Funfetti Revisted

Occasionally in your life, you come to the realization that work sucks. 

Not just the usual “I hate my job” sucks, but the deep down, this-job-is-stealing-my-soul-and-feeding-it-to-the-bears sucks. My Zoo career was getting there (kind of literally since I made bear food…), but I got out before too much damage was done.

I cared too much. I had too much pride in my job, in my product, that I couldn’t separate my expectations of myself from what I expected of others. My inability to deal was causing major problems between our crew and within myself.

Luckily, I had some great co-workers at the Zoo (hello MR!). One co-worker gave me some great advice back in the day. She probably only prolonged my inevitable Zoo career downfall, but at the time, her advice saved my sanity.

When I found out she was also saying good bye to the Zoo, I knew I needed to make her something. (I don’t care what you say—food always makes the perfect gift!)

I resorted to another adage a friend of mine once gave me:

“When in doubt, Add SPRINKLES!”

I know... I’ve made Funfetti cupcakes before. But I’ve not made these cupcakes:

My go-to vanilla cake with a cup of rainbow jimmies baked right in. Covered with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream and every sprinkle I had in the house, these little treats satisfy every craving. 

And yes, I have a sprinkle addiction. And no, it’s not my fault. I just really like to have some sprinkle options available anytime I bake. 

And it’s really not my fault that I only use the pink sprinkles at Valentine's or that sometimes sprinkles come in humongous jars. I like variety.

And sprinkles.

 Trust me. Everything’s better with sprinkles.

bleu

  

Oh, and that excellent advice I received… I still use it today. ;-)

Aloha and Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

At the coffee shop, we’re family. Dysfunctional to the max, but family no less.

I think it’s from dealing with all the crazies ordering onerous drinks (Who really drinks a double tall, almond milk, extra dry, sugar-free hazelnut cappuccino with the shots on top?). Or maybe because we tend to be baristas and babysitters in one fine location (The mall is the perfect daycare, right?).

No matter the cause of our kinship, we are siblings. And when little sister decides to move back to Hawaii, we hold no grudge. (Well, not a big one…) Instead, we combine two of her favorite flavors and bake.

Oh, yeah. Chocolate and Coconut. So tasty.

These chocolate cupcakes are bursting with coconut flavor. Coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut extract… 

Oh, my! They’re filled too?!  

Of course! That’s a snack size Mounds bar—dark chocolate coated coconut candy. So moist, chewy coconut-y goodness, baked in the middle of a super easy coconut chocolate cupcake and topped with a delicious coconut buttercream frosting.

Yes, PLEASE! 

I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe. It usually has buttermilk, but I substituted unsweetened coconut milk and added a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract. I happen to love the scent and taste of coconut more than the texture. You can add flaked coconut instead of extract, but I would recommend no more than 1/2 a cup, chopped fine. After filling the cupcake liners about two-thirds full, I dropped half a snack size mounds on top. (Next time, I won’t push it into the cake… I think that’s why they sank to the bottom.)

I grew up loving Wilton Buttercream. It’s sweet, but so easy to make and flavor. To make vegan buttercream, you substitute the butter with vegetable shortening (making sure to use vegan sugar and a vegan milk substitute).

Obviously, these cakes are NOT vegan. I had come across a vegan buttercream at some point in my research that used coconut oil and had been dying to have an occasion to use it. I’m making coconut cupcakes, so why not try a coconut oil frosting? Excellent decision. I used the remainder of the unsweetened coconut milk to help with consistency and added a splash of coconut extract. 
 

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Coconut Buttercream Frosting

(Adaption based on information gathered here)

                         

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil*

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk

1. Whip coconut oil on medium speed until fluffy.

2. Add powdered sugar and mix on medium-high for 2 minutes.

3. Add extracts and mix. Add milk to desired consistency.

4. Use quickly; this frosting stiffens as it sets.

*I used refined coconut oil. I’ve since read that unrefined might have stayed a bit more solid at room temperature.

