Savory cakes

I've had a pretty interesting last 7 months out in Colorado. I've had the opportunity to meet some pretty awesome people who have taken me out on some pretty sweet adventures. I've been to a Lumberjack celebration, my first real concert at Red Rocks, a sweet bike race in Steamboat, an epic 13 mile hike up Pikes for Brain injury awareness, and my first night hike just to name a few. I really am blessed to be in the midst of the best years of my life and have good people around me. Or as my new roommate likes to call them, The Crew.

1st night hike

 

Last week I was invited to a friend's Thanksgiving, formally known as "Skanksgiving". Lucky for us, there was nothing skanky there. Anyways, I decided I was going to make a cupcake for the occasion and wanted to try something savory. I spent some time scouring the internet before realizing there wasn't going to be much help out there.

I settled for a butternut squash cupcake from Vanilla Garlic but when I got to the store, I switched gears completely and decided I was going to try something weird. 

 

At the end of the night a min stuffing cupcake was born

  This is an adaptation from the Brown Eyes Baker

Savory Cupcake
1 C flour
1/2 C savory herb stuffing mix
1 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
8 Tbls (1 stick) butter (room temperature)
1/2 C sour cream
1 egg (room temperature)
2 egg yolks (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbls brown sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line out the cupcake tin with liners. It should be noted that I am still baking in minis, so please adjust baking time accordingly.

I bought a pack of dry Stove Top stuffing and put it in a food processor until I had a fine flour. You will have more than 1/2 C so remember to measure out after getting the flour.

Combine the flour, stuffing flour, baking powder, salt, and thyme in a large mixing bowl. *Other note, next time I make these I am going to omit the salt. I felt that the stuffing flour contributed enough salt but I'll post an update after the second batch. If you have a standing mixer, toss on the paddle attachment and add the butter, sour cream, egg and yolks, vanilla, and brown sugar. If not, start to get those arms warmed up. Mix until well combine and smooth.

Divide the batter into the lined tins. Bake at 350 for about 9 minutes. AGAIN, I am using minis, so PLEASE adjust bake time accordingly. As always, test the center of the cake with a toothpick.

Savory Buttercream Frosting
1 C butter (room temperature)
3 C powdered sugar
1 Tbls Vanilla extract
2 Tbls milk/heavy cream
1 Tbls 1 tsp rubbed sage (run through food processor)
2 tsp thyme
Dried Cranberries*

Beat the butter until it begins to fluff. With mixer on a LOW speed, slowly add the powdered sugar 1/2 C at a time until incorporated. After all the sugar is added, increase the mixer speed and add the vanilla and milk/cream. Finally, add the sage and thyme. Mix and adjust seasoning to taste. You want it to be smooth, earthy, and sweet.

Frost the cupcakes and garnish with the meatiest (literally the best adjective I could use) dried cranberries you can find.

Meeeaty

Until Next Time

Maple Baconator

Somewhere along the line we started a running joke at work that we were going to have a bacon party. Literally just pounds and pounds of bacon cooked in a variety of ways. Last night, our jokes turned into reality as 15 people joined together to create the most epic of dinner parties. We had Bacon beer mac n cheese, Lobster mac n cheese, Bacon wrapped Tennessee whiskey chicken, Candied bacon, Bacon wrapped stuffed mushrooms, Bacon vegetable cheddar soup, Bacon cheddar chive biscuits, and finally Maple bacon cupcakes. It was awesome. Someone even found Bacon soda, which was literally the only bad tasting item on the table. 

While searching for a starting point for maple cupcakes, I was continually redirected to Vanilla Garlic's website (original recipe found here). It was said to be the best maple cupcake on the web, so I had to try it with a little twist of my own. I doubled the recipe and made minis for the party, which cranked out about 70ish little cakes. 

Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Makes 12-16 / 350F oven

9 tablespoons butter, (room temp)
1 tablespoon bacon drippings (solidified)
2 egg, beaten (room temp)
10 tablespoons brown sugar
8 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
2 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
minuscule pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup minced bacon, cooked and drained (extra for garnish, if desired)

Start with the butter and bacon and whip it....whip it real good. Once it looks incorportaed and whippy, add the two beaten eggs, followed by the brown sugar and syrup.

In a seperate bowl, add and sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you are broke like me, simulate sifting by gently tossing the ingredients with a fork. 

Slowly add the flour and buttermilk, alternating between the two in 3 batches. Once the batter looks thick and well mixed, gently fold in the bacon. 

Divide the batter into cupcake liners and bake for 8-9 minutes (**I am using minis AND I am baking in high altitude). Check the cakes by inserting a toothpick and praying it comes out clean. Set those puppies aside to cool. 

Maple Frosting

8 tablespoons butter (room temp)

1 tablespoon bacon grease (solidified)
5 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup
2 cup of powdered sugar

Whip the crap out of the butter and bacon grease. Add the maple syrup and let the frosting and continue to beat on high for about 2 minutes or until it there is a good amount of air incorporated. Lower the speed and slowly add the powdered sugar. I believe once I added all the sugar, I let the frosting beat on high for about 3 minutes to get a really fluffy batch. 

Finally frost and garnish with Bacon.

I dipped my bacon in chocolate and wished I had large sea salt to add. Either way, the final product was awesome. 

