SUMMER IN CUPCAKES

Posted in Cake by sallybr

My favorite season is almost over, no way to deny it, even if the temperatures outside still give me plenty of reasons to smile. Before Autumn vibes arrive in full force, I share a couple of cupcakes that embrace and celebrate the warmth of the Summer.

ORANGE-VANILLA CUPCAKES
(adapted from several sources)

for the buttercream use this recipe (scaled down to 150g butter)

120g all-purpose flour
150g granulated sugar + zest of 1 orange
40g butter, unsalted, removed from the fridge for 30 minutes
1 large egg
120mL milk
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1/2 tsp orange emulsion (I use LorAnn)
1/4 tsp salt

Heat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with paper baking cups. Recipe makes 9 to 10 cupcakes.

Rub the sugar with the orange zest and let it sit for a few minutes.

Put the flour, baking powder, sugar/orange, salt and butter cut in small pieces in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low until the butter is in very small pieces, almost like sand.

Whisk the egg with the milk, vanilla, and orange emulsion, add slowly to the mixer running in low-speed. Once it is almost smooth, increase the speed to high for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl once.

Stop the mixer and make sure the batter is fully smooth, mixing by hand with a spatula. Add batter to the 9 cupcakes, filling half-way full only. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Leave cool completely before decorating.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

For the beach cupcakes, I used buttercream in three shades of blue, but sadly not different enough to give a nice contrast. There is always next time… The decorations were made with fondant and a silicone mold, plus a final spray with PME pearl luster.

For the butterfly-decorated cupcakes, I used two colors of buttercream, orange and yellow. The chocolate discs were made with transfer sheets and a cookie cutter.

I hope you enjoyed this little duet of cupcakes, and maybe bake a batch or two…

ONE YEAR AGO: Puff Pastry Twists with Cinnamon and Cardamon

TWO YEARS AGO: Three Delicious Bakes

THREE YEARS AGO: Banana Bread from the Experts

FOUR YEARS AGO: Shrimp Stir-Fry with Snow Peas and Cashews

FIVE YEARS AGO: Pickled-Roasted Chickpeas with Cashew Cream

SIX YEARS AGO: Twice-Baked Goat Cheese Souffle

SEVEN YEARS AGO: A Star from England in the Bewitching Kitchen

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Hommage to the Sun

NINE YEARS AGO:The Fabulous Three
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TEN YEARS AGO: Turkey-Chorizo Burger with Green Chile Dressing
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ELEVEN YEARS AGO:Taco Salad
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TWELVE YEARS AGO: Semolina Sourdough Boule
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THIRTEEN YEARS AGO:Forgive me, for I have sinned
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FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Cracked Wheat Sandwich Bread
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FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Au Revoir, my Bewitching Kitchen
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SIXTEEN YEARS AGO:French Bread

7Aug2025

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Posted in Cake by sallybr

These cupcakes are like little bursts of sunshine on a plate… apart from a marbled buttercream, I added compound chocolate discs made by spreading the melted product over transfer sheets (click here for my favorite source), allowing to set and cutting small circles with a cookie cutter.

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
(adapted from several sources)

makes 16 cupcakes

2 cups ( 260g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups (350g) mashed bananas
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup ( 100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup ( 60g) sour cream at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside. Cream the butter and both sugars together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, then beat on medium-high speed until combined. Beat in the mashed banana. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk until combined.

Spoon the batter into the liners to no more than 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

HONEY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

2 + ½ cups (300g) confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients until smooth.Divide in two portions, leave one white, and yellow food coloring to the other half. Add both batters side by side into a piping bag fitted with a tip 1M to add a swirl to the top of each cupcake. Stick a little decoration if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have not tried the cupcakes but got very nice reviews once I donated them. The chocolate decor is a nice touch, but of course, can be omitted to make life easier. I usually make the discs every time I use chocolate transfer sheets to make chocolate-covered Oreos, so I simply save them in a little plastic container at room temperature.

ONE YEAR AGO: Air-Fryer Chicken Skewers

TWO YEARS AGO: Almond-Cranberry Sandwich Cookies

THREE YEARS AGO: Brazilian Candy, Surpresa de Uva

FOUR YEARS AGO: Red Quinoa “Tabbouleh”

FIVE YEARS AGO: Cucumber Salad with Yogurt-Harissa Dressing

SIX YEARS AGO: Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Hickory-Smoked Beef Tenderloin

EIGHT YEAR AGO: Spaghetti Squash, Revisited

NINE YEARS AGO: Stir-fried Chicken and Cabbage in Spicy Almond Sauce

TEN YEARS AGO: Fifteen Years!

