 Lent
is almost over... so why not celebrate with these spring treats! You can
make these adorable cupcakes for birthdays, parties, or any occasion!
Start with these basic cupcake recipes, and then learn how to decorate
them.
Cupcakes:
 |
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
|
1 teaspoon baking powder |
|
1/2 teaspoon salt |
|
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter,
room temperature |
|
1 cup sugar |
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3 large eggs |
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1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract |
|
3/4 cup milk |
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In bowl of
electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until
light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scrape down bowl, and beat in
vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with the
flour. Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each.
Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes,
rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.
Buttercream Frosting
|
1 1/4 cup sugar |
|
5 large egg whites |
|
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room
temperature |
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
Combine sugar and egg whites in mixer bowl. Place over a pot of simmering
water; whisk until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, 3 minutes.
Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on
high until cooled, about 15 minutes.
Using paddle attachment, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until
completely incorporated. Stir in vanilla. If not using immediately,
refrigerate in airtight container up to a week, or freeze up to a month.
Bring to room temperature, and re-beat or stir vigorously before using.
(To make chocolate frosting, substitute 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate,
melted and cooled for the vanilla extract.)
Makes 5 cups of frosting.
Marshmallow Sheep:
| Vanilla Buttercream frosting |
| Pink and black food
coloring |
| Vanilla Cupcakes |
| 2 cups miniature
marshmallows (about 4 ounces), each cut in half |
Tint 1/4
cup buttercream pink and 1/4 cup black. Lightly frost cupcakes with
uncolored buttercream. Use remainder to pipe heads and ears: starting in
the center of cupcake pipe a pear-shaped head using a pastry bag fitted
with just a coupler; increase pressure as you pull back. Pipe ears on both
sides.
Pipe black eyes and pale-pink mouth and nose onto narrow end of head.
Place three marshmallow halves on each sheep head, cut side down. Then,
working from the base of the head out, continue to cover the cupcake with
halved marshmallows, cut sides down.
Makes 1 dozen Marshmallow Sheep.
Nesting Baby Bluebirds:
Before adding chocolate to buttercream frosting, set aside 1 1/2 cups
buttercream frosting and 1 teaspoon melted chocolate.
|
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (about 5 ounces) |
|
Vanilla Cupcakes |
|
Chocolate Buttercream |
|
Yellow and light blue food coloring |
 Heat
oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until
light brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan once. Set aside to cool.
Lightly frost cupcakes with 1 cup chocolate buttercream; set aside. Tint 2
tablespoons reserved buttercream pale yellow; place in pastry bag fitted
with a #349 Ateco leaf tip; set aside. Tint remaining buttercream light
blue; place in pastry bag fitted with a #11 Ateco plain round tip, and
pipe three blue bird heads, 3/4 inch in diameter, onto each cupcake. Using
leaf tip, pipe yellow beaks. With toothpick, add melted-chocolate eyes.
Form each nest with 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut.
Makes 1 dozen Nesting Baby Bluebirds.
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