Tuesday's Twist: Cupcake Project

Tuesday's Twist:  A basic recipe with a fun twist.  In other words, just another excuse for me to play around with weird recipes I've been dying to try.

Instead of testing out recipes this weekend, I baked and decorated around 250 mini cupcakes.  These bite-sized desserts weren't blogging related, they were requested for a private party.  I decided to snap a few pictures to share with you before I delivered the order.

There were 4 kinds of cupcakes: 

Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

Almond-flavored white cake with an almond buttercream and decorating sugar crystals.

Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate curls.

Lemon cake with a lemon cream cheese frosting and yellow decorating sugar.

The lemon was my favorite, but I must admit I had fun using my vegetable peeler to make the chocolate curls for the red velvet cupcakes.

The whole process went fairly smoothly.  I made the frosting earlier in the week, then baked the cupcakes the night before the event.  The original order was for 10 dozen, but I didn't realize one batch made 5 dozen of the mini size.  With 4 flavors I ended up with 20 dozen cupcakes spread across my table and counter.  Umm yeah, only double what I needed.  But now I know for next time.  The next morning I frosted and finished each cupcake.  Of course I doubted myself and freaked out that I wouldn't have enough frosting.  After all, I had prepped for 10 dozen not 20.

So I hastily made one more batch of frosting and then rewhipped each previous batch, adding just a little more butter and powdered sugar to stretch it.  My brain, however, was still in frosting conservation mode and I went light on the frosting while decorating.  I ended up with way too much leftover.  Oops, guess I should have stuck with the original plan and gone with my instinct, not the doubt of the last minute rush.   Hmmm, I've never said that before.  Oh and by last minute rush, I actually mean cram everything into half the time and  have it done several hours early.  I had a little too much fun using that extra time to play with my camera.

Food for Thought: "Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice reduces the imperfection." -Toba Beta

Flashback Friday: Mock Angel Food

Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago

While paging through an old cookbook a recipe for Mock Angel Food caught my attention.  Boiling water is poured over a flour and sugar mixture which then sits overnight.  The remaining ingredients are added in the morning and baked in a pan that has been rinsed in cold water but not dried.  All of this sounded a little odd to me so I decided to give it a go.  Well, except for the part about starting "about 5 o'clock' in the afternoon."   Because in my book 5 o'clock isn't afternoon, it's evening (but somehow 4:59 is still afternoon?).

 Anyway, I stirred up the flour/sugar/water mixture in the morning before work and baked  the cake later in the evening when I got home.  I believe the idea is to let the mixture cool to room temperature.  As for egg whites, you'll only need 4 instead of a dozen.  I interpreted, "beaten not too dry" to mean beaten to stiff peak stage.  But let's just skip the details and get to the cake.  Sound okay?

Flashback Friday: Muffin Ring

Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago

The instant I flipped this muffin ring out of the pan I thought, "wow, that looks like it's straight out of a 70's cookbook."  And then I remembered it was.  Don't ask me why I thought it would look any different.  The ring mold is a big factor, but the cherry halves and pecans really seal the deal.  Only a lime gelatin mold would scream 70's with more gusto.

I found this recipe in the same cookbook I told you about last week. The title Butterscotch Muffin Ring caught my attention.  What, a ring of muffins?  So it's like muffin monkey bread?  Or a giant doughnut?  Yeah, no.  Coffee cake would be a better description, although it's not cake and doesn't contain coffee.  But you can eat a slice with coffee if you want.  And since we're calling it a muffin ring, it's perfectly acceptable for breakfast.  Have I lost you yet?  Because my train of thought is jumping quite rapidly.

Flashback Friday: Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding Cake

Flashback Friday: Revisiting a recipe from long ago

Pudding cakes are just that, cake and pudding.  During baking the the cake layer rises to the top while a pudding forms on the bottom.  Whipped egg whites float to the top of the batter and form a light, delicate cake.  Underneath this sponge cake is a soft, silky pudding similar to custard.

Random Wednesday: Kitchen Commotion

I'm still not feeling up for our usual Weird Recipe Wednesday, so you're just going to get some random bites of what I've been up to in the kitchen and such.  More likely than not, weird will be involved after all.


1.  Grapefruit: I've eaten more grapefruit over the past few months than in my entire life.  Somehow I just can't seem to get enough of the tart, juicy citrus flavor.  I usually just eat them plain, not even with sugar, but I wanted to try broiling one just this once.  The heat from the broiler was nice, but I'm not really into warm grapefruit.  Or waiting an extra 10 whole minutes for breakfast.  What's your favorite way to eat grapefruit?

2. I can now say I've grilled quail breast outside in the middle of winter.  Oh the things I learn at work.  Food-safe rubber gloves are not as warm as mittens.  A winter coat with long sleeves is not helpful when reaching into a tub of marinating quail breasts and trying to get them on the grill as quickly as possible before you freeze.

3. Last Saturday I made these  peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  Yum.  Thanks to Madison for the suggestion and Amber for the recipe.

