Cupcake Cannon....Awesome.

CUPCAKE CANNON from kamp grizzly on Vimeo.



I totally support this use of cupcakes. They are so versatile! One of the many reasons I love them.

Angel Food Cupcakes with Strawberry Center and Whipped Cream Icing.

I made these pretty little cupcakes for my wonderful friend Mary Rachel's Birthday. I had never made Angel Food cake from scratch before, I almost forgot to add the flour and came close to making meringues instead! That would have been funny. They turned out tasting a bit like marshmallows minus the gelatin but when stuffed with a strawberry and topped with whipped cream and yet another strawberry they tasted light, fluffy and delicious.

 I unfortunately do not yet have photos of the finished whipped cream topped product, but use your imagination: It was 90 degrees outside so they were a tad messy. I frosted them while standing in the walk in refrigerator, mostly for my benefit.

 Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 1 hour


Servings: 20 ( I doubled the recipe to make 40, because there were lots of people around, It still was not enough, everyone had to split one with their cupcake buddy)


Ingredients:


12 Eggs
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar


Directions:


1) Separate eggs; discard yolks, Measure egg whites adding or removing to equal 1 1/2 cups. Place in mixing bowl, let stand at room temp for 30 minutes


2)Meanwhile, sift confectioners sugar and flour together three times and set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is devolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into cupcake liners. 


3) I sliced strawberries and placed chunks into the center of the cupcakes


4)Bake at 350 degrees  F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs when lightly touched. ( The oven I used was super finicky so your oven may take more or less time.) Get to know your oven as if it were your best friend. 

 These would make delicious fourth of July cupcakes if topped with whipped cream, blueberries, and strawberries. Yum! This was my first time stuffing cupcakes and I was pleased with the outcome.

Sorry to post so infrequently, I will be in the woods working for Outward Bound the rest of the summer, but I assure you, when fall comes, and ladies climb night starts again, you can expect regular cupcake postings!

 Have a wonderful summer!

Thanks to my Wonderful friend Kevin Shon for the Photos! 

Piña Colada Cupcakes! Aloha!

Last Nights Ladies night was a Luau, and it was a blast. Once again I stopped by Bake it Pretty to acquire some hula girl toppers and other luau decor. I traded the nice bartender at The Laughing Seed a cupcake for some of those cute cocktail umbrellas to top things off.

I borrowed the following recipe for the cupcakes

HOWEVER :

• I had to add a lot more flour than the recipe calls for to get the right consistency of cake batter
• Next time I would add more pineapple than the recipe calls for, the flavor was a little too subtle. 
• There is no butter in the cupcakes. One has to be skeptical about baked goods with no butter. 

REGARDLESS:

• The cupcakes were yummy and adorable. 

Pineapple Cupcakes

(recipe by Glory Albin)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)

Directions-

1.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).

3.  On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.

4.  Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.

5.  Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.

6.  Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full.

7.  Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350*F oven for about 22 minutes.

8.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes.

For the frosting I did coconut cream cheese. 

Mix 2 sticks of butter (gotta make up for the lack of butter in the cupcakes) with 8oz cream cheese. 

Add 1/2 tbs. Coconut extract (This is flexible basically add to taste) 

Add Powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the right consistency (About 2 1/2 cups) 

I added shredded coconut to the mix, and also sprinkled it on top after frosting the cupcakes. 

The following photos are not the best ever, but you get the idea! Check 'em out!

One more reason I love cupcakes:

For all you cupcake eating climbers out there:

Cupcakes are to Cake 

like 

Boulders are to Cliffs 

Just think about it. 

(This is what I think about instead of final exams) 

Pirate Vs. Ninja Cupcakes: Chocolate Cupcake w/ Cookies & Cream Icing

So I know it has been a while since my last post, so sorry, I have been  fully immersed in end of semester craziness, Somehow I found time to make these super cool cupcakes for the last Ladies Climb night. This was the first chance I had to tell you about them. As you can see they are Pirate vs. Ninja themed goodies. I made chocolate cupcakes that turned out moist and delicious (see recipe below). For the icing, I just made a basic buttercream but added a packet of cream cheese and crumbled lots of Oreo's into it. It turned out tasting just like cookies and cream ice cream. Yum!

I bought the Pirate decorations from Bake it Pretty in downtown Asheville (My new favorite place!)
For the Ninja's I used the cream half of Oreos and painted ninja faces on with black decorative icing. I was pretty psyched on how they turned out! I also got to play for the first time with a large open star tip, also acquired from Bake it Pretty. Teaching myself how to make professional looking cupcakes is super fun and challenging. ( I should have taken a picture of the mess I made in my kitchen).

