Hummingbird Cupcake

In case you are wondering what a Hummingbird cake is; it is for my opinion it is almost the same as banana cake with slight tropical flavors.  This cupcake is moist and sugary with all the pineapple and banana and almost like the nectar that Hummingbirds feed on. Probably thats where these cuties got their name.  The cupcake is topped with cream cheese frosting. You will almost hear yourself hum with delight once you take a bite of this cupcake.

Source:  All Recipes

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar

5 1/2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup mashed banana ( about 2 small banana)

1/3 cup crushed pineapple, with juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For The Frosting

1 pound (1 box) confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Makes exactly 12 cupcakes

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, vanilla, and sugar and beat until blended and smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Mix in the mashed banana.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the pineapple, nuts (if using), and coconut with a spatula until evenly mixed.
• Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Source: Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces or 71 grams) unsalted butter , softened
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces or 191 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon (7 grams or 1/4 ounce) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces or 105 grams) blueberries, fresh or frozen

Streusel

2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
3 tbsp flour

Mix all till coarse and sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking.

Method

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with 10 paper liners or spray each cup with a nonstick spray. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well, then yogurt and zest. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a sifter and sift half of dry ingredients over batter. Mix until combined. Sift remaining dry ingredients into batter and mix just until the flour disappears. Gently fold in your blueberries. The dough will be quite thick, closer to a cookie dough. Fill them about 3/4 full.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean . Best eaten on same day.

Billy's Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake

All packed and ready for pick up :)

Have you been seaching for a wonderfully moist spongy cupcake, then look no further.  I had this recipe written down a year ago and yesterday when I was cleaning my notes, I saw this and today I made these mini vanilla cupcakes for a fundraiser.  They were really super delicious and spongy. Probably because it uses a different method of blending the wet and dry ingredients.  The dry ingredients are whisked together and then the fat is added and lastly the wet ingredients.

Source:  Martha Stewart Show

Ingredients


Makes about approximately 30 cupcakes or mini cupcakes

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Love how the sprinkles just add a tiny pinch of color

Method

• Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until it looks coarse or just blended slightly with flour
• In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Smooth delicious buttercream and see how spongy the cake is

Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency. Probably you might not need to use all of the confectioner sugar.

Truly this is the best vanilla cupcake. 

Marshmallow Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcake

Source: Taste of Home

Ingredients

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water
1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
• In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.
• In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
• Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. 

Marshmallow Cream Filling

2 teaspoons hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache Frosting

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Method

• For filling, in a small bowl, combine water and salt until salt is dissolved. Cool. In a small bowl, beat the marshmallow creme, shortening, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy; add the salt mixture.
• Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert round pastry tip. Fill the bag with cream filling. Push the tip through the top of the cupcake to fill it with cream.
• Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency.

Dip cupcake tops into frosting; chill for 20 minutes or until set. Store in the refrigerator.

Next time I will be using more cream...its so good

Banana Split Cupcake

I have always liked banana split sundae and ice cream. I wanted to combine these into a cupcake and came across this recipe and it worked like magic.  The cupcake is slightly dense  and the filling compliments the dense cake.  The whipped cream is light and not too heavy on the cupcake. Although the process of putting these together takes a little time but the effort is worthwhile.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. buttermilk
1 cup mashed ripe banana

For the filling

1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced small
1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
6 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

For the frosting

3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

For the ganache

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tbsp light corn syrup

Makes 12 cupcakes

Source: Food.com, Annie's eat

Method

• To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix in  the mashed banana until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Toss well, smashing slightly with a fork.  Allow the berries to macerate at least 20-30 minutes.
• To fill the cupcakes, cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife .   Add a teaspoon of the strawberry filling to the center of each cupcake.  Top with a teaspoon of the crushed pineapple, filling to the top of the cupcake.
• To make the frosting, add the heavy cream to the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thoroughly combined and stiff peaks form.  Blend in the vanilla extract.
• To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes.  Whisk together until a thick, smooth ganache forms.  Blend in the corn syrup.  Let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes so the ganache is not too hot before you pour it on top of the whipped cream.
• Garnish as desired. Keep refrigerated.

Chicken Enchilada

I will tell you, once you bake this...you will absolutely make this again and again.  My children who have eaten the beef version of Enchilada, was really surprised that the chicken enchilada tasted even better.  The chicken breast cooked in the red sauce, gives the meat so much flavor.  The cheese use here was Monterey Jack and Mozarella since I did not have any other on hand.  I am surely gonna make this again ...

I am so glad to find this version of Enchilada.  This is the best so far.  Thanks Annie.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder ( taste before adding more)
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce ( Muir Glen is what I used)
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas ( I used flour tortilla)
Cooking spray

Method

• Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.
• Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
• Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Annie's Eats

Red Velvet Cupcake

I have never liked these red velvet cakes because once a friend baked it and brought it over but after consuming it, I fell sick.  Ever since then I hardly make this cake but after looking at the vibrant red color, I just cannot help it but make it today.  I am so glad that I finally got over the phobia of that RED cake.  I am so pleased with this recipe as the texture is amazingly soft and moist.  This will be my to go recipe ...

