the mixer is still on.

6. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

7. In a measuring jug whisk buttermilk and food colouring until combined.

8. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry mixture and wet buttermilk mixture to the electric mixing bowl, a small amount at a time until combined. Once combined turn off the electric mixer.

9. Combine the vinegar and bi-carb soda in a cup, once combined and fizzy, fold into the cake mixture with a spatula.

10. Divide cake batter evenly between the two or more cake tins and smooth the tops with a spatula (I used three tins)

11. Bake in oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes or until cake springs back or skewer comes out clean once inserted into the center.

12. Allow to cool on racks and then wrap each cake in glad-wrap and refrigerate cake and frosting overnight or for a few hours.

13. After refrigeration sandwich cakes together with a layer of frosting in between each, I also shaved some of the cake off the tops to make it flatter and more importantly for crumbling on top.

14. Serve and enjoy!

Frosting

1. In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth.

2. Add the vanilla and icing sugar and beat until smooth.

3. Gradually add double cream and whip until the frosting smooth and thick.

4. Add more cream or sugar according to taste and consistency (note: frosting will thicken slightly, overnight in fridge)

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

This is a pretty hot cupcake item at the moment. They look so cute and you know any little person's eyes would light up with excitement at the thought of eating this...

Now I have no shame in saying that I used a packet mix :-O I was scared they weren't going to turn out, and a packet mix was such an easier alternative.

This is what I used to make my little monsters...

Firstly I baked my Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Muffins into some blue cupcake cases.

Whist they were cooling I made the googly eyes. I laid out my Nestle White Melts and with a little melted chocolate on the side I proceeded to stick on currants with the melted chocolate acting as my "glue".

I cut my cookies into halves and then I coloured half a bag of shredded coconut with some Blue Queen Food Colouring.

I then cut a triangular incision which removes some of the cake into the bottom part of the cupcake, this is where the cookie sits, I also cut a slit towards the top of the cake for the eyes to sit in.

Once cakes have been frosted with a plain blue frosting, dip the entire cupcake into the coconut until generously coated.

Hold the bottom of the cake firmly so the cookie can securely be inserted. Using the slit made at the top of the cupcake, insert two of your already prepared eyes.

They are so much easier than what they look, and it is priceless to see these served up a a kids birthday party. They are definitely a hit! 

 

Masterchefette's Confetti Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

There's nothing that makes you feel more like a kid than colourful frosting with lashings of sprinkles and candied confetti. Well taking some "pintrespiration" (pinterest inspiration) I came up with these little babies yesterday and I think they are perfect for birthday parties or for some good old baking fun. I have used the base from my chocolate chip muffins post found here.
  
Confetti Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients

1¾ cups Cake & Biscuit Flour (Self-Raising) (I use Lighthouse brand)

¾ cup sugar 

½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs 

125gm butter or margarine
1 cup vanilla yoghurt (I use Danone Vanilla)
Nemar Heart Sprinkles

1 tsp of vanilla bean paste (I use Queen Organic Vanilla Bean Paste)

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 170°C (fan forced)

2.   Cream butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, I use the paddle attachment.

3.   Add eggs to the mixture.

4.   Gradually add salt and flour in 3 batches.

5.   Once combined gradually add the yoghurt.

6.   Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups ⅔ full.

7. Sprinkle some hearts into each case and give it a light stir with the end of a teaspoon.

8.   Bake at 180°C (fan forced) for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients

375 grams unsalted butter 

3 cups sifted icing sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste

Method

1. In an electric mixer using the paddle attachment whip butter for 7 minutes on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

2. Turn mixer down to low speed and add icing sugar, vanilla and milk until combined.

3. Mix on medium setting for a further 6 minutes.

4. Butter-cream should be very fluffy and pale.

5. Add your favourite colouring or leave natural colour.

6. Pipe on top and serve with additional heart sprinkles.