Week 12. "B & B" Banana- Butterscotch Cupcakes

Over Spring Break, I got a huuuuge book called "1001 cupcakes, cookies and other tempting treats," so naturally I wanted to make something from it! I wanted to do something fruity, and I love bananas (and I substituted butterscotch chips for the pecans they suggested). Yummmm...

Bananas are my favorite fruit because they have ap-peal!



"B & B" Banana- Butterscotch Cupcakes

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas
8 tbsp butter, softened
Heaping ½ cup superfine sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tbsp sour cream
3 oz butterscotch chips (1 cup is 6 oz)

Icing:

8 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Butterscotch chips, if you like

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line two 12-hole cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Place the bananas in a separate bowl and mash with a fork.
3. Place the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in eggs.
4. Stir in mashed bananas and sour cream. Fold in the flour mixture and butterscotch chips.
5. Spoon batter into paper liners. Bake for 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
6. For topping: place butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and mix together well. Spread on top of each cupcake and sprinkle with butterscotch chips, if you like.

**Hannah's Hints**

* Bananas add delicious flavor and texture to these...makes you feel a little healthier, doesn't it?

* As I've said before, soften the butter...it's just so much easier!

* The icing is extra sweet, but simple tasting. It's a nice contrast and complement to the cupcake, but only use a covering. You probably won't want to pile it on!

Week 11. "For Cousin Tracy" Chocolate and Peanut Butter Gourmet Cupcakes

This was Spring Break, so I was in Boston and Cape Cod for half the time, and the other half was spent blissfully with my boy in Rolla. A few weeks back, Cousin Tracy sent me a lead on this recipe and said I should make it next time I was a home...and lo and behold...a family BBQ during break seemed the perfect time! They were quite a hit!



"For Cousin Tracy" Chocolate and Peanut Butter Gourmet Cupcakes

Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Peanut Butter Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
chopped salted peanuts, to decorate (I used Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee.
5. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
6. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture.
7. Mix only until blended.
8. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.
9. Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount).
10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Icing:
11. Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
12. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work.
13. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
14. Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired. I used Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!

**Hannah's Hints**

* This was adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe...which explains the amazingly gourmet taste!! Oh! It's a perfect blend of the rich peanut butter icing and the perfect chocolate cupcake. I would use this chocolate cake recipe over and over again!

* I don't care for nuts, so I decided to garnish with Reese's...then we made a small batch with Reese's in the middle, which apparently were also good!

* The batter for both of the parts of this recipe are DIVINE...please lick the spoon.

Week 10. "Pucker Up" Lemon Curd Cupcakes

This week, I had so many delicious cupcakes to choose from, I just had to pick on a whim! And I decided lemon curd sounded deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious...



"Pucker Up" Lemon Curd Cupcakes

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon oil (oops! I used lemon juice!)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup milk
• lemon curd, for filling, one 10-ounce jar, or about 1 cup homemade (use 2 jars if you want lots of filling)

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter with the sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extract. Beat in about a third of the flour mixture and half of the milk. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk. Slowly beat in the remaining flour mixture until blended. Fold in the lemon zest. Fill paper liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Set pan on a rack to cool.
Scoop out a small amount of the center of the cupcake and spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon curd in each center. You can pipe it in, but I used a small spoon. Keep them level until you know you have plenty of lemon curd to fill all of the cupcakes. If you make your own or use 2 jars, you can use more.

**Hannah's Hints**

* I decided that lemon extract is actually lemon juice...I mean, what do you extract from a lemon?? JUICE. Duh. Except...not. Lemon extract at the store is like lemon oil and other crazy stuff...whatever, lemon juice worked perfectly.

* Again, I really need a zester. However, the thinly chopped slices of peel that I put in worked beautifully and it's fun to get a piece in your cupcake...yum!

* Instead of scooping out the tops of the cupcakes, I cut a cone out to put about 2 tsp of lemon curd in...and I thought "What to do with 23 awkward cupcake cones?" Upon searching the web and facebook, I found a friend who made faux petit fours and I think that's a GRAND idea...so I'm freezing the cake cones and will be making icing after Spring Break!


Things I love right now...

Our trip to the Humane Society...Carly's new kitty (we hope!) Dragon


Taking a break while organizing dance storage


Adventures with this boy...first masago experience! Yummy Saffron!


And this amazing early birthday present from my very wonderful boy, with help from Annie Lauries!


Friday I'm off to Boston to audition at NETC...crossing my fingers for ice cream in Harvard Square! Then to Cape Cod until Wednesday...candy and beach, here I come!

I'm in love...

...with so many things right now. Of course, when am I not??

And since I'm sitting in my apartment, waiting for the UPS man to arrive with my book, I shall share with you a few things I am lusting after nowadays!

