Butterbeer Cupcakes

A few months ago my husband and I started hosting a dinner and a movie night once a week. We have been working our way through the Harry Potter series and finally finished last weekend (I have mixed emotions anytime Harry Potter comes to an end). In honor of the movies I decided to try my hand at making some butterbeer cupcakes. I found this recipe on Pinterest and have been dying to try them!

If you are like me and haven't been able to make your way down to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter yet you might wonder 'What does butterbeer even taste like???'. After doing some research, I found that most copycat butterbeer recipes contains some combination of melted butter (or imitation butter flavor), cream soda, butterscotch, and sometimes rum. In the case of these cupcake, the 'butterbeer' flavor comes mostly from butterscotch chips, imitation butter flavor, and a little bit of cream soda. Maybe next time I'll experiment and try to work in some rum...

These cupcakes have a butterscotch cake (infused with cream soda and imitation butter flavor) that is filled with a butterscotch ganache, that is then topped with a butterscotch and butter flavored icing. Sound like a lot of flavor doesn't it?

After making them, here are my thought on these cupcakes:

• They are good but not great. Sorry to be a buzz-kill... (Although a few of our dinner guests loved them, so maybe it's just me...)
• The ganache is delicous, but if you make it I would recommend starting off with less heavy cream than the recipe suggests (my ganach was a little too runny).
• The icing was also delicious!
• But the cake...it wasn't bad, but I think it could use some work. There was something about the texture of the cake that I didn't love, but it could possibly be fixed by leaving them in the oven a few minutes longer (The cupcakes were cooked through (a toothpick came out clean!), but they still just seemed almost under cooked in the middle somehow). They were also surprisingly lacking in flavor! In the end, it turned out to be ok because the ganache and icing had so much flavor and sweetness, that it balanced it out.

If you would like to try these butterbeer cupcakes, here is the recipe I used: http://www.pastryaffair.com/blog/2011/7/14/butterbeer-cupcakes.html

Happy baking!

 Here are some more pictures of my cupcakes, because I think they're cute!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

I just opened a shop on Etsy and these beautiful Christmas cookies are for sale!!

These scrumptious sugar cookies are perfect for holiday parties, gifts, or just to create a little extra holiday cheer! Each cookie is hand decorated with vanilla royal icing and range in height from 3.25'' to 3.75''. For more information go to: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHungryHood

Please message me if you have any questions about the cookies, or special requests!

Scroll down for some close up shots of the cookies!

Snowman:

Christmas Stocking #1:

Christmas Stocking #2:

Christmas Tree:

Candy Cane:

Stars:

Another shot of all the cookies!

Cronuts

Ok, so by now it seems like everyone has heard of the heavenly combination of croissant and doughnut known as the cronut, but not everyone has has the chance to try one (including me). So when I found a recipe for this cronut thing I jumped at the idea of being able to make them myself! And they turned out to be just as wonderful as all of the hype made them out to be!

The cronuts are not difficult to make, but plan ahead because the dough will take about 4 hours to prepare (to allow the dough to chill and rise). 

To make this delightful creation you will need:

• OIL, for frying

Dough:

• 3/4 cup MILK, warmed
• 1 packet (2 & 1/4 tsp) ACTIVE DRY YEAST
• 1/3 cup SUGAR
• 2 EGGS, large
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 3 & 1/4 cups FLOUR
• 1 tsp SALT

Filling:

• 2 sticks BUTTER, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup FLOUR
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

Buttermilk Vanilla Glaze:

• 1 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• 2 Tbs BUTTERMILK
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

Start off by mixing the warm milk and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer (or just a large bowl). Then allow the mixture to sit in the bowl for 5 minutes. Next, mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Once well combined, add one cup of flour and the salt. After the contents are well mixed again, slowly add in another 2 & 1/4 cups of flour.

Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth and elastic. It will be pretty sticky at this point.

Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, mix the butter, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup flour until smooth.

After the dough has chilled for 30 minutes, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle that is roughly 12 inches by 18 inches. Then, using a spatula, spread the butter, flour, and vanilla mixture on top of the dough.

Next, fold it into thirds (like you would fold a letter going into an envelope). Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and lay it back on the floured surface with the open sides to the left and right. Then roll it back out into a larger rectangle (as seen in the picture below on the right). 

 

After rolling it back out, fold it into thirds again. Fold the left third towards the middle and then the right third towards the middle (not top to bottom!). Then wrap it up in plastic wrap again and chill for another 45 minutes.

Repeat this process of rolling the dough out, folding it into thirds, and refrigerating for 45 minutes, TWO more times! (You will do this a total of FOUR times!)

