Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites

 

 Oh, you know I love a surprise in the middle!  In fact, I recently saw this pan in the Sur La Table catalog and I'm trying to figure out how to justify getting it:

See what they're doing there?  There's a little spike in the middle that HOLDS your surprise filling in place (in this case, COOKIE DOUGH, so thrilling!) so it stays right where it should and doesn't sink.  I love how this designer thinks.

But back to my brownie bites.  These were done in mini muffin pans so I couldn't have used the fancy pan anyway.  But you could use a mini cheesecake or bouchon mold and they would be even prettier than mine.  I just don't have either of those...yet!

Regardless, these bites are festive, easy, and crowd-pleasing (which around here means kid-pleasing, especially since they got to help.)  And while I'm generally a from-scratch kind of girl, sometimes it's great to just use a mix. 

 

OK, one last note.  Have you tried candy cane kisses yet?   Of course you have, because you bought them to make last year's Peppermint Kiss Cookies.  Well I really like them, but just one complaint.  They claim to have "candy cane pieces" in them, which you would believe if you never looked closely.  But what they have are stripes, mint flavor, and red-and-white nonpariels inside for the pretend-candy-cane crunch.  C'mon, just be accurate. 

And on that note, here's a great recipe!

Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites (print recipe)
1 brownie mix (9 x 13 size)
24 Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 T heavy cream
3 candy canes, crushed

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full.  Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top.

 Bake for about 20 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.  Let cool completely.

2.  Melt chocolate chips and cream in microwave 30 second intervals until smooth and melted.  Stir until silky smooth.  You can place back in microwave for 10 seconds to smooth more if needed.  Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.  Serve with a tall glass of milk.

Recipe from http://picky-palate.com/

Chocolate Cookie Cupcakes with Raspberry Fluff Frosting

 The picture of this cupcake really speaks for itself.  It also says, "Kari can't lay an Oreo straight."  But it's artistic.  And my 4-year-old was helping. 

But LOOK at this!  A chocolate cupcake with a whole Oreo inside?  I am embarrassed I had to see this in a Martha Stewart magazine.  I don't experiment with recipes very often but I should have been able to come up with this one.  Either way, we all have it now, and it is AWESOME (sung in falsetto voice.) 

Kids love it, and they love to help make them.  This is on my birthday party short list.  So fun.

Now shall we talk about the frosting?  Butter, raspberry jam, and marshmallow cream.  So fluffy.  More AWESOMENESS (falsetto again.)  I shared with friends and the reports came back the kids loved the frosting, too.

 

But.  You can do almost any frosting here, you know.  Anything goes with Oreos!  Maybe a cookies & cream frosting?  I made these a second time and experimented with an Irish cream frosting; I loved it.   I didn't write the recipe, but it was roughly - 6 T soft butter, beaten with about 2-3 T Irish cream creamer (the liquid kind, like you pour in coffee or, in my case, warm milk) and about 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, adding more sugar or creamer as need to get the right consistency.  Delicious. 

Chocolate Cookie Cupcakes with Raspberry Fluff Frosting (print recipe)
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
3 T seedless raspberry jam
3 cups marshmallow topping
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners.  Melt 2 T butter; let cool.  In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Lightly beat egg and egg yolk and add, along with melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla and 1/2 cup hot water; whisk until smooth.  Spoon 1 T batter into each muffin cup and top with a cookie.

 2.  Top each with 1 T batter.  Bake until cupcakes are puffed and set, 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.  Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack. 

3.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter and raspberry jam on medium-high until smooth.  Add marshmallow topping and confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth, 3 minutes.  Transfer mixture to a pastry bag with a 1/4" tip or a quart-size zip-top bag; with scissors, snip a small hole in one corner.  Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and serve immediately. 

Recipe from Everyday Food

Halloween Candy Mini Cupcakes (a.k.a. the PERFECT Halloween treat)

I'm not even going to insult you by quipping, "Oh, these are great to make with all that leftover Halloween candy!"  Because it's pretty specific - you need mini Reese's cups and candy corns.  Candy corns, okay, you might have some of those left over.  But who has Reese's cups sitting around?  They are the first to go at my house.  (For the true Halloween leftovers, we need a recipe that uses things like Laffy Taffy, Jolly Ranchers and Sweet Tarts - anyone?)  So you have to go out and buy - or carefully save out - the candy for these.  You can do that. 

