Tiramisu Cupcakes (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

The Story:

I don't know why I always feel compelled to write these sections. I mean sometimes there is a really story behind why I made a certain thing, but sometimes the story is I just wanted to bake. Or eat. Or put someone in a sugar coma. No elaborate back-story, just plain and simple.

Anyway, I made these the same day as the banana bread because it was family night and we were going to be having my family plus my new brother-in-law and his family over for dinner as well. It was just enough people to warrant a "purposed" dessert...maybe making 24 cupcakes was a little overkill...but I figured I could swing an acceptable excuse if that's what it came down to.

I'm always looking for interesting ways to dress up a cupcake. So when in the brilliant corners of my mind the idea for tiramisu cupcakes emerged--I was extremely excited.

I found several different recipes-ranging from super simple to crazy complex. So taking into consideration all that I wanted these cupcakes to be--this one seemed like the best and way to go:

Tiramisu Cupcakes


The Method:

These cupcakes are not difficult to make, but they are time consuming as there transformation process requires several different stages.

The Cupcake:

I decided to go with the white cake box mix to save time. I'm sad I did because that was the one thing I disliked about this cupcake, but I was pressed for time so it needed to be done.

If time permits, making a vanilla/white batter from scratch could really take these cupcakes up a notch.

The liquid layer:
Tiramisu is cake soaked in espresso and rum. Because I don't keep rum in my house and I'm not a big fan of the strong liquor flavor, I opted to add a little rum extract to the coffee liquid recipe. This gave it a little bit of the original flavor without being over powering. (A little FYI: make sure you have instant coffee. I accidentally bought ground coffee in a can and ended up straining the whole concoction several times to get all the grounds out)

The soak:
I also don't like soggy bread, so drenching my cupcake creations in coffee was not an appealing option. I tried poking holes in the top with toothpicks, but I could tell that pouring the coffee over it was just going to create a huge mess. Instead, I opted to cut a small cone out of the tops of each cupcake (just like I did for the Strawberry Stuffed Lime Coconut Cupcakes I had made the week earlier).

This did the trick. I was able to pour a small amount of the coffee liquid into the cupcake centers to give it an authentic "flare," if you will, without completely destroying the integrity of the cupcake structure. No soggy mess. No stress. ;)



The filling/frosting:
This recipe (and all tiramisu recipes in general) call for mascarpone cheese in the filling. But I couldn't, for the life of me, find mascarpone cheese anywhere. I tried both of our major grocery stores, but with no luck. I decided to just use cream cheese, since it was already called for in the frosting. (I have since found out that Whole Foods carries mascarpone cheese...big shocker there...as well as Trader Joes)
I ended up using the same recipe for the filling as I did for the frosting. I guess the cupcakes didn't really have a "special" filling then, but an overflow of frosting.


To frost the cupcakes, I spooned a small amount into a ziploc plastic bag, made a small cut in the corner, and piped the cheese frosting into (and onto) the cupcake.

The finishing touches:

For decoration, I dusted the finished cupcakes with cocoa powder and placed a small chocolate chip in the middle.


The Results:

I was very impressed with these cupcakes. I was pleased that the rum flavor was dialed down and that the inside of the cake was not soggy. Even the cream cheese frosting worked out very well (although I would use mascarpone next time). The only thing I would make sure to do differently...is to make the darn batter from scratch! I should have learned by now that I hate the box mix and that even when it saves me time, I always regret it. Honestly, a good "cake" recipe would have perfected this endeavor. But alas, I must make this journey again in order to taste a cupcake that meets my rigorous standards.

I must say though...they are kinda cool lookin'.

The Search for the Best Banana Bread (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

The Story:

I don't know about you, but I'm extremely picky about my fruit. I have a preferred way to eat each one. Apples have to be firm and crisp. Grapes can't be mushy. Peaches need to be in a half-ripened stage. And Bananas...well, they're the most complicated of all. I've found that there is about a "two-day" window, in which bananas are edible. When they are almost ripen...mostly yellow, but with still a tinge of green. Before that they are tasteless and leave a sticky film in your mouth. After that, well there's not much you can do, unless, you freeze them right away. If you miss that window there is only two options: Garbage or Banana Bread.

