Sunday Sweets: Cupcakes

Coconut Cream Cupcakes ( retrieved from How Sweet Is It)

makes about 16 cupcakes

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together until fluffy. Add vanilla and mix.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the coconut milk and heavy cream. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in shredded coconut.

Pour into cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 mins at 350. Let cool, then frost.

Coconut Cream Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

2-8 oz blocks of cream cheese, softened

1.5 – 2 lbs powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 oz package Jello instead coconut cream pudding

toasted coconut for garnish

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar gradually and mix. Add in instant pudding mix. Mix until desired consistency. Frost cupcake and top with toasted coconut.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes( retrieved from Your Cup of Cake)

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup melted butter, cooled

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup whole milk*

¼ cup cinnamon sugar

Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream:

1 stick butter softened

3 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

3.    In a separate bowl, beat sugar and cooled butter until light and fluffy.  Then add eggs, vanilla, almond extract and milk. Mix until well blended. 

4.    Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix until smooth. 

5.    Spoon into cupcake liners and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

6.   When the cupcakes come out of the oven, brush the tops with butter and then roll them in cinnamon sugar. 

7.    Buttercream:  Beat butter until light and fluffy.  Add 2-3 cups powdered sugar (taste along the way) and beat for 4-5 minutes.  Add vanilla and cinnamon.  Add milk to loosen.

8.   Top cupcakes with buttercream when cooled.  

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes ( retrieved from Annie's Eats)

 ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided

¾ cup cake flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of  1 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. lemon juice
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. milk, at room temperature
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of 1 large lemon

Additional fresh blueberries, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Blend in the milk.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.

In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.  Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the cake batter.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with fresh blueberries.

Red Velvet Cupcakes( retrieved from Brown Eyed Baker)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

8. To make the frosting: Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.