Perfect Party Cake

I got home from Ann Arbor last night and naturally I am feeling separation anxiety from Ariel, Kate, and all of our other baking friends.  So the only way to remedy this sad situation is to bake!!!  There is a bakery in a neighborhood of Pittsburgh that makes my mom’s most favorite cake.  It is called the Rose in the Snow.  It is a white cake with a coconut frosting and a singular red rose in the middle.  Because I was away at the NCAA Rowing Championships during her birthday I decided to make her a belated birthday cake upon my arrival home.  We have a recipe book called Baking: From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.  I decided to use her recipe for “The Perfect Party Cake” as my frame with a few minor adjustments.  This is a very simple cake with lemon flavoring and a lightly flavored lemon buttercream frosting which is coated in shredded coconut.  It is DELICIOUS!!!!!

Ingredients

                For the Cake

                                2 ¼ cups cake flour

                                1 TBS baking powder

                                ½ tsp salt

                                1 ¼ cups buttermilk

                                4 large egg whites

                                1 ½ cups sugar

                                2 tsp grated lemon zest

                                1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

                                ½ tsp pure lemon extract

                For the Buttercream

                                1 cup sugar

                                4 large egg whites

                                3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

                                ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

                                1 tsp pure vanilla extract

                                2 cups coconut (topping)

Directions

There are many steps to this cake so pay close attention!!

Preheat the oven to 350.  Butter 2 9-inch circular pans, line with parchment paper and butter again.  Place the 2 pans on a baking sheet.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl and mix with hands until evenly coated and fragrant.  Add the butter and mix with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.  Beat in the lemon extract.  With the mixer on medium speed, beginning with the dry ingredients add the dry and wet ingredients, alternating.  Continuing mixing until smooth and well blended.

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth off the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until springy and a knife comes out clean.  Place on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, remove cake from the pans, and remove paper liners.  Allow to fully cool on the cooling rack. 

Combine the sugar and egg whites in a heat proof mixer bowl.  Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk continuously for about 3 minutes or until it is a melted marshmallow like consistency.  Attach the whisk attachment to your mixer and beat the egg and sugar mixture on a medium speed until it is completely cooled, approximately 10 minutes.  Switch to the paddle attachment and add the sticks of butter one and a time.  Be sure it is completely blended between sticks.  Next add the lemon juice and then the vanilla.  Continue to blend until it is completely blended, about 10 minutes.

To assemble the cake use a serrated knife and slice the cakes horizontally into halves.  Place one slice cut-side up on a cake plate and frost.  Do the same with the next two slices.  With the last slice place it on top cut-side down.  Thoroughly frost the entire cake.  Use the shredded coconut to coat the cake, pressing the coconut into the frosting.

ENJOY!!!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Brownie Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Caramel Hershey Kiss

RECOVERY SNACKS RETURN!

Hello! My name is Nellie Ruedig and I am a guest blogger for the day.  I am a member of the Michigan rowing team and the I Tinkle Sprinkles creators are two of my best friends.  I have a lot of quality attributes but I would say that my best one is my ability to consume food.  That is why I am sitting in a kitchen anxiously waiting for the baked goods to cool as the smells torture me because I cannot eat yet.  

Without further ado, here is the entry.

Camp Wolverine is a magical time.  School is out and there is plenty of time for the four most important aspects of life... rowing, sleeping, eating and most importantly BAKING!  With all of the rowing, we need to make sure we are taking care of our bodies and recovering well.  Over the years, we have found the best way to recover from a hard workout is homemade baked goods. 

Today on an afternoon off, the task was to bake brownies.  The inspiration for these brownies is the one and only Kate Strum, the coach of our boat.  The first priority was that the brownies be gluten free so she needn't suffer any consequences from eating this recovery snack.  Second,  they had to be loaded with frosting to satisfy her sweet tooth.  Finally they had to have caramel hershey kisses because, well, they are delicious. 

Introducing... the Struminator Brownie!

Ingredients...

Brownies
1-Package Namaste Gluten-Free Brownie Mix
3 Large Eggs
3/4 cup Canola Oil
1/2 cup Water

Frosting
8oz Cream Cheese (1 package normally)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 package of Caramel-Filled Hershey Kisses or any other type of chocolatey treat :)

Review

Whoever said gluten free is not the way to be is completely mistaken.  To say they nailed it would be an understatement.   Here is how I felt after a couple of bites...

