Ring In The New Year With Champagne Cupcakes

3...2...1....

Happy New Year!!!

art by Bella Pilar

All right, all right, I know this post is a little late, but I figured that this recipe was still totally worth posting.

My friends hosted a fancy potluck for New Years this year. We all dressed to the nines and brought something to share with everyone else. I was asked to make a dessert and I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to try making champagne cupcakes.

Yup, more cupcakes with booze in them. Gotta love it!

I looked through a lot of recipes before I finally found this recipe on Gimme Some Oven. It had everything that I was looking for in the recipe; booze, buttercream and more booze.

Champagne Cupcakes

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne
6 egg whites 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

 

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne. 

(I used this fun-sized champagne that came in a 3-pack. It made it super easy to take the other 2 bottles to the party with me later.)

In another large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
(I have this fancy egg separator that I never get to use, so that was kinda excited to be able to separate so many eggs) 

Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full. 

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean

(I actually suggest baking these for 15 minutes instead of 20)

Sweet Champagne Buttercream Frosting

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes. Add vanilla and champagne, beating on medium for another minute.

I couldn't find my good icing tip, so I compromised by widening the one I had with a pair of pliers. It actually worked out pretty well.

I then sprinkled some pearl dust on it to give it some shimmer.

This one was my favourite. It kind of came out oddly, but I like it all the more because of it.

So, I mentioned that this was a fancy dress party, well, I spent way too much time on my hair then I usually do. 

No seriously, I spent like 3 hours doing my hair.

That is unheard of for me. I'm the queen of 10 minute hairdos.

My hair was super full and bouncy... and then I went out in the wind...

It survived ok, but wasn't quite as nice as it originally had been.

Here are a few of the pictures that they took of me.

When I get my computer working properly, I'll post the better pictures of my hair.

Go me.

Anyway, the party was a blast filled with lots of booze.

The cupcakes went over very well and were gone well before midnight.

What did you make for New Years?

Bacon Cupcakes

Bacon Cupcakes

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Take some bacon and you put it in a cupcake

Bacon Cupcakes

That's what I'm going to make

Bacon Cupcaaaaakes!

That is, of course, put to the Bacon Pancake tune from Adventure Time!

art by Matt Reedy

Now, this is a catchy tune on it's own, but it gets even catchier when Feast of Fiction sings it.

Ok, ok, so I'm not actually making pancakes, but when I got this song stuck in my head for over a month (your welcome) it started to involve into other things, and bacon cupcakes was one of them.

For Christmas I made my friend John some Maple Bacon Cupcakes by Bacon Today and sang this song through the whole process. Also, I was so caught up in singing and baking that I forgot to take process shots. Sorry :( 

But his recipe is too good not to pass on!

Bacon Maple Cupcakes

(makes about 6 cupcakes so you might want to double or triple the recipe)

 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

 1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)

1 egg

5 tablespoons brown sugar 

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/4 cups self rising flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

tiny tiny pinch kosher salt

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup of minced (maple) bacon, cooked and drained

Cook some bacon in a fry pan (about 6 thick strips). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/4 a cup of the bacon. 

The chef should eat whatever is left to assure that the bacon is tasty. 

Beat the crud out of the butter and solidified bacon fat ’till light and creamy. 

Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined. 

Add the egg and beat until incorporated. 

Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.

Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. 

Fold in the bacon. 

Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter.

Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking. 

Maple Syrup Frosting

(Again, this doesn't make much, so you'll want to make extra)

4 tablespoons of butter.

2 tablespoons of maple syrup.

1 cup of powdered sugar.

turbinado sugar (optional, but recommended).

coarse grain sea salt (optional, but recommended).

Combine the syrup and butter until combined. 

Add the sugar, a bit at a time, and whip at high speeds until combined. 

Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. 

Sprinkle on sea salt and turbinado sugar for decoration and a lot of added flavor.

(add some crumbled BACON TOO!)