Aloha little sister, Ashley. Your Texas Nordy’s miss you.

But mostly, we’re all just jealous.

bleu

Edible Cupcake Decorations (Using Wilton Candy Clay)

So it’s just one more excuse. But I swear this time it’s a worthy excuse…

As of April 19th, I officially became Mrs. Bleu. 

with the best man, Tsavo, in the background

We had a terrific ceremony at the Fort Worth Zoo. A little bit flash mob. A little bit geeky. And a whole lot of love.

But the real star of any family shindig is always the food. We’re pretty big fans of eating around here. Of course we took our family to eat dinner.

However, weddings are really about the cake. Don’t get me wrong—the bride and groom are pretty important. But if you’re celebrating with your friends, you already know they love each other… So don’t lie, you’re there for the cake.

Naturally, I made our cakes. Nothing fancy, just some vanilla cakes with vanilla buttercream and chocolate cakes with dark chocolate frosting.  What made them fancy enough for our family were the decorations.

My aunt brought me this Rycraft Cookie Stamp  after she learned about us getting married in the zoo. We knew we were doing the ceremony in front of the lion exhibit. I knew we would be doing cupcakes (not cookies), but I also knew I just had to find a way to use it. 

 

I started hunting for some way to make a cupcake topper and I wanted it to be completely edible. I thought about just making some cookies, but I’m really not a cookie maker. I always burn them or make them tasteless. I ended up looking for tips on using gum paste and fondant, thinking that I could just buy a tub of the stuff and make it work.

Have you eaten any of those tubs of fondant? They taste like… Well, they taste like nothing. I’m not a fan. But everyone uses fondant. (I know that homemade marshmallow fondant is delicious, but I’m too lazy to make it.)

Then this post by Sweetapolita gave me an idea: Wilton Candy Clay medallions.

WiltonCandy Clay is seriously easy to make. Like two ingredients and a microwave easy. It works like modeling chocolate (at least that’s how it’s described). You mix it up, let it set, and then roll it/mold it how you want. The hard part is picking a color of Candy Melts to use.

We didn’t really set a color scheme for our wedding. I wore teal. I made gold, grey and ivory flowers. I used dark coral for an accent. Do they even make candy melts in those colors? Did I really need five shades of medallions? I obsessed over the color to use for ages. And when I finally decided what colors to use, we headed to the store. Then I found these…

 

Oh, yeah. They come in three delicious flavors: key lime, orange crème, raspberry sherbet. Just add corn syrup and hello flavored modeling chocolate!

I actually used about a tablespoon less corn syrup than the recipe calls for. I was trying to make sure that it was going to produce a firm enough ball of chocolate. I probably could have used even less. After letting the chocolate set overnight, I portioned it into 10 gram balls. (I was being a bit of a perfectionist.) Using my seasoned Rycraft cookie stamp (dusted in a bit of cornstarch), I simply pressed my way to chocolate medallion bliss.

I allowed the medallions to sit in a chilled box until right before serving. Even though it was chilly for most of the day, I was afraid the buttercream might make them sweat or they would get too soft. I have no clue if this really happens; I only think it might have happened.

The lions were a big hit. We shared them with family at the restaurant and later with friends at a bar. Everyone loved them.

 

Happy two month anniversary to the weirdo I married!

the new and even weirder,

mrs. bleu

Split Decision Cupcakes

Vanilla is the love of my life. It’s creamy, complex floral aroma... It’s sweet, luxurious addition to any baked good… It’s uncanny ability to enhance the flavor of whatever else you use it with (coffee, caramel, chocolate)…

Yep, in this house, vanilla most definitely rules. 

But I’m not the only taster in this household. The other love of my life gets first dibs on most treats. And he’s just gotta be difficult and be a chocolate fan. (And he really prefers chocolate cake heated up and covered in butter…)

So what do you do when you want to make everyone happy, but not have to make four dozen cupcakes? Of course, Split Decision Cupcakes!

