the vampire cupcake project
Sep. 3rd, 2008 09:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threeplusfireMy cake recipes were based on ones found in the New York Times Dessert Cookbook. Nigella Lawson's Sour Cream Strawberry Streusel cake was altered to omit the streusel topping. The Lee chocolate cupcakes are pretty much the same, minus their frosting recipe.
Here we are at the beginning, whisking all the dry ingredients together. In the background is the strawberry filling, which is just some sliced strawberries pureed with jam and a paste made of cornstarch and vanilla extract. I made way more than I really needed but found a way to use the extra later.
You want your butter chunks to be cold for this part, because you are going to crumble everything together with your hands. Unless you are undead, the warmth of your hands will be enough to help the mixing process.
This is how it will look as a coarse crumb mix. You kind of have to squish the butter a bit.
It is time for liquids!
The batter is really sticky and thick.
About a golf ball size chunk of batter goes in the cupcake pan, with a hollow in the center for a spoonful of strawberry puree. The tricky part is covering it with more of the sticky batter.
Since I modified this from a cake recipe, I had to watch the cooking time. These stayed in the 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes to achieve their golden state.
Now you want to warm up your butter to make the icing. Creaming butter is so much easier when it is soft.
I can't really tell you how to make a good buttercream, because I didn't measure anything. Seriously. I am chaotic baker, exactly what they tell you not to do in baking books. I will say it works to add your sugar a bit at a time and always scrape down the sides with the spatula.
The return of strawberry puree!
Turn the mixer all the way up and let it run til you achieve frosting state!
The virginal victim cupcakes, with blushing strawberry buttercream. Bite them and suck out their delicious strawberry blood!
Now for more butter creaming, this time with brown sugar. The dry ingredients are waiting n the sidelines.
Chocolate gets mixed into the butter and sugar. This recipe calls for 4 ounces of melted chocolate that has cooled off. I suggest putting your chocolate in a bowl and microwaving it for 2 minutes at 40% power. It won't really look it, but it will be soft and melty and perfect for mixing.
Now the dry ingredients, half at a time with a little milk to smooth the way.
This batter comes out extremely thick and solid.
Fill up your cupcake pans! The batter will explode over the edges, but that is alright. You can trim them up later.
Time to make some ganache. Again, you probably want to look up a recipe since I didn't measure this really closely. It's about a cup of heavy cream to 12 ounces chocolate, give or take a little. Leave this on the heat until it just starts bubbling.
Drop your chocolate into the hot cream and start whisking. It will look odd at first.
Whisk in little circles, moving around the pan. It will start coming together.
Keep whisking until it is all smooth. Mmm ganache. Now it just has to cool down. You can put it in the fridge to hasten it along.
The cupcakes are super soft, so spoon the ganache on top. I garnished them with almond slivers, because they look like fangs. Behold, the vampiric cupcakes of the night!
Don't forget your apron. I highly recommend the stylish and well tailored aprons from momomadeit on Etsy, which is where I got mine. It is lightweight, and has a pocket.
I hope you have enjoyed this epic cupcake entry.
Here we are at the beginning, whisking all the dry ingredients together. In the background is the strawberry filling, which is just some sliced strawberries pureed with jam and a paste made of cornstarch and vanilla extract. I made way more than I really needed but found a way to use the extra later.
You want your butter chunks to be cold for this part, because you are going to crumble everything together with your hands. Unless you are undead, the warmth of your hands will be enough to help the mixing process.
This is how it will look as a coarse crumb mix. You kind of have to squish the butter a bit.
It is time for liquids!
The batter is really sticky and thick.
About a golf ball size chunk of batter goes in the cupcake pan, with a hollow in the center for a spoonful of strawberry puree. The tricky part is covering it with more of the sticky batter.
Since I modified this from a cake recipe, I had to watch the cooking time. These stayed in the 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes to achieve their golden state.
Now you want to warm up your butter to make the icing. Creaming butter is so much easier when it is soft.
I can't really tell you how to make a good buttercream, because I didn't measure anything. Seriously. I am chaotic baker, exactly what they tell you not to do in baking books. I will say it works to add your sugar a bit at a time and always scrape down the sides with the spatula.
The return of strawberry puree!
Turn the mixer all the way up and let it run til you achieve frosting state!
The virginal victim cupcakes, with blushing strawberry buttercream. Bite them and suck out their delicious strawberry blood!
Now for more butter creaming, this time with brown sugar. The dry ingredients are waiting n the sidelines.
Chocolate gets mixed into the butter and sugar. This recipe calls for 4 ounces of melted chocolate that has cooled off. I suggest putting your chocolate in a bowl and microwaving it for 2 minutes at 40% power. It won't really look it, but it will be soft and melty and perfect for mixing.
Now the dry ingredients, half at a time with a little milk to smooth the way.
This batter comes out extremely thick and solid.
Fill up your cupcake pans! The batter will explode over the edges, but that is alright. You can trim them up later.
Time to make some ganache. Again, you probably want to look up a recipe since I didn't measure this really closely. It's about a cup of heavy cream to 12 ounces chocolate, give or take a little. Leave this on the heat until it just starts bubbling.
Drop your chocolate into the hot cream and start whisking. It will look odd at first.
Whisk in little circles, moving around the pan. It will start coming together.
Keep whisking until it is all smooth. Mmm ganache. Now it just has to cool down. You can put it in the fridge to hasten it along.
The cupcakes are super soft, so spoon the ganache on top. I garnished them with almond slivers, because they look like fangs. Behold, the vampiric cupcakes of the night!
Don't forget your apron. I highly recommend the stylish and well tailored aprons from momomadeit on Etsy, which is where I got mine. It is lightweight, and has a pocket.
I hope you have enjoyed this epic cupcake entry.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 02:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 04:00 am (UTC)I'm going to Central Market tomorrow for banana leaves, so attempt #1 at lembas will be either tomorrow or Friday. And if you can figure out everything that's on the table at the 1:32 mark of RotK Disc 1 (extended) I will definitely owe you a lembas recipe. The round bits and the flat rectangular bits have me perplexed.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 06:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 04:51 pm (UTC)How can you not have exact measurments for baking? How can I replicate your work if I don't have exact measurements? You know I can't cook at that level!
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 05:32 pm (UTC)Perhaps next year, you could sign on as their Kupcake Kommandant...