22 Lemon Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing

So I haven't made cupcakes in a while. It's about time that I do. Mom got another little recipe book to add to the crazy collection of cookbooks that we already have. It was my first time working at night in a while, so I took advantage of my morning off to bake!

As you know, I don't like to use cake mixes when I bake "homemade" cupcakes for my friends. It's a Betty Crocker recipe book, so naturally they suggest using their cake mix. These are pretty simple cupcakes, so you shouldn't need to buy much, if nothing at all. With the help of my lovely assistant, played by my sister, we zested a whole lemon and had plenty of fresh lemon juice for the cupcakes. The recipe for the icing made a lot. We loaded it on the cupcakes. Since it's mostly butter, make sure you put them in the fridge so the icing doesn't get melty, especially since it's been particularly summery out.

This is why you should crack your eggs
in a seperate bowl... not right into your
cupcake batter.

The cupcakes are ah-maze-ing! The cupcakes are really light and airy, just how I like them. The lemon was the perfect amount. Not too strong, too citrus-y, or too zesty. The icing is so smooth and I love the 1/2 inch of buttery, white chocolaty deliciousness. The purple sprinkles were my choice, it just made them pretty for the most part. I definitely recommend making these cupcakes.

Cupcake Tip: Leave a spot empty, so it's
easier to pull the cupcake trays out of the oven.

Cupcake Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Fresh out of the oven

Cupcake How to
1. Preheat oven to 350. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and egg whites and adding lemon peel and lemon juice.
3. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.

White Chocolate Icing

Frosting Ingredients
1 1/2 c white chocolate baking chips
1 1/2 c butter, softened
1 c powdered sugar

Frosting How to
1. In a small microwave bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on high for about 1 minute, stirring once, until softened and chips can be stirred smooth; cool.
2. In large bowl,  beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed. Gradually add melted chips, beating on high speed until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
3. Frost cupcakes.

Garnish with edible or candy flowers.



from Betty Crocker best cupcakes and more

24 Maple Jameson Cupcakes

So if it isn't some one's birthday, it's some one's last day at work. Those seem to be the only two reasons I bake cupcakes. One of our managers is leaving. I asked him, "what kind of cupcakes do you want?". He responded, "something with alcohol". Really no surprise there. My next question was, "What's your favorite alcohol?" And to that he simply said, "Jameson". Now on my search for cupcakes with Jameson in them, I found a lot of recipes for Irish Car Bomb cupcakes. I didn't want that. Eventually, these turned up.

These vanilla cupcakes are awesome. The only advice I have is to add the milk with the mixer on. If you add it then turn the mixer on, it will splash everywhere. I have finally learned from my mistakes and didn't make a mess. The cupcakes are light and fluffy, very, very easy to make, and sugar in a good way (not like a really sweet way). For the maple and Jameson icing, I only used 4 cups of powdered sugar. It only tasted like a normal butter cream icing. I added more maple syrup, about a tablespoon. Then, it tasted maple-y enough, but I could barely taste the Jameson. I added more, a little for taste, but mostly to thin out the icing. If you use milk in your icing, like the recipe recommends, you need to keep your cupcakes refrigerated.

I was surprised that I liked these cupcakes. I was afraid that the whiskey would be too strong. I think that it wasn't mostly because I used Jameson. It's not a cheap whiskey for sure so the quality definitely comes through in the flavor. The plain vanilla cupcakes work well with the icing. The cupcakes make the overall taste sweet and buttery, not so much from the icing. First, you get the taste of the maple and then, in the end, the alcohol taste lingers. It's not too much that it's bitter. These are the first cupcakes with alcohol that I've made, where the alcohol isn't overpowering.

Cupcake Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/4 c milk

Cupcake How to
1. Beat the butter and sugar well, then add the rest of the ingredients.
2. Fill cups and bake at 375 for 18-20

Icing Ingredients
1 c butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup or extract
2 Tbsp Jameson or other Irish whiskey
4-6 c powdered sugar

Icing How to
1. Combine butter, syrup, Jameson, and 2 c sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium high until smooth.
2. Add remaining sugar gradually until the frosting is thick enough to pipe easily. You may not use all the sugar. If the icing is too dry, add additional milk until desired consistency is reached.

