15 December 2009

Cupcakes for Christmas - Try... and try again!

Today was Secret Santa day in our office - and more than price-enforced mandatory gifts - do you know what that means??? Yes people, it means Champagne at 10am!

In honour of this special day, we came bearing our $20 gifts and a plate of goodies. It was obviously the season for cupcakes as both M and I made loads! There was also the good ol' Aussie staples of Sausage rolls and Chocolate crackles. YUM!

I found a gorgeous new blog on the weekend, Milk and Honey, and felt inspired to try one of her recipes - I'm still on the hunt for the perfect cupcake recipe - and it was the perfect occasion to give it a whirl.

Although I had a supreme blonde moment, I had meant to make the Chocolate Cupcakes and White Chocolate Icing - but somehow ended up with Vanilla Cupcakes and Chocolate Frosting... I didn't even realise until I had finished making the chocolate frosting and licked the beaters that I had got it back to front. *sigh*

So back to the drawing board - I rifled through Donna Hay's Chocolate book and decided to whip up a quick batch of the White Chocolate Frosting. This was a complete FAIL. I don't know what I did wrong but it looked like it had started to split and because I am a relatively new baker - I had no idea how to put it back together again... But seeing as it was still thick enough to put in a piping bag - I decided to continue on as normal and hope for kind lighting at the party!


The cupcakes were nice - still not perfect, but it was my first time. Maybe it just needs tweaking?


Milk and Honey Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour (I used regular flour)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
250g butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Milk and Honey Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup milk
125g unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

Beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth.


Add the cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar, and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened.

Scrape bowl, add vanilla and milk, and beat at medium speed until mixed thoroughly, about 10 seconds.

Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.


Donna Hay's White Chocolate Frosting:

250g White Chocolate
125ml Cream
80g Butter
1 tsp Vanilla


Melt the butter, chocolate, cream and vanilla together in the microwave, uncovered, for 1 minute.

Stir until combined and smooth.

Allow to cool and then chill in the fridge until starting to thicken.

Whip with beaters until thick and piping consistency.


***So can anyone help me with my splitting White Chocolate Frosting issue? Any help is appreciated!


2 comments:

  1. mmmmm those look really good!

    im sorry i dont know how to address your frosting issue :P. im a crappy baker

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  2. Still, they look good! With the frosting bt was it more the chocolate seizing from either overheating or the accidental addition of water? Overheating is easy to do (I've done it myself :) ).

    ReplyDelete