Till Next Time

Firecracker cupcakes

In Northern Michigan there used to be a small cafe that served sandwiches, salads, all that good stuff, but they also made their own ice cream. I vividly remember one ice cream flavor in particular, chocolate chili. It was wonderful, cool, rich, chocolaty, and finished with a suprising kick. I've been trying to recreate this combination since and although it is St. Patrick's Day, I figured my last post sufficed for my Irish (along with my red curl and pale skin).

So we start with the cake, which is from the base of the Guinness cakes.

Firecracker Cupcake

1 C milk (buttermilk is a good option too)
1 C butter (room temp)
3/4 C coco powder
2 C flour (all-purpose)
2 C granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2/3 C sour cream1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbls chili powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 grinds of pepper

This is literally the exact recipe from last post (with a few tweaks).
Preheat your oven to 350 F and line out 24 cupcake tins with liners. Bring your milk and butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and add your coco powder until combine and smooth. Set aside and get to work on the dry ingredients.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, all the spices, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl beat eggs and sour cream until they are combine. Slowly add the chocolate/butter/milk mixture and beat until incorporated. SLOWLY start to add the flour mixture. Once everything looks decently incorporated, switch to a spatula and start to fold. Once everything looks well folded and spicy fill your cupcakes and bake for about 15 minutes, but as always, know your oven and keep your eyes peeled.

Overcooked cupcake suck.

 

Red Hot Frosting
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 C butter (room temp)
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbls Red Hot candies (any HARD cinnamon candy will work)
   I'm guessing a bit here, I had a small box of candies left over from Halloween but it was an individual packet and I just used the whole thing.

First, chop your red hot candies in a food processor until powdered or as close to powder as you can get. I still had some small bits but lacked further patience. Set that to the side. Beat your butter and cream cheese until loosely combined, then add the vanilla. Slowly add your powdered sugar and your pulverized candies, whipping the frosting until your reach the consistency you desire.

Frost and consume. This is not a cake I recommend for anyone that doesn't like spicy food. It has a nice bite to the end, and the cupcake goes really well with ice cream or some red wine.

 

Until Next Time

Samoa Cupcakes

      Can you just dive into a blog without doing an intro post? Yes, yes you can.

I love Samoas. As a kid, I could successfully eat an entire box of those sinfully delecious treats if my parents hadn’t already noticed my fat kid tendencies. 20 years later, I’m in the living room with a bunch of friends drinking wine and playing a board game when out came the Samoas. Girl Scout season was upon us and the cookies were devoured in haste. So I dug up some recipies and devised a plan for for a cupcake that could attempt to reach the supreme excellence of those damn cookies.
I settled for a white chocolate cake from The Fig Tree and got my “coconut salsa” from Katrina’s Kitchen and her homemade cookies.

Samoa cupcakes

White Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/3 C unsalted butter (room temp)
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 6 oz good quality white chocolate, chopped and melted
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 C + 1 TBLS milk

First, set the oven to 325 degrees and line your cupcake tins (I made about 21 cupcakes). Basic cake drill, combine the dry (flour, baking powder, and salt) and set to the side. Prep your chocolate to be melted whichever way you choose (double boiler, microwavy, heat vision) and get to work. Next time I make these, I’ll try heating my milk and using THAT to melt down the chocolate but I figured first time I make them, I better follow my instructions. While that is working, cream your butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs until incorporated. Then add the melted chocolate (the original recipie calls for 4, but I like to live on the edge).

Here is a hint for those of you who, like myself, find half used bags of chocolate chips around the house. Don’t.Use.The.Chips. Seriously. Invest in some good white chocolate because trying to melt old white chocolate “morsals” will not only make you gag as they shine in the heat, but will also make you wonder how much of this chip is actually wax. It’s enough to ruin Toll House for anyone.

 

After your chocolate is added, toss in the vanilla and mix at a medium speed for about 2 minutes. After, start to add your flour and milk, alternated and scraping the sides to ensure maxium batter production. With everything combine, fill your tins. I like to use an old ice cream scooper so I don’t have an array of baking times. Bake until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean (about 22 minutes). Let them cool and toast your coconut.

Coconut “Frosting”

• 2 C shredded coconut (packed)
• 12-oz chewy caramels
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp milk
• 4 oz. chocolate

What do I mean by 2 C packed? You know how you would pack brown sugar into a measuring cup? Similar to that but, this time, with shredded coconut. I chose to toast my coconut in a pan since the last time I attempted to toast something in the oven (almonds) it ended in a pan full of ashes. Toast (a little over low heat) and toss often and eventually, you’ll get a nice brown pan coconut disguised as hasbrowns.
Remove from heat and let it cool. In a sauce pan add your milk, salt, and unwrapped caramels, stirring occasionally over low heat. I went from wooden spoon to whisk until it was melted. I also added more milk to thin down the sauce (personal preference) so use some judgement here. Once all the caramels are melted into sauce form, fold in the coconut (about 1/2 C at a time) till you are satisfied with the caramel to coconut ratio. I ended up using all the coconut and had I toasted more, I might have used that as well.

Here comes the fun part. Remember those cupcakes you let cool? Now you get to spoon hot magma coconut salsa onto them. Let the frosting cool for a minute, then use about a spoonfull on each. Try to work quickly cause the caramel mess is easier to manipulate while warm.

In a microwave safe bowl, add your chocolate and a spash of milk. Microwave at 10 second intervals, stiring in between, until chocolate is melted and smooth enough to drizzel. Once again, I found old chocolate bars in the pantry and decided to put them to good use (about 3oz milk chocolate and 1oz semisweet).

 

 Once melted, drizzel chocolate over the tops of each cupcake.

 

Until Next Time