Faux Hostess Cupcakes - Childhood Lunchbox Memories

I can't tell you the excitement that would run through me when I would open my Lunchbox in Elementary School and find that my Mom had included a Hostess Cupcake for my dessert.  That was the ultimate treat!  A store bought Hostess Cupcake!  I would show it to all my friends, who were immediately jealous.  It made my day and the afternoon couldn't go by fast enough for me to get home and thank my Mother for this amazing treat.

When I got a little bit older my brother and I would make our own fake Hostess Cupcakes by making a box mix of Devils Food Cupcakes, slicing off the bottom, hollowing out the middle and filling them with Vanilla Ice Cream or Cool Whip.  A yummy snack but no where near the yumminess of the Hostess Cupcake.  And ours never had frosting or that magical white squiggle.

I decided it was about time I tackled that magical Hostess Cupcake.  Start with your favorite Chocolate Cupcake recipe.  I used this one from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson.  They baked up beautifully.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, core the centers out to fill with Vanilla Cream filling.  I used my Cupcake Corer (made by Cuisipro), which is an amazing little tool that makes coring cupcakes a breeze.  You can see it at work in the photo.

Here's the recipe for the filling:

Mock Creme Cupcake Filling

by Taylor on Recipezaar

for 24 Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

1 cup Sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

2/3 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Cream butter and Crisco until light and fluffy.  Add sugar, flour, then milk and vanilla.  Whip until sugar is all dissolved and mixture is thick and fluffy.  Put in pastry bag fitted with a #10 round tip.  Pipe into center of cooled chocolate cupcakes.  Replace center of cupcake that was removed.

Now for the Chocolate Ganache.  If you've never made Ganache, don't be afraid, it's very easy and tastes divine.  Here's the easy recipe I found:

Chocolate Ganache

Adapted from the Pillsbury Cookbook

Enough to cover 24 Cupcakes

12 ounces Semisweet Chocolate, chopped or 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tablespoons Butter

In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine chocolate and cream.  Mix and melt together, until chocolate is completely melted, and mixture is smooth and creamy.  Remove saucepan from heat and stir in butter.  Let cool at least 20 minutes until it is warm to the touch.  Take the cupcakes individually and dip them in the Ganache up to the top of their liners.  Pull cupcake out of the Ganache and let any excess drip back into saucepan.  Place dipped cupcake on rack for Ganache to dry.

Once the Ganache on the Cupcakes is dry and set mix up a small batch of Vanilla Decorator's Buttercream

Vanilla Decorator's Buttercream

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (not butter flavored)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1/8 cup of milk

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Cream together butter and Crisco until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar.  Add milk, salt and vanilla.  Continue adding powdered sugar until frosting is of piping consistency.  Place in a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip and pipe a squiggle across the center of the Ganache.

 
By this time you won't be able to resist, so dig in!  They are delicious!

Enjoy!!!

Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes for National Vanilla Cupcake Day

Happy National Vanilla Cupcake Day!!!  

November 10th is National Vanilla Cupcake Day and to say that Vanilla is my favorite cupcake flavor is an understatement.  I love, love, love vanilla cupcakes.  In fact, every time I try out a new cupcake shop/bakery I order their vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream as the first cupcake I try.  I figure if they can get the basics right, the rest of their flavors are worth a try.

I have had this recipe by Amy Sedaris for months waiting for the perfect opportunity to try it.  What better opportunity than a cupcake holiday!

Fresh out of the oven.  They smell divine!

Amy Sedaris' Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes 2 dozen

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1¾ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2½ cups flour
1¼ cups milk

To prepare oven, muffin tin: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Line standard muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

To make cupcakes: In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Add flour in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth and satiny.

To bake cupcakes: Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 45 minutes or until at room temperature.

For these cupcakes I used a Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream because I love the delicate texture and beautiful way it pipes onto cupcakes.  You can find the recipe and a video how-to demo on my Blog here.  But if you would like to us a more traditional Vanilla Buttercream here is Amy Sedaris' Buttercream Frosting recipe for these cupcakes.

