Smore's cupcakes

I had to make cupcakes for YW for part of girls camp. I thought it only made sense to do smore's cupcakes!

Smore's cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the graham cracker crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup sugar

5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the cake:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1½ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

½ tsp. cream of tartar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. (Note: I found the bottom of my squeeze bottle to be the perfect size to do this job neatly and quickly.) Divide chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts evenly. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.

To make the cake batter, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just to combine. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir just to combine (batter will be thin).

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Return the pans to the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments.

Lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream

Lemon cupcakes with lemon buttercream

Cake:

1 package lemon cake mix

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup oil

4 eggs

1 small package lemon instant pudding

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick. For cupcakes, bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (I was able to get 24 very full cupcakes from the recipe). For regular cake, pour into a greased 9×11 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Don’t over bake or the cake will be too dry! The toothpick test works to check to see if they’re done.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft

6-8 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added 6 cups total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

Garnish with berries, if desired right before serving.

Peacock wedding cake

This last weekend was spent making yet another wedding cake. I put in some serious hours on this baby! But it was actually really fun and it's always worth it when you get it all set up and see what you've been doing for the last 3 days. The bride chose to do a cupcake cake, with one 9 inch cake tier on top, and the color inspiration for the reception was taken from a peacock feather. Different feathers were used throughout the reception decor.

The actual cake layer was white cake with a strawberry filling, covered in vanilla buttercream, and then MMF. Half the cupcakes were red velvet cupcakes with a cream cheese icing filling and frosting. The other half were white cake cupcakes with a strawberry filling and vanilla buttercream icing.

To make the white cake I use a regular cake mix, but doctor it a little to make it more moist and delicious.

White cake (and cupcakes)
Box Cake Mix
1 box (4 serving size) regular (not sugar free) instant pudding mix
Number of eggs called for on cake box + 1
Double the amount of oil called for on cake box
1 cup water (use lemonade if making a lemon cake)

Beat the eggs to mix together the whites and yolks
Slowly beat in the oil
Mix in the pudding mix
Add 1/2 of the cake mix and 1/2 of the water, mix until combined
Add rest of cake mix and rest of water, mix until combined
Beat on high for 3 minutes

Bake at 350 degrees, may take 45 to 50 minutes to bake, depending on size of pan, start checking for doneness at 30 minutes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 fluid ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 23 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack.

Strawberry Filling
recipe from wilton.com

Ingredients:
1 pkg (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries , packed in sugar and thawed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Makes: 2 cups of filling.

Directions:
Drain strawberries; reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups. In large saucepan, combine strawberry liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir strawberries into the cooled mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. Fill cupcake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Strawberry Cream Filling
recipe from wilton.com

Ingredients:

1 pkg (16 ounces) frozen sliced strawberries in syrup thawed
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Makes: 2 1/2 cups of filling.

Directions:
Combine strawberries, cream and corn starch in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and chill before filling cupcakes or using as an icing on cupcakes.


Cream Cheese Icing
Makes: About 5 1/2 cups of icing.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (about 2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:
In medium mixer bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth, add vanilla. Add sugar one cup at a time and milk. Mix well. Beat on high until smooth (only 30 seconds to 1 minute). Thin to ice cake smooth; use full strength for piping borders.

NOTE: Do not use light cream cheese or butter substitute. If margarine is used, icing will be softer.

Wedding cake

This weekend I got to make a wedding cake for a girl in my ward. I had a lot of fun doing it and was happy with how it turned out. The picture is bad lighting, but the cake was white with blue ribbon.

The middle and top layer were Chocolate Fudge cake with white chocolate truffle filling and covered in vanilla buttercream icing. The whole cake was covered in MMF.

Chocolate Fudge Cake
recipe from wilton.com

Ingredients:
•2 cups all-purpose flour unsifted
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•3/4 cup butter or margarine room temperature
•2 cups sugar
•3 eggs
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1 1/2 cups milk
•3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
•Cake Release
Makes: 6 cups of batter.


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Cream butter and sugar together until light in texture. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture. Beat thoroughly. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat thoroughly.

Brush two 8 or 9 in. cake pans with Cake Release or generously grease pans with solid vegetable shortening and flour, or use Cake Release (Click here for complete instructions on preparing baking pans.) Pour batter into pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center


White Chocolate Truffle filling

Ingredients:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1/8 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 pound good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), finely chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Instructions
Bring 1 cup cream and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Let white chocolate mixture stand at room temperature until lukewarm, about 20 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream in large bowl until peaks form. Working in 3 batches, fold in lukewarm white chocolate mixture. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.


Buttercream Icing
recipe from wilton.com

Ingredients:
•1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
•1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
•4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
•2 tablespoons milk
Makes: About 3 cups of icing

Instructions
(Medium Consistency)
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes

Marshmallow Fondant

15 oz. mini marshmallows
2 Tblsp water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
2 tsp light corn syrup (helps w/ pliability)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 lbs (approx 7 C) confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 C Crisco or vegetable shortening


Directions:
Grease microwave proof bowl w/ Crisco. Also grease wooden or heat proof spoon. Pour marshmallows and water into bowl. Microwave for approximately 2 minutes stopping and stirring at 40 second intervals. Mixture should be soupy.

Take out of microwave and immediately add corn syrup, lemon juice, salt and extracts. Stir well. Sift confectioner's sugar into mixture, one cup at a time. After approximately 5 cups, grease your hands well with Crisco and knead the mixture in the bowl. Add the sixth cup and continue to knead. Now grease your work surface well and turn mixture out of bowl onto counter. Sift remaining sugar, regrease hands, and knead well. If mixture seems soft, add one additional cup of powdered sugar.

Shape into a mound and put a coating of crisco on outside. Double wrap in cling wrap and insert into ziplock bag. Press air out of bag and seal. Allow to rest overnight, but, can be used after sitting for a few hours.


To make gumpaste, add Gum-Tex (wilton) or Tylose powder. Knead in and let rest 2 hours or more.