Apricot-Chocolate Cupcakes

These apricot-dark chocolate pound cake cupcakes were inspired by a cakelove recipe, and I was happy to finally put almond extract to good use. The almond flavor in the cake is a nice complement to the bittersweet chocolate, and these were delicious straight out of the oven with the chocolate bits still melted, and the dried apricot bits still soft and moist.

Unfortunately upon cooling, I found that the dried apricot bits became harder than they were to start out with. I might have to try pre-soaking them next time!

Admittedly, I am not a big fan of pound cake texture as it is denser, and with my unreliable oven from the 80s, my pound cakes are prone to ending up a bit dry and overbaked. But, I have found that pound cakes seem to get the most enthusiastic feedback from the office, so I'll keep working on them!

Mexican Brownie Cupcakes - Happy Cinco de Mayo

I discovered spicy Mayan hot chocolate at Coupa Cafe in Palo Alto and have loved that spiced up chocolate flavor ever since. When we moved to San Diego, we found out that Chuao Chocolatier, which supplies their chocolate bonbons and hot chocolates to Coupa Cafe, is based here! I was over the moon—an endless supply of spicy chocolate (and other favorites like Firecracker and Panko). Of course, it's a pricey supply, so for Cinco de Mayo, I decided to make Mexican brownies from scratch.

I am sure there are a variety of spices that can be added, but here's a simple way to get the job done:

Take your standard chocolate brownie recipe (a box mix works too) and add about 3/4 tsp. of ground chipotle chili pepper and 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon. I baked these as mini cupcakes, which requires about 18-20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees, and topped with cinnamon buttercream. Avoid overbaking, since that seems to bake off the spice flavors.

Milo | Curious (Suspicious) Puppy

When Milo wakes up in the morning, the first thing he needs to do is go outside for a little walk. After waiting for me to put on my contacts, he jumps off my bed and scurries along behind me. When I get downstairs though, he always stops at the top of the stairs and tilts his head at me. Why? Because sometimes I go to my work laptop and check email first. Milo doesn't like that. Here's what he's thinking:

Me: "Come Milo!"
Milo: *stares* *blinks* *tilts head* "I don't believe you. Are you really taking me out or what?"
Me: "Milo, come!"
Milo: *snort* "You tricked me into jumping off the warm cozy bed!"
Me: "Milo, we're going outside!"
Milo: *tilts head other way* "Prove it."
Me: *puts on shoes*
Milo: "Not good enough."
Me: *jingles keys*
Milo: "You really mean it! I'm coming I'm coming!" *bouncing down stairs*

He also stops at the top of the stairs when we call him during the day too, as if to ponder whether there is anything in it for him if he came all the way down the stairs. Sometimes he will plop down too.


He also likes to do a plop down when we're bustling in the kitchen or otherwise ignoring him and he's waiting for a little attention.

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes - A Late-Night Snack

I was hungry one night. So I said to my assistant: "Why don't we bake something? Will you help me?" What a dear husband I have.

For the mint chocolate lovers out there like me:

This is a chocolate cupcake with peppermint ganache filling. I used the Cooks Illustrated recipe for Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling that I previously blogged about, but added peppermint extract to the ganache. The frosting is a peppermint buttercream (add peppermint extract to any basic buttercream recipe). I then topped off the cupcakes with dark chocolate mint leaves, which were made by brushing tempered chocolate on the back of mint leaves, and then peeling off the leaves once the chocolate has set.

I've made these cupcakes a few times before, but I think the use of Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes this time around was a vast improvement over the one-bowl chocolate cupcakes that Martha Stewart's book suggests. However, ultimately, the mint leaves are what make these cupcakes so special.

Pig-Pickin' Cupcakes - And a Baby Shower

Pig-Pickin' Cake (also sometimes called Pig-Lickin' Cake or Mandarin Orange Cake) is apparently a tradition at a southern barbecue. It is usually served as a layered cake, but this is my vision of it as a cupcake.

