Holiday Cupcakes

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Nutmeg Icing

Ingredients: 

for cake ~

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup fresh, unpasteurized apple cider

for frosting ~

  • 2 sticks ( 1 cup) salted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cupcake pan with nonstick spray or use paper liners. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix again.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, spices, salt and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture then drizzle in the cider slowly with the mixer running on low. Mix until just combined.

Fill cupcake molds 3/4th of the way full with the batter. Bake for 20-23 minutes until golden. Let cool completely while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar, vanilla and nutmeg for about 10 minutes — until very fluffy. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you desire!

Yields: 12 Cupcakes 

Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with Bailey's Icing 

Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup strong hot coffee
  • 3 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 3/4 cup dark cocoa
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise, room temperature

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners

 Whisk together coffee, espresso powder and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.  Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in another small bowl and set aside.  Measure out buttermilk and mix with vanilla extract and set aside.

In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and salt.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly and scraping the side of the bowl before adding the next egg.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined.  Add 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix until combined.  Repeat, ending with the last of the flour mixture.  Add the cocoa and coffee mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.  Fold in mayonnaise.

Divide equally into prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 16-18 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool thoroughly on wire racks before frosting.

Bailey's Buttercream 

Ingredients: 

  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla
  • pinch of salt
  • Bailey’s to taste

Directions: 

 Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

 In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

 Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and Bailey’s (to taste) and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

Garnish with a chocolate covered espresso bean.

yields: 2 Dozen Cupcakes 

Skylar BoruckeComment