Now that’s satisfaction in cake form.

With the opposing sides of vanilla and chocolate, I needed a frosting that would go with both.

I love chocolate covered cherries. He loves chocolate and butter. I love maraschino cherries on vanilla ice cream. He loves chocolate and butter.

So cherry Swiss meringue buttercream works perfectly. He gets the buttery deliciousness to top his half. I get the cherry creaminess to top my half.

Normally I make everything using my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. It’s my underappreciated workhorse. The other other love of my life. But with two batters and a frosting to make, it’s not worth the time to wash it. I used a handheld mixer for these cakes, saving my stand mixer for the frosting.

But you don’t have to be like me. And if you like using multiple bowls just because you can taste test as you go, I won’t tell. It’s called “quality control” for a reason.

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Split Decision Cupcakes

For the vanilla cake: 
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 c buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium bowl (or in a stand mixer), cream butter and sugar until pale yellow in color. Add egg and yolks, one at a time, beating well between additions.
4. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/eggs. Scrape well and add buttermilk and vanilla. Add remaining flour mixture.

Set batter to the side and prepare chocolate cake.

For the Chocolate Cake: 
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c warm water
1/2 c buttermilk
1 large egg (or 2 egg whites – from the vanilla cake)

1. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients with a whisk or fork to remove any lumps.
2. Add all liquid ingredients. Mix on medium speed for approximately 3 minutes or until batter is smooth and glossy. (Batter will be considerably loose compared to the vanilla batter.) 
3. For better control, pour batter into a large liquid measuring cup. 

For divided cupcakes: 
1. Using either a small disher (size 100) or two spoons, fill cupcake liners with approximately two tablespoons of vanilla batter. Make an effort to keep the batter on one side of the cup.
2. Pour an equal amount of chocolate batter on the other side of the cup.

3. Repeat with remaining batter. If you use all of one batter before the other (I had extra chocolate), fill liners two-thirds full.
4. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

I used this Swiss Meringue Buttercream (divided in half), with the substitution of 3

tablespoons of kirschwasser (or kirsch), a cherry brandy, for the vanilla extract.

So spread a little Valentine’s cheer. Keep you both happy.

bleu

Very Versatile Vanilla Cupcakes

Hallo-thanks-mas is my favorite holiday of the year.

I love it so much that I apparently decided that I would live like a hermit, bake nothing, and ignore the responsibility of blogging.

The good news is that it’s a new year. AKA, all the holidays are over and I have no more excuses.

New year, new treats…

 

One of my Christmas presents this year was a gift of art. This art was to be designed by me and created sometime after the start of the New Year. Size and location were to be determined later. This is my new art:

As soon as I showed friends and family my new tattoo, I was asked, “What flavor is it?” Naturally, I responded with my favorite combination, vanilla with strawberry frosting! Then I decided that I really need to bake something and this could be the perfect reason to celebrate with cake.

I also wanted to bake something for my family reunion via chili cook off. Those poor guys never get any of my treats. And what better way to soothe an over-spiced tummy than with a delicious vanilla cupcake.

For these cakes I wanted a super vanilla cake with a gooey pink strawberry frosting. I used Martha Stewart’s Versatile Vanilla Cake recipe. And I may have found a new favorite cake.

Every time I ate one of these cupcakes (and over a course of about three hours, I ate three) I would exclaim, “They taste like vanilla ice cream!” The addition of extra egg yolk in the batter helps create such a nice dense, but fluffy cake. It really is like eating a cake version of vanilla ice cream.

Now, the frosting was another issue.

I LOVE Seven Minute Frosting. Some people hate that after it sits for a few hours it forms a dry, crusty outer layer. I loved when we would find the plate of extra frosting that my great-grandmother made. She would put it to the side and let it sit out with the other fantastic eats she made at Easter, Christmas, whatever celebration. It would turn into this almost Divinity-like goop--dry and crusty on the outside, delicious and gooey on the inside.