...And that leads us into how this post came about. My sister was coming over for breakfast because she had just gotten back from her honeymoon...and I was in desperate need of some sister time. I had planned to just make coffee or maybe some pancakes because we are not big breakfast eaters, but I saw two bananas on the counter on the brink of extinction and I decided to take pity on them. Thankfully, my brother had my cousin and his friend over so I would have more than enough mouths to finish off the loaf.

I looked around for the best banana bread I could find. I searched cookbooks, the Internet, etc. And I came upon this recipe that people were raving about. It even called for sour cream. Sold. Hook, line, and sinker. Flours Famous Banana Bread

The Method:

I followed the recipe just as it indicated. I debated for awhile on whether or not to include nuts, because I know that often causes issues. Personally, I like nuts if they are cooked in the bread. So I did a quick "allergy" check...no one? Good. :) The recipe only made one loaf. I'm used to the recipes I use making two loaves so I was a little sad. But then we didn't have days of leftover break getting stale and expanding our wastes so it worked out.

The Results:

The bread turned out really well. It was moist and delicious. I can't say that it's the best recipe out there, but it was a very good one just the same. My brother raved about it, and he's a professional banana bread connoisseur. So if you're looking for a new recipe or just something to save those pesky bananas then here you go!

...And there was enough to send home to my sister's husband!

S'more Cupcakes Please! (★ ★ ★ ★ ☆)

The Story:
Well, by now we know that I'll use any excuse to bake...especially cupcakes. Because you can decorate them! It was my sister's wedding rehearsal dinner and I was trying to decide on cupcake that would fit the theme and "wow" the guests. Because sometimes you bake for the praise. ;)

Being the middle of July, I figured I'd do some sort of 'refreshing' cupcake--like strawberry lemonade (which I have yet to do, but mark my words--its on my list!). But that felt more like a 'bridal shower' cupcake as opposed to an event where there would be men involved. So what did that mean? Just one thing. Chocolate.

Chocolate + Summer = S'mores. It's a perfectly scientific equation.

I scoured the internet for interesting ideas and finally settled on these as my inspiration. A graham cracker crust? Singed marshmallow topping? Score!  S'more Cupcakes

The Method...
Because these cupcakes required a little bit of assembly, I decided to make the cupcake part the day before so I could just frost and decorate them the day of the rehearsal. I do this alot actually, which takes alot of the stress out. No more waiting till the cupcakes are cool enough to frost so I can finally leave the house with them. We have an extra dining room so I find that this is often where I store my bald cupcakes over night.

The Crust:
I made the crust according to the instructions on the "Holman..." blog. I actually found a shot glass in one of our cupboards to help pack the crust into the bottom. But before that, I was using a regular spoon and that worked just fine.

The Middle:
For the chocolate pieces, I used chopped chocolate chips because I had them on hand. It was nice to know that those were on the inside of each cupcake, but you couldn't really tell once they were actually cooked and finished. I knew this would happen because we used to cook massive amounts of marshmallows into our brownies, which gave them an extra moist gooey texture...but you couldn't actually SEE them. Same goes with the same amount of melted chocolate.

The Cake:
I decided just to go with a Devil's Food box cake mix, since I was going to have to make a crust. I didn't want to spend ALL day on the cupcakes. I find that Duncan Hines & the Betty Crocker Super Moist chocolate cake mixes are really good. So I default to those alot without feeling too guilty.




The Frosting:

Attempt #1-Fail.

Ideally, what I wanted was a marshmallow frosting that I could toast to get that "perfect" s'more look...with just a hint of brown, delicious crispness on the outside and gooeyness on the inside. Since my last attempt at marshmallow frosting failed, I decided to go a different route. My ingenious plan involved marshmallow fluff and a toaster oven. Needless to say, it didn't work. I had never used marshmallow fluff before so I didn't know that the second you open the jar the fluff deflates into a runny mess. Piling that stuff on a cupcake is a chore AND expecting it to magically fix itself and toast in the oven...well, that is just plain stupid. But try I did... and fail I did even more.