The Struminator Brownie put this smile on my face (Nicole Dressler looking fresh in the background).  I have written a Haiku to describe how I feel:

All day ev'ry day
The Struminator Brownie
I want to nom on

(Copyright Nellie Ruedig May 2011.  If you want to republish please site source)

Overall this was a lovely afternoon.  Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like a good ol' gluten free brownie!

Omnomnom.

Banana Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cupcake Connesaurs! My name is Kate and as a guest blogger it is my job to thoroughly delight and entertain you. So entertain I shall, I have decided it would therefore be best to write this blog in rhyme.

I figured it was about time.

I’m glad to introduce,

A cupcake that will produce

Such an exquisite taste

It probably isn’t chaste.

I apologize for the illusion

But upon eating, you may see delusion

Of resting in the Havana

As this is a cupcake full of banana!

Topped with peanut butter frosting

This recipe will not be costing.

Friends will circle you

Begging you to be true

And bestow upon them a cupcake

Of which your oven is most proud to bake!

Banana Cupcakes  (yields about 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Thoughts: This cupcake recipe Olivia has used previously with a Honey Cinnamon frosting. Because those cupcakes had turned out so well we decided to re-recipe!  I will also add that this cupcake batter is fantastic both pre-oven and post-oven encounter. Whether it was improper measuring, we filled exactly 12 cupcake tins and just had a little too much batter left over (but we were out of cupcake tins). So I will say that this batter also makes for fantastic dollar size banana pancakes!  

Peanut Butter Frosting (yields about 2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.     Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer.

2.     Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable.

3.     Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Thoughts: We were slightly worried about peanut butter frosting becoming overwhelmingly peanut buttery, however it was decided this frosting was perfect! There was a great balance between fluffiness/taste of a frosting and the peanut butter flavor!

 Sincerely yours in all baking endeavors,

Kate

Pizza Puffs

So last Sunday as everyone know was the Super Bowl, and since I am a native Pittsburgher having the Steelers in the game was absolutely thrilling.  I had been looking forward to this game for weeks and could not have been happier when I “Stumbled Upon” this recipe for Pizza Puffs.  They were a huge hit and it is definitely necessary to double and possibly triple this recipe (depending on the rest of the snacks you are serving).  We had a lot of food at the beginning of the game so I mixed my batter and saved it in the refrigerator until half time.  Since the game did not end as I would have liked it was nice to have an excellent snack to warm my stomach and soul.

If you are not a fan of pepperoni I believe these would be excellent with all kinds of pizza toppings.  I plan to try them with mushrooms, tomato chunks, pepper, onions, or sausage.    

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup) – I just bought the Hormel mini pepperoni circles
1/2 cup pizza sauce
finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375^o.  Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg.  Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes (or refrigerate until needed).
Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

In a sauce pan heat the pizza sauce and sprinkling of basil until heated all the way through, be careful not to let it stick and burn.  Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Oreo Cupcakes

Our third cupcake for Chocolate Day is an Oreo Cupcake.  These are both appealing to look at and also to eat!!  Please enjoy them.

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 pkg Oreos

Preheat over to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.
Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.
Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick butter at room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

The second type of cupcake made for Chocolate Day is Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling.  They are delicious!!

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners. 

Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the buttermilk until combined.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture.  Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy.  Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.  Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep.  Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it.  Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled. 

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.  Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth.  Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan.

Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks.  Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Another great tradition that we have in my family is a holiday that we are surprised hasn’t been made a national holiday yet.  It is called Chocolate Day.  This holiday originated several years ago in my family.  The holiday is centered on pajamas, movies, and lots and lots of chocolate.  We all sit in our pajamas on the 26^th of December and eat chocolate all day.  It’s the best!  For this holiday I made three different types of cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 tsp. espresso powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir together.  Combine the milk, coffee and peppermint extract in a liquid measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the eggs one at a time.   Alternately mix in the dry and liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients:

 1 stick of butter at room temperature

about 3 peppermint sticks, finely crushed

3 cupas of confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Mix butter until soft then add in the milk and confectioners’ sugar.  Once thoroughly mixed add in the crushed candy cane.

I felt that the peppermint flavoring in the cupcake was too strong so I think that if the peppermint flavor was saved for the frosting and kept out of the cupcake then it would be a little less strong.