To me, the one thing missing from Seven Minute Frosting was an excess of flavor. It’s sweet. And a little vanilla-ish. But I wanted pink frosting. Preferably STRAWBERRY pink frosting. So I can either search tirelessly for some strawberry extract (yeah, I know I can buy it online) OR I can simply add some strawberry Jello to it.

I’m cheap. (And kinda lazy.) So I went for the Jello. It made sense to just dissolve it in the sugar mixture. However, this is not so. For any of y’all that don’t know, gelatin burns at a lower temperature than sugar. Yeah, so… burned strawberry sugar… not fun.

I ended up whipping about a tablespoon of gelatin into the egg whites before I added the sugar syrup. Worked like a charm! Except that it was a terribly humid and wet week. And I didn’t use vinegar to clean out my bowl. And I was simply destined to fail at this Strawberry Seven Minute Frosting venture.

Two and a half sticks of butter later and hello buttercream! I guess it turned into an Italian meringue buttercream. Honestly, it’s the new bleu strawberry buttercream. And I’ll share my recipe below.

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Strawberry Meringue (Seven Minute Frosting) with Buttercream option
(adapted from these Martha Stewart recipes here and here)

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1 tablespoon strawberry flavored Jello

1 1/4 cup (2.5 sticks) butter, softened

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Raise heat to bring to a boil. Do not stir anymore. Boil until a candy thermometer registers 230 degrees (about 5 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 1/2 minutes. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and jello.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat as soon as it reaches temperature. Turn mixer on medium speed. Pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl of the mixer into the egg whites.
4. Beat frosting on medium speed until cool, 5 to 10 minutes.

If you’re lucky, and the humidity works perfectly for you, you can stop here. Just use it as soon as possible because this frosting does crust fast. If you’re luck runs more like mine, keep going: 

5. Change whisk attachment for the flat beater. Add softened butter about a tablespoon at a time. It might look like a little curdled, but keep beating. It will come together much like a Swiss meringue buttercream. 

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As a side note, I’m a cupcaker, sugary treat maker, and frosting taster. However, I generally suck at making pies. And cookies aren’t really my niche. 

But I made these Ginger Molasses Cookies! And they’re super tasty! 

I’m pretty sure my dad ate two thirds of the batch this past weekend. (I’m also pretty sure I ate the other third.) They’re like a chewy ginger snap.

They’re my brother’s recipe. He’s the cookie guy.  I also failed to ask if I could share his recipe, so y’all can just drool. 

happy baking!

bleu

Pineapple Cake and Independence Day

Who loves Pineapple Upside Down Cake?

This iconic treat has always been one of my favorites. Truly, I love the little maraschino cherry and candied pineapple more than the cake.  And we all know how much I prefer to make tiny portable cakes over big fork-n-knifers.  I also prefer to have my cakes in handy dandy paper wrappers.

This is my version. Another classic combination, gone bleu...

Pineapple Right-side Up Cupcakes...

Full of all that you love (yep, that's a candied pineapple center) and topped with my newest favorite Swiss meringue buttercream (and a maraschino cherry of course).

This cake combined a traditional butter cake with my great-grandmother's Pineapple Cake recipe. Granny's cake used a box mix, this filling and her 7 Minute Frosting. I really, really wanted to put a 7 Minute Frosting on these cakes, but I wasn't even going to whisk it up by hand (for real, I don't own a hand held mixer). I repeat that I'm a sugar addict. Seven Minute Frosting is SWEET. But delicious. But sweet, sweet, sweet... So as much as I want to try it that way, I think we should stick with the Swiss meringue buttercream.