Attempt #2-Go To Success.
Since my dreams of the perfect marshmallow topping were obviously not coming true...I resorted to my trusty back up. Pillsbury Cream Cheese frosting. I try to keep one stashed in my pantry for such emergencies as this. I was a little worried about the cheese flavor ruining the s'more theme, but actually I think it tasted just fine...alot better than those way-too-sweet vanilla frostings.


Finishing Touches:
To me, this is the most important part. I'd even put it before taste. Because an ugly cupcake, is an uneaten cupcake. And an uneaten cupcake is a sad, pathetic, lonely mass incapable of fulfilling its life's destiny. And frankly...I just can't have that.

I wanted the top to convey the cupcake's theme/flavor so I decided to place a Hershey's chocolate square (this time I've got to go with the classic) and graham cracker crumbs. Because the original plan for frosting didn't work out I decided to put individual mini marshmallows on the tops as well. It still bothered me that I could have that authentic "roasted" look...I even went so far as to toast the mini ones in the toaster oven for a while...but they were too gooey to transport from the pan to the cupcake in one piece. Boy did I wish I had a kitchen torch.
The Results:

Some things don't turn out the way you plan...and if you are an obsessive planner like me, you'll find that more often than not that's exactly the case. So you've got to just roll with the punches. The cupcakes turned out great. I loved the way they looked, even if it wasn't my first choice. The crust on the cupcake was amazing. Definitely worth the extra time...and they tasted good. Win-win.

Strawberry Stuffed Lime-Coconut Cupcakes (★ ★ ★ ★ ☆)

As I've grown older, I've come to realize that being the oldest child sometimes comes with perks...but most of the time it just means more responsibility. Not that it's always a bad thing--Oh, how I love to be in charge. But sometimes I find I bite off more than I can chew. Like that time I thought it would be a good idea to make beef stew and a homemade apple pie for dinner one night after school...um, we didn't eat till 10:00pm.
The Story:

Anyway, my sister was getting married and I was the maid of honor. My aunts we're already throwing her a bridal shower, but since we had so much family she couldn't really invite any of her friends. So I took it upon myself as her sister and honorly maid to throw her another "friends" shower. Now this was all good in theory, however, we had just gotten back from a week an a half road trip to Canada and I somehow found myself in charge of the other "family" shower as well. Needless, to say it was just one of those weeks.

I had planned to make it simple, but I'm a perfectionist. Which means that even the most seemingly "simple" task or arrangement will look effortless to the untrained eye, but we perfectionists know that careful thought, planning, and organized execution goes into each and every step. I set up a quick invite on Facebook and planned an outdoor movie night: Projector-check. Screen-check. Popcorn machine-check. Only thing left? Cupcakes!!

I wanted something light and refreshing, but completely different and unique. I came upon this recipe for Strawberry-Lime Stuffed Cupcakes that fit the bill. I was captivated. Strawberry Lime Stuffed Cupcakes

The Method:
I had seen some other strawberry stuffed cupcakes during my initial "research," but none seemed as good as these. One recipe actually baked the strawberry in the middle instead of placing a fresh one in, which seemed like a good idea...but the 'after' picture wasn't at all appealing so I decided to stick with the "fresh" method. See here.  However, in my internet-blog travels, I found that several recipes included coconut. Well, I had a bunch of coconut left over from my Red Velvet cupcake endeavor so I thought, "why not?" I don't like shredded coconut unless it's toasted...cause, frankly, it tastes like hair. So I bought some coconut flavoring to go into the cupcakes.

Needed:

For Cake:
1 White Cake Box Mix (prepared according to instructions)
2 Tbsp Coconut Flavor (add more or less to taste)

• Mix all together and pour into cupcake liners. Makes 24. (I kept adding more coconut flavor but it still didn't seem to show very strongly...even in the cooked cupcakes)

For frosting:
1 tub of cream cheese frosting (2 tubs, depending on how much you like to put on)
1 lime (juiced, add more or less to taste)

• I just squeezed a half of a lime into the frosting at a time. I think I ended up using about one limes worth of juice. (Honestly this was the best part...it was DE-lic-i-OUS! The lime helps to lighten the frosting even more...which could prove to be a dangerous thing if you have leftovers and a clean spoon nearby).

