Cream Cheese Cheddar Pound Cupcake

It seems like my baking has slowed down in the recent weeks. Some of the ingredients were half used since the last bake. So I decided to use up those remaining ingredients. This was what I made with the remaining ingredients - Double Cheese-Cream & Cheddar Pound (Cup)Cake. The cupcake was dense but moist and fluffy.
Recipe for Double Cheese Pound Cake, modified from Joy of Baking.
(Makes 32 regular cupcakes)

Ingredients:
260g Plain flour
2/3 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
226g Salted butter, room temperature
150g Cream cheese, room temperature
250g Caster sugar
120g Sour cream (optional)
4 Whole eggs
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
150g Mixed shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. 
3. In a large mixing bowl with k-beater, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add vanilla extract and sour cream, beat until incorporated.
5. Add the beaten eggs, one at a time and mix well. Scrap down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
6. Add the flour mixture in three additions. Mix till just incorporated.
7. Finally, using your spatula, fold in the shredded cheese and mix till just incorporated.
8. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin with cupcake papers.
 
9. Bake for 18-19mins or until browned.
10. Remove from the oven and let it cool before serving.

Nutella Cupcake

This post is sponsored by Liv butter. Try Liv today!

Nutella seems to be everyone's favourite. Besides those  who  are  really conscious of the ingredients present, most people have at least a bottle of Nutella in their kitchen. I'm no exception. Recently, there was some promotion in our supermarket, my sister got me two large tubs. So I decided to use it to bake Nutella Cupcakes as shared by Rumbling Tummy.

As it turned out, it was really a easy to make, and tasty to eat cupcakes. My children loved it and even my helper who brought it to share during her weekly gathering said her friends loved them too!
Recipe for Nutella Cupcakes, adapted from Rumbling Tummy.
(Makes approx. 19 regular cupcakes)

Ingredients:
280g Liv unsalted butter, softened
160g Caster sugar
6 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
200g Plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp Salt
4 tsp Baking powder
Nutella

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare cupcake paper cups.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light.
3. Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. (as you add the eggs, it might curdle, use high speed to mix it)
4. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains.
5. Fill each paper cups with batter. They should be ¾ full. (this cake rises quite a lot.)
6. Top each cake with 1½ tsp Nutella. Swirl Nutella in with a skewer, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the Nutella.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or till the top is browned.
8. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Pineapple & Coconut Cupcakes

My spouse likes to buy fruits to feed the family. Then he will made everyone eat. It's a good thing because by forcing my children to eat, it really build up their immunity. I must say, my children are quite healthy. They don't get sick very easily, thanks to their daddy.

This week, we bought a lot of fruits, but he were away for business trip. There were so much fruits at home - watermelon, apple, honeydew, pineapples, jackfruits and bananas! Gosh, we could not finish them within a week! So I decided to bake Pineapple & Coconut Cupcakes. The cupcakes were creamy, soft and fluffy. It's really nice, and I think it can be used as a basic cupcake recipe.

Recipe for Pineapple & Coconut Cupcakes, adapted from the hummingbird bakery cookbook.
(Makes 12 regular cupcakes)

Ingredients:
120g Plain flour
80g Caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
A pinch of salt
40g LIV unsalted butter, room temperature
120g Whipping cream
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Coconut oil (optional)
1 Whole egg
2 slices Pineapple (fresh or canned), cut into small pieces
Some Desiccated honey coconut

Method:

1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a mixing bowl.
2. Using a whisk, mix until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

3. Mix the cream and the vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then beat into the flour mixture until combined.

4. Add in the coconut oil, followed by egg and beat well. Scrape down the sides and mix well.

5. Divide the chopped pineapples between the paper cases.
6. Spoon the cupcake mixture on top until two-thirds full. Sprinkle desiccated coconut on top.

7. Bake in the preheated fan oven of 160C for 20mins, or until golden.
8. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Martha Stewart's Red Velvet Cupcakes

One of my blogger friend highly recommended this book- Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. I know many bakers/bloggers have already owned this book. I was hesitant to buy it at first as I have many other cupcakes recipe books. I had it in my "wishlist" though. Finally, when there was a 10% off from Books Depository, I jumped in at it and ordered this book.

First recipe I tried was the Red Velvet Cupcakes. Actually, I dislike using american measurements - cups. It would never seem accurate to me. I wonder how they can use such metrics for baking where everything needs to be precise. Anyway, I followed their cup measurements. -_-// Whenever I tried recipes outside Asian countries, I tend to reduce the sugars, by quite a fair bit. There was no exception in this case. The Red Velvet Cupcakes were dense and moist. The cream cheese frosting was good too! (Especially with the reduction of sugars!) It is not overly cheesy with a good blend of butters. The frosting was really smooth and silky. I love this cupcake! Give it a try too!

Recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes, adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Makes 24 regular cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Cake flour
2 tbsps Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cups Caster sugar (original calls for 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups Vegetable oil
2 large Eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp Red food colouring
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Buttermilk (1 cup whole milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 1/2 tsps Baking soda
2 tsps distilled White vinegar

Method:

1. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Sift cake flour and cocoa powder. Add salt and whisk together.
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food colour and vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, whisking well after each addition. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl; add mixture to the batter and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.
5. Divide batter evening among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 180C. Rotate muffin trays half way through, until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 20mins.
7. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(12 oz) 340g Cream Cheese

(2 sticks) 227g Unsalted Butter

(4 cups) 100g Icing sugar, sifted

3/4 tsp Vanilla extract

Method:

1. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, in three batches, then add vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.
3. To frost the cupcakes, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Strawberry Surprise Chocolate Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by Liv butter. Try Liv today!

I've seen many bakers adding jam to their cupcakes in some of the blogs. It looked rather interesting though. So I decided to try baking some myself, to have a taste of how it's like. Since owning "Fabulous Cake Business" for quite a while, I didn't have the opportunity to try any recipes from this book. Therefore, I decided to modify one of their recipe - Blueberry Cupcake to bake my Strawberry Surprise Chocolate Cupcakes.

Recipe for Strawberry Surprise Chocolate Cupcakes, modified from Fabulous Cake Business by Alex Goh.
Makes 27 regular cupcakes (No. 8 paper liner from Daiso)

Ingredients:
(A)
250g Liv Unsalted butter, soften
160g Caster Sugar
(B)
50g Plain flour
(C)
4 Large eggs (weighs 60g per egg without shells)
(D) (sift together)
140g Plain flour
30g Cocoa powder
30g Corn flour
1 tsp Baking powder
(E)
50g Whole milk
(F)
180g Strawberry jam

Frosting:
Chocolate Buttercream

Method:

1. Beat (A) with a k-beater at medium speed until light and fluffy. Stop to scrap the sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula frequently.
2. Add (B) and cream until well blended. Gradually add (C) in 4 batches and cream until light and smooth. Stop to scrap the sides and bottom of bowl after each addition.
3. Add (D) and (E) alternately and mix at low speed until well blended.
4. Line the muffin moulds with the paper cups.
5. Scoop a small amount of the batter into the cups, then add a small teaspoon of the strawberry jam into the batter. Topped it up more batter and smooth the top.

6. Bake at 190C in the middle rack for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the cakes from the moulds immediately after baking and set aside to cool.

8. Decorate it by piping chocolate buttercream on top of the cake.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by Liv butter.

During my trip to Orlando and New York City recently, I had the opportunity to visit hypermarket like Walmart and departmental stores like Macy's. When you go to places like this, you're just tempted to to into their baking sections - both ingredients and accessories. I couldn't resist to buy back some beautiful cupcake liners and even cupcake carriers and cake stand! My hubby was very kind to help me lugged those back. Not that Singapore stores don't have, but it's cheaper there and the variety is good!

Since it was the Halloween season, I bought some Halloween related cupcake liners and sticks. And I decided to make Pumpkin Cupcakes so that I can use the liners and make the occasion more real!

Recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes, adapted from Hummingbird Bakery
Makes 12 regular (American size) cupcakes

Ingredients:
120g Plain flour
100g Caster sugar
1 tbsp Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
A pinch of salt
40g Liv Unsalted butter, room temperature
120g Whole milk
2 Eggs
200g Canned pumpkin puree

Method:

1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and butter in a large mixing bowl.
2. Beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
3. Gradually pour in the milk and beat until well mixed.
4. Add the eggs one at the time to the mixture and mix well. Stop and scrape the sides.
5. Stir in the pumkin puree using a spatula, until evenly dispersed.
6. Spoon the batter into the paper cases until 2/3 full.
7. Bake in a preheat oven of 170C for about 20mins, or until browned.
8. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning into a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

80g Icing sugar, sieved

60g Liv Unsalted butter, room temperature

125g Cream cheese

Method:

1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl until they are creamy and well mixed.
2. Add all the cream cheese and beat until completely incorporated.
3. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.

 
Frosting:

1. Using an off-set spatula, frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese generously.
2. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder on the cream cheese.
3. Add cupcake sticks to beautify.

Vanilla Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by Liv butter.

I've been wanting to bake a nice vanilla flavoured cupcakes for a long time. Earlier this year, at my cousin's baby's first month celebration, I was asked to make chocolate cupcakes for his guests, and I did. My aunty tried the chocolate cupcake and said it was nice. However, she commented that she preferred vanilla taste. I promised her I'll try to bake a good vanilla cupcake next time for her.

Then came the opportunity. My dad invited his relatives to his place for a gathering. He usually do this once a year. I knew my aunty will be there. So I kept my promise. I tried Little Teochew's Vanilla Cupcakes. It was moist and crumbly, something that I like in a cupcake. My aunty liked it and commented that at least the butter taste wasn't prominent.