22 Piña Colada Cupcakes

So it's another birthday. This time the special day belongs to my aunt. She's turning 39! She requested piña colada cupcakes. How can I say no to that? At work, I pretty much hate making piña coladas in drink form. I prayed to the cupcake gods that these would be nothing like that.

Always willing to make cupcakes with alcohol in them, I hit the web simply searching "Piña Colada Cupcakes". Tons of choices popped up. I looked at a handful of recipes. Some with alcohol in just the cupcakes, some with alcohol in just the icing, and even a few with no alcohol at all (what is wrong with people?). I looked and looked and couldn't find a recipe with rum in both the icing and the cupcakes. So I gave up. I had about 5 tabs open on my browser. They were the recipes I liked the best. To meet the requirements for my ideal cupcake, I carefully picked a cupcake recipe with alcohol, and then chose a good recipe with alcohol for the icing.

You'll probably have to buy a few things for these cupcakes. Most of it was easy to find. Canned pineapple and coconut aren't things most people have on hand. I was nervous about the coconut milk and the coconut extract. I was surprised to see the coconut extract. It was easy enough to find. On the other hand, I looked all over the store for the coconut milk. Coconut milk, coconut water, and creme of coconut are all different things. Make sure you get the right one. The coconut water and creme of coconut were near the premixed margarita mixes and that kind of stuff. I found the coconut milk in the Hispanic food section. Which, unfortunately, was the last place I looked. You also might have to make a stop to pick up some liquor. We had coconut rum here (exactly 1/3 c), but  you can use whatever kind of rum you like best.

The batter for the cupcakes came together really easily. When I drained my crushed pineapple, I got exactly the 1/4 cup that I needed. There was about half of the pineapple left over. If pineapple juice is something you like or just have around, I'd suggest getting a smaller can of crushed pineapple so you don't have as much left over. Definitely make sure you shake you coconut milk before opening the can. It says it on the back of the label. I don't read directions ever so I missed that part. I had to whisk the juice and the solid part together since I just ripped off the top of the can and didn't think twice about it. Instead of bowls, I always use liquid measuring cups to mix my wet and dry ingredients in. When you go to add them alternately to the sugar, butter, and eggs, it's so much easier with the spout on the measuring cups than with a bowl. You can fill the cupcakes pretty full like the recipe says, I didn't have any cupcakes bake over.

Don't forget to shake your coconut milk.
The solid part sits on top. This is what it
will look like if you don't.

The icing was just another, everyday icing recipe. I only used the one teaspoon of coconut extract. I was thinking, you could probably substitute the coconut extract with coconut milk, since you'll have plenty left over. It would be one less thing for your grocery list.

The cupcakes are kind of weird, as far as the makeup of them goes. It's a very dense cupcake. I'd probably chop up the coconut some so it isn't so long. It makes the cupcakes sort of stringy (for lack of a better word). The rum in the icing makes the cupcake. It's enough to say "Hey, I'm a cool tropical drink, represented by a cupcake". The only improvement these need is more pineapple flavor. Otherwise, a fun cupcake to bring to the party.

Cupcake Ingredients
20 oz can of crushed pineapple
1/3 c coconut rum (or any rum)
3/4 c coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c unsalted butter
2/3 c sugar
3 eggs
1 c sweetened coconut (if you use unsweetened, add 1/4 c sugar)

Cupcake How to
1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Drain the pineapple into a small bowl and save 1/4 c of the juice and 1 c drained pineapple.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice, rum, coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add the milk and flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the drained pineapple and shredded coconut.
6. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full (these cupcakes are too dense to rise very high). Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops bounce back lightly when touched.