I will also not insult you by pointing out the only Halloweeny thing about these is the candy corns.  You can - and should - make these any time of year with just the Reese's, or with any relevant holiday accent atop.  Cadbury mini eggs, Christmas color M&M's, etc.  But Martha Stewart called these "Mini Triple-Treat Cupcakes" and I thought that name was dumb, so I changed it.

OK, so you've got a peanut butter batter, one delicioso Reese's mini cup which fits in there perfectly, and a candy corn on top.  Pretty much the PERFECT Halloween treat and I'll tell you why:

1. They are bite-size, maybe 2-3 bites for smaller kids.  Imagine you're at a school or church Halloween party and the sugary spread is massive.  Do you or your kids really want an entire marshmallow-ghost cupcake when there is so much sugar to be had?  Better to go smaller.
2. They are festive - you know, Halloween colors and all that.  Plus everyone loves a surprise filling, no one more than me.
3. They are EASY.  We already know baking is my thing; decorating is not.  I want my food to look nice and appetizing without hours of multi-color piping if I can avoid it.  Plopping a candy corn on top is my kind of decorating.
4. They are peanut butter and chocolate, only the best candy combination EVER.

 And those are just a few of the reasons.  Make up your own if you need more. 

 

 Halloween Candy Mini Cupcakes (print recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
48 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
48 pieces candy corn, for decorating

1.  Preheat oven to 350, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Line two 24-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg and egg yolk, scraping down bowl as needed.  With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture, buttermilk and vanilla until combined.

2.  With the large end of a melon baller (or extra small cookie scoop), place 2 tsp batter into each muffin cup, then press a peanut butter candy into each center until batter aligns with the top edge of candy.  Bake until puffed and set, about 10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.  Immediately place a piece of candy corn on top of each cupcake; let cool completely in pans on wire racks.  Makes 48 mini cupcakes.

Recipe from Everyday Food, October 2011

Blueberry Cupcakes with Maple Brown Butter Frosting

Alrighty. Summer's official end is drawing nigh and it is time to CRANK the rest of my summer recipes out while the gettin' is still good at the farmer's market. (Speaking of, if you live in the DC area and can't get to your farmer's market when you want to, check out Local Market in Falls Church.)

Time for more blueberry magic. Delicious, sweet and tender yellow-blueberry cupcakes. I'm sure they would be delicious plain or with any number of toppings (lemon glaze, whippped cream, cream cheese, etc.) but you do NOT want to miss out on the revelation this Maple Brown Butter Frosting is. Do you see some little flecks in there? Browned butter solids. Making this icing with brown butter lends it a caramel/toffee essence you can't get any other way. And the maple flavor is perfectly balanced. And you are allowed to be impressed with my fancy piping job.

I made these cupcakes for a ladies' lunch of discriminating palates, and received praises all around. I can say that without bragging because like almost everything I post on here it's not my recipe. Got this one from A Bountiful Kitchen, which is worth serious browsing and may require a drool bib. A problem which can be partially remedied by making these cupcakes!Blueberry Cupcakes with Maple Brown Butter Frosting (print recipe)
Blueberry Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix butter and egg lightly. Add buttermilk and milk. Add milk mixture to flour and mix just until blended. Toss blueberries in a tablespoon of flour and fold into batter. Spoon batter into 12 standard muffin cups, greased or lined with paper. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Maple Brown Butter Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 T maple syrup

In a sauce pan, melt butter at medium temperature until golden brown. In a bowl, add butter to sugar, then add milk and syrup. Beat until smooth. Top with a fresh blueberry immediately after frosting. Recipe from A Bountiful Kitchen

Lemonade Cupcakes

I can't exactly remember, but I think these cupcakes were the inspiration for LEMONADE WEEK. They certainly fit the theme, with lemonade syrup in both batter and frosting. (That's thawed lemonade concentrate for Americans.) I hunted down some lemon drops for garnish, but if you are up to candying your own lemon slices, by all means do it...and then email me directions and photos so we can work out a guest post! They would be the crowning jewel on these lemony handfuls of sunshine!
When my brother visited us from England in May, he brought me Cake Days, a cookbook from The Hummingbird Bakery in London. I told him while he was here I would make him anything he wanted out of it; he chose these cupcakes. The measurements were in grams and ounces - sorry, no cups, but if you've got a kitchen scale, which honestly, you should have one by now! (here's mine), then you can do these, no problem. Yummy and sooo LEMONADEY!!!
Lemonade Cupcakes (print recipe)
Cakes:
3 oz. unsalted butter, softened
10 oz. sugar
8 1/2 oz. all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 T lemonade syrup (thawed lemonade concentrate)
8 1/2 fl. oz. whole milk
2 large eggs