Of course the best part of cake making will be when you dont have to wash so many bowls.  These cuties are made up with whisking the wet into the dry. Pour and bake...

Ingredients

2½ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

For the frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend.  In another bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk all until well blended.  Mix in the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.  Bake, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.  Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: Allrecipes

Lor Bak

Lor Bak is slivers of pork lightly seasoned with five spice powder and rolled up in beancurd sheet, and then deep-fried. There are also bits of Jicama ( Sengkuang), shallots and spring onions in the rolls. Everyone has a variation of this recipe. The most important thing is that the meat has to be tender and tasty. This time around since I decided to make it without any planning ahead, I just used ground pork and it turned out as delicious. Also I made a special dip to go along with it. Make sure to make the dip if you are going to do this Lor Bak.

Source: The Hungry Caterpillar (with own modifications)

Ingredients


1 lb of pork, ask the butcher for a tender cut ( I used ground pork)
1 tsp of five spice powder
1 medium Jicama, optional
1 carrot
2 stalks of spring onion
2 shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
Thumbsize ginger, pound and squeeze juice
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 egg
3 tbsp tapioca flour
salt, white pepper and sugar, according to taste
Beancurd sheet
Cooking oil for deep frying

Method

• Cut the pork into slivers. Marinate with the five spice powder and a teaspoon of salt and white pepper. Mix together and leave aside.
• Peel the jicama and carrot. Cut the jicama, carrot and spring onion into matchsticks. Dice the onions and mince the garlic. Squeeze the ginger to get about 1 tsp of juice.
• In a mixing bowl. put the the pork with the sengkuang, carrot, spring onion onion, onions and mix well.
• Then, add the egg, oyster sauce, tapioca flour and seasoning. Mix well.
• Cut the beancurd sheet into long sheets with a width of 12cm. Place the filling at the end of the sheet, and roll it tightly. Roll it only once so that it’s only wrapped in a layer of the sheet.
• Heat the cooking oil, and deep fry the rolls till golden brown.  These rolls are usually served with the dipping sauce and cubed cucumbers.

Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp dark soy-sauce

a pinch of Chinese 5-spice powder

2 tbsp sugar

salt , to taste

4-5 tbsp water

½ tsp cornstarch

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method

In a small pot, combine all ingredients [except egg white], over low heat, bring to a slow simmer

Simmer 1-2 mins stirring occasionally till sauce is smooth

Add egg white, stir with fork, forming fine white streaks in the sauce

Remove from heat, serve at room temperature .

Buttercake

This is a buttercake made for the birthday party. Frosted with buttercream frosting and sweet pea flowers.

Ingredients

250 gm butter, room temperature

250 gm flour

200 gm sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

Method

In a bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, blend butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Add one egg at a time beating well after each addition.  Slowly add the milk, vanilla, baking powder and flour. Beat till all is combined well. 

Pour into a well greased and lined 8 in cake pan.  I used a 8 by 3 in cake pan for this.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Test with a wooden skewer for doneness.  Take out and let cool for 10 minutes and then turn out to a wire rack.  Frost as desired.

Sesame Street Birthday

 I was asked by my friend to make a birthday cake for her adorable 3 year old girl. I made a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and fondant accents.  As requested by her mom, I made the color scheme to go with Sesame Street character.  The cake stayed moist even after 2 days. I used the Hersheys Moist Chocolate cake recipe for this.

Also I made white cupcakes with rainbow jimmies ( sprinkles) inside to give the rainbow look inside the cupcake.  I saw that Sweet Pea's Kitchen made this awhile ago and this is such a nice idea to add jimmies in a white cake.

Happy Birthday to Adah !

I love the colors on this cake...

 The birthday girl dressed up as Big Bird..:)

Close up on the cake..:)

These are the cupcakes that I used a white cake recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen. I really liked the texture of the cake. It was not too soft nor dense. Just right for a cupcake :)

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk

4 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract, optional

3 cups cake flour, sifted ( I used 2 1/2 cup cake flour and 1/2 cup flour)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sprinkles, plus more for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

In a 2-cup glass measure, combine milk, egg whites, and extracts and mix with fork until blended.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium speed and beat 20 seconds longer. Fold in sprinkles. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups.

Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean. Transfer muffin pan to wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cool completely prior to frosting.

To make buttercream frosting, in standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Place buttercream frosting into a large decorators decorating bag fitted with decorating tip,  pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward. Sprinkle with remaining sprinkles.

Makes 24 cupcakes or One 8 inch 2 layer cake

See how white and soft it looks...almost like a cloud