I didn't add any of the extra bits, since it already looked so good. 

The cupcakes themselves look a little dark, but that's the added maple to the batter.

They were really quite good, which surprised me. I was worried that they would be strange.

These make the perfect gift or a really great pot-luck dessert that will keep people talking.

If you decide to try these, let me know how it goes!

Just What The Healer Ordered

I've been feeling drained lately and I can't seem to shake it. Maybe it's the winder blahs?

When an apple a day or taking two aspirins and making a call in the morning just won't cut it, it's time to level up to something a bit more potent.

Man, I would kill an owlbear for some of this stuff right now...

Thanks to That's Nerdalicious who knows how to mind their HP and MP

Doctor Who Baking Delights

Who doesn't love Doctor Who? New or Old, there is something for everyone.

Even us bakers.

 

In honour of 50 years of Doctor Who and the anniversary special airing this weekend, Lakeland is offering these amazingly geeky bakewares for us Whovians

Dalek Cupcake Wraps and Toppers

 

Disguise your cupcakes as delicious Daleks! The stars of our front cover, a batch of simple cupcakes can be easily transformed into a host of the Doctor's arch enemies.

Comprises 24 cake wraps and 24 toppers – 6 of each colour.

 

 

Doctor Who Dusting Set

 





 

 

Finish off your cakes or top cappuccino and hot chocolate with these dusting shields.

 



Dalek Cake Mould

 



Once a year, hostilities between The Doctor and the Daleks are halted and they sit down together to exterminate a cake. Our silicone mould enables you to make an intricately shaped Dalek cake all ready for decorating. Perfect too for a giant Dalek jelly!

 



 

 

Doctor Who Cake Pan

 



With indentations for creating six of the favourite characters from the show, our pan makes it easy. And because it’s made from silicone, you won’t need a sonic screwdriver to get them out.

 



 

 

Doctor Who Cookie Cutters

 

 

Bring some of the best-loved icons from the show to life with our polypropylene cutters that will stamp a design on each cookie, ready for icing.

 



 

And if Baking isn't your style and you want something a little more substantial for all your Doctor Who edible needs, check out this Whovian cookbook; Dining With The Doctor



Hello, sweetie.

Your taste buds are about to take a wibbly wobbly, timey wimey adventure through the Doctor Who reboot. Megafan and food writer Chris-Rachael Oseland spent a year rewatching all of series one through six and experimenting in her kitchen to bring you a fresh recipe for every single episode.

This book is a treat for any Whovian who wants to offer more than a plate of fish fingers and a bowl of custard at your next viewing party. Want to host an elegant dinner party to show off your new Tardis corset? Start the evening with a Two Streams Garden Cocktail followed by Baked Hath, Marble Cucumber Circuits with Vesuvian Fire Dipping Sauce, Professor Yana’s Gluten Neutrino Map Binder, Slitheen Eggs, and some of Kazran’s Night Sky Fog Cups for dessert.

If you’re just getting a few friends together to watch the latest episode, why not offer them an Ood Mezze Plate to munch on as stragglers wander in followed by some quick and easy Fish Custard Tacos, Open Faced Dalek Ironsides, Sontaran Soldiers, and a Cinnamon Pull Apart Crack in the Wall. They can wash it all down with a cup of the Pond’s Wedding Punch.

Lets be honest. No Whovian gathering is complete without them, so you also get an entire bonus chapter dedicated to interesting alternative takes on fish fingers and custard.

This comprehensive cookbook includes eighteen adult beverages, more than two dozen recipes for vegetarians, twenty that are safe for people with wheat allergies, and ten for the low carb dieters. You’ll be prepared for every possible guest.

The ebook also includes over 50 full color photos, a linked table of contents for easy navigation, and a useful appendix.

Put on your fez and straighten your bow tie. You own a cookbook now. Cookbooks are cool.

Geronimo! 