1. Looking for places to start a bakery in downtown Cape Girardeau...





...yes, I do have too much free time. And yes, I was creepily driving really slow down busy streets to take these pictures. I like the third one because of the big windows and because the number is 113!

2. Fun vintage finds at Annie Laurie's...


I want this so badly, but I have no idea where I'd put it, unless it were strong enough to hold the tv...which is doubtful.

3. Learning to live by these ideals...



lovelies from weheartit

4. Seafoam green...everything could be this color and I would be terribly delighted!


weheartit


matching with roomie, Carly, Izzy and Tayloir...Easter egg nails!

5. Seafoam, Rose tea in my Eiffel Tower mug which is three shades of brown just like the actual Tower, fun glass jars, and Tad...so much love!



6. SPRING!



7. I am enjoying my hair very much...can't wait to re-dye it when I go home!


weheartit

8. Travelling! Can't wait to go to NETC in Boston and Cape Cod for Spring break! I want my suitcase to look much like these...




weheartit

9. Oh yes, and this...



Check out this cool kid

10. Finally, I got skype. Yikes. Add me: cupcake.ingenue


weheartit

It's First Friday and the boy and I shall be going for dinner and visiting Annie Laurie's...then seeing Shutter Island, which I am terrified about. Surely it will be alright, as long as I have an Icee and candy. ;-)

My book still isn't here...rude UPS man, you better be cute!

Eat some cookies or cupcakes today because it's the weekend!!

Amazing Splediferous FroYo!

Here's a story from yesterday:

The BF and I were hanging out, watching "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (I couldn't find our favorite "popcorn" scene to post here, so I settled for the trailer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0ppnxaT66M

and I said- Let's make ice cream! I have an old ice cream maker...but when we read the instructions we found that it would be too much time and work. Then he said "What about frozen yogurt?"
Searching on the interweb, we found this recipe (plus some additions by us):



Easy, Fruity, Splendiferous Frozen Yogurt

2 cups plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In mediumm size bowl, mix all ingredients. Freeze for about 4 hours, stirring hourly for the first 3 hours

**Hannah's Hints**

* We wanted to make a lot, so we tripled the recipe!

* We also decided that it would be yummy with some frozen mixed berries, so we added a couple small bags and it was deeeeelish!

* Our version was pretty tart, because I like sour stuff that makes my face pucker...but if you want it a little sweeter, I'd suggest agave nectar...you can get it at Schnuck's and it's real healthy/delicious!

* The taste of this amaaaaaazing frozen yogurt reminded me SO much of Snog, my favorite food place in London. I got really really excited...and it made a yummy breakfast too!


chubby London Hannah, happily munching on Snog!

Then, we watched the beginning of Cinderella and I was shocked to find that Cindy's hair is indeed NOT blonde, but titian! A beautiful reddish brown, much like the color I'm sporting now! Apparently this was an authentically popular color in the 1940s and 50s, so it makes sense that her hair should be titian.



So why is she always portrayed with blonde hair?!


Apparently Disney decided when they did the DVD remaster that she should be a blonde...rude.

Also, I love this song...I love Disney Princesses. I have lots of time now that Carousel is over, if you couldn't tell. And they all lived happily ever after.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtXNNAs9u0M

Week 9. "To Die For" Fudge Cupcakes

This recipe came from my murder mystery book that includes recipes...these cupcakes were eaten by the victim in the book!! I simply had to try them and decided to make them as a thank you to the AMAZING wardrobe and hair/makeup crews for Carousel! The syrup gives them an interesting and lovely aftertaste...I'd love to try them with lots of different flavored syrups! Yummm!



Fudge Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350ْ F, rack in middle position.

4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (1 ounce each)
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup raspberry syrup (the recipe called for Knott’s red raspberry, but I was only able to find a strawberry syrup, like for pancakes, and it turned out deliciously…so improvise!)
1 2/3 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, room temp (1 stick)
1 ½ cups white sugar (not a misprint, you’ll use 1 ¾ cups sugar in all)
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Line muffin pans with cupcake papers. Microwave the chocolate, raspberry (or strawberry) syrup and ¼ cup sugar in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave again for another minute. At this point, the chocolate will be almost melted, but it will maintain its shape. Stir the mixture until smooth and let cool to lukewarm. (You could also use a double boiler.)

Measure flour, mix in baking powder and salt, and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 ½ cups sugar until light and fluffy. (About 3 minutes) Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to make sure they’re thoroughly incorporated. Add approximately a third of the flour mixture and a third of the milk. When that’s all mixed in, add another third of the flour and another third of the milk. When that’s incorporated, add the remainder of the flour and the remainder of milk. Mix thoroughly.

Test your chocolate mixture to make sure it’s cool enough to add. (You don’t want to cook the eggs!) If it’s fairly warm to the touch but not so hot you have to pull your hand away, you can add it at this point. Stir thoroughly.