This was also the first time I've ever baked a cake that used margarine. I've used margarine in cookies and things, but never cake. I'm such a huge fan of eating creamed butter and sugar straight out of the mixer that I try to find ways to make food with those two ingredients. (Wait... did I really just admit that to all of you? Meh. You already know I'm an addict...) I want to try this cake with butter, but know that even with margarine, this cake was super moist, had a gentle crumb, and was really flavorful.

So, enough with the chit-chat... On with the cake!

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Pineapple Right-side Up Cupcakes

adapted from my great-grandmother, Atha Taylor's personal collection of recipes

For the cake:

2 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice (*directions below)

1 cup milk (slightly less)

2/3 cup margarine

1 2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1. Prepare canned pineapple. Drain and reserve the juice. Remove 1 cup of drained pineapple for cake. Keep the remaining pineapple with 1/2 cup juice for the filling. Put the remaining juice  in a 2 cup measuring cup and add milk to total 1 1/4 cup.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add flour in three additions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour.

4. Scrape bowl well and add pineapple.

5. Fill paper liners about half full and if you're lucky, pop 'em into one of these:

(this was one of my Christmas presents... CupCake Genius) Bake at 350 F for 20-23 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

For the filling:

Reserved crushed pineapple and juice

3/4 cup brown sugar 

1. In a small sauce pan, combine pineapple and sugar. Cook over medium heat until pineapple is "candied" -- thick sauce, clear fruit. 

2. Remove from heat. Allow to cool before using.

To assemble:

 Create a hole in the center of each cupcake using a paring knife or apple corer. Fill with about 1/2 teaspoon of the candied pineapple. Top with a swirl of brown sugar Swiss meringue buttercream, a maraschino cherry and a bit of pineapple.

Enjoy this retro favorite!

And Happy Fourth of July!!

bleu

Beer, Bacon and Cupcakes

I have a strange fascination with trying to put my favorite flavors into a cupcake:

I've made a Honey-Almond Cupcake just because I loved the scent of a Honey Almond Latte at work.

I've combined jalapeno with lime in a delicious but not too savory cake...

Rich milk Chocolate with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream (and jam center)...

Spice cake with Apple filling and Cinnamon Buttercream...

I just created my ultimate combination though:  Guinness and Bacon. Oh, and Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream. 

I think most people have heard of a chocolate stout cake. I love chocolate, but I wanted a cake that didn't hide the wonderful taste of Guinness. Guinness is always described as having chocolate-y or coffee-y flavors. I'm not paid for my opinion, but I have always tasted a sweetness and rich, vanilla notes in a Guinness. I thought it would go perfect with spice cake. 

Oh, boy, did it ever!! 

These cakes have all the great flavors of the best winter cake paired with the light, creaminess of a pint of Guinness, complete with a mild yeast-like bitterness on the back of the tongue. Top it with the a dark brown sugar buttercream and candied bacon, it's love at first bite.

These cakes super easy to make. So easy it's almost intimidating. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool. But don't stress that too much-- melty brown sugar, butter and bacon on a super moist spice cake... Is anything wrong with that?

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Guinness Spice Cakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream and Candied Bacon

(uses a spin-off of the famous Weight Watchers Diet Soda Cake. Frosting from Martha Stewart)

For the cupcakes: (YIELD 14 CUPCAKES)

1 box spice cake mix

1 bottle or can of Guinness Draught (you need 10 fl oz, not including the head)

(this is so easy, I almost feel like I'm cheating you...)

1. Empty cake mix into a medium bowl and use a whisk or your fingers to break up any big lumps of mix.

2. Pour the Guinness into a glass measuring cup, using the side to keep the head to a minimum. Canned Guinness Draught uses a widget, so you must measure it first or you will end up with a minor explosion of Guinness in the bowl, but bottled draught can be just poured in slowly. (I just kept a sip or two for myself out of the 11.2 fl oz draught bottle)

3. Mix thoroughly, but some lumps will remain. 

4. Dish into paper lined cups and bake for about 18 minutes in a 350 F oven.

5. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the bacon:

2 strips of thin sliced, plain bacon

4 tablespoons of brown sugar

spices to taste (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a wire cooling rack on a sheet pan lined with foil. 

