LEMONS, FOUR WAYS

Posted in Cake, Cookies, Desserts by sallybr

If you are a lemon lover, this post is for you. A fantastic five-layer cake, deliciously chewy cookies, baby little “pies”, and a posset. Let’s start with the cake, maybe my favorite of this series, courtesy of Helen Fetcher, my beloved baking guru…

SPLIT LEMON LAYER CAKE
(from Helen Fletcher’s blog)

for the lemon filling, to be made the day before:
4 large egg yolks
1 ¼ cups water
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
⅓ cup cornstarch (45 grams)
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 grams)
1 tablespoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)

for the cake:
3 large egg yolks
1 cup sour cream (225 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour (300 grams)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (170 grams)

for the lemon buttercream:
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup lemon fillng
¼ cup butter, softened (60 grams or 4 tablespoons)

Make the lemon filling: Whisk everything together in a medium size sauce pan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Transfer to a storage container, cover the top of the filling with plastic wrap and let come to room temperature. Store in the fridge for 2 days. or at least overnight to firm up.

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and spray the paper only. Try not to spray the sides. If you do, wipe them with a paper towel. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ¼ cup sour cream and vanilla. In the bowl of a mixer, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low for 30 seconds to blend. Add the softened butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream. Mix on low until moistened. Then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Add the egg mixture in three additions, beating on medium 30 seconds each time, scraping down as necessary.

Dollop the batter in the half sheet pan. Using and offset spatula, spread it out evenly. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack until cold. At this point, it can be frozen in its pan well wrapped. Or you can refrigerate and continue assembling the cake later. It is easier to deal with layered cakes when they are very cold, so keep that in mind.

Make the lemon buttercream: Add all the ingredients to a mixing bow. Beat on low to bring together. Raise the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Raise it again to high and beat for 5 or more minutes until light and smooth with no grittiness from the powdered sugar.

Visit Helen’s site for a clear visualization on how to cut the cake to obtain 5 equal layers and one extra that will be processed for crumbs. You will use 1/4 cup of lemon filling spread over the layers, and then frost the cake with the buttercream, glueing cake crumbs to the sides and making a pattern with a cake comb on top. If desired, add some piped buttercream with a 1M tip or another one of your preference. Allow the cake to to sit in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I urge you to visit Helen’s site to get the detailed step-by-step photos. Helen makes the most complex bakes feel simple and approachable. This cake is spectacular, and the use of cake crumbs glued to the sides makes frosting a lot less stressful. It is incredibly lemony. Thank you, Helen!

CHEWY LEMON SUGAR COOKIES

CHEWY LEMON SUGAR COOKIES
(from Scientifically Sweet)

⅔ cup (150g) salted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (284g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder ee notes in above FAQ section for baking powder quantity alternatives)
¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon Sugar:
3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine soft butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the egg and mix until well incorporated. Add egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice then mix until smooth and creamy.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and fold it in until evenly incorporated. The dough will be soft but not sticky at this point.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Make the lemon sugar. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and rub it together until the sugar smells fragrant.

Use a cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls. Roll the balls of dough in the sugar so they are evenly coated.

Place dough balls on the lined baking trays spacing them 3 inches apart and bake for 9-11 minutes until lightly golden on the edges and still slightly soft in the middle.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: These cookies are addictive, they have a super clean and bright citric flavor, and perfect texture. I made them on a Wednesday and donated two days later, so I tried one to make sure it was still ok, and had to exercise self-control to keep my taste-test to a single cookie. Make them, and you can thank me later!

BABY LEMON IMPOSSIBLE PIES
recipe can be found here

Those are simple to make, and a lot of fun to serve and enjoy… Not quite sure why they are called “pies” but whatever you call them, they won’t disappoint.

LEMON POSSET

LEMON POSSET
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbsp lemon juice
blueberries, optional for serving

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so it doesn’t boil over and keep it at a medium boil for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a large measuring cup with a pouring lip.
Divide the mixture between 6 ramekins, filling them about 3/4 of the volume.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully set, then top with blueberries, if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I love lemons in sweet and savory concoctions, so I hope you’ll give some – or all – of this recipes a try…

