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leilockheart: quote submitted by brinalazareanu

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:27:27 -0500

leilockheart:

quote submitted by brinalazareanu

wowfunniestposts: this blog is hilarious

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:56:54 -0500

wowfunniestposts:

this blog is hilarious

prettygirlfood: Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe Yield: 14...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:09:36 -0500

prettygirlfood:

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe

Yield: 14 cupcakes

2 C all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 C cocoa powder

3/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 C brown sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 C sour cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 C liquid from a jar of maraschino cherries (I used a jar from Whole Foods with no high-fructose corn syrup)

8 oz dark chocolate chips

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder.

In another medium-sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until well combined.

Mix eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and cherry liquid into the wet ingredients.

Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Divide evenly between 14 cupcake liners.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Your Frosting Choices

As I mentioned above, I made two different frostings for these cupcakes: maraschino cherry buttercream (the one that looks white in the photos) and chocolate black cherry cream cheese (the one that looks pink in the photos). While I’m not a fan of buttercream or maraschino cherries, I thought Bride 4.0 would enjoy that option. It turns out that she, like me, preferred the cream cheese frosting. However, since some tasters raved about the buttercream, I am sharing both options.

Maraschino Cherry Buttercream Frosting

Note: Double this recipe if you prefer lots of frosting.

1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature

2 C powdered sugar (If you prefer a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar.)

5 tbsp liquid from a jar of maraschino cherries

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (you can use vanilla extract instead, but vanilla bean paste is so much better - read my post on vanilla bean paste for more details)

2 tbsp milk

Mix butter and powdered sugar until the mixture looks like frosting.

Mix in the cherry liquid, vanilla bean paste, and milk.

Pipe or spread on cupcakes.

Black Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

Note: Double this recipe if you prefer lots of frosting.

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

3 C powdered sugar

6 tbsp black cherry jam

2 tsp chocolate extract (You can use vanilla extract if you don’t want to buy something special, but the chocolate extract adds a subtle chocolate flavor while allowing the frosting to remain pink.)

Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

Slowly mix in powdered sugar until the mixture looks like frosting.

Mix in jam and chocolate extract until combined.

Spread or pipe on cupcakes.

prettygirlfood: Vanilla Malt Sprinkle Bark Cake Vanilla Malt...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:04:18 -0500

prettygirlfood:

Vanilla Malt Sprinkle Bark Cake

Vanilla Malt Cake
• 195g butter, room temperature
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 195g self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 120g Horlicks (or Milo for a chocolate malt cake)
• 60ml milk
• 60ml boiling water

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the bottom of two 20cm round springform tins. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and then vanilla seeds and vanilla extract, beating to combine. Sift flour, baking powder and Horlicks together and then fold gently into the mixture until nearly combined. Add milk and fold again, then add water and fold once more.

Quickly divide mixture between the two prepared cake tins and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove and cool in tins for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Sprinkle Bark
• 180g high quality dark chocolate (I used 70%), chopped
• 320g high quality white chocolate, chopped
• Sprinkles of your choice, I used sprinkles, hundreds and thousands and popping candy

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Melt the dark chocolate, and then pour onto your parchment/mat and spread (with a small offset spatula for ease) until desired thickness is achieved. Freeze for 20 minutes to set.

Melt the white chocolate, and let sit for about 3 minutes. Remove tray with set chocolate from the freezer. and pour white chocolate on top, repeating the same spreading technique as you did with the dark chocolate. Toss sprinkles on right away. Freeze for 20 more minutes. Once set, break or cut into pieces. Store in the refrigerator.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream

• 1 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• Seeds of ½ vanilla bean, scraped
• 1 tablespoon milk

Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy. Add vanilla bean and milk and continue to beat for another minute.If desired, add more vanilla bean to taste, or more icing sugar to make it stiffer.

To assemble, place one cake onto a plate or cake stand. Cover top with vanilla bean buttercream. Place second cake on top. Cover top and sides with vanilla bean buttercream and smooth with an offset spatula to get a nice finish. Place pieces of broken sprinkle bark over the top and sides of the cake, and serve.