Short and Sweet

Must have item of the season for any level of baker, Johnny Cupcakes Kitchen Handbag.

Lamingtons are traditionally small square cakes coated in chocolate glaze and rolled in coconut. If I had mini square cake molds I would have attempted square cupcakes but for the sake of keeping things simple for my Oscar Party I went with the standard cupcake pan.

CUPCAKES

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk

In a small bowl, mix together flour + coconut + cocoa powder + baking soda + salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat sugar + oil + egg until smooth. Add vanilla, mixing well. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth.

Scoop batter into cupcake lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 27 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and remove onto cooling rack.

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Topping

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup packed sweetened flaked coconut

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips + cream. Microwave, uncovered, for 40 seconds until cream is hot and chocolate is soft and almost melted. Stir mixture until smooth.

Spread the melted chocolate over the cupcakes and sprinkle coconut over melted chocolate. Refrigerate cupcakes until chocoalte is firm.

The best kind of welcome is a cupcake welcome, and that is exactly what I got on my first day as the newest designer at Suburbia Advertising. Thanks Guys!

The Neopolitan: Simple chocolate cupcake, vanilla buttercream icing, fresh strawberry on top. See more of my cupcakes on my flickr or fotologue site.

You may have noticed a trend in my postings recently. Cupcakes. Some may say I’m a little obsessed, but I don’t see anyone complaining when I bake them a few times a week.

I pretty much bake for every event I can. Recently I make a few batches for a friends birthday BBQ. Let’s just say, it went well and there were no cupcakes left to spare.

Here are 2 recipes for Chocolate Chai (this amazing recipe was politely stolen from my favorite site Chockylit’s cupcake bakeshop) and Raspberry Mint cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CHAI CUPCAKES
basic chocolate cupcake recipe with a simple chai spice mix

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup buttermilk (this makes the cupcakes really moist!)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 teaspoons chai spice mix (see recipe below)

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preheat oven to 350 degrees.

sift cocoa + sugar + flour + baking soda + baking powder + salt + chai spice mix into a large bowl.

add egg + water + buttermilk + oil + vanilla and whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes.

scoop batter into cupcake liners with 1/3 measuring cup.

bake for 20-22 minutes until tooth pick inserted in middle comes out clean.

let cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.

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CHAI SPICE MIX

2 teaspoons fennel, groud
2 teaspoons cloves, groud
1 tablespoon cardamom, ground
2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
2 teaspoons ginger, ground

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CHAI SPICE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons chai spice mix
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.

Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, spice mix, and ginger. Beat until combined.

Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

RASPBERRY MINT CREAM CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a small bowl, mix together flour + baking power + salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat sugar + oil + eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Alternately mix in flour mixture and milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk. Beat until smooth.

Scoop batter into cupcake lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and remove onto cooling rack.

Cut small cone shaped wholes in the top of the cupcakes and fill with mint creme. Put cones back in place top filled cupcakes with icing.

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MINT CREAM

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup mint
1 cup whipping cream

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves.

Chop mint and add to the mixture.

Boil for 3 minutes.

Cool to room temperature.

Beat whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form add the five to six tablespoons of syrup to taste and beat until combined.

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RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4-5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup raspberries

Beat butter until creamy, scrape bowl.

Add 4 cups of sifted powdered sugar, raspberries. Beat until combined.

Add more powdered sugar as needed to get piping consistency.

Top iced cupcakes with fresh raspberry and mint leaf.

Everyone knows that tea goes quite well with cupcakes, but how about in them? I recenly acquired the 125 Best Cupcake Recipes book which included a few recipes involving matcha, earl grey and chai. So naturally, living with a tea addict I had to make them right away. Check out the baked goods section on my Fotologue for current cupcake photos.

This shirt is too perfect. Buy it at Threadless.

The Jury is in, and the verdict is: my cupcakes are good! We had a visitor the last few nights sneaking in unnoticed and stealing disgarded cupcakes from our trash. I figure because he keeps coming back, they must be good! Above artwork is a piece by Kozyndan called "Tanuki San", inspired loosely on a Miyazaki cartoon about racoons.