1 YEAR AGO: Lemon Layer Cake with Dulce de Leche Filling

2 YEARS AGO: A Duet of Springtime Macarons

3 YEARS AGO: Fiesta Bakes for Cinco de Mayo

4 YEARS AGO: Thai-Meatballs Over Wilted Bok-Choy

5 YEARS AGO: Asparagus with Gunpowder Masala

6 YEARS AGO: The Home Bakers Collective, April Project

7 YEARS AGO: Asian-Style Eggplant Meatballs

8 YEAR AGO: Uzbek Flatbread

9 YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite – Black Sesame FOUR

10 YEARS AGO: Chocolate Orange Mini-Cakes

11 YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, May 2015

12 YEARS AGO: P90X3, a Review of Tony Horton’s Latest Fitness Program

13 YEARS AGO: Pasta and Mussels in Saffron Broth

14 YEARS AGO: Triple Chocolate Brownies

15 YEARS AGO: Shanghai Soup Dumplings

16 YEARS AGO: Bite-sized Chocolate Pleasure

22Mar2026

A DUET OF ST PATRICK’S BAKES

Posted in Breads, Cake by sallybr

If you follow my baby blog, perhaps you’ve noticed I ran out of time to blog about St. Patrick’s cookies? It turns out I also got in trouble right here in the Bewitching Kitchen. Today I share a bread and a batch of cupcakes made in honor of that special holiday. Included in this post, a little cupcake decorating video, that you can find right after the recipe.

Better late than never, let’s start with the bread…

SHAMROCK SOURDOUGH
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

450g bread flour
25g spelt flour
25g dark rye flour
75g sourdough starter (stiff or 100% hydration)
10g salt
360g water
Thai rice flour (or tapioca flour)
shamrock shape cut from edible paper

Mix all ingredients in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead gently for about 4 minutes (first or second speed maximum).

Transfer dough to a lightly oil bowl and do a bulk fermentation with 4 folds made 45 minutes apart. Before you start the fermentation , remove a very small amount of dough to a small glass container (like those that hold spices), and mark where the level of the dough is with a permanent marker. Keep that at room temperature to monitor fermentation.

After the last folding cycle, keep an eye on the fermentation using the small vial. Ideally you want to let the dough ferment until it is double in size. Depending on the day, temperature of your kitchen, it might take 8 hours or more.

Once bulk fermentation is over, shape the dough as a round ball. Place in the fridge overnight.

Next day, freeze the dough for 30 minutes in the banetton, to make it easier to score later. Invert the dough on a paper liner, add the shamrock shape in the center, and flour the region around it (I used Thai rice flour). To make the paper stick, you can spray the surface VERY LIGHTLY with water. Score the perimeter of the shamrock and the outer area of the dough, and place in a Dutch oven.

Close the pan and bake at 450F for 30 minutes, open and allow the bread to brown for a further 15 minutes.

Cool completely over a rack before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I used my Supersonic blade to score the dough, but a sharp razor blade will do, of course. This composition of sourdough, with mostly white flour, but a touch of spelt and rye might very well be my favorite these days.

Moving on, time for cupcakes!

ST PATRICK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

makes 10 cupcakes

100g all-purpose flour
20g cocoa powder
140g granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
40g unsalted butter
1 large egg
120ml milk
1 + ½ tsp baking powder
buttercream for topping
Mini-golden Oreos painted with gold luster powder + vodka

Heat your oven to 350F and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.

In a small, bowl, whisk the milk and egg with a fork. Reserve.

Put the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and salt into the stand mixer
bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix on a medium speed until the butter turns into the consistency of sand.

Pour in half of the milk and egg mixture into the stand mixer bowl with your other
ingredients and mix on a slow speed until it all fully combines and becomes a thick
paste. Pour the remaining milk mixture and mix on low-speed until the batter is smooth.

Fill the lined pan with batter, a little more than halfway full. Bake for 16 minutes, testing with a toothpick. Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

BASIC BUTTERCREAM FOR CUPCAKES

226g butter, unsalted, softened
452g powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Vanilla extract, about 1 tsp or more to taste
a couple or more tablespoons of milk (to adjust consistency)

Place the softened butter in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer with the paddle attachment, add the pinch of salt, and whip at high speed for about 7 minutes. It needs to be really soft and lighter. Stop the mixer. Eyeball the amount of powdered sugar, add 1/3 and mix at low speed at first, once the sugar is starting to get incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high.

Add the second portion of the sugar, and incorporate the same way. Add the final portion, start at low speed, clean the sides of the bowl well with a spatula, add the vanilla and increase the speed slowly all the way to high. Whip it until very smooth. Add milk to desired consistency. Divide the buttercream in two portions, dye one with light green, one with darker green. Place both portions over a plastic wrap, enclose them as a sausage, drop inside a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Decorate the tops of the cupcakes as shown in the video. Add the gold Oreos.

EENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I was pretty happy with the way these cupcakes turned out. It was fun to decorate, and to show the process in more detail, here is a little video for you.

That’s all for now, friends! If you like a little St. Patrick’s trivia, here is a very interesting article for you…

ONE YEAR AGO: Happy Birthday to me!

TWO YEARS AGO: Incredibly Simple: Air-Fried Salmon Bites

THREE YEARS AGO: Chocolate-Covered Oreos

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pan-Steamed Broccoli with Miso Vinaigrette

FIVE YEARS AGO: Cookies and Rubber Stamps

SIX YEARS AGO: Macarons for all Seasons and Reasons

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Lentils and Radicchio? Yes, please!

