4.25.2008

Cupcake, anyone?






Until quite recently, I had never given cupcakes a thought. Sure, I like them much better than a cake, but as I said...not much thought. After reading about different "cup cakerys" on blogs...St. Cupcake, Sprinkles, Buttercup Cupcake Shop, and many others, I find myself unable to think of much else. When I visited Georgetown Cupcake last week, I was absolutely enthralled. Every town needs a cupcake shop...an affordable luxury, "healthier"(?) than most other desserts, and oh-so-cute. Upon my return to work this week, I found some amazing cupcake books on the Interlibrary Loan shelf awaiting a patron pickup. These books are wonderful...


Here's what I'm baking to take into work tomorrow:


Feather-Frosted Coffee Cupcakes


1 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 tbsp boiling water

8 tbsp butter, softened, or soft margarine

generous 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

generous 3/4 cup self-rising white flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp sour cream


Frosting


2 cups confectioners' sugar

4 tsp warm water

1 tsp instant coffee granules

2 tsp boiling water


*Preheat oven to 375. Put 16 paper baking cases in a muffin pan, or put 16 double-layer paper cases on a baking sheet.

*Put the coffee granules in a cup or small bowl, adding the boiling water, and stir until dissolved. Let cool slightly.

*Put the butter, sugar, and eggs in a bowl. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then beat the ingredients together until smooth. Add the dissolved coffee and the sour cream and beat together until well mixed. Spoon the batter into the paper cases.

* Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

*To make the frosting, sift 3/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar into a bowl, then gradually mix in the warm water to make a coating consistency that will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Dissolve the coffee granules in the boiling water. Sift the remaining confectioners' sugar into a bowl, then stir in the dissolved coffee granules. Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip. When the cupcakes are cold, coat the tops with the white frosting, then quickly pipe the coffee frosting in parallel lines on top. Using a skewer, draw it across the piped lines in both directions. Let set before serving.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay, now you're in trouble. I want one of those cupcakes - right now. Instant gratification.

Anonymous said...

Teresa...
I got into cupcakes back when Zach was graduating.
There was a couple of books at our library that I feel in love with...one was from Magnolia Bakery and I can't remember the other one. Love to make them...and another girlfriend in Indiana called the other night and was talking about how she had been bitten by the cupcake bug...LOL
Check out: Small Batch Baking from Debby Maugans Nakos...there are some great ideas there too.
LOVE your planting pictures too...I am getting that bug also!!!
Have a great weekend!!!
Debbie

Vee said...

Oh-oh! Now we're all in trouble. Do you have plans to open your own cupcake shop? Wouldn't that be fun? I wonder if you live in an area where you'd be guaranteed a lot of customers. In fact, I think your cupcake shop (see how quickly my fancy takes flight!) would be a wonderful retreat.

Catching Up

  It's been awhile...as usual, not much going on.  As I look through photos on my phone, I decided to do a little blog post. Last Monday...