Happy Birthday To Me! Chai & Honey Cupcakes

So this past weekend was my Birthday! Yay! I am officially 31 and just getting better with age.

Not only was it my birthday, but also Canadian Thanksgiving. So I decided to make myself some cupcakes that would go well for both occasions.  

For my love of bees and the sweet goodness they provide; Honey

For the quickly coming fall and all the warm delights that go with it; Chai Tea

Mix them together to combine something amazing;

Chai & Honey Cupcakes

This awesome recipe comes from the same book as 

the Rose Water & Raspberry cupcakes that I posted about earlier this year.

So far these recipes have proven to be worth making

3 chai-spice tea bags

2/3 cup boiling water

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, at room temperature

honey, to drizzle (or honeycomb, cut into 1-inch pieces, for garnish)

Position oven rack in the middle of oven; preheat to 350°; line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a small bowl, steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 5 minutes.

Discard tea bags and let the tea cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt together.

Look at that beautiful, organic, wildflower honey
soooo good....

In a big bowl, combine the honey, melted butter, buttermilk, and egg.

Add the flour mixture and, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until just combined, about 2 minutes.

Add in the cooled tea and beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

Bake about 18-20 minutes, until a pick comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cook in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour (the unfrosted cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before frosting and garnishing).

Honey Whipped Cream

1 cup cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons honey

In a chilled bowl, combine the cream and honey; using an electric mixer on low speed, beat until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Gradually increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks, 2-3 minutes; use right away.

I did n't have any honeycomb and neither did the store, so I opted for topping my cupcakes with a drizzle of honey.

If you let the honey sit on the whipped cream for a moment, it starts to sink in and leave these cute little indented lines in it.

These cupcakes were perfect. Not only were they better than I thought they would be, they were also the perfect fall treat!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Stay tuned, as I'm hoping to get my computer back up and running again soon so I can post more of the treats I made this summer.

May The Fourth Be With You

Happy Star Wars Day to all my geeks out there!

Oreo Cupcakes

 

The Handsomest, most Amazing man in the World, my boyfriend Adam (yes, I might be a teensy bit bias in this regard, but I'm ok with that) recently had a birthday.

He decided to throw himself a board game party and invited all his friends.

I, of course, loving themed treats, scoured the internet for ideas for game themed cupcakes, but found I didn't come away very inspired.

Adam asked that I make him Oreo cupcakes instead. I've been meaning to make him some Oreo treats for awhile now, so I jumped at the idea. I looked at lots of recipes and finally decided to do it my own way.

 

For the cake I used the Vanilla Tex Mex recipe, but cut way back on the cinnamon. Instead, I got a bag of mini Oreos and cut them into small chunks, middle stuff and all and mixed them into the batter.

 

I placed a full sized Oreo cookie at the bottom of each baking cup, then filled the rest with batter.

Like the Tartcuppins, having something at the bottom of your cake makes the baking time change. The heat doesn't penetrate the same. I ended up baking them for about 10 minutes longer and then broiling the top of them, hence the slightly browned look.

mmm... look at those big Oreo chunks...

 

For the icing, I wanted to do something special. I looked up recipes for homemade Oreo's and used the recipe for "the middle stuff" from Sally's Baking Addiction, tripled the recipe and made it into icing. 

1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (48g) vegetable shortening, room temperature

1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on high speed until creamy and combined, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer off and add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat on low for 1 minute and then switch to high and beat for 1 more minute until creamy and combined. The cream filling is thick.

I tweaked this recipe, using a bit of milk, a bit more vanilla and Oreo crumbs until I found a taste that I felt worked.

 

Once the cupcakes were iced, I placed the remaining mini Oreos on top as garnish.

 

 

Don't they look good?

 

 

Check out what they look like inside. You can see the Oreo at the bottom, which had softened nicely in the oven.

 

 

These cupcakes were heavenly! I made about 24 all together and all but 2 or 3 were left at the end of the night, which was pretty good, since there were only 7 of us there. The remaining cupcakes were gone the next morning and made a terrific breakfast ;)

 

You should try these, they are to die for!

Rose Water And Raspberry Cupcakes

It's been a quiet few months here. After Christmas and New Years are both over, everyone seems to go into hibernation mode. Well, at least here in Canada, where it has been a super cold and dreary winter.

Everyone hides and inside and there are very few reasons to bake or use the new cupcake book and supplies that I got for Christmas.

Yes, I was the lucky recipient of a William-Sonoma gift-card this Christmas! 

The first thing I bought was this amazing cupcake book.

That was quickly followed by a jar of rose water and a jar of orange blossom water. I have been looking for those everywhere!

As St. Patrick's Day approached, my work's social committee decided to have a comfort food pot-luck. And what is more appropriate for me than to make cupcakes?

Since I really wanted to use the new stuff that I had got, I decided to make these!

(sorry, I forgot to take process shots again)

Rose Water and Raspberry Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tbsp rose water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk

Position oven rack in the middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°; line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.

In another bowl, with an electric mixer on med-high speed, beat the powdered sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Add in rose water and the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until combined after each addition.

Add in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.

Bake until lightly golden and a pick comes out clean, 15-18 minutes.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes; transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour

Rose Water Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tbsp while milk, plus more as needed

1 tsp rose water

2 drops red food colouring

Make the glaze--in a bowl, whisk the sugar, milk, rose water, and food colouring together until smooth; the glaze should be spreadable. If too thick, whisk in additional milk a few drops at a time. If too thin, whisk in additional sugar, one teaspoon at a time; use right away.

Spoon the glaze over the cupcakes (the glazed cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before finishing).

Top each cupcake with the fresh raspberries and sugared rose petals (if using), dividing evenly, and serve.

Don't they look super pretty?

They were really delicious, although a bit intense with the rose water. I would cut it back a bit next time.

These weren't really the right thing to take to a comfort food pot-luck. They are a little too fancy for that. They would be much better suited for an afternoon high tea.

I will for sure make them again.

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