Cupcakes!

Not too long ago, I received a cupcake order. She was referred to me from a friend who I used to work with (thanks Trisha!) And I loved doing these cupcakes! I made an light and moist vanilla bean cupcake, and a red velvet batch as well. From what I tasted, and from what I heard, the new recipes turned out great! 

I also got a chance to work on something from  Pinterest! I made a cupcake stand with plates and candle sticks from the dollar store! It was super easy, but next time I need to find a current glue. I used hot glue because I couldn't find good enough instructions, and the hot glue just didn't like to stay sticking to the plate. Eventually, the weight alone from the cupcakes held it down. Success! 

Update: 8/30/13

It's been a while, I know! I just got these business cards in the mail! Expect some beautiful new recipes to come out soon! :)

I can't wait! :D

Oreo Cupcakes!

Oreo Cupcakes!

First off, if I could start the recipe over with some tweaks, I totally would! This one was a request and a pain in the tush. Enough about my keester! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Yields 24 Cupcakes
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp. baking powder 
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 
1 2/3 cup sugar 
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 cup milk 
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them) 
(For the Frosting)
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract 
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Oreo cookie crumbs 
24 Oreo cookie halves

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
  
  Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  
  To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  
  Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

Flour, baking powder & salt mix

Line each liner with the better half of an Oreo

Sugar & butter (before)

Sugar & butter (after 4ish minutes of beating on Med.)

After adding the milk and flour mixture

I cut the Oreo's into quarters, pretty easy to do, too!

Save the crumbs!

Fold in the Oreos

Don't forget to take a break! :)

Starting the frosting, cream cheese and butter on med/high for 5 minutes

After the cream, vanilla & powdered sugar

Add the crumbs!

Oh no, first post!

Ah, the first post on a blog. It's so fresh and new! Exciting? Only to me, I think. 

I was thinking about cupcakes because I always do, and I search these cupcake blogs all the time, but I never find any that scream "Katelyn!". Until now!

I want to try to devote this to baking cupcakes, cakes and other yummy goodies I attempt, my successes & my failures, all of it. And a few fat cat pictures.

Well, here goes nothing!  

I'll need to learn to take lots of pictures, because that's honestly the best part to me in a blog! You get to see all of the ingredients, the consistency of the batter, the decorations and of course, the finished product!

Below is a 'winner cupcake', according to my office and my mom's office. :) They will be known as "the guinea pigs". 

The cupcake is a nice, creamy dark chocolate cupcake, with a simple butter cream frosting, drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with sea salt. YUM! 

"PMS Paradise" Cupcake Recipe:
yield: 12 cupcakes
Directions apply to using a standard KitchenAid Mixer

For the cupcakes:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 cup Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 teaspoon chocolate extract (found this at Williams Sonoma)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4oz.) sour cream
1 'handful' of chocolate chips (it's okay if some of those get eaten, I've checked)

*Caramel Sauce (I used Hershey's caramel sauce. I feel bad for cheating, but it still tastes good, so no judging.)

For the Butter Cream frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, room temp.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions:
1. To make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Unless you're using a dark non-stick pan, then adjust heat to 325 degrees F.) Line the pan with baking cup liners.

2. Mix butter, eggs and sugar until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk together. Slowly add this to your sugar/butter/egg mixture. Add vanilla and chocolate extracts, then fold in the sour cream. Mix until batter is homogeneous and thick.

3. Divide batter evenly among the liners. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.

4. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let completely cool to room temperature.

5. To make the butter cream frosting: cream together sugar and butter on a low speed. Mix until well blended, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. (I use this time to clean up some of my mess)

6. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if desired consistency is not reached.

7. Scoop into a piping bag and cut the tip (I didn't use a piping tip for this one, but you may if you'd like). Pipe around the edges of the cooled cupcakes, leaving the center open, like a doughnut. 

8. Drizzle the caramel sauce onto all of the cupcakes, putting a little extra in the center where the frosting is missing; Sprinkle salt on top of each one. Enjoy!