The Strawberry:
24 Strawberries (washed and completely dry. in this case the smaller the better)

• Take a sharp knife (one that will easily cut the cupcake without smashing it) and cut a small cone shaped piece out of the top of each of the cupcakes. Then gently place...okay, lets be honest...shove a clean, de-stemmed strawberry into the middle of the cupcake. (Make sure the strawberries are not still wet from being washed...you don't want to accidentially make cupcake mush during this process). This "strawberry-ing" part is actually pretty easy. Just an fyi, you might have to cut the strawberries a little bit if they are too big and are protruding from the cupcake tops.

The Decorations:

• Lime Rind
• Toasted Coconut
• Strawberry pieces (cut up)

I think I actually went a little overboard with this one. I think the strawberry on top was a little too much. The coconut and lime rinds were the perfect "delicate" decorations. I felt like the strawberry piece (as small as it was) kind of took away some of the mystery of the cupcake...and it kind of blew the surprise of the middle. Obviously, you can do as you want, but next time I'm going to learn from my own mistakes and let the concealed middle work it's magic.

The Results:
The cupcakes were amazing. Honestly, they were beautiful. The cupcakes turned out nicely...not even one deflated. The strawberries fit in the middle and the frosting tasted delicious. The only thing I wish I would have done differently was I would have liked to make the cupcakes from scratch. I hate the white cake box mix. It's too airy. I want to find the best basic vanilla cupcake recipe to replace this habit. But until then, this way is easy and they always look nice even if they aren't the best tasting.
Besides that, though, these cupcakes were perfect. I loved the way they looked and how unique they were. The strawberry in the middle really cinches the deal. This recipe makes some of the prettiest cupcakes I've ever seen

...and THAT's saying something.

Rockin' Rainbow Roller Disco Cupcakes (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

...Now say that five times fast.

It was still June and the birthdays just kept on coming. Next on the list was the one I'd been waiting for...my best friend Marina's birthday. We had planned to have a 70's Themed Roller Disco party down at the local roller rink. Yes, there was only one left in town and it smelled a little musty. But if you know Marina at all you'd know that this was totally her type of party. We had discussed making some crazy good peanut butter cupcakes because well...peanut butter is awesome. But one day she called me up excited about her new, "brilliant" idea: Neon cupcakes. And I agreed. Neon + Cake + Skates = Good. 

I wasn't exactly going for anything fancy with these cupcakes. I just really wanted the color to be bright. As I was researching how to do this I came across this blog that had a recipe for "Rainbow Cake." She was trying to make a cake that was low in sugar, etc. because she was on a diet, but I LOVED her technique. The cake was extremely bright and rich in color. AND what also impressed me was that the different colors were not layered one on top of the other. They were swirled in no particular order without blending into each other. I knew I had to have cupcakes like this.

Method:

In order to achieve this look, you take the white cake batter (in this case I just used a white cake mix) and divide it into separate bowls. Then you take food coloring (I used McCormick's Neon Food Color...although I've read that Betty Crocker's Neon Food Color Gel is even better) and mix one into each bowl. To make sure your cupcakes don't have that "rainbow layered" look, spoon the individual colors into the corner of each cupcake liner...this way it will look more like colored splotches/sections instead of consecutive lines.

For detailed instructions and pictures (yay!!) here is my source: Rainbow Cake

The cupcakes turned out amazing! Better than I even expected. The colors were extremely bright and rich. I almost didn't want to frost them.

Frosting:

I ended up frosting them with cream cheese frosting from the store and dyeing them with yellow and red food color. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the frosting to be as brilliant as the cake. I think it was because I didn't have orange neon color so I had to make do with the original red and yellow I had. And the cream cheese frosting already has a slight tint to it so it wasn't a pure blank canvas. I think vanilla frosting would have worked with the color better in this case...even though I find the taste of it too sweet.

I always find cupcakes look better when they've been decorated...even if the cupcake is a decoration in itself. Someone brought in oranges to work that day and I decided to take one home and place thin slices on top. Just a little something...I didn't want to overpower the glory of the cupcake surprise. :)

Result:

The cupcakes were a hit! Marina and I commented on how they tasted like Lucky Charms. It wasn't necessarily about amazing taste for these...it was about presentation. And these babies delivered. We had to move the whole party out to the car to eat them because the roller rink didn't allow any food. But the 100ft trek was worth it.