Frosting:
2 T lemonade syrup
1 3/4 fl. oz. whole milk
1 lb 2 oz. confectioners' sugar
5 1/2 oz. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Lemon jelly candies or lemon drops, to decorate

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, set on low speed, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest until all the ingredients have come together and resemble fine breadcrumbs.

3. Mix the lemonade syrup with the milk in a jug, add the eggs and whisk together by hand, then pour three-quarters of this milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and keep mixing the batter until thick and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture and continue to beat on a medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth once again.

4. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Any remaining batter can be used to fill one to four more cases in a second muffin tin. Pop in the oven and bake for 18-20 minute or until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely before you add the frosting.

5. To make the frosting, first mix the lemonade syrup with the milk. Using electric mixer, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the butter and lemon zest on a low speed until sandy in texture. Mixing on a low speed, pour the flavored milk into the sugar mixture. When you've poured it all in, increase the speed to high and whisk until light and fluffy.

6. Spoon a generous dollop of frosting on to each cold cupcake, then gently smooth over with a knife, making a swirl at the top and adding lemon slices or candy, if you wish.

Makes 12 to 16 cupcakes

Recipe from Cake Days: Recipes to make every day special from the hummingbird bakery

Frosting for the Cause: Pistachio-Cardamom Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a day I've been anticipating for several months - my turn to post my story and recipe on Frosting for the Cause.

Have you seen the button on my sidebar? Have you gone over on occasion to see what is being posted? I've been astounded by the company kept over there. Incredible stories of "everyday" people. And absolutely top-notch recipes.

So today my own humble contribution is up. It's one of the only times I've run test batches to perfect a recipe, but I wanted something special, and different, for "Frosting." I hope you like it.

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Any Harry Potter fans out there? Man, I am. I admit, I petered off there at the end and still haven't read book 7, but I sailed through the first four and they really helped me get through a tough semester of grad school. So easy, and so fun, to get lost in that magical world...and not the least intriguing detail was the food! Oh, yeah. Anyone hear of treacle tart before? You know where I'm going with this. Butterbeer. I imagine it as a cross between my Aunt Pat's buttermilk syrup, cream soda, and maybe a splash of apple cider. Amy over at AmyBites got to taste it recently firsthand at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure park in Orlando. And she loved it so much she came home and made it into a cupcake. Which my brother found on the internet and sent me the link for. THE DAY AFTER cupcake night at my house. Worst timing ever, but forgiven for such a great find.

As soon as I read it through, I knew I had to make it as soon as I got some cream soda and butterscotch chips. Just so happened it was a few days before my daughter's birthday, so we had them for her family party. Luckily she's one and not calling the shots yet so I get to make what I want.(This being a public blog, not posting the naked-eating-cupcake pics, but they were sooo cute!)

What do you think, are my pictures almost as pretty as Amy's? I didn't have the souvenir mug, bummer. But she didn't have a one-year-old so we're even.

A word about the butterscotch sauce filling technique. It's too thin to pipe with a pastry bag so go to Sally's Beauty Supply if you have one and get a color applicator bottle like this. Or something similar. Mine was $1.89, and doubles as great squirty fun in the bathtub or outside after it's done its butterscotch duty. Butterbeer Cupcakes (print recipe)

For the cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

For the ganache:
1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

For the buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.

Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.

For butterscotch filling: In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.

For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache. Makes 18 cupcakes
Recipe from AmyBites.com

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Still filling the Dessert Club - "Cupcakes" recipe requests! So glad there were so many you liked.

Boston Cream Pie is one heck of a yummy dessert; Boston Cream donuts are always my first pick. So these single servings fit right in on Kari's YUMMO list. Tender vanilla cupcake, smooth homemade vanilla cream, and a dribbling crown of rich chocolate ganache. Cupcake night wouldn't have been the same without them!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (print recipe)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 oz. (6 T) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for tins
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Cream (recipe follows)
Chocolate Ganache Glaze (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.

2. Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.

3. Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.

4. Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 T vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each, and serve immediately. Makes 18 cupcakes

Vanilla Cream
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 T plus 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.

2. Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick, 2 to 4 mintues. Stir in vanilla.

3. Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 T light corn syrup

Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, February 2009 via Dessert Club member S.S.

Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes with Whipped Caramel Ganache Frosting

Again, yes, sorry no individual picture for this Dessert Club winner - it's in the middle of this one, though, with the creamy piped topping and gold stars on:Chocolate Soufflé Cupcakes (print recipe)
6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I preferred this with bittersweet)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) (86 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) espresso or instant coffee powder, optional
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons (97 grams) sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 to 12 Lindt truffle balls, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9 standard-size (3-ounce) muffin cups with paper liners. Stir chocolate, butter and espresso powder together in heavy medium saucepan over low heat mostly melted, then remove from the heat and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth. (I like to put the butter underneath the chocolate in the pan, so that it protects the chocolate from the direct heat.) Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

2. Using electric mixer (a hand mixer, rather than a stand mixer, actually works best here because the volumes are so small) beat egg yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Briefly beat lukewarm chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract, into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and all of the salt, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each three-fourths of the way. (You might find, as I did, that you had enough leftover for a extra half-cake. That’s your “taste tester”. It’s a, uh, very important part of the process.)

3. Place one Lindt truffle ball on top of each cup and push gently in, maybe one-third to one-half way. It will sink in as it cooks.

4. Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry to the touch (some may crack, embrace it) and a tester inserted into the centers comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack, where the cupcakes will almost immediately start to fall. It will be all the better to put your frosting on. Makes 9 to 12 cupcakes.

Recipe adapted from SmittenKitchen.com

Whipped Caramel Ganache Frosting
1 lb. dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 T light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, softened but still cool

1. Combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

2. In another small saucepan add cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. When the caramel mixture has reached 350 degrees, remove from heat and allow to rest for 1 minute. Add the hot cream to the caramel; stir to combine. Let cool 5 minutes. Place chocolate in the bowl of an electric mixer and pour caramel sauce over chocolate. Let sit 1 minute before stirring from the center until chocolate is melted.

4. Attach bowl to electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Add butter and increase speed to medium-high until mixture is well combined, thickened, and slightly whipped, about 2 minutes. Recipe from MarthaStewart.com
   

To Finish: Fill each sunken top with a big dollop or piping of whipped frosting and top with shaved chocolate or, my favorite, ed-i-ble glit-ter.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Per your requests, I'll be posting some of the cupcake recipes from Dessert Club. These Lemon Meringue Cupcakes were spectacular in both taste and presentation.

D.C. member C.C. says: "This recipes calls for caster sugar, which I just put regular white granulated sugar into a coffee grinder to make it finer. Also for the meringue, it whips up faster if the egg whites are brought up to room temperature. I also made a double batch of the lemon curd and was pretty generous in piping it into the cupcakes."Lemon Meringue Cupcakes (print recipe)
Cupcakes:
1 cup pure cream
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon curd:

1/2 cup lemon juice
100g butter (about 7 T)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks

Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/2 cup caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180′C. Place 12 patty cake liners in a 12 hole 1/2-cup capacity muffin pan.

2. Place cream, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add flour and zest and continue whisking until mixture is thick and smooth.

3. Divide mixture between prepared liners and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cakes spring back to touch. Cool in muffin pan.

4. For lemon curd, heat lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan and simmer until butter has melted. Add sugar, egg and yolks and cook, whisking continuously until mixture becomes thick and glossy. Pour into a shallow oven tray to cool.

5. For meringue, beat egg whites in an electric mixer until firm peaks form, gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.

6. To serve, preheat grill to medium-high. Cut a small hole in the top of each cupcake and fill with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon curd. Pipe a swirl of meringue mixture on the top of each cupcake and place under heated grill for 60-90 seconds or until golden. Arrange on a serving plate with spoonfuls of lemon curd if desired.

Recipe from Masterchef via Dessert Club Member C.C.

French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes

Well these are just fanTABulous and I'm more than a little irritated I didn't make something so good myself for Dessert Club this month. I'm having a hard time getting over my boring and disappointing cupcakes. Especially when I could have, and should have, gone here for inspiration.