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick of unsalted butter
1 pound box of confectioners' sugar
¼ cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

In medium bowl, whisk together butter, confectioners' sugar, half-and-half and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.

 Celebrate Today!

Enjoy a Vanilla Cupcake

for National Vanilla Cupcake Day!

The Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting for Patriotic Red Velvet Cupcakes on Election Day

Happy Election Day!!!  I hope everyone had the opportunity to get out and VOTE!  As part of this Election Day, I received a request to provide 250 cupcakes for an Election Night Party.  Whew!  That's a tall order and a lot of cupcakes!!

I thought this would be a good subject for my blog.  A little insight into what it takes to bake, decorate and deliver 250 cupcakes from a home kitchen.  First I planned what the finished cupcakes would look like.  My old standby Red Velvet Cupcake would be the perfect color and a flavor that is universally liked.  

Now to decide on the cupcake liners.  Reynolds has come out with a great line of baking liners called Baked for You-StayBrite Baking Cups.  They are brightly patterned on the outside and foil on the inside.  They hold up extremely well and the color of the cupcake doesn't bleed through.  My local Smith's Grocery store had them in a Patriotic pattern.  An all American blue with red and white fireworks.  Perfect!  They come 36 liners in a pack so I had to hit a couple of Smith's stores to find enough to bake 250 cupcakes.

Now my friend wanted the cupcakes to have a custom topper reflecting her political leanings - a Republican Elephant.  I thought about fondant but really didn't have time to cut 250 elephants out of fondant.  So I contacted one of my favorite Etsy Sellers - Anders Ruff Custom Designs to see if they would modify their Patriotic design I had purchased this past Fourth of July.  Check out their Etsy shop here.  They have amazing designs of all kinds of wonderful Party Goods from Invitations to Custom Banners.  They created an adorable DIY cupcake topper.  I just needed to print them off and put them together.  I punched them out using a 2" Fiskars scallop punch and glued them to a wooden hors d'oeuvres pick.  I did this over two nights of TV watching.

My "Fourth of July" Red Velvet Cupcakes with the Custom Toppers from Anders Ruff

I also had to decide how was I going to deliver 250 cupcakes?  Boxes were in order.  I usually gift my cupcakes in boxes that hold one dozen cupcakes but I didn't want to deliver 25 boxes of cupcakes.  I went to my favorite mail order box company - BRPBoxShop - you can access their website here.  You can order 10 boxes at a time or 100 boxes and shipping is free within the lower 48 states.  I ordered 10 of the Kraft Cupcake Boxes with Inserts that hold 2 dozen cupcakes.  They arrived in less than a week and were perfect!

Next came the math.  My Red Velvet Cupcake recipe (you can find it here) makes between 30-33 regular sized cupcakes. I figured I would need to make nine batches of batter (270-297 cupcakes) to make sure I had enough.  I then took the recipe and multiplied the ingredients by nine.  Once I had the calculations of how many total ingredients I needed I divided each ingredient into the size of that item I normally purchase (10 pounds of sugar, 1 dozen eggs, etc.) to put together my grocery list.  Saturday was shopping day and a quick trip to Costco and Walmart and I had all my supplies.

Sunday was baking day.  I kind of had it in my mind how long it was going to take to bake the nine batches of cupcakes but to be safe I started early.  I began baking at 6:45 AM and baked straight through until 12:45 PM.  The secret?  Commercial size cupcake pans that bake two dozen cupcakes at a time.  I own three of them so I could keep the cupcakes coming every 20 minutes as they baked in the oven.  I also have the large cooling racks that accommodate this size of pan.  Having the right equipment really makes things easier.  I set up measuring stations for each of the ingredients in the recipe with dedicated measuring cups/spoons.  This made quick work of measuring my mis en place for each batch of batter.

Once the cupcakes were baked and cooled I placed them in the boxes for safe keeping until I frosted them.  This allowed me to stack the boxes and keep all the cupcakes under control.  I mean really, who has a kitchen large enough to accommodate 250 (or more) cupcakes out on their counter tops.  Not me, I live in a small Condo with no counter space at all.  I used my small Kitchen table and an additional card table placed in my living room.