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe: (This is the doubled recipe and made about 18 regular and 24 small cupcakes)

1 1/2 cup cocoa powder 

1 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 sticks of butter (room temp)

2 cups of sugar

6 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla (I used maple syrup because I was out of vanilla and wanted to experiment) 

1 cup sour cream 

In one bowl combine butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla (or maple syrup in my case)

In a separate bowl combine cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.

Add the cocoa mixture and sour cream in three sections, beginning and ending with cocoa mixture.
Once blended, fill baking cups half way and bake for 15 minutes (small) or 20 minutes (regular) Time varies according to oven!

Let cool and then frost, decorate, and ENJOY!

       

Hilarious SNL short featuring Cupcakes....among other things

Check it out!

Check out this guest-post by yours truly on the wilder coast, an amazing blog by my good friend Melina.

thewildercoast.blogspot.com

Wonder-Woman Coconut Cupcakes with Key Lime Buttercream

 W- is for Wonder Women! I made these tasty cupcakes for this weeks Super Hero themed Ladies Climbing Night.

 Coconut Cupcake Recipe

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup milk with 1Tbs lemon juice combine and let sit for 2mins before using) 
• 7 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

The icing is a basic buttercream with 1Tbs lime juice, 1Tbs lemon juice, and zest from about six key limes. 

Then I added food coloring and sprinkles to end with some SUPER-cupcakes!

Honey Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream

In honor of the vernal equinox I wanted to make the most springy cupcakes EVER!

So I played around with Honey cupcakes and Lavender Buttercream. They turned out great despite some bumps in the baking road.

1st: The recipe called for buttermilk, which I didn't have so I used milk.

2nd: I ran out of regular flour and had to use a 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. This made the consistency of the cupcakes a little more dense than I would have liked but oh well.

3rd: I lost count of how many cups of flour I put in and decided to eyeball the right amount. luckily my eyeballs work fairly well.

The cupcakes came out looking and tasting fabulous and I then commenced experimentation with all of my new decorating goodies that I got for my birthday. I don't know the name of the baking tip I used but I was able to make the icing look floweresque.

As always I decided to wing the buttercream frosting with one exception, I put dried lavender flowers in a ziplock with the powdered sugar over night. I hoped it would infuse the sugar with more flavor. I decided not to sift the actual flowers out but leave them in the frosting. It turned out to have lots of flavor and complimented the honey taste of the cake beautifully.

Finally I topped them with little violet flowers from the front yard. I hope they go over well at ladies night tonight. The theme is Equinox Rocks! Stay tuned for further crushcake inspiration.

The Birthday Weekend

Birthdays are the best excuse for good food and good friends. Above I am enjoying a Wedge Porter cupcake with green tea icing From Short Street Cakes along with a Wedge Brewery Iron Rail IPA.

Yum! Julie got me the delicious cupcakes and my sweet Boyfriend got me the beer. Day one of Birthday extravaganza was made up of skipping class, lunch at Sunny Point Cafe, second lunch at 12bones, shopping at Minx and Virtue with the ladies, Beer and Cupcakes at the Wedge, Dinner at Boca and Drinks at Mela and the Thirsty Monk. GOTTA LOVE ASHEVILLE....P.s. cant nobody say I am not doing my part to stimulate the economy.

Saturday a crew of amazing folks went climbing at the North Side of Looking glass, then attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival in Brevard. The film festival was inspiring as always yet the selected films were a bit disapointing in the female representation department. Lets show em whats up gals!
On Sunday we climbed some rocks at rumbling bald. Then I rushed home to make a batch of honey lavender cupcakes for ladies night on Monday (post soon to come) and get ready for an evening out with the girls.
The plan was to go to Zambra for tapas and drinks and then to Hot springs for a soak in the mineral baths. We didn't quite make it to hot springs which was ok because dinner was delightful and we didn't want to rush the quality food time. I am so blessed to have a solid group of women as friends. They all rock! They all climb and/or paddle their hearts out and give their all to their communities, meanwhile remembering to have fun and eat well. Love em.

My Boyfriend called this birthday the birthday of cupcakes, he got me two cupcake cookbooks to go with the basket of cupcake decorating goodies my sister got me. So yeah, the people I love are feeding my obsession, and I appreciate them for it. I think they anticipate the secondary benefits. Which who can blame 'em?

I wanna thank Scott, Julie Springstien, Julie Hwang, Daniela, West, Walt, Courtney, Shilpa, Travis, Becca, Ari, Sarah Kate, Mom, Dad, and Loren for making my birthday so wonderful. Lets do it again for your birthdays!