Red Velvet Cupcakes; Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream

I wanted to make a little something special for Valentines Day this year.  We don't really celebrate this day too much.  I have a really romantic husband.  He buys me flowers every Saturday during the Farmers Market season, hauls me to a coffee shop in the dead of winter, puts his new contacts in (FINALLY) and tells me I still look great...no red roses can beat that.


That being said, John loves chocolate.  Expensive, homemade, cheap, imported, milk, dark....it makes absolutely no difference, he loves it.  So I decided to make him red velvet cupcakes.  I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I have never made red velvet cake.  It's so trendy these days, but the flavor never got me too excited.  But this is not about me :)  I upped the chocolate factor and got great results!

I used a combination of recipes for the cake itself, but the absolute best part of these cakes is the frosting.  Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream  Can I get an "OMG" ?!  This frosting defines romance, you will just want to lick it off the cake.   A bit messy, a bit of work, but worth every dang minute.




RED VELVET CUPCAKES (PS the thought of all that food coloring grossed me out, so I omitted it; now they are chocolate velvet cupcakes)

2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder (dutched)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, oil and blend until creamy, add eggs one at a time mixing until smooth.  Add vanilla and food coloring.  With your mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk until well combined and smooth.  Fill baking cups and bake about 20 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Be careful not to overbake.

CREAM CHEESE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

2 large egg whites
5 Tablespoons sugar
7 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
7 Tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cube butter and cream cheese in tablespoon increments.
In a COLD double boiler, combine sugar and egg whites.  Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture reaches 140 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Remove from heat and quickly begin whipping using a whisk attachment on your mixer on high speed.  Add  a cube of butter and allow to fully incorporate before adding the next, continue with cream cheese.  Add vanilla last.  Your buttercream will go through a series of looking curdled or separated, just keep going, it will all come together.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, or spread with a knife.  DEVOUR!

Happy Valentines Day!  

Spring Cupcakes!

Easter gets me in the mood to fuss a bit in the kitchen and I had all those pretty pansies...so here was our Easter dessert!

If you tell me you don't like cupcakes, I know you are lying! There is something irresistible about tiny cakes with fluffy frosting, and they are small, so less guilt than that big chunk of cake. I do not care for boxed mixes, so this is a little standby recipe that makes 12 delicious, moist cupcakes and a butter cream frosting that you will eat by the spoonful (go ahead, I won't tell!)

The frosting does make a large batch and I have been unsuccessful in halving it, so I just plan to make 2 batches of cupcakes and share them with friends and family.

Pansies are edible...or go with sprinkles. I am including a list of edible flowers for this recipe or salads....they do add a bit of romance to lots of dishes!

CUPCAKES:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
7 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup self rising flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 12 cup muffin tin or use paper cups. Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl. Add 1 egg until completely blended and then half of the flour, add remaining egg and remaining flour. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until a batter forms. This doesn't seem like it will fill 12 cups but it will! Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.


ORANGE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING;
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup orange juice
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
20 tablespoons butter, room temp
1 cup powdered sugar

In a small saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and orange juice. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add extract.

Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium bowl, add half of orange juice mixture and combine, add to remaining orange juice mixture and mix until combined. Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter until fluffy. Beat in orange juice mixture and powdered sugar. Can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

EDIBLE FLOWERS:
Pansies
Johnny Jump Ups
Violets and violas
Nasturtiums
Roses
Lavender
Jasmine
Chamomile
Lilacs