There are two dozen cupcakes in each of the boxes under the card table

Next came Monday night, time to frost and decorate all the cupcakes.  I began making the Cream Cheese Frosting at 6:00 PM.  I loaded my pastry bag with an Ateco 885 tip and started piping.  I decided to frost the cupcakes right in the boxes.  I figured the less I handled the cupcakes the better.  I piped on the frosting, sprinkled them with red, white and blue star shaped quins and inserted the custom toppers.  I finished the frosting and decorating at 8:15 PM. The best thing I discovered while frosting is the perfect recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting.  A Cream Cheese Frosting that will hold it's shape when piped.  Here it is:

Decorator Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8 oz. packages of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted Butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons Meringue Powder

1/8 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes. Set a timer, do not under beat. Add the meringue powder and salt and beat for another minute.  Add the Vanilla.  Gradually add the powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Mix until combined and light and fluffy. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a decorative tip.  The meringue powder helps the frosting hold its shape and set up.

Once the cupcakes were frosted and decorated I closed up the boxes, stacked them for safe keeping, ready to put in my car in the morning for delivery to the location of the party on Election Day.  I was up early on Election Day to load up the car and carefully drive on the freeway 20 minutes to deliver the cupcakes safe and sound for the party before heading off to work.

It was a tall order - 250 cupcakes.  But I did it.  All by myself.  And I actually had fun!  So don't be afraid of big jobs.  With a little forethought and planning you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't know why but there are two Holidays each year when I immediately start craving Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  The first is Easter.  I just can't get enough of those Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.  The second is Halloween.  I loved it when I got Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in my Trick or Treat Bag. I would hide them so I could savor and enjoy them all by myself as an after school snack. With Halloween right around the corner the craving has me buying bags of miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and hiding them in my desk at work for an afternoon snack. Then I thought, what would be better...so I made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. These cupcakes are the perfect combination of chocolate with a peanut butter center and then topped with a sinful peanut buttter cream cheese frosting. They will definitely satisfy your chocolate peanut butter craving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients Filling and Cupcakes:
2/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
½ cup(s) creamy peanut butter
10 tablespoon(s) (1 1/4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
½ teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) sour cream
2 tablespoon(s) milk
1 ½ cup(s) granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Directions

Prepare Filling:
In bowl, with mixer on medium speed, mix confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls using heaping measuring teaspoons. (Balls will be sticky and don't need to be perfectly shaped.) Place balls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard muffin-pan cups with fluted paper liners.

Prepare Cupcakes: On waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. In 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix sour cream, milk, and remaining vanilla; set aside. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat granulated sugar and remaining 8 tablespoons butter just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 1 to 2 minutes more or until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until ingredients are combined, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Spoon 1 heaping measuring tablespoon batter into each muffin-pan cup. Drop 1 peanut butter ball in center of each cup and top with another heaping tablespoon batter. Bake cupcakes 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Immediately remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

When cupcakes are cool, prepare :

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese at room temperature

1 1/2 cups of peanut butter

8-12 cups of confectioner’s sugar

Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Chopped peanuts

In large bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).  Add the peanut butter and mix together.  Blend in the sugar, starting with about 6 cups and adding more sugar till it reaches the desired taste and piping consistency. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Pipe frosting on cupcakes and top with a miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and chopped peanuts.

Try not to eat them all at once.

Enjoy!

Heinz Ketchup Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

When fall rolls around I immediately think of the house filled with the aroma of yummy spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. All week I have been wanting to try something different in the spice cupcake category. Now if you're one of those (like my father was) who thinks ketchup makes everything taste better, then these are the cupcakes for you. And if you think ketchup in baked goods is gross, well, these cupcakes may surprise you. 

To commemorate its Canadian Centennial, Heinz created a recipe for Ketchup Cake. The ketchup lends a nice red color, moist texture, and "spice" to the cake, mimicking a spicy carrot cake without all the extra work of shredding carrots.  I think I'll just call them my Spicy Red Velvet  Cupcakes and let people wonder what the secret ingredient is that makes it so moist and delicious. 