EIGHT YEAR AGO: Tres Leches Cake

NINE YEARS AGO: The Joys of Grating Squash

TEN YEARS AGO: Auberge-Pecan Walnut Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Gluten-free and Vegan Raspberry Bars

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Lasserre, a French Classic

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Sourdough Bread with Walnuts and Dates

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Apricot Glaze

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Pork Tenderloin and Blue Cheese

25Dec2025

BUCHE DE NOEL, VERSION 2025

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Not my first time, in fact it is my fourth, but it is hard to resist such a classic for the holiday season.

So many components, but apart from the decorations, nothing is that complicated, and of course even the decorations can be simplified to a minimum: a dusting of powdered sugar. Your cake, your choice!

BUCHE DE NOEL
(cake component from Helen Fletcher’s Pastrieslikeapro)

for the chocolate sponge cake:
¾ cup sifted cake flour (75 grams)
¼ cup sifted cocoa (25 grams)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs separated
⅔ cup sugar, divided (140 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla

for the filling:
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar (100g)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

for the buttercream frosting:
1 + ¼ cups unsalted butter softened (284g)
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons cocoa powder (48g)
2 + ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar sifted (330g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
several tablespoons of heavy cream to adjust consistency

for the meringue mushrooms:
2 egg whites room temperature
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
cocoa powder for dusting
melted chocolate or Royal icing for assembling

Make the meringue mushrooms, the day before. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until frothy and doubled in volume. With the mixer running, slowly sprinkle in the sugar. Once all of the sugar is added, continue beating until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Place the meringue in a piping bag fitting with a large round tip.

Pipe half of the meringue into stems by placing the piping tip on the parchment and squeezing the piping bag while slowly moving the tip up, creating a column of meringue. Pipe round tops. Dust the tops and stems very lightly with cocoa powder. Bake for about 2 hours or until the meringues easily release from the paper. Turn the oven off and let cool completely in the oven.

Once cool, use a sharp knife to make a little indentation on the bottom of the caps, brush with melted chocolate or Royal icing, and stick the stem into it. Set aside for at least one hour before moving them.

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350. Spray the bottom of ½ sheet pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and spray the paper. Do not spray sides of pan. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking powder, mixing well. Set aside. Combine the egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until very thick and very pale yellow.

In a clean mixing bowl with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar and beat until fairly stiff. Place the egg yolks over the egg whites and sift half the flour/cocoa mixture over the beaten eggs. Fold together. Fold in the remaining flour/cocoa. Gently pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The top will spring back when lightly touched. Immediately cover directly with foil and place on a rack to cool completely. When ready to assemble, it will roll out easily.

Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until just smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the heavy cream 1/4 cup at a time. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat just to combine.

Make the frosting: Place the butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and beat until well combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while beating. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy and easily spreadable, about 2 minutes.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Remove the cake from the pan, invert over parchment paper. Peel off the bottom paper. Add filling to the whole extension of the cake, then roll from the long side. Place in the fridge preferably overnight to completely set the rolled cake.

Cutting at a diagonal, cut about two inches off of one end. Place the log on a serving plate. Spread a few tablespoons of frosting onto the end of the cut-off and stick to the side of the log. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake roll, leaving the ends exposed.

Run fork tines through frosting in one direction to give the appearance of bark. Trim the un-cut end of the log to expose a perfect swirl. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Just before serving, decorate the log with your choice of goodies.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love the method of cooling the cake completely, covered with aluminum foil. It rolls like a dream and the cake is not at all soggy from the steam generated during cooling. I am quite fond of the cream cheese filling, a nice contrast with the chocolate sponge cake.

The decorations are a lot of fun to plan and make. I used Royal icing piped as transfers, made several days earlier, and meringue mushrooms which are of course a classic.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas!

ONE YEAR AGO: Merry Christmas

TWO YEARS AGO: Christmas Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: Christmas Sourdough

FOUR YEARS AGO: Star-Shaped Sun-dried Tomato Bread

FIVE YEARS AGO: Cranberry White Chocolate Tart

SIX YEARS AGO: I dream of Madeleines and a Tower of Cheesecakes

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Dominique Ansel’s Chocolate Mousse Cake

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Slow-Roasted Eye of the Round Beef

NINE YEARS AGO: Steam-Roasted Indian-Spiced Cauliflower

TEN YEARS AGO: Creamy Zucchini-Mushroom Soup

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Ken Forkish’s Pain au Bacon

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Carrot and Cumin Hamburger Buns

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Potato Galettes a l’Alsacienne & Book Review

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Pain Poilane

13Dec2025

FOR THE LOVE OF CHOCOLATE

Posted in Cake, Chocolate Bonbons, Cookies, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Today it is all a celebration of chocolate, so appropriate for the season, don’t you think? Let’s start with another winner of a recipe by Helen Fletcher.