By the last time, my dough started to take on a prettier, more uniform, rectangular shape. After you've finished all of the rolling, folding, and chilling, refrigerate the dough for a minimum of another hour to allow the dough to rise. You want the dough to be about 1 & 1/2 inches thick.

Then use a doughnut cutter (or in my case a glass...

...and a shot glass) to cut out the cronuts. 

I made a half batch so I only got 6 cronuts, but a full batch should make about 12. Make sure to keep the cronuts refrigerated until you are ready to fry them.

Once you are ready to fry up the cronuts, heat a few inches of oil in a pot to about 350 degrees F. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, test the oil with a piece of scrap dough to make sure it is at the right temperature (hot enough that the dough sizzles when dropped into the oil, but not so hot that it starts to burn before the inside is cooked).

Once the dough is at the right temperature, drop the cronuts into the oil and cook until they are golden brown! They should look something like this!

In a small bowl, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Drizzle the glaze over the cronuts while are still warm!

They are best served warm and fresh! Don't they look delicous?!?!

Look at all of the flaky layers! YUM!!

On the website where I found this recipe, there was a comment suggesting that you could bake the cronuts instead of frying them. They suggested baking them at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes. I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like a great idea!

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Cronuts

Ingredients:

• OIL, for frying

Dough:

• 3/4 cup MILK, warmed
• 1 packet (2 & 1/4 tsp) ACTIVE DRY YEAST
• 1/3 cup SUGAR
• 2 EGGS, large
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 3 & 1/4 cups FLOUR
• 1 tsp SALT

Filling:

• 2 sticks BUTTER, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup FLOUR
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

Buttermilk Vanilla Glaze:

• 1 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• 2 Tbs BUTTERMILK
• 3 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT

Directions:

1. Start off by mixing the warm milk and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer (or just a large bowl). Then allow the mixture to sit in the bowl for 5 minutes. 
2. Next, mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Once well combined, add one cup of flour and the salt. After the contents are well mixed again, slowly add in another 2 & 1/4 cups of flour.
3. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth and elastic. It will be pretty sticky at this point. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is chilling, mix the butter, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup flour until smooth. 
5. After the dough has chilled for 30 minutes, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle that is roughly 12 inches by 18 inches. Then, using a spatula, spread the butter, flour, and vanilla mixture on top of the dough.
6. Next, fold it into thirds (like you would fold a letter going into an envelope). Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
7. After 45 minutes, take the dough out of the fridge and lay it back on the floured surface with the open sides to the left and right. Then roll it back out into a larger rectangle (as seen in the picture below on the right). 
8. After rolling it back out, fold it into thirds again. Fold the left third towards the middle and then the right third towards the middle (not top to bottom!). Then wrap it up in plastic wrap again and chill for another 45 minutes.
9. Repeat this process of rolling the dough out, folding it into thirds, and refrigerating for 45 minutes, TWO more times! (You will do this a total of FOUR times!)
10. After you've finished all of the rolling, folding, and chilling, refrigerate the dough for a minimum of another hour to allow the dough to rise. You want the dough to be about 1 & 1/2 inches thick.
11. Then use a doughnut cutter (or in my case a glass and a shot glass) to cut out the cronuts. I made a half batch so I only got 6 cronuts, but a full batch should make about 12. Make sure to keep the cronuts refrigerated until you are ready to fry them.
12. Once you are ready to fry up the cronuts, heat a few inches of oil in a pot to about 350 degrees F. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, test the oil with a piece of scrap dough to make sure it is at the right temperature (hot enough that the dough sizzles when dropped into the oil, but not so hot that it starts to burn before the inside is cooked).
13. Once the dough is at the right temperature, drop the cronuts into the oil and cook until they are golden brown! 
14. In a small bowl, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Drizzle the glaze over the cronuts while are still warm!
15. They are best served warm and fresh! 

Side Note: On the website where I found this recipe, there was a comment suggesting that you could bake the cronuts instead of frying them. They suggested baking them at 425 degrees F for about 15 minutes. I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like a great idea!

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I found this recipe on this blog: http://saltandsmokefood.com/buttermilk-vanilla-glazed-croissant-donuts/

Tiramisu Cupcakes

If you like tiramisu and you like cupcakes then you will definitely LOVE these tiramisu cupcakes! The cakes are vanilla and are brushed with a coffee liquor syrup and topped with a delicious mascarpone frosting! This recipe will make about 18 cupcakes. 

Tip: Be sure to make these cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them. You could make the components ahead of time, but don't assemble them until the day of! Due to the coffee syrup being brushed onto the cupcakes, they they start to taste a little soggy after a day or two. 

Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 & 1/4 cups CAKE FLOUR
• 3/4 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 cup MILK
• 2 tsp VANILLA 
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 3 EGGS & 3 EGG YOLKS
• 1 cups SUGAR

Coffee Syrup:

• 1/4 cup STRONG COFFEE
• 1/4 cup KAHLUA
• 1/4 cup SUGAR

Mascarpone Frosting:

• 1 cups HEAVY CREAM
• 8 oz. MASCARPONE CHEESE
• 1/4 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• COCOA POWDER, for dusting 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl sift together the 1 & 1/4 cups cake flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, then set aside. 

Put the 2 Tbs of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the butter has melted. Then mix in the 1/4 cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla and set aside.

Add the 3 eggs, 3 egg yolk, and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until the contents have almost tripled in volume. The egg mixture should be thick enough that when drizzled over itself, it will stay on the surface for a few seconds.

Before whisking:

After whisking:

Once the egg mixture has tripled, switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and mix in the dry mixture and milk mixture. 

After all of the ingredients are well mixed, line a cupcake tray with paper liners and fill each liner 3/4 full. Then bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coffee Syrup:

While the cupcakes are baking, make the coffee syrup by whisking together the 1/4 cup coffee, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl, then set aside. 

Mascarpone Frosting:

To make the frosting, start by whisking 1 cup of heavy cream in an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

Then mix in 8 oz. of mascarpone and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. It should look something like the picture below!

Cupcake Assembly:

Once you have all of your components you can either assemble everything right away or else wait and store the components separately until you are ready to eat them! Remember, only prepare them the day that you plan to eat them!

Ok, once you are ready to assemble the cupcakes poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes either with a toothpick or a small knife. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the coffee syrup onto the top of the cupcakes (about 5-7 coats per cupcake). Make sure to use all of the syrup! It might seem like a lot, but won't be too much!

After brushing on all of the syrup, put the mascarpone frosting in a piping bag and pipe it onto the cupcake covering all of the holes in the top of the cupcake.

Then dust the top of the cupcakes with cocoa powder!

Vuala! Eat up!

Here you can see how the coffee syrup got down into the cupcake giving it the delicious Kahlua coffee flavor!

Yum!

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Tiramisu Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 & 1/4 cups CAKE FLOUR
• 3/4 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/4 cup MILK
• 2 tsp VANILLA 
• 2 Tbs BUTTER, unsalted
• 3 EGGS & 3 EGG YOLKS
• 1 cups SUGAR

Coffee Syrup:

• 1/4 cup STRONG COFFEE
• 1/4 cup KAHLUA
• 1/4 cup SUGAR

Mascarpone Frosting:

• 1 cups HEAVY CREAM
• 8 oz. MASCARPONE CHEESE
• 1/4 cup POWDERED SUGAR
• COCOA POWDER, for dusting 

Directions:

Vanilla Cupcake:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl sift together the 1 & 1/4 cups cake flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, then set aside. 
3. Put the 2 Tbs of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until the butter has melted. Then mix in the 1/4 cup milk and 2 tsp vanilla and set aside.
4. Add the 3 eggs, 3 egg yolk, and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until the contents have almost tripled in volume. The egg mixture should be thick enough that when drizzled over itself, it will stay on the surface for a few seconds.
5. Once the egg mixture has tripled, switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment and mix in the dry mixture and milk mixture. 
6. After all of the ingredients are well mixed, line a cupcake tray with paper liners and fill each liner 3/4 full. Then bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coffee Syrup:

1. While the cupcakes are baking, make the coffee syrup by whisking together the 1/4 cup coffee, 1/4 cup Kahlua, and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl, then set aside. 

Mascarpone Frosting:

1. To make the frosting, start by whisking 1 cup of heavy cream in an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
2. Mix in 8 oz. of mascarpone and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. It should look something like the picture below!

Cupcake Assembly:

1. Once you have all of your components you can either assemble everything right away or else wait and store the components separately until you are ready to eat them! Remember, only prepare them the day that you plan to eat them!
2. Once you are ready to assemble the cupcakes poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes either with a toothpick or a small knife. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the coffee syrup onto the top of the cupcakes (about 5-7 coats per cupcake). Make sure to use all of the syrup! It might seem like a lot, but won't be too much!
3. Put the mascarpone frosting in a piping bag and pipe it onto the cupcake covering all of the holes in the top of the cupcake.
4. Dust the top of the cupcakes with cocoa powder.

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I found this recipe on this blog: http://alimentageuse.com/2012/11/16/tiramisu-cupcakes/