But these, these are like total genius. I love French toast - oh, with fresh nutmeg! And, like any good overweight American, I love bacon - especially when it gets a little maple syrup on it, hello! And I am delighted to finally have a great Maple Buttercream recipe. This post has it all!

Over and over the tasters exclaimed, "It tastes like breakfast!" A good breakfast, like a long weekend breakfast, or an eating out breakfast. An indulgent breakfast. The best kind. Have milk and orange juice nearby. YUM!French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes (print recipe)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
Maple Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows
6 slices crisp bacon

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

2. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.)

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla, and also set aside.

4. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next.

5. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Alternately, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next (scrape the bowl down occasionally). Raise the speed to medium and mix briefly until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.

6. Thoroughly clean the bowl of the mixer and put the egg whites inside. Whip the egg whites on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks are formed.

7. Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter, until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the muffin pan. Bake, rotating the pan once, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

8. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely. Makes 12 cupcakes

Maple Buttercream Frosting
Yield: about 1 2/3 cups, enough for 6 large or 12 regular cupcakes
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tsp heavy cream, at room temperature
3/4 tsp maple extract

1. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

2. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the heavy cream and maple extract.. Raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Crisp Bacon
Bacon works well baked in an oven at 425 degrees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-15 minutes, drain grease, and bake another 5-7 minutes or until crisp. You can do it in a pan as well.

Finally – Frost the cooled French Toast Cupcakes with the Maple Buttercream Frosting and top with a Crisp piece of Bacon! Break/crumble the bacon over the cupcake to get a little in each bite.

*And how do you like my little cupcake pedestal? My mom gave it to me for Christmas. Just knew it would come in handy!

Recipe from http://lifewithcake.com via Dessert Club member A.M.

Dessert Club - CUPCAKES

It was inevitable. Cupcakes are hot. Cupcake blogs abound. Cupcakes are the perfect individual size and, in the best cases, boast obscene amounts of frosting, and sometimes filling, too. So it was inevitable.

OF COURSE Dessert Club was going to do a cupcake night. Plus they make such pretty pictures!

One of the things I love about our Dessert Club is the range of palates. People have such different tastes, so we inspire each other to try new things, and are amazed at what others achieve. Cupcake night was no exception. Behold:

White Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes (my personal favorite of the evening!)

Black-and-White Cupcakes with Truffle Topping (mine - I was a little disappointed)

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes - gorgeous!
Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

French Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange-Infused Creme Fraiche (gluten-free! Unbelievable. She made the creme fraiche from scratch, a several-day process. AND she came straight from work so she brought all her components in a cooler and plated them at my house. I am taking presentation lessons from her.)

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Orange Chocolate Cupcakes (vegan!)

Coconut Cupcakes
And I am embarrassed and disappointed to tell that the evening's winner does not have a photo! She must have come after I'd done the pictures, or I got distracted and forgot! But they are on the glass pedestal in the center of the picture, and center of the group photo at top: Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Whipped Caramel Ganache Frosting. Phenomenal.

Recipes for a 4-year-old's Birthday

My middle daughter turned 4 last week, and as I mentioned on my other blog, there seems to be at least three birthday treat occasions: school party, family party, friends party. We are always up to a challenge like that.

For the preschool take-in treat we made Martha Stewart's Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. Fluffy Chocolate Frosting, cute rainbow sprinkles and balloon toothpick toppers finished them off. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures; it was a busy morning and I completely forgot.

For the family party, we made a triple layer dark chocolate cake, using this cake recipe but filled and frosted with more Fluffy Chocolate Frosting (and accompanied by chocolate ice cream, naturally.) I took the chance to try out my new Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa from King Arthur, and it was truly dark. There were no complaints, but I think I'll use it a bit more sparingly in the future. (Ginger decorated it herself with mini M&M's.)

And for the friends party last weekend, we had Triple Layer Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (and vanilla ice cream.) It's a popular birthday choice in our house of three girls - so pink! And that strawberry frosting is one of my favorites! She said she wanted "strawberry shortcake" but upon further queries we figured out she really wanted this, and we were right.
A perfectly fabulous run of sweet treats - chocolate chip, triple chocolate, then double strawberry? What more could a 4-year-old want?

P.S. Today is Ed's birthday. And my Mom's. Happy Birthday to them both!