Daily Cupcake Recipe

Recipe for Monday, August 1st, 2011:
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream Frosting

Recipe via Love & Olive Oil

Prep time: unknown
Bake time: 25 minutes

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients [Cupcakes]:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Ingredients [Frosting]:

• 2 ounces of fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions [Cupcakes]:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcakes tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth.

Directions [Frosting]:

Wash and hull strawberries and toss them into a food processor. Puree strawberries and set aside.

Add sugar and egg whites into a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. If your buttercream curdles or separates, keep beating and it will come together again.

Once the buttercream is thick and smooth, gradually beat in the lemon juice on medium speed, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. By this point you should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. You can stop at this point if you want to stick with lemon buttercream. For strawberry buttercream, gradually add in strawberry puree, beating on medium speed until well incorporated.

Recipe for Wednesday, July 6th, 2011:
Fruit Filled Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Recipe via Love & Olive Oil

Prep time: unknown
Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients [Lemon Cupcakes]:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Ingredients [Fruit Preserves]:

• 1 pint fruit (strawberries, blackberries, or other berry)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup lemon juice, to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Ingredients [Lemon Buttercream]:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon soy creamer or heavy cream

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions:

Make preserves: Add berries to medium heavy saucepan along with sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Lightly mash berries and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until preserves coat the back of a spoon. They will seem a bit runny. Remove from heat, transfer to a heat-safe container, and allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Move to refrigerator and chill for 1 hour or until set.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth.

Fill cupcake liners with a scant 1/4 cup of batter (should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Make frosting: Cream butter in electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Add lemon juice and zest and mix until combined. Add creamer and mix at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).

Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the tops of cooled cupcakes, approximately 3/4” in diameter and set aside. Fill cavities with chilled preserves, and replace tops of cupcakes. Pipe on frosting, being sure to cover the seams.

Recipe for Saturday, July 2nd, 2011:
Strawberry Colada Cupcakes

Recipe via The Girl Who Ate Everything

Prep time: unknown
Bake time: 20-22 minutes

Serves: unspecified

Ingredients [Cupcakes]:

• 2 cups sifted cake flour (see cake flour substitute below)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• 1 large whole egg
• 2 large egg whites

Ingredients [Frosting]:

• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• Pinch of salt

(A conversion table can be found here.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Place 1 pint (2 cups) of strawberries in a food processor and process until pureed into liquid (1 1/2 cups for the cupcakes and 1/2 cup for the frosting later).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, add 2/3 cup of strawberry puree, coconut milk, crushed pineapple, vanilla extract and coconut extract. Stir until combined.

In another bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg whites slowly until incorporated. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the strawberry mixture slowly. Add the remaining dry mixture and mix until just combined.

Pour into cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full. Bake cupcakes for 20-22 minutes in the oven or until centers spring back when touched.

Make frosting: Beat butter and salt until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar slowly until combined. Add coconut extract, vanilla extract, and 3 Tablespoons of pureed strawberries. Mix until just blended. Do not overmix or you will get too much air in your frosting.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Garnish with fresh strawberries, chunks of fresh pineapple, and toasted coconut, if desired.