The Cupcake Thread!

[sevens one]

*woops*

 

[sevens one]

and frosted

 

[Mara]

they look fab nan! love the party n''nut cups!!!

i would say that they were left in about 1-2 minutes too long for crunchy tops. funny thing is that some people really like a crunchy top and inside soft. i had crunchy chocolate ones i brought to work and people loved them! i was like REALLY? they''re crunchy!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

My favorite cupcake is a naked one with a nice crust on the top. That''s the kind you eat bottom first, saving the nice "lid" as my neice calls it, for last. So yummy!

Every year on my birthday I get naked cupcakes, complete with crustage. Nothing could be better!

Everyone says the decorated (frosted) pictures look so yummy, and while they are beautiful, the "naked" ones are what make me think, "gosh, it''s time for my birthday to get here again!"

They all look so good and I''m anxious to try the carrot cake recipe. It''s a favorite of mine (minus rasins, though!).

 

[Mara]

fishie you eat the cake and i''ll eat the frosting!!!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I got a Kitchen-Aid mixer for my birthday (to me, from me!) back in November, and I''ve promised myself NOT to use it until we''re in our new house. So, I think that time is coming SOON, and I''ll have to bake cupcakes as a celebration our first night (or weekend) in the house. I cannot wait to break in the mixer and I can''t wait to eat a cupcake. I''ll have to frost most of them; Paul is not a naked cupcake fan.

 

[FrekeChild]

Mara, after reading that I'm going

and

.

First of all-how much is this class costing? You can give me a range. If you want to fly to NM for a weekend, I'll teach you for free!

Second, I should teach cake decorating classes. Seriously.

Third, the guy who is trying to get in the biz should check out local culinary schools with baking concentrations.

Fourth, I wouldn't buy a ton of Wilton stuff unless you know you'll use it outside of class.

Fifth, this reminds me of when I took a baking class with my mom because she wanted me to. I...kind of...showed the teacher up.

And felt really bad afterwards. But I made this awesome almost tribal design with black piping gel and everyone gathered around me wanting to know how to do it.

The teacher didn't know...Oh it wasn't good. And it was a two part class. I didn't go to part two...

Sixth, she's full of shiz (I had to censor myself right there) with the buttercream not standing up to being out for two hours.

In my Basic and Classical cakes class (late July into early August on the Hudson River, two hours north of New York City-with a broken air conditioning system) we'd have buttercream sitting out for all six hours of the class-and it was fine. What on earth is she doing? Having you guys decorate in an oven or something? Stick with Italian buttercream. Have her email me if she has a problem.

Seventh, I'm 99.9% sure she's using Rich's Bettercream or something that's almost identical. Honestly, it's disgusting stuff. I wouldn't feed it to a starving animal. It's completely sugar, hydrogenated fats, corn syrup and preservatives. After a nuclear explosion, it would still be there with the cockroaches. Don't let Greg eat any more of it! Having said that, it's great for piping and learning how to decorate, but it turns into this plastic/rubber consistency after being exposed to air for a while.

Yikes.

Eighth, almost all grocery stores use hydrogenated oils (This I know especially well because once I had a chocolate muffin that hadn't been baked properly-it was still raw in the middle and I looked very very closely-tiny tiny chunks of shortening-gross dude) the one I'm not sure about is Whole Foods. They might use it in some of their baked goods. Cheap bakeries do. The expensive ones use butter-and that's why they are expensive.

My rule of food: if Great Great Grandma wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it.

BTW, I only use butter unless ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY-and right now I can't think of anything I would use shortening for. I even make pie crust with butter.

And- totally get a turntable if you'll use it. I confess I don't have one, and just do it the old fashioned way, but it makes life a lot easier-especially when you're just learning how to do it.

I'm glad you're learning this stuff! And I'm excited that you're excited!

 

[sevens one]

this one is for you, fisher! **Naked**

 

[Kaleigh]

Nan,
They look delish, now we have to figure out a way for you to send me some!!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Nan those look great!!

 

[steph72276]

Has anybody tried the Sprinkles mixes from Williams-sonoma? The red velvet ones are my family''s favorites. Here is a picture of Andrew digging in on his birthday with Spiderman red velvet cupcakes!

