...And if you think that's weird/arrogant/tacky/cutesy, then bear with me, because I have a little confession to make. It's embarrassing, so you want to pay attention.
Unbeknownst to most people, chocolate cupcakes- and cupcakes in general- have been my Achilles' heel in the kitchen. For some reason, I can't bake a proper cupcake. Back in 2011, I've made some divine red velvet cupcakes, but every. single. attempt since then has ended in utter failure.
I'm a girl who mastered pie crust, homemade caramels, baklava, and an epic Father's Day cake. I know how to make brown sugar from scratch. I'm close to really getting French macarons. I know how to whip up three different types of meringue.
So why?? Oh, why oh why oh why oh WHY?????
Behold, a litany of my own personal cupcake woes: 1. Overflowing cupcakes/incorrect batter distribution; 2. Lopsided crowns; 3. Shrunken cakes; 4. Dry/mousse-like/just plain wacky texture; 5. No other way to describe it...they were just plain UGLY.
The way I saw it, I had one of two choices: 1. Give up, or 2. Shut up and bake the darn cupcakes.
I shushed, and I baked. I observed, and I fixed.
Result: a cupcake held high in an absolute, all-triumphant victory.
This getting the cupcake batter to rise evenly thing is just my issue, right?
Surely everyone else does just fine pouring the batter to just the right amount? For that prettiest crown?
We will assume that is the case...and that I'm just a dork.
The tops are swirled unevenly and therefore are unappetizing and ugly....said no one at my church, ever.
Piping is serious fun. For this recipe, since the Oreo top is the main "spark" factor, the frosting can be piped from out a corner of a ziplog bag, no problem.
Why hello. Yes, I love you, too.
You are all of chocolatey and fluffy and yummy and I might have conquered my cupcake fear because of you. Plus you made my church group happy. I like when they're happy.
Chocolate Cupcakes
*makes 28 cupcakes*
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup coffee
- 4 large eggs
Directions:
- Place a strainer over a large mixing bowl. Measure in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar. Sift/shake the dry ingredients through the strainer into a mixing bowl, to eliminate any lumps.
- Add the butter and mix at low speed for 1 minutes. With the mixer running, add the oil and continue mixing until the mixture looks like sand.
- Combine the vanilla with the milk and coffee, and add all at once. Mix for 1 minute at low speed, stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for 30 seconds more.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well at medium-high speed between additions.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, and mix for 1 minute more. The batter will be thin.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling the cups only halfway through. (This is important! This particular batter rises quite tall!)
- Bake for 21 to 23 minutes.
- The cake is done when the top springs back when very lightly touched in the center, and the edges just begin to pull away from the edge of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a rack to cool before removing it from the pan.
Oreo Buttercream
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup crushed and finely ground Oreo crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar, or as needed for desired consistency
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 Tbsps whole milk, or more, as needed
- Beat butter and shortening until well combined and fluffy.
- Gradually add in confectioners' sugar, salt, and Oreo crumbs, in that order, until well combined.
- Add in the vanilla and milk, adjusting the milk for consistency.
No comments:
Post a Comment