4. "Tastes like beef" is the new "tastes like chicken."  I made a version of this slow cooker Honey-Sesame Chicken and my family couldn't believe it was chicken.  Between the dark sauce and the fact that the chicken was shredded, they all thought it was beef roast.  Weird.  I used an extra dark, mushroom-flavored soy sauce, added ginger and sesame oil and sprinkled cashews over the top before serving. (plus a few other changes I can't remember off-hand)

5.  After spending 8 hours in the kitchen at work you would think the last thing I would want to do when I get home is play in the kitchen.  Wrong.  I start making Homemade Yellow Cake Mix within minutes of walking in the door.  I'm hoping to try a browned butter version next.

Food for Thought: "Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the use of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success." -Louisa May Alcott 

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Because some recipes are so weird I just HAVE to try them.  My curiosity always gets the better of me.

Sauerkraut in bread is one thing, but sauerkraut in cake?  Once again my curiosity kicked in full force and put up a good fight.  I don't remember when or where I first saw a chocolate sauerkraut cake recipe, but the concept has been nagging me ever since.  I told you not to raise your eyebrows yesterday, but I give you full permission to do so today.

So, with eyebrows raised, let's begin.  The theory behind the cake is that the sauerkraut adds moisture, much like the respective vegetables in a carrot cake or zucchini cake.  The sauerkraut is rinsed before it's added to the batter so as to remove most of the sour, fermented flavor.  It's also chopped finely to avoid any stringy surprises.  Of all the recipes and reviews I read (and there were many), most tasters could not detect the sauerkraut.  If noticed at all they picked up on texture and thought it was shreds of coconut.   Of course I still had to try it out for myself, though in my defense I did forgo the cake recipe calling for sauerkraut, mayonnaise and cherry coke.

Festive Friday: Lemon Cake with Shaped Gingerbread Center

Festive Friday: You can always find room to squeeze in a few more treats around the holidays.

When I first saw a peekaboo cake I knew I had to try it out for myself.  How do you get that shape in the center?  Let me tell you, that was the easy part.  It took 3 tries before I got the pan sizes right.  First not enough batter to cover the star, then too much batter erupting over the sides while baking.  Finally the right pan size and then I'm missing an ingredient I know I picked up at the store.  It feels like I've been waiting forever to show you this cake.  On the plus side, there was an abundance of lemon-gingerbread slices (errr, more like puzzle pieces) to nibble on while waiting.

The concept is quite simple; bake a loaf, slice and cut into shapes, pour opposite color batter over shapes, and bake again.  Knowing me, I made it much more difficult by choosing base recipes with lots of ingredients and steps.  The lemon cake is based on a recipe I planned to try out for Weird Recipe Wednesday.  It uses white beans in place of most of the butter, but don't be fooled you can't taste them at all.  Lemon and a splash of vanilla cover any hint of beans.  The gingerbread is extra spicy and develops even more flavor as it ages.

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Pumpkin-Chai-Peanut Butter Bars

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Because some recipes are so weird I just HAVE to try them.  My curiosity always gets the better of me.

You already know about my crazy obsession with peanut butter.  I suppose it's about time to clue you in on pumpkin too.  Let's just throw pumpkin, squash and carrots together on this one. They're all orange and apparently I eat enough of them to tint my skin a weird orangey-yellow. I've cut back on carrots lately, but only because I've been eating so much squash and pumpkin. Like, ummm, eating so much of them I may have even had squash for breakfast. What can I say, the fact that they're in season is the perfect excuse to feed my obsession. I want to put pumpkin in everything, but I'll try not to overload you with pumpkin recipes. Maybe. Okay, probably not, but I won't give you enough to turn you orange.

After discovering how well peanut butter and nutmeg get along, I couldn't wait to try peanut butter and chai.  About two seconds later pumpkin-chai popped into my head.  Before I could even finish that thought I knew something with pumpkin, chai and peanut butter needed to happen.

Friday Fun: Birthday Cake

It's the weekend to celebrate birthdays around here.  Birthday cakes are not meant to be measured, tested and photographed, they just happen.  In our house carrot cake is a family tradition for my dad's birthday.   I made his cake before leaving on my trip and thought I'd share a little with you.

The faded, old recipe comes out each year, but is rarely followed.

Stains and spots are always indicators of well-loved recipes. 

A heap of carrots follows the whole can of pineapple.  The memories and stories from years past prove that recipes made with love turn out just as well as those with precise measurements.

A palmful or two of cinnamon and mounded spoonfuls of nutmeg and allspice join the party. 

The old wooden spoon and same yellow mixing bowl are used year after year.  

Beater bars and that timeless spoon are set aside. 

Waiting to be licked clean. 

Tweaks and changes are made as the years progress, but one thing remains, the peanut butter frosting.

 Yes, peanut butter frosting on carrot cake.  It's a family tradition that started before I was born.  The love and memories that go into the frosting are as immeasurable as the ingredients themselves.  I'm not usually a big frosting fan, but this frosting makes the cake.  Memories made with love (and peanut butter) make the frosting everyone's favorite part.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Food for Thought: "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally - and often far more - worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." -C.S. Lewis

Tuesday's Twist: Twisted Pumpkin Spice Cake

Tuesday's Twist:  A basic recipe with a fun twist.  In other words, just another excuse for me to play around with weird recipes I've been dying to try.

This cake has a few more twists than meet the eye.  I've always wanted to make a rolled pumpkin cake and Tuesday's Twist seemed like the perfect excuse.  Of course, just having a twisty spiral appearance wasn't enough of a twist for me.