 

[Mara]

lol freke, if i am ever out there i will take you up on it! the class was only $25 but 2nd person signed up for $19 so it evens out to like $22 per person (i signed up a friend/coworker). the supplies is where they get you BUT it's all stuff i can use again and again obviously so it's cool. the class is super cheap, i hear a lot of other places charge like $40-100. and it's 8 hours of class.

i made snickerdoodle cupcakes last nite and they came out so tasty...!! i have pictures but will have to post later. i was going to try red velvet but i didn't have enough food coloring, kinda scary in fact....so next time!!

steph, i have some friends who have made the sprinkles mixes and say they are too dry and not very good but i have never tried them. honestly i am like a mix?! what?! hehe.

 

[sevens one]

that sounds great, Mara. Our local class is about $50 for a four hour long session. I think it is a baking class though; not decorating.

Okay ladies, guess what I''m attempting today.
Here''s a hint!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/28/2008 3:37:32 PM
Author: sevens one
that sounds great, Mara. Our local class is about $50 for a four hour long session. I think it is a baking class though; not decorating.

Okay ladies, guess what I''m attempting today.
Here''s a hint!!!

I''m on my way!!

 

[sevens one]

*naked*

 

[sevens one]

these are too moist for words
if they taste half as good as they smell- we''re in trouble.

 

[sevens one]

carrot cake cupcake
oohhh sooo good
Thanks for the recipe Skippy!
I halved it and still got twenty four cupcakes.

 

[steph72276]

Mara, Haha I know...I usually don''t use mixes, but everybody that''s tried the red velvet ones I made with homemade cream cheese icing loves them. I don''t think they were too dry at all, but I''ve only tried the red velvet ones.

Here''s also a recipe for a lemon-scented blueberry cupcake from cooking light. It is awesome!!!!!

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
10 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Frosting:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh blueberries (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 12 decorative paper muffin cup liners into muffin cups.

To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Measure 1 tablespoon flour; level with a knife. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine melted butter and egg in another large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk, milk, and 1 teaspoon rind to butter mixture; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon rind, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do not overbeat). Stir in juice. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; garnish with blueberries, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Yield

1 dozen (serving size: 1 cupcake)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 236(29% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 4.6g,mono 2g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 3.7g; CHOLESTEROL 38mg; CALCIUM 71mg; SODIUM 230mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.7g

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/28/2008 4:10:11 PM
Author: sevens one
carrot cake cupcake
oohhh sooo good
Thanks for the recipe Skippy!
I halved it and still got twenty four cupcakes.

Gawd....look at those babies....!!!!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 3/28/2008 4:10:11 PM
Author: sevens one
carrot cake cupcake
oohhh sooo good
Thanks for the recipe Skippy!
I halved it and still got twenty four cupcakes.

OH GOODIE, NAN tried the recipe!!!!!

It sounded delicious w/all those Carrots; I must try it too

They kept saying how moist it was; my wedding cake was a carrot cake since I am not a huge cake fan but I LOVE carrotcake!!!!

THEY are Beautiful NAN, WHOOOO HOOOOOOOO

Skipers, loves the way you decorated the cupcakes too

 

[sevens one]

Date: 3/28/2008 6:20:14 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 3/28/2008 4:10:11 PM
Author: sevens one
carrot cake cupcake
oohhh sooo good
Thanks for the recipe Skippy!
I halved it and still got twenty four cupcakes.

OH GOODIE, NAN tried the recipe!!!!!

It sounded delicious w/all those Carrots; I must try it too

They kept saying how moist it was; my wedding cake was a carrot cake since I am not a huge cake fan but I LOVE carrotcake!!!!

THEY are Beautiful NAN, WHOOOO HOOOOOOOO

Skipers, loves the way you decorated the cupcakes too

wish ya''ll could taste em''
lol

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 3/28/2008 6:24:38 PM
Author: sevens one

Date: 3/28/2008 6:20:14 PM
Author: Skippy123


OH GOODIE, NAN tried the recipe!!!!!

It sounded delicious w/all those Carrots; I must try it too

They kept saying how moist it was; my wedding cake was a carrot cake since I am not a huge cake fan but I LOVE carrotcake!!!!