Let the batter rest for 5 mins. Stir again by hand and fill each cupcake paper three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes in a 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Fudge Frosting

2 cups chocolate chips (a 12-ounce package)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

If you use a double boiler for this frosting, it’s foolproof. You can also make it in a heavy saucepan over low to medium heat on the stovetop, but you’ll have to stir it constantly with a spatula to keep it from scorching (this is the method I used, and it worked great!)

Fill the bottom part of the double boiler with water. Make sure it doesn’t touch the underside of the top.

Put the chocolate chips in the top of the double boiler, set it over the bottom and place the double boiler on the stovetop at medium heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate chips are melted.

Stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk and cook approximately two minutes, stirring constantly until the frosting is shiny and spreading consistency. Make sure the cupcakes are cool before you frost them.

Give the frosting pan to your favorite person to scrape, they will love you even more.

**Hannah's Hints**

* I definitely suggest taste-testing as you go...especially the frosting...

* My sweet boy and I went grocery shopping for these ingredients, and when we couldn't find the raspberry syrup, we walked through the jam/syrup aisle to find a substitute. We wondered about preserves or jam, but decided it might be too thick. Still, it'd be a fun experiment, yeah?

I can't wait to try out more of the recipes from these wondiferous books! I shall post as I bake (now that I have lots of time!)

SUPER BONUS BAKED GOODS!

Isn't that exciting? I have time to bake things other than cupcakes! Very exciting, indeed.

Here are some dessert bars inspired by some that were on a Christmas cookie plate given to us by our neighbor, Naomi...I was obsessed and simply had to find a recipe...they were a super duper fantastic hit!

Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars

1 (12 oz.) butterscotch chips
1/3 c. butter
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. chopped nuts (optional, I didn't use them because I don't like nuts in dessert)
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium saucepan, melt morsels and butter. Stir in crumbs and nuts. Press half the mixture firmly onto bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. Chill before cutting into bars. Refrigerate.



For Christmas, my mom gave me a series of books about a girl named Hannah who owns a cookie shop and solves murders...and the recipes are included!!! This is my dream series (and life, for that matter)...and I was so excited to try all of them!
These cookies are meant to emulate oatmeal chocolate chip, but they are chewier and absolutely addictive...so delicious you won't be able to eat just one!

Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies

Preheat oven to 375ْ F, rack in middle position.

1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 beaten eggs (you can beat them up with a fork)
2 ½ cups flour (not sifted)
2 cups crushed corn flakes (I put them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with my hands)
1 to 2 cups chocolate chips (and/or butterscotch, if you like!)

Melt butter, add the sugars and stir. Add soda, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix well. Then add flour and stir it in. Add crushed corn flakes and chocolate chips and mix it all thoroughly.

Form dough into walnut-sized balls with your fingers and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack until they’re completely cool.

Yield: 6 to 8 dozen depending on cookie size (I usually can get 55 or so when I make my regular sized cookies)

Week 8. "Soft and Sweet" Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Now, Boston Cream Pie is probably the most delicious thing in the world. At Slice of Pie, in Rolla, it's my first choice when the Mint Chip Ice Cream Pie isn't in season. Since it was the last week of Carousel, I wanted to do an especially meaningful and delicious cupcake...and naturally, Boston Cream Pie came to mind. Also, every time I think of Boston Cream Pie, I think of my friend Nick who introduced me to the wonders of this deliciously amazing pie.



Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
originally from www.marthastewart.com

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.

2.Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.

3.Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.

4.Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately.

Vanilla Cream

2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.

2.Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

3.Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

2/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1.Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

**Hannah's Hints**

* You have to make the vanilla cream first so that it can cool while you make the cake! Also, I had a minor disaster wherein I had 20 minutes before I had to leave and my cream had turned into gelatin instead of cream...I freaked out and made another batch and put it in the fridge, stirring it every 2 minutes or so...took it out 15 minutes later and put it on the cupcakes. It worked just fine, so it's not terribly important about the chilled thing...just cool it so it's not drippy!

* The vanilla cream recipe calls for you to pass it through a sieve, which may have been why mine was a mini disaster...if anyone makes it and is able to do this step, please let me know if it turns out better!

* You butter and flour cupcake pans for this instead of using cupcake papers so you get a pretty outside...however, this causes a huger mess to clean up in the end. Trust me, though, it's worth it to use a good amount of butter and flour so it doesn't stick.

* The ganache is delicious and fun to drizzle over the cupcakes...just make sure it's still warm.

* You could almost make a little more vanilla cream so that you have more to put on the cupcakes...the more yummy insides and toppings, the better. Duh.

Everyone in the cast enjoyed them! Super yummy, and I definitely recommend you make them! It's a fairly involved process and you get a lot of dishes dirty, but it's sooo worth it for the delicious and adorable final product!

PS This is from opening night of Carousel...shows for Hannah = curly hair = crazypants after-show hair