The cake portion is essentially a variation on my orange cupcakes, using pureed mandarin oranges instead of orange juice concentrate. I filled these cupcakes with pineapple pudding (crushed pineapples and vanilla pudding), which is what is usually used as the layered frosting. Then I topped the cupcakes off with whipped frosting (a cross between fresh whipped cream and meringue frosting that holds its shape a little better than whipped cream—I had to make sure these would survive a 2-hour drive). Finally, to class these up a bit for a baby shower, I decorated with gum paste flowers, which were brushed with yellow pearlescent powder and accented with pearlized sprinkles. So fun to make!

You can find a recipe for Pig-Pickin' Cake with a simple search online, but here is what I did for the cupcakes:

Cake

* 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
* 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges in juice
* 4 eggs
* 2/3 - 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer to use less)
* 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

* 1 (6 ounce) can crushed pineapple (some recipes call for the larger can, but the smaller portion works better as a cupcake filling)
* 1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping (thawed)
* 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding

Frosting

* 3 large egg whites
* 3/4 cup sugar
* Pinch of salt
* 1/3 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans (this recipe should make 24 cupcakes). In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, mandarin oranges (with juice), eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Beat until mandarin oranges break up. Pour into cupcake liners (about 2/3 full) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Note: Do not overfill the liners, as this batter will spill over the edges rather than form a tall mound. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, turn out of pans and finish cooling on wire racks.

In a mixing bowl, combine whipped topping, pineapple (with juice), and vanilla pudding mix. Carve out the center of the cooled cupcakes and fill with the pineapple pudding.

Frosting: In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the 3 large egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, pinch of salt and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until glossy, stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes; reduce speed to low, add 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and beat just until combined. Use immediately.

Simple, and yummy. Enjoy!

I also made baby block cakes for the baby shower. These were brown sugar pound cake with brown sugar cream cheese frosting. It was a learning experience in working with fondant and trying to have a steady hand while piping royal icing. Let's just say, we are giving ourselves an A for effort, and a below average grade for execution =)

Champagne Cupcakes - Happy Valentine's Day

Okay, I admit that there now appears to be a trend in my most recent postings . . .

But I had to try making these cupcakes after seeing a version of them on Cupcake Wars. The cake here is a variation on a standard white cake recipe with about 3/4 cup of Chandon Extra Dry Riche sparkling wine added. I think the sweeter the champagne (or sparkling wine), the better this cupcake is, although dessert wines would probably be overdoing it. When looking up other bakers' attempts at champagne cupcakes, there were many suggestions for adding strawberries or using strawberry flavored wines. However, I can tell you that a simple, standard champagne works perfectly well, and I was thrilled with how light and subtly sweet this cupcake was.

To get some berry flavors in there, I topped the cupcake with Chambord buttercream. For those of you who are new to Chambord, I discovered this raspberry liqueur in a magazine ad—the kind that has the "open here and smell" panel that usually accompanies perfume ads. Since then, I have been obsessed with this liqueur's delicious scent! Chambord alone doesn't add sufficient coloring (unless you're going to use the entire bottle . . .), so I added a dab of pink food coloring. Then I topped with some sanding sugar and white pearls. Sparkly, sprinkled pink cupcakes aren't normally my style, but hey, it's Valentine's Day.

Mojito Cupcakes - Happy Hour!

Mint, lime, sugar, why not? When I think of mojitos, I think of one of my favorite restaurants, La Bodeguita del Medio, which serves up delicious Cuban fare (and mojitos of course) on California Avenue in Palo Alto. I think I will have to try a strawberry or raspberry variation of this cupcake sometime.

The cake is a pound cake flavored with lime, oven-dried mint, cloves, and a bit of limoncello and dark rum. This is probably the most alcohol I have purchased in a long time, all just for the use of a couple tablespoons. We will take any cocktail suggestions to help use up the rest of the supply! The addition of the alcohol actually results in a rather odd-smelling batter, but once the alcohol is baked away, you're left with a very refreshing and nuanced citrus pound cake. I frosted these cupcakes with a rum Italian meringue buttercream, and topped with turbinado sugar and fresh mint leaves.

I went a bit light on the mint and rum, but I figured it might not be appropriate to induce the office to imbibe too early on a Thursday morning =)