Thursday, June 30, 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting.. Turning 22!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting

I can't believe it's only been a week since I turned 22. Wait.. I can't even believe I'm 22, I still tell people I'm 21 :)

I had the most awesome birthday celebration, with a few select friends, and a whole lot of drama. These cupcakes were made before the day, since I never bake on my birthday, even though I love baking, my birthday is a day where I'm to be pampered :)

I also started working about 2 months ago, which is why I haven't been too regular with the posting, or browsing the blogs. I can't help but wonder how people are doing their own thing at work, having all the time in the world. I've had literally no time!



Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting


Anyway, I'd been seeing the flour frosting around the blogosphere a lot, and specially noticed it when