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Light Brioche Burger Buns

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Blues

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Headed to Hawaii

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: A yummy Brazilian cake: Bolo de Fuba’

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Hidden Treasure

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Avocado Three Ways

19Apr2025

EASTER BAKES

Posted in Cake, Chocolate Bonbons, Cookies by sallybr

A small collection of bakes to celebrate the occasion… Cupcakes, cookies, bonbons…
Let’s start with cupcakes, shall we?

For the cupcakes, I went with chocolate, and used this recipe which is simple and wonderful. Frosting was a simple American buttercream, but the gilding of the lily was the little nest made with rice noodles broken up in little pieces, coated with melted chocolate and assembled in mini-muffin tins. I have tried other methods to make the nests and this was by far my favorite.

This is really a very very messy process, and there was some colorful language going around The Bewitching Kitchen, I won’t lie to you. But aren’t those nest super cute? Totally worth the trouble. Get the noodles and cut them with scissors in small little pieces. It will make a Royal mess in your kitchen and you will find pieces of noodles in unexpected places. Melt chocolate, coat them well (gloves are mandatory), and while everything is still pliable and warm, stick little portions inside mini muffin tins. Add the eggs and let it all set.

TRI-DIMENSIONAL EASTER EGGS

These are not made of chocolate, the shells are my favorite chocolate cookie (click here for recipe, I omitted the chipotle powder for this version) baked into these cute little molds. Once they are baked, I brushed them with luster powder mixed with vodka, decorated with Royal icing and filled with mini peanut butter eggs.

BUNNY BONBONS

A little labor of love, you’ll need a special mold for these babies, found at one of my favorite stores, Evil Cake Genius. It is a three component mold, so you make the top, let it set, fill with whatever you want (I used lemon brigadeiro), then close the bottom with more chocolate. A very detailed video is available here.

EGG NESTS CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Very little icing on these cookies, I brushed them with Americolor White + a touch of turquoise before baking. Then just added a few details with piping consistency icing, and placed mini eggs on top. They went together nicely with the cupcakes!

THE GOLFING RABBIT

Same cookie, made with the help of AI-generated image, and a mini-projector… Love these goofy fellows!

If you celebrate the date, I wish you a Happy Easter! Hope you have a wonderful day…

ONE YEAR AGO: Bicolor Ravioli

TWO YEARS AGO: Crispy Asparagus Salad with Toasted Bread Crumbs

THREE YEARS AGO: Low-Carb Super Fast Chicken Parmigiana

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sundried Tomato Spelt Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: A Duet of Chocolate Bonbons

SIX YEARS AGO: Chocolate Tartlets with Honey-Caramel Filling

SEVEN YEAR AGO: Zucchini Soup with Tahini

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Black Sesame Macarons

NINE YEARS AGO: Fine Tuning Thomas Keller

TEN YEARS AGO: Cauliflower Tortillas

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Majestic Sedona, Take Two

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Secret Ingredient Turkey Meatballs

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Italian Easter Pie

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy

2Feb2025

COCONUT CUPCAKES GET FROSTY

Posted in Cake, Desserts, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Several components needed for this bake, but isn’t it all worth it? I cannot take credit for the idea, I saw it by total accident in this Instagram page and fell in love with it. I adapted to use my own cupcake recipe and Tanya – tent-baker-extraordinaire and amazing friend – helped me with a frosting that holds well at room-temperature.

FROSTED COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH SNOWMAN COOKIE DECORATION
(adapted from several sources, inspired by Constellation Inspiration)

For the cupcakes (makes 12):
170g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
113g butter at room temperature
200g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
80g egg whites
90g sour cream
85g coconut milk

Heat oven to 350F. Make sure that the butter, egg whites, coconut milk and sour cream are at room temperature. Fill a cupcake pan with paper liners. Reserve.

Sift the cake flour baking powder, baking soda and salt. Reserve. Cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment of a KitchenAid type mixer for about 5 minutes. Add vanilla to the egg whites and slowly pour into the creamed butter/sugar, continuing to mix and medium-low speed. Mix the coconut milk with the sour cream, then add to the mixer 1/3 of the reserved dry ingredients, 1/2 of the milk/sourcream, followed by 1/3 of the dry, 1/2 liquids, and finally the remaining amount of dry ingredients.

Place in the lined cupcake pan. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

COCONUT BUTTERCREAM
(from Tanya Ott)

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk

Whisk the butter with a Kitchen Aid type mixer and the paddle attachment for about 4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar in three batches, continue beating in medium-speed. Add the coconut milk, beat at medium-high for 2 minutes or so. Adjust consistency with powdered sugar if needed. Frost the cupcakes once they are at room temperature and immediately stick a snowman cookie on top.

SNOWMAN DECORATION

Bake rings of chocolate cookie dough small enough to fit over the cupcake. They will be fragile. Try to make them smaller than the ones I made, so they will have an easier time standing up on the frosted cake.

Once the rings are baked, use this recipe (minus the food gel color) to make the stained glass component. Pour inside the rings, let them set. Use Royal icing to create a snowy scene with a snowman.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I absolutely loved making the stained-glass component with the snowman. You can do that a couple of days in advance, store at room temperature. They hold well. I made mine slightly too big, and at first I thought they would never stand up, but with “a little bit extra frosting” they did stay happily up. Consider decreasing the size a bit. Or, if you don’t mind the extra frosting, just go big!

The decorations matched very well our current situation in Manhattan, Kansas, aka The Little Apple.

We expect that by this weekend the snow will finally melt in our surroundings. It’s been a tough month of January. For too many reasons. Baking is keeping me reasonably sane. Or so everyone arounds me hopes.

ONE YEAR AGO: Mexican Bolillos

TWO YEARS AGO: Brazilian Style Banana Cake

THREE YEARS AGO: Tiger Shrimp in Chili Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Tangzhong Hamburger Buns

FIVE YEARS AGO: Potato Soup with Spicy Shrimp

SIX YEARS AGO: Rose-Harissa Chicken Thighs

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Caramel-Chocolate Tartlets

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chicken Korma-ish

NINE YEARS AGO: Sunday Gravy with Braciola

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, February 2015

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Avocado and Orange Salad with Charred Jalapeno Dressing

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Green Olive, Walnuts and Pomegranate Salad

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Romanian Flatbreads

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Ziti with Artichokes and Meyer Lemon Sauce

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Blasted Broccoli, Stove-top version

16Jan2025

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Posted in Cake by sallybr

Such a classic bake, and so simple!

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
50 grams (1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons) natural cocoa powder
225 grams (1 + 1/8 cups) granulated sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
85 grams (about 1/2 cup) grapeseed oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
75 grams (1/3 cup) milk, room temperature
170 grams (3/4 cup) very hot water

Makes 12 cupcakes. Use paper liners in your pan.

Heat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk very well to fully combine the dry ingredients.

Add the oil into the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed with a hand mixer until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and continue mixing until smooth.

With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the milk and then the hot water. Continue mixing until everything is evenly incorporated, the batter will be super thin, do not worry about it. Place the batter in cupcake pan and bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. This will take 20 to 25 minutes, but check a couple of minutes earlier. Cool completely before frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

113 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
175 grams (1/2 cup) smooth peanut butter (Jiffy works great)
210 grams (1 + 3/4 cup) powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons of milk to adjust consistency

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter on medium speed for about a few minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the powdered sugar and salt into the mixing bowl and start mixing on low until the sugar starts to combine with the butter. Turn the mixing speed up to medium-high and beat for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add milk to adjust the consistency. If not using immediately you can refrigerate for several days. Bring back to room temperature and whip again before using to frost the cakes.

Use a piping tip like Wilton 1M if you like to make a rose pattern on top. Spraying gold is optional but nice…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love this cake recipe so much because it is simple, straightforward and always works. You can use hot coffee instead of hot water, but I tend to simplify it and just grab water from the tap, as hot as I can get it. I know many people prefer Swiss buttercream frosting but I donate the cupcakes and not knowing how long they will sit waiting, I rather use a sturdier buttercream, which is also much simpler to prepare. If you are a peanut butter/chocolate lover, this cupcake is for you!