 

 

I really want to throw a Doctor Who theme party and make all of this stuff! Sadly I will not be hosting one this weekend due to the fact that I'm still a season behind! I know! I can hardly believe it!

 

For those of you who are new to the Who, I'm excited to say that you can now find it on Canadian Netflix! Woohoo!

 

 

Anyway, for you who are watching this weekend, enjoy!

Allons-y!

Halloween - Bake Star Wars For Me Style

Wow, there has just been so much going on these last few months, I've barley had time to breath, let alone bake or blog. When did life get so busy?

This last week was no exception, especially with Halloween.

Now, I know I usually blog on Talk Star Wars To Me about Halloween, but this year, I figured that here was more appropriate, considering that there was a lot of food involved and not as much costuming. 

Let's start with pumpkins. My awesome friend Jocey, invited me over for some good old fashioned pumpkin carving! Now I hadn't carved pumpkins since I was a kid, so I was super excited and kind of leery  about my pumpkin carving skill level.

But as you can see, I don't think I needed to worry, Jocey had a plan.

 And an awesome array of pumpkins, squashes and gourds

This little guy's name is Gord.

Jocey's fantastic Jack Skellington

Lou and Hillbilly Billy

My Ernie turned out pretty good if I do say so myself

 Here they are all lit up

Check out how creepy this guy turned out!

So, the day before Halloween, I made cupcakes for the night itself. We had a Call of Cthulhu RPG night planned and I wanted to make cupcakes that would go with it.

But what flavour do you make something so dark and mysterious?

I went with the only thing I could think of; Guinness. I mean, it does absorb the light around it...

Guinness Cupcakes

by My Baking Addiction

1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

 Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.

 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.

I love my mixer soooo much!

 Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins

I used these awesome cupcake liners that I've had kicking around for a few years now and never had a good reason to use. I think they were perfect for this.

 Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

I didn't really like the icing recipe that went with these, so I decided to make this instead.

Cream Cheese Icing
by Allrecipies

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese,
softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.

I then tinted it red with more red food colouring than I'd like to admit.
I couldn't find my awesome piping tip so I had to ice them by hand, which leaves a lot to be desired. I then added slivered almond teeth and chocolate covered almond eyes and there you have it

THE EYE OF AZATHOTH!

Perfect for a night of Horror!

This was my costume for work. Yup, I was a business-casual Darth Vader.

I really just wanted to wear my Darth Vader dress. Can you blame me? It's pretty awesome.

We also attended a Halloween party with some friends on the weekend and were asked to bring snacks.

Instead of making something sweet, like I usually do, we decided to try something else instead.

Deep Fried Ravioli

by Chaneling Contessa

1 package store bought ravioli (about 24)

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Italian style bread crumbs

1 tsp dried Oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

vegetable oil and olive oil for frying

fresh basil for garnish

Preheat the oil: Fill deep frying pan with two inches of oil- 3/4 vegetable oil, 1/4 olive oil. Preheat until a thermometer reads 325°. Or you can guesstimate like we did, but I don't recommend it.

While the oil heats and sauce cooks, prep the ravioli. Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs, oregano, salt, and pepper in another bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for the ravioli. Dip first in the buttermilk, shaking when lifting out of the bowl, then dredge in the bread crumbs. Place on the baking sheet while you coat the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning until golden brown- about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle with extra cheese and shredded basil.

How amazing do these look?

Cheesy Marinara Sauce:

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

 In a medium sized saucepan, sautée the onion in olive oil over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes, until very soft. Stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flake and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce directly in the pot until mostly smooth. Fold in the  grated cheese.

You're going to want to try this recipe. It's fantastic! It was hard not to eat them all myself.
They didn't last very long at the party. Once people started trying them, they disappeared!

As for costumes, Adam and I went as Hipster Mario and Luigi

Yeah, we went there.

I love his moustache!

So hipster....

So how was your Halloween? Do/make anything special? Let me know.