Recipe for Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes, adapted from The Little Teochew.
Makes approx. 36 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

85g Self-raising flour
70g Plain flour
113g Unsalted Liv butter, softened
130g caster sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
122g Whole milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean for even more intensity)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
6. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 18 minutes, or when the top turns golden brown.
8. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I finally "threw in the towel" - I made Red Velvet Cupcakes (RVC). This was despite the fact that I knew how much red colourings it went into the cupcakes. The cupcakes were rather special. I can't really tell the taste of the cupcakes, except that it tasted rather good with the cream cheese frosting. Actually, it was a colleague who "inspired" me to bake this as he was raving about how great the RVC from Twelve Cupcakes were! I hesitated for a long time as the amount of colourings freaked me out!

The ultimatum to bake this RVC was when I watched "Chuck's Day Off" last week and saw how beautiful his RVC was! Initially, I wanted to bake using his recipe, however, as I do not have plain yoghurt on hand, I decided on Sonia's recipe instead. It's straight forward and simple!

So here it is. I made some modifications. As I wasn't able to find my cake flour, I replaced it with plain flour. I also used 2 tsps red colouring instead of 1 tbsp. I found that ChefMaster's colours are very strong. Just 2 tsps of red colouring made it so red! I shall reduce to 1 tsp the next time I try. The cupcakes turned out to be moist and yummy (if you will ignore the colourings). When I let my colleague tried it, he actually said it's as good as Twelve Cupcake's RVC! However, he commented that it has a bitter after taste. We concluded that it must be the taste from the colouring. Otherwise, I'm happy to know that it's good! Well, if you can convince yourself to bake RVC, then try this recipe. It's really good!

Fondant Cupcakes

I made more chocolate cupcakes with swiss meringue buttercream again for my cousin's baby's first month celebration. As a token of appreciation for the couple, I made a pair of baby sleeping fondant cupcakes for them. I was glad the chocolate cupcakes were well received, and the couple was delighted to receive my personalised fondant cupcakes.

I'm submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #16: Fun with Fondant! (February 2012) hosted by Yvonne of iceamericanos.

On a separate subject, I was pleasantly surprise to see an old schoolmate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) from my cousin's baby's celebration! It was 20 years ago when we last met! He was my swimming coach at Lifeguard Corps Club in NP, even though he was only one year my senior. When I went for my studies in NP after my "A' levels, I was admitted directly to year 2. At that time, I do not know how to swim, and took the opportunity to learn in NP. We reminisced the good old time we had during that period, including our outing to Kallang River for kayaking. It really brought back fond memories of the times during my tertiary studies.

Birthdays and Cupcakes

I was delighted when Grace approached me to bake something for her dear son's first birthday celebration. We discussed some concepts and finally, I decided to bake fondant cupcakes as a goodie bag for her guests.

I also made mini chocolate cupcakes to be shared with her guests. I was glad she liked it. With the same chocolate cupcakes, I also gave my sister for her birthday celebration too! One recipe, many decorations!

Chocolate Cupcakes

I've made chocolate cupcakes at least twice this month. Since I didn't have a chance to frost it, I've decided not to post them up. My sister loves her cupcakes to be frosted with buttercreams. Therefore, to make her happy, I finally have the time to make frosted cupcakes for her. It was her favourite - chocolate cupcakes with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream.

Recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Cupcake recipe modified from "Rose's Heavenly Cakes".

(Makes 16 regular cupcakes)

Ingredients:

42g Cocoa Powder (alkalised)

118g Boiling water

2 Large eggs (approx. 100g)

44g Whole milk

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

166g Top flour (or cake flour)

110g Caster sugar

2 tsp Baking powder

1/8 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Fine salt

170g Unsalted butter, soften

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa and boiling water until smooth.
2. Let it cook to room temperature, about 30mins.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and the vanilla just until lightly combined.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt on low speed for 30 secs.
5. Add the butter and chocolate mixture and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 mins. Scape down the sides of the bowl regularly.
7. Starting on medium low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 secs after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
9. Scoop the batter into the prepared paper cupcakes.
10. Bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 15 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
11. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, modified from Batter Baker and Baking Library.

Ingredients:

2 Egg whites

80g Caster sugar

150g Unsalted butter, soft but still cold

25g Cocoa powder

Method:

1. Whisk the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and whisk continuously until it's cooled and the peaks are stiff and glossy.
3. Add the butter in 3 batches, ensuring that it is well incorporated before adding another batch.
4. Continue beating until it becomes creamy and fluffy.
5. Lastly, sift in the cocoa powder and continue beating until the buttercream is uniformly smooth and chocky.

Pipe the buttercream on the cooled cupcake and topped it with Chocolate Maltese balls.

I'm submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #13 - Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's blog.