Two months too long...

It's been over two months since my last post and I apologize for my long absence.  For the past few months my work life was getting in the way of my social life and I was not doing much baking or cooking.  Fortunately, things have slowed back down and I have time for the things I love and one of my great loves is baking.  Not only has work slowing down helped lower my stress but ever since I got back in the kitchen I am feeling much happier.  These past few months have also made me realize life is too short to be unhappy and let stress, especially work stress, take over your life.  To quote Oprah from her last show...."Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to find it."  I know that my current job is not my true calling and I hope one day I will be able to do more of what I love on a daily basis.

Me, Laura, Sara, MK, and Nina

Now let's get down to what this blog is all about...food!  My dear friend Mary Katherine Byrd (aka MK, Katherine, Kacky, etc.) now Mrs. Mary Katherine Baker recently married her boyfriend/best friend since high school, Nick Baker.  Before the wedding, two of the bridesmaids, Laura & Sara, threw MK a bridal shower and I was lucky enough to bake the cupcakes for the special day.  Laura & Sara did an amazing job decorating and preparing the food but I have to say my favorite thing were the favors they created for the guests.  A bird cookie cutter attached to a recipe for sugar cookies along with an original poem by Laura.  The best line being, "A symbol of our sweet Byrd becoming a Baker!".  The shower was a success and just over two weeks ago Ms. Byrd became Mrs. Baker.  Congrats MK and Nick! :)

 

 

The amazing spread Laura and Sara prepared.

 

The Cupcake Tower

My attempt at creating Magnolia Flowers

I chose to make two kinds of cupcakes for the shower.  White cupcakes filled with chocolate ganache and chocolate cupcakes filled with raspberry jam, both decorated with vanilla cream cheese icing.  I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. 


Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes (I divided this recipe in half)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Ghirardelli)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• Raspberry Filling

Directions:

1. Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for one minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin).
5. Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  (Use a large measuring cup with a pour spout then pour the batter into the liners.)
6. Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.
7. Cool completely on wire rack.
8. While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the raspberry filling.  Over low heat on the stove heat about 2/3 cup of raspberry jam.
9. Using tip 230, fill a piping bag with the raspberry filling, and slowly fill each cupcake.  If you don't have that tip you can use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake.  Fill each hole with raspberry.  Discard (eat) the scraps.

Basic White Cake
Makes 2 dozen cupcakes or 2 9-inch cakes (I divided this recipe in half)

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Ganache

Directions:

1. Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
4. Beat the butter and sugar at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
6. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
7. Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is smooth, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
8. Finally, beat the batter for another 2 minutes to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
9. Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  (Use a large measuring cup with a pour spout then pour the batter into the liners.)
10. Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.
11. Cool completely on wire rack.
12. To prepare the ganache:
1. Place a 1/4 pound of chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in a medium bowl.  Slowly heat a 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring just to a boil then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.  Let sit for a minute then stir until chocolate has melted and you have a smooth creamy ganache.  Allow it to cool slightly.  This recipe will yield 1 cup of ganache, which should be plenty for 12 cupcakes.
13. Once the ganache is cooled you will use the same method above for filling the white cupcakes.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing
This recipe will frost about 24 cupcakes or a two layer 9" cake.

• ½ cup (1 stick/8 Tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (always use pure vanilla extract if possible)
• 4 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar
• 1 to 4 Tablespoons heavy cream, heavy whipping cram (or milk)

Directions:

1. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.
2. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
3. Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
4. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
5. Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

Recipes taken from my collection of recipes I have printed out without the baker's name and/or website so unfortunately I cannot give credit to whose recipes these are but please know I am very grateful for the recipes. :)