Icing Ingredients
1/2 c butter
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp coconut extract (you may want to start with 1 tsp, you can always add more)
4 c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp heavy cream or milk OR 1 Tbsp Dark Rum

Icing How to
1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.
2. Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
3. Slowly add rum.
4. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
**Keep refrigerated**



cupcakes from pastryaffair.com
icing from thewhitelibrary.com

34 Mint Julep Cupcakes

The cupcakes were very spur of the moment. Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. I thought about making margarita cupcakes or Corona cupcakes. Tomorrow is also the Kentucky Derby. Nothing says most famous horse race ever than big hats and mint juleps. I can make those other cupcakes any other time, but tomorrow is the only appropriate occasion for these.

You'll probably have to make a grocery/liquor store run for these little guys. Fresh mint and mint extract weren't things we had around the kitchen. And unless you have a very well stocked home bar, you're going to have to pick up some booze. Conveniently enough, I had to pick up some other stuff for upcoming cupcakes. Commonly, a mint julep is made with bourbon, water, sugar, and mint. You can pick up any cheap bourbon you want. I splurged and got Wild Turkey. The recipe also call for Creme de Menthe. There are clear and green. I got the green, since I like a little color in my cupcakes.

This is just your standard cupcake recipe. I added my dry ingredients one half at a time. Don't forget to scrape the bowl after each addition. When you add the milk and liquor, add it gradually while the mixer is on. I added all the milk at once, and when I turned on the mixer, it splashed everywhere. I filled my cupcakes the average 2/3 full. It would have been okay to fill them a little more. The cupcakes were done at 25 minutes perfect. Since this recipe made so many cupcakes, I had to break out one of our darker cupcake pans. I don't like these pans for a few reasons. The edges go straight down. They aren't tapered so they don't make, what I call, a pretty cupcake. Also, darker pans will get hotter and bake your cupcakes faster. My cupcakes that were in that pan can out a little more done than my other cupcakes.

Dark Cupcake Pan vs. Light Cupcake Pan

The icing was a little fussy. When I mixed all the initial ingredients together, it for sure did not become creamy. It was like a lump of cookie dough. Instead of milk to thin out the icing, I used bourbon. If I'm baking cupcakes with alcohol, I want people to know. I want them to get that kick after each bite. Eventually the icing got to be more "icing like". It didn't look like much. I spread a thin layer onto each cupcake. So thin, you could see the green of the cupcake through it. I went back and added more after each cupcake had icing. It worked out alright. For once, I actually used all of the icing.

Weird Lump of Icing

The mint I bought had massive leaves, so i decided to pass on that garnish. It's pretty much all for looks anyway, I would recommend passing on it too. I couple green sprinkles was enough for me and they were all ready for the serving.

Weird: the one word I have to describe these cupcakes. They're adorable. I like the perfect light green the cupcakes were. They're minty. I guess I should have assumed that much. It's sorta like eating a tube of toothpaste (which could work out, I guess, if you just at some stinky onions or garlic). They aren't boozy enough for me either. The bite from the bourbon is there, but not as strong to really know it. Maybe you could completely skip the Creme de Menthe in the cupcakes and just add a full cup of Wild Turkey. I definitely could have added more in the icing. Then you need to hope that the mint extract has enough of a minty punch to it to carry it through the whole cupcake. Maybe I should have made margarita cupcakes.

Green Cupcake Batter

Cupcake Ingredients
1 c butter
2 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp mint extract
4 eggs
2 3/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 c milk
1/2 c bourbon
1/2 c Creme de Menthe

Cupcake How to
1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Combine salt, baking powder, and 1 3/4 c flour.
3. Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and extracts in a large mixing bowl, until creamy. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Add the milk and liquors to the batter. Then the rest of the flour (1 cup).
4. Mix as little as possible, just until the batter comes together.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cups. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool.


Icing Ingredients
3 c sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mint extract
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, melted
milk

Icing How to
1. Combine the powdered sugar, salt, extracts, and melted butter. Beat until creamy.
2. Gradually add milk, until the texture is right for piping.
3. When the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread the icing on top.
4. Garnish with cake sparkles or sprinkles, a straw, trimmed to size, and mint leaves.



from blog.hwtm.com