THEY are Beautiful NAN, WHOOOO HOOOOOOOO

Skipers, loves the way you decorated the cupcakes too

wish ya'll could taste em'
lol

Me too

You did a great job; I will be making that recipe for my anniversary coming up in April. . . you have me super excited to make carrot cake! hehe
I bet we will see Miss Lorelei trying it out too. hehee

 

[Libster]

Yum!!! Ladies your cupcakes look deeeeeelicious

Sevens, those carrot cake ones look incredible...my mouth is watering just thinking about them!

 

[steph72276]

OMG, Sevens! Those cupcakes look to die for! I am going to have to make those....making my grocery list as we speak!

 

[Mara]

oooh Nan''s got the bug now too!!!! see it''s addicting isn''t it???

lookit you with your cutie decor Nan!! love em.

steph...i made those lemon blueberry ones, they are quite the tasties for sure. are these the glazed frosted ones? that''s never enough sugar for me hehe...but they are fab regardless.

carrot and red velvet are next on my list....greg just had a snickerdoodle and pronounced it ''so yummy''. coworkers had the professional ones today and mine, glad to know mine were all gone at the end of the day!!! i guess i put too much cinnamon in the frosting but 3 out of 4 gals LOVED it that way. i love cinny so i liked the one i had here at home too!!!

i still have pictures to upload, i took a nap instead...now we are going to dinner, but i promise tomorrow. anyone else got the bakesies????

 

[neatfreak]

This is a bad bad thread. Mara, do you realize that I have made 3 batches of cupcakes this week?!? And spent $60 at the store today replenishing my supplies.

I've always been a cupcake lover. Here are my latest addition. A cooked vanilla/brown sugar frosting, with boxed(! I had to use it up here-I keep it on hand for emergencies but almost always make my own anyway) cake mix made with applesauce instead of oil. Tastes so much better and comes out a bit denser like homemade cake.

Excuse the dirt on the chair, our dog just jumped up on it with muddy feet.

 

[Lorelei]

I had the bakesies yesterday, I made some more CC cuppies with the recipe I found last weekend, they are SO GOOD! But I will try the Skippy/ Nan CC receep next time!

I took some pics, I will have to get a little assistance to get them posted....

 

[monarch64]

I made some lemon bars....thought long and hard about making cupcakes and decided they just weren't conducive to my lifestyle...I did get a bit carried away with the powdered sugar topping (DH had zero problem with that)--

Obviously I know lemon bars have nothing to do with cupcakes, BUT, it was my first foray into baking in a while and they turned out fine. Thank you Kruetz boxed mix. Yummo. ETA: sorry to corrupt the cupcake thread!

Why, oh why, do I see cupcakes everywhere I go online or irl now? thanks a lot Mara.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/29/2008 8:15:48 AM
Author: monarch64
I made some lemon bars....thought long and hard about making cupcakes and decided they just weren't conducive to my lifestyle...I did get a bit carried away with the powdered sugar topping (DH had zero problem with that)--

Obviously I know lemon bars have nothing to do with cupcakes, BUT, it was my first foray into baking in a while and they turned out fine. Thank you Kruetz boxed mix. Yummo. ETA: sorry to corrupt the cupcake thread!

Why, oh why, do I see cupcakes everywhere I go online or irl now? thanks a lot Mara.

You are NOT corrupting the cuppie thread Monnie, baking is baking so you are more than welcome to post about your scrummy lemon bars!

NF, your cakie looks great!!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 3/29/2008 8:20:12 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 3/29/2008 8:15:48 AM
Author: monarch64
I made some lemon bars....thought long and hard about making cupcakes and decided they just weren''t conducive to my lifestyle...I did get a bit carried away with the powdered sugar topping (DH had zero problem with that)--

Obviously I know lemon bars have nothing to do with cupcakes, BUT, it was my first foray into baking in a while and they turned out fine. Thank you Kruetz boxed mix. Yummo. ETA: sorry to corrupt the cupcake thread!

Why, oh why, do I see cupcakes everywhere I go online or irl now? thanks a lot Mara.

You are NOT corrupting the cuppie thread Monnie, baking is baking so you are more than welcome to post about your scrummy lemon bars!

NF, your cakie looks great!!

LOL, Lorelei...they were from a BOX! dh LOVED them though...I am no baker, but all that matters is that he liked them and I didn''t eat more than my share. Hee hee.

You are so sweet.