21
" French Toast Cupcake A vanilla cupcake with maple buttercream frosting and chopped bacon sprinkled on top. Vanilla Cupcake 1¾ cups flour 1¼ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1½ sticks butter, unsalted 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 eggs 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil ⅔ cup milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put paper liners in cupcake pan. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time. Add oil and milk. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. Bake about 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. Maple Buttercream ½ cup shortening ½ cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons real maple syrup 4 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milk Chopped bacon for garnish Cream together ½ cup shortening and ½ cup butter using an electric mixer. Add maple syrup. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk; beat until light and airy. Sprinkle with chopped bacon before frosting sets. "
― Jenn McKinlay , Red Velvet Revenge (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #4)
29
" Vegan Chocolate Cupcake A chocolate cupcake with a soy milk base and organic chocolate frosting. 1 cup soy milk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ⅔ cup agave nectar ⅓ cup canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 cup all-purpose organic flour ⅓ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside until it curdles. Add the agave nectar, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until no lumps remain. Pour into cupcake liners until they are ¾ of the way full. Bake 18–20 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Vegan Chocolate Frosting 1 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened ¾ cup organic margarine, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup agave nectar In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, margarine, vanilla, and agave nectar. Beat until it is smooth. Spread on top of cupcake with a rubber spatula. Vegan Vanilla Cupcake A vanilla cupcake with a soy milk base and an organic vanilla frosting. 1 cup vanilla soy milk 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ⅔ cup agave nectar ⅓ cup canola oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose organic flour ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside until it curdles. Add the agave nectar, oil, and vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture and beat with an electric mixer until foamy. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until no lumps remain. Pour into cupcake liners until they are ⅔ of the way full. Bake 18–20 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Vegan Vanilla Frosting 6 tablespoons vanilla soy milk 2 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Paste ¼ cup organic margarine 1 16-ounce package organic powdered sugar, sifted In a small bowl, mix together soy milk, vanilla bean paste, and margarine. Slowly beat in the sugar until frosting is smooth. Spread on top of cupcake with a rubber spatula. "
― Jenn McKinlay , Red Velvet Revenge (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #4)
30
" Pumpkin Cupcakes with
Whipped Cream Frosting 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Lastly, mix in the pumpkin until thoroughly blended. Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before frosting. Makes 24. Whipped Cream Frosting ½ cup heavy whipping cream, chilled 4 tablespoons powdered sugar In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, sift powdered sugar. Add the sugar to the whipped cream mixture and mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Frosting should be able to stand on its own. Garnish idea: Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. "
― Jenn McKinlay , Going, Going, Ganache (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #5)
32
" One of the things I love most about Paris is the breakfast pastry also called viennoiserie. As you might have guessed, I have a small bread problem, okay, bread and cheese problem, all right, it’s really a bread, cheese, and wine problem. Heck, I should probably just move to Paris. "
― Jenn McKinlay , Assault and Beret (Hat Shop Mystery, #5)
33
" Death by Chocolate Dark chocolate ganache on a chocolate with
chocolate chips cupcake. 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1½ cups white sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Add the chocolate chips. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Makes 12. Dark Chocolate Ganache 2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract Place chocolate chips in a large bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Once the cream boils, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chips. Let stand for a minute or two, then stir with a whisk until smooth. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Stir in the vanilla until well blended. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ganache and allow it to cool to room temperature. Dip tops of cool cupcakes into the mixture and allow it to dry. "
― Jenn McKinlay , Sprinkle with Murder (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #1)