MEXICAN BROWNIES

To get the recipe, pay a visit to her site, where you can get step by step pictures to guide you through the process. One of the tips she gives is pouring the smooth icing on the brownie after flipping it so that the bottom side is up. That ensures a super flat surface for glazing. It is all in the details, my friends!

Moving on, a Celebration Cake I made for the chef who is behind the homeless meals, a person I admire so much! Works tirelessly to offer free meals 7 days/week.

CHOCOLATE CELEBRATION CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING
(inspired by many sources)

for the cake:
1 + 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
1 + 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
3/4 cup (70g) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

for the buttercream:
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 + 1/2 cups ( 420g) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup ( 45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 to 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the filling:
Raspberry jam (store-bought or homemade)

for optional decoration:
Brazilian brigadeiros (click here for recipe)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 7-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans, or use baking spray.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before filling and frosting.

Make the frosting:
On a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 4 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Adjust consistency with more powdered sugar or with heavy cream. Place in a piping bag fitted with appropriate icing tips for the decorations you desire.

Place the first cake on a circular cardboard, add a circle of buttercream as a dam around the perimeter, fill the center with jam. Place second cake on top, repeat the process. Place the last cake on top, cover with a thin crumb cake layer of buttercream and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Finish the buttercream icing, add brigadeiros if so desired, or any other decorations.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I donated this cake whole, so we have not tried it, but I have used this recipe before and it is really a delicious, very moist, intensely chocolate-y cake. The raspberry jam goes very well with it, although it is also outstanding with some salted caramel as the filling.

CHOCOLATE COVERED OREOS, DA VINCI STYLE

These turned out so cool, I was super happy with them. My sister Norma pointed out they reminded her of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions, so that’s the reason for the name. I used a silicone mold I’ve had for many years to make the decorations with dark compound chocolate, later brushed with luster powder copper. I used a very light green to tint the chocolate for the molds.

Finally, I close this post with a series of chocolate cookies decorated according to a tutorial from Tunde Dugantsi. Simple white Royal icing, good practice for fine line piping. It would also work well on gingerbread cookies, keep that in mind. I used my default chocolate cookie recipe for those (find it here).

ONE YEAR AGO: Three Little Cookies for the Holidays

TWO YEARS AGO: Two Festive Cakes, Part One

THREE YEARS AGO: Broccoli Slaw Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

FOUR YEARS AGO: Vegan Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake

FIVE YEARS AGO: Green Tea Rice with Edamame and Butternut Squash

SIX YEARS AGO: Santa Hat Mini-Mousse Cakes

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Fun with Sourdough

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Pasteis de Nata

NINE YEARS AGO: New Mexico Pork Chile, Crockpot Version

TEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate on Chocolate

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Double Chocolate and Mint Cookies

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The Story of my first Creme Brulle’

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Sourdough Mini-rolls

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Focaccia with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Mediterranean Skewers

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO Fettuccine with Shrimp, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

26Oct2025

GRAVEYARD CUPCAKES

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Sometimes I see something that grabs my heart really hard… Check out this recent post by Karen, and you will understand I simply had to take matters into my own baking hands…. I opted for cupcakes, so I share with you today the recipes for cake and frosting. The use of Milano cookies for the tombstone is just brilliant!

CHOCOLATE GRAVEYARD CUPCAKES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by Karen’s Kitchen Stories)

for the cupcakes (makes 10):
100g all-purpose flour
20g cocoa powder
140g granulated sugar
40g butter, softened
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg
120mL milk, full-fat
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350F and line a tray with cupcake liners.

Mix the milk with egg in a small bowl, whisk, reserve.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter forms a sand consistency. Pour half the milk mixture into the bowl and mix on low-speed for a minute. Increase the speed to medium-high for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining milk mixture, and mix on low-speed until fully incorporated.

Increase the speed for a few seconds, then add the batter to the lined cupcakes. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center.

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
210g confectioners’ sugar
20g Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
pinch of salt

With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for a full minute Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or adjust with heavy cream if too stiff.

For decoration:
Milano cookies
Piping consistency black Royal icing
crushed Oreo cookies for “dirt”

Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with a round tip. Immediately cover the surface with Oreo cookie crumbs. Insert a Milano cookie with the RIP message written on it. Add any decorations you desire.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Totally smitten by these little cupcakes! Big thank you for Karen, a very cute concept made very easy with the Milano cookies. Of course, you can always bake some sugar cookies and do the whole thing from scratch, but why not make life a little easier without compromising flavor? Milano cookies are delicious!