The Best White/Vanilla Cupcakes!

The Very Best White/vanilla Cupcakes!

Ok, about 2 weeks ago a friend of mine and I decided we would set out to find the BEST of the best in yellow/vanilla cupcakes. Yellow? You ask. This post says white. I know, but these were our #1 choice! My number 2 is a true yellow cake, which I will post soon. If you focus on comparing "vanilla cupcakes", as we were-It's the real winner! These cupcakes are an adaption from "Taste of home white cake" . This recipe is a true winner. These cupcakes were probably the most moist and fluffy I've ever had, but they can definantly hold up to any frosting. The recipe was super easy as well. There is no extra whipping of the egg whites separately. You just mix the egg whites into the cream mixture and go from there. They bake up beautifully. it seems like most of the other "yellow/vanilla" cupcakes we tested just fell short when baked. They either domed too much,or spread too far. Not these! These cupcakes domed perfectly. There wasn't an inch of crispiness to them. They are the BEST vanilla cupcakes out there! I paired them with a velvety Swiss meringue buttercream. AMAZING!

The Best White Cupcakes Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup ( 1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 1/2 Cups sugar

4 egg whites, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 Cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/3 Cups buttermilk, room temperature

Directions:

Author:Taste of Home. Makes 24 cupcakes or two 9" rounds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 24 cupcake cups with liners.

2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition.

4. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick or a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy and Sweet Day!

Cranberry Orange scones

 Cranberry Orange Scones:

Oh Breakfast sweets, how I love you. I thought for my next post i'd make some yummy breakfast treats. See, Sweets can be comsumed at every meal. At least this is what I convince myself and my husband. Then, I hit the gym! I decided to help volunteer for my husband's work yesterday rolling Lumpia. I figured since it started at 11am, I'd of course bring a Sugar Bakes treat with me,Scones! Man were these good. I made a few flavors,but my favorite were these Cranberry Orange ones. These little puppies were like a burst of sunshine in my mouth. Not to mention they are insanly easy to make. When you pick them up they hold there own, then they start to crumb in your mouth...then there goes the first bite...OHHHH boy, they MELT in your mouth. The dried cranberry's paired so nicely with the orange zest and this amazing fresh orange icing. They sure were a hit! They would do wonders to your average cup of coffee too. Ok, onto the recipe.

Cranberry Orange Scones:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen

1/2 cup dried Cranberry

Zest of an Orange( I zest the whole thing)

1/2 cup Sour cream

1 egg

Drizzle:

1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

2 Tbsp( or more if desired) of fresh orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Ok,this is were I formed a plan of attack( also to use less dishes.Therefore making my clean a breeze). 1st place 8 Tablespoons of butter( in a 1 stick form) in the freezer to harden.

Then take your electric mixer bowl and place the flour,sugar,baking powder,baking soda and salt in. Next placed the bowl in the freezer too. *You really want your ingredients as cold as the rockies. Really! This prevents the fat from coming after the gluten,which would result in a tough pastry.

3.After about 10-15 mins take both the butter and bowl out. Whisk the mixture in the bowl with a paddle attachment for about 15 seconds on meduim/low speed. Then grate the butter into the bowl( just use a cheese grater) and mix on low speed until just combined.The butter should still be in pea sized amounts,not
smooth.

4. In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg, sour cream and the orange zest. Add this and the dried cranberry's to the flour/butter mixture and mix again on low speed until just combined. * The dough will appear to not have enough liquid at first,but your doing the right thing. Trust me!

5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and pat onto a 7-8inch cirlce about 3/4 inch thick.Using a sharp knife,cut into 8 equal triangles, then place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden,about 15-17 minutes. Let cool.

6. After 5 minutes of cooling, drizzle glaze. For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar and orange juice together. Drizzle over scones and continue to let cool.

     Enjoy and Sweet Day!!

                             

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

 Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes!

Hello All! Today is my very 1st post on Sugar bakes! I am excited to tell you that I made Irish Car Bomb cupcakes in honor of one of my most favorite holidays,St. Patrick's Day. Man am I excited! I not only love St. Patty's day ,but now I am going to get to go to Ireland next week. Yes, finally we are all going! Now that we are stationed in Germany and it's a 2 hr plane ride away,we can actually do this. My twin Sister will be meeting us there and I know we are going to have the time of our lives!
    So, onto these cupcakes,I have been researching everything I want to do in Ireland,i.e.-Food markets and sightseeing. Well, I of course have to make sure my husband is entertained as well.So, I looked up Irish alcohol. I found out that in Dublin they have a Guinness beer factory,and are the makers of this fine drink!-We will be going:) I then found out that an Irish car bomb is a shot and beer type of thing that you do in the bars there. So why not make a cupcake out of it?! Genius!? I'd think so!
  This cupcake is a rich Guinness infused cupcake with a chocolate Jameson ganache and a Bailey's Irish cream frosting! AMAZING!! Really,the Guinness is cooked out in the baking and leaves you with an incredibly moist chocolate cupcake. The Jameson ganache is just what this cupcake needs to add that extra chocolaty bite. Oh, this frosting-Let me tell you about this pure deliciousness. It is a buttery velvet buttercream frosting with a touch of Bailey's Irish cream. YUM!! It's my favorite part.
   On to the labor/assembly. This was a 3 step cupcake. Bake the cupcakes,make the ganache and then the frosting. It did not take too long though. All simple steps and nothing you can't do. I  hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcake:

For the Cupcakes:

1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Ganache:

 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Frosting:

 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

1st-Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.Bring the Guinness and the butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Then,cool slightly.

2nd-Whisk the flour,sugar,baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine.Beat the eggs and sour cream to blend, in an electric mixer.Add Guinness chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat until just combined.Add the flour mixture and briefly beat on low speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among  cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

3rd-Make the Ganache: Put chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set aside. Then heat cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it set for 1 minute,then stir until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.Let the ganache cool until thickened,but still soft enough to pipe.

4th-To fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or the bottom of a large decorating tip,cut hte centers out of the cooled cupcakes. Going about 2/3 of the way down.Put the ganache in a piping bag with a wide tip and fill cupcakes just to the top.

5th-Make the Baileys Frosting: Whip the softened butter for about 5 minutes on medium high speed in your electric mixer,until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium low and add the powdered sugar until all in combined. Then,add the Bailey's and whip until combined.

6th-Frosting the cupcakes:Use your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

  Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Sweet Day, Amanda