Heinz Ketchup Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from the Heinz website

Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and ginger
1/2 cup Heinz tomato ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp red food coloring
3/4 cup butter, softened
11/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners into two 12 cup muffin pans.

Stir the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger into a bowl. Stir the ketchup, water and coloring in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter and blend in the sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and ketchup mixture. Beat on low, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for one minute.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.

Cupcakes just out of the oven...

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

8 oz brick-style cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups icing sugar

Frosting Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed for  3-5 minutes or until smooth. 

Gradually beat in the sugar on low, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat on high until fluffy.

Frost the cupcakes or pipe on frosting with your favorite piping tip and decorate as you wish.

Don't be afraid to try these.  They are delicious.

Enjoy!

Wow!!!  That's all I can say.  One of my personal favorite cupcakes - my Oreo Cupcake is featured today on Cupcakes Take the Cake. Click on the link to go to the mention. I am really honored to have had three of my cupcakes featured on this amazing Blog all about cupcakes.

These Oreo cupcakes are absolutely delicious and kids love them (there's an Oreo Cookie baked in the bottom).  Click here to go to my post with the recipe. Thanks again Cupcakes Take the Cake for the shout out!

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Valrhona Chocolate

I am still searching for the perfect, fool proof chocolate cupcake recipe.  I like the Billy's Chocolate Cupcakes, but they are a bit dry and produce a lot of crumbs.  Making them somewhat messy to eat.  I want a chocolate cupcake with a little denser flavor and moister texture.  I love a challenge.  Especially one that involves trying out numerous chocolate cupcake recipes and baking lots of chocolate cupcakes.  Because that means only one thing...eating lots of chocolate cupcakes!  

I figured I would start with my most reliable Cupcake Cookbook - 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson.  Every recipe I have made from this cookbook has turned out great.  If you only have one cupcake recipe cookbook in your library, I suggest this one.  These cupcakes turned out delicious and are definitely a keeper.  Combined with the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream they were pure heaven.  I can tell I'm going to be making these chocolate cupcakes a lot and pairing them with many different frostings and buttercreams.

Just out of the oven...perfectly domed cupcakes.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes (Best Chocolate Cupcakes)

from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted (I use Valrhona)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

Optional:  1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until batter is smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips if you want (I chose not to this time).

Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan lined with paper cups.  Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.  Top cooled cupcakes with your choice of frosting or buttercream.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

5 large egg whites, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl (I used the bowl of my Kitchenaid mixer) set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and the sugar has dissolved.  (A candy thermometer is crucial anytime you are cooking sugar.)

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (using the bowl of your mixer makes this step a breeze).  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don't worry, it will come together!).  Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.  Tint with paste icing color if desired.

Yield: about 5 cups

 Enjoy!

Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Cosmopolitan Buttercream - "Sex And The City" Bridal Shower

I got a call on Tuesday from my girlfriend Ally.  Last weekend I made cupcakes for  her for a Baby Shower.  This time, she was calling to order cupcakes for a Bridal Shower with a "Sex and the City" theme.  Each of the attendees was being asked to come as their favorite "Sex and the City" character.  I knew the cupcakes had to be pink and had to taste like a Cosmopolitan.  I also wanted them to have some fun cupcake toppers.  I decided to make a Pink Velvet Cupcake with Cosmopolitan (Cranberry Lime) Buttercream accented with a Candy Lime Wedge.  I think the turned out pretty cute and they were really yummy!!  Ally loved them.

Pink Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 33 Cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pink gel food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar and buttermilk until combined.  Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low scraping down sides occasionally and mix until just combined.  Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

 

Cosmopolitan (Cranberry Lime) Buttercream
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp Cosmopolitan drink mixer
1 tsp lime zest
5-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Pink gel icing color
Green Sugar Sprinkles
Lime Candy Slices cut in wedges

Directions: In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy, approximately five minutes.  Add half the powdered sugar.  Add the lime juice, Cosmopolitan mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. Tint icing with food coloring. (Gel icing colors enable you to tint icing without watering it down.)

Spread or pipe icing onto each (completely cooled) cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles and a candy lime wedge.

 

 

The cute toppers were made from a free down loadable file from Hostess With The Mostess.