Cupcake Recipes

 I said I would include recipes from Liam's birthday. I previously did test runs of all the cupcakes and I found that I loved the recipes. I will also include the whip cream frosting I put on the cupcakes. I would have to say that the lemon was by far my favorite!

Chocolate Cupcake 
 (also used for Liam's cake)
Yields 16-20 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

• Set oven to 350 degrees
• Make sure eggs are room temperature. 
• Sift all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. 
• In main bowl, mix wet ingredients. 
• Slowly combine the two and mix until blended together. 
• Pour the batter in muffin tins. 
• Bake them at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (18 minutes). 
• Let cool in tins for a few minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

Vanilla Cupcake
Yields 12-16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350*F.
• In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds.  Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and oil, beat.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture.  Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk.  Beat until just combined.  Scrap down the side of the bowl.
• The batter will be thin.   Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners.  Fill liners about 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
• Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Lemon Cupcake
Yields 12-16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• lemon zest from two lemons (this MAKES the cupcakes)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Directions:

• Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake tins by using liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray
•  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
• Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and, working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
• Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
• Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
• Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. Place the batter into the cupcake tins.
• Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcakes. Cool on wire rack.
  
   
  Whip Cream Frosting
  (I made one batch per batch of cupcakes) 

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (any), softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
  
  **NOTE** For chocolate, add unsweetened cocoa by the table spoon until you reach the amount you need. I think I used 4-6 tablespoons but I didn't measure so that could be off. For lemon, just replace almond extract with lemon; could also add some lemon zest or a tad bit more lemon extract. Play around with it!

Directions:

• Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (I used our blender)
• Miix on medium speed until smooth. 
• While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. 
• Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. 
• Do NOT over mix (it will turn into a butter state)