2. Divide the brown sugar in half and press onto one side of the bacon. Lay bacon sugar side up on wire rack.

3. Bake for 20 minutes, ignoring the burning smell of sugar, but checking for any flare-ups. If the bacon is crispy enough, pull it now. If not, let it bake for 5 minutes at a time until crispy.

4. Allow to cool completely before giving it a rough chop.

For the frosting: (YIELD 5 CUPS)

5 large egg whites 

1 2/3 cups packed dark-brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Put egg whites, sugar, and salt into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until mixture registers 150 degrees, about 4 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and attach to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Continue to mix on medium until the bowl is no longer warm.

3. Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Add butter slowly on medium-low speed.  Beat until frosting is smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Buttercream can be refrigerated airtight for up to 3 days OR frozen for 6 weeks; bring to room temperature, and beat before using.

Allow a generous swirl of this frosting... it's so tasty, you're going to want extra. And trust me, that salty goodness is PERFECT with a Guinness Spice Cake and Bacon...

Cheers!!

bleu

Peanut Butter Birthday Overload

Birthdays always require dessert.

Sometimes it's a colorful dessert.

Sometimes it's a simple dessert.

But sometimes... sometimes it requires a Peanut Butter Overload.

 

These cakes might sound really complicated but they really aren't. I made two batches (without doubling the recipe), filled and frosted them in about 4 hours. I ended up with almost 5 dozen cupcakes. But don't worry, you will want extra of these beauties. 

I admit I'm not always a "from scratch" baker. These cakes start with a doctored up cake mix. I decided to go this route because I'm still hunting for the PERFECT chocolate cake recipe. I needed these cakes to be moist and hold up for a day or two before delivering them.

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Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Truffle Filling and Peanut Butter Buttercream

Part I: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Truffle Filling

adapted from Crazy for Crust

Ingredients 

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk

Method

Mix everything together until smooth and dough-like. Roll teaspoon size balls between your palms. Place on a cookie sheet and chill in refrigerator until needed in Part II.

Yield approx 5 dozen teaspoon sized balls

Part II: Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cupcakes

unknown origins, used by many

Ingredients

1 package Devil's Food cake mix (with or without pudding in the mix)

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup peanut butter chips

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.

1. In bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. 

2. In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (minus chips). Whisk until smooth and no longer separated (3).

3. Add to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and stir for an additional 2 minutes.

4. Scrape bowl sides and stir in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

5. Using a disher (#16 or #20)for even cupcakes, scoop into prepared pans. In the center of each cupcake, place one truffle (from Part I). Push into cupcake until at least 3/4 covered in batter. Drop pan on counter to settle the truffle and help remove any large air bubbles.

6. Bake on middle rack for 15-18 minutes. Check with a toothpick being careful not to insert into the truffle.

7. Allow to cool for 2 minutes in pan before inverting and allowing to cool on wire racks.

yield approx 18-20 cupcakes based on size of disher used.

Part III: Peanut Butter Buttercream

adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients

3 sticks (1.5 cups) butter, room temp

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted

6-8 tablespoons heavy cream

Method

1. In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and peanut butter on medium speed until pale and creamy (2).

2. Add entire amount of sugar. Mix on low (it will create a dust cloud if you go too fast) until combined (3).

3. Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons cream. Turn speed to medium and mix for 1 minute. 

4. Add more cream, tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. 

5. Beat on high for 4 minutes. Put in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (Ateco 808).

6. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting on each cake. If using sprinkles, make sure to put them on quickly as this frosting does crust.

 

This little baby cake is really a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Miniature topped with a swirl of Peanut Butter Buttercream. I <3 edible toppers.

Happy Baking!

Bleu