Hot Buttered Rum Cupcakes

     It snowed recently. We got a whole 4 inches! Of course, in North Carolina that's what happens when a blizzard rolls through. That, and closure of pretty much every school, business, and backroad for a few days. We couldn't even leave our parking lot for 3 days after 4 inches of  snow.


       I spent some of that snow day time whipping up a a batch of these Hot Buttered Rum Cupcakes. The recipe came from the "Prohibition Bakery" cookbook I got for Christmas from my brother. The book is full of mixed drink recipes converted into lovely, scrumptious, boozy cupcakes. It was brutally cold those snowy days and when reading through the recipes, this one stood out as warm and cozy. If you've ever had a Hot Buttered Rum drink on a cold, winter evening...well, you know that these appeared to be the perfect baking plan for a snowy winter day.



      My official review of these cupcakes would fall somewhere in between perfect-warm-from-the-oven and TOO-sweet-to-just-grab-and-eat. Hot Buttered Rum as a warm drink is generally sweet, but the combination of sweet vanilla cupcake, caramel filling, and sweet rum flavored frosting was a bit of a sucrose overload. The cupcakes were perfectly fluffy, the frosting beautifully smooth, and the caramel was delicious. I made these as full sized cupcakes because I only had regular cupcake liners, but maybe there was a reason they  made these (and every recipe in the book) in miniature! I'll have to test out another recipe and let you know..

     The directions were multitudinous. As I was typing this post I had a deja-vu moment back to when I was baking the cupcakes and felt overwhelmed by the directions. They took quite a while from start to finish! I think there could be a simpler way to make these, but I haven't experimented with that yet. Additionally, you WILL use ALL of your pots, pans, and measuring utensils (and probably your stash of butter in the fridge too) making these. All of them. Ask my husband. I did so many dishes during those snow days, that it's put me off from baking since (well, not true, but it did put me off baking for a day or two).

I believe that this picture substantiates that I overcooked my caramel just a bit. But it was amazing to eat when warmed up!

Hot Buttered Rum Cupcakes
taken From "Prohibition Bakery" page 101
by Leslie Feinberg and Brooke Siem

Ingredients:

Filling 
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (2 oz) butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup dark rum
                                                                                   Frosting
Cake                                                                          1 pound powdered sugar
1 egg                                                                          1 stick butter
1/3 cup sour cream                                                    1/3 cup dark rum
1 and 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 stick unsalted butter

Preparation: 

Filling  (My input- up to a day ahead of making the cupcakes, prepare the filling using the following instructions)
1. In a saucepan, heat sugar and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and the mixture appears smooth (not grainy). After a few minutes, the mixture will bubble and turn a nice golden color.
2. While the sugar and butter mixture is melting, warm cream over low heat, taking care not to boil it.
3. When the sugar is fully dissolved in the sugar/butter mixture, slowly stream in the warm cream, stirring constantly.
4. Add a pinch of salt and stir thoroughly
5. Once everything is fully mixed, slowly pour in the rum, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and even in color.
6. The caramel will appear thin when hot but will thicken significantly when cooled.
7. Transfer the caramel to a squeeze bottle and let it cool before filling cupcakes.

Frosting (My input- make the brown butter for the frosting (steps 1-5) up to a day ahead of time, but at least 2-3 hours ahead of time, to allow the butter to set again before mixing frosting) 
1. Heat butter in saucepan over low heat until it is fully melted.
2. Turn the heat up to medium high, keeping a close eye on the butter. Stir constantly, taking care to scrape the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove the pan from the heat once the butter begins to take on an amber color and smell faintly nutty, and little flecks of browned butter are visible. Keep a close watch over your butter at this point. The difference between browned butter and burnt butter is a matter of seconds.
4. Transfer butter to a heat proof container, taking care to scrape every last fleck of browned goodness out of the pan.
5. Cool in the refrigerator.
6. Allow browned butter to soften again, then combine with confectioners sugar in a standing mixer on low speed.
7. Slowly add dark rum and beat until fluffy.
8. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag.

Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg and sour cream. Set aside. (I just left mine in the stand until step 5) 
3. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
4. Combine water and butter in a saucepan and heat until the butter melts.
5. Remove from heat. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot water/butter mixture into the mixing bowl containing the egg/sour cream mixture. Beat until incorporated.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until incorporated.
7. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cupcakes cook completely on a wire rack before filling or frosting.

Assembly
1. When the cupcakes are cool, core the cupcakes with a narrow bladed knife.
2. Fill each cupcake with the rummy caramel, taking care not to let it overflow.
3. Frost to your liking. (I piped using a large round tip)
4. Garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar, if desired (I did not!)

Signature Baking

      One of the tasks that's kept me busy this fall was preparing an entry for the NC State Fair's Peanut Grower's Association baking contest. The theme this year was "Peanut Butter and Jelly" and the goal was to put a twist on the classic PB&J. I won't save it until the end, because it's not really a spoiler, but I didn't win anything at this contest. Apparently "everything submitted was amazing" and "there were a record number of entries this year" and also you could probably get a bit more creative with the PB&J idea (the winner made PB&J wontons...), however, these are my signature baking item. Every single time I've made them, people tell me how much they love them! So I wanted to share with the world, my PB&J cupcake recipe.

 The secret ingredient I use is my mom's homemade jam in the center.
There is nothin' like homemade jam. 

Sarah’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Yield/Servings: 15 cupcakes

Prep Time:15-20 mins  

Cook Time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients

Cupcakes: Filling:

1 ½ Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour      strawberry, blackberry, or grape jelly or jam           

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder     

¼ teaspoon baking soda Frosting:

¼ teaspoon salt  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (should not be “mushy” to the touch)     

¾ cup granulated sugar    ½ cup peanut butter

2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg white      1 ½  pounds powdered sugar (+ ½ cup extra to thicken)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract       milk, as needed if frosting is too stiff

1 teaspoon vegetable oil    

⅓ cup almond milk

Directions

Cupcake Instructions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.

In a medium sized bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer, add butter and sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy (using a paddle attachment if using stand mixer). On low speed, add the eggs and egg white, one at a time, until completely mixed. Add the vanilla extract and vegetable oil and mix. Continuing to mix on low speed, add the dry ingredients mixture a ½ cup scoop at a time until all is incorporated. Do not overmix. Add the milk and mix on medium speed for 20-30 seconds, or until just mixed and batter is smooth.

Scoop into cupcake liners, filling liners just over ½ full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions:

While cupcakes are cooling, mix butter and peanut butter until creamed together smoothly. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Add the vanilla and mix. If frosting mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar until desired texture is reached. It should be stiff, but not heavy or thick in texture. Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time if texture is too thick to pipe.

Assembly:

Take each cupcake and, using a small knife, cut a cone shaped hole in the center of each cupcake. Drop a small amount of jelly/jam into each cupcake, filling the hole to be level with the cupcake top. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes, making sure to cover the jelly securely (I used a large Star tip to pipe the frosting on the pictured cupcake, but round tips look good too!). Garnish with a small berry if desired.

St Patty's Day Tradition! aka MOAR CUPCAKES

NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMmmmmmmmm...

     That is what it sounds like at work when I make cupcakes for a baking challenge. And for the St Patrick's day themed challenge, cupcakes were a must. I know they go around Pinterest like crazy, but I love making these. I've been told they should not be called "Carbomb cupcakes" as the internet calls them. Instead they should be called "Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey fudge filling and Baileys frosting." I have been told via Reddit that the former title is offensive to Irish and that posting these on St. Patricks day is apparently ignorant.  I figured they were named after the drink which contains all of those elements, but then I learned that is also offensive.  Regardless of the name origin, unintentionally connected history, or lack of Irish-ness in general, these cupcakes taste phenomenal. And to me, they embody all the fun bits of the American version of St Patrick's Day shenanigans and incorporate some out of the ordinary baking ingredients. Guinness! Whiskey! Bailey's! Hooray!


     I followed a conglomerate of recipes because I've completely forgotten my "go-to" website for these babies. The cupcake and frosting recipes came from Liquor.com. The process was easy enough to follow, although I made a mess of it the first go around (of course). They turned out tasting light, fluffy, and chocolatey, but they were so light, actually, that when I put them in my cake holder to keep for the week, they starting melting- and not the frosting...the cupcakes! They were maybe a bit too light, but taste was not a factor. Also, I'm really not a fan of using mascarpone cheese in frosting, as it makes the frosting turn out a bit too soft for my liking. I had a lot of leftover frosting (hubs is not complaining) because I had to add more butter to stiffen it up! Again, however, it tasted delicious. It's hard to say if I'll keep using this recipe in the future.

The filling recipe came from Country Cleaver and OH MY WORD was it easy, delicious, perfect, and marvelous. Mmmmmmmmm.

Fudgy, whiskey-y goodness.

For me, baking is relaxing. Except for the whole "stressing out that I want it to turn out perfect, look perfect, and taste perfect" thing. Typically whatever I make looks like a hot mess, but tastes great! Curb appeal? Eh who needs it. I enjoy the process of making something and having it turn out to be pleasing, either to me or someone else. The feeling of accomplishment is very satisfying, especially when it tastes great as well!

So adorable!

This weekend was the jackpot, though. THESE cupcakes are absolutely sinful and somehow I hit the trifecta of not falling apart, tasting amazing, and looking pretty good too.
                                                       
                                    
                                    Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just a Blue Moon and I

     Today at work was a "catch up on meetings/paperwork/getting things done" day for me, and therefore my students. While I was leading IEP meetings, working on paperwork, and getting caught up from all our snow days, my students were also catching up on finishing work they hadn't finished from this past week! Woo woooo productivity!

     Seeing as how that's the theme of the day, I thought I'd catch up and write a megaton of posts tonight. Or just 2. Also my husband is busy with work stuff this evening so it's just me. Correction: me and a blue moon. We are here, trying to keep ourselves occupied after dinner. So blog posts are just rolling in.

     I've got more food to show you!

Please enjoy these camouflage cupcake liners

Notice the crumb trail. I'm a mess.

     These are some of the best cupcakes I have ever made. And while you're scrolling through this post, looking for pictures of the rest of the dozen that I made....well they're gone. I ate them. Or shared a few. But mostly I ate them. I just ate this one, actually, immediately after I uploaded the pictures.

     Red Wine and Chocolate Cupcakes, with a "Red Wine" buttercream. These were my submission for last week's baking challenge.They are heavenly. Decadent but not too heavy, rich but not too dry, and the frosting is just sweet enough to balance out the robust red wine, chocolate, and cinnamon combination in the cupcake. I mixed these up with a hand mixer, since that's all I have, although the recipe says to cream with a stand mixer (Psh). Also, I think I'd want these to taste a little more chocolatey, so I might add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon next time, instead of 1/4 tsp. But that's just me! I still thought these were wholly scrumptious, though, so maybe I'll chicken out and keep the recipe the same the next time I make them...




     Here is a cupcake with my "Blue Moon" towel. I am an avid Manchester City Football (Futbol) fan. I figured I'd put the towel in the picture since I'm drinking a Blue Moon, and because I'm just weird when I'm at home alone on a Friday night.

You can find the recipe over at Tide and Thyme! I'll copy it below as well. Eat up!!

Chocolate and Red Wine Cupcakes

Recipe makes and frosts a dozen cupcakes

8 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add in the egg and egg yolk, as well as the vanilla, beat well until combined.

Add in 1/2 of the dry ingredients, followed by the wine, then the remainder of the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl if necessary.

Divide batter evenly into lined muffin pan. Bake for 18 minutes then remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

In the meantime, to make the frosting, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, as well as the wine and vanilla. Beat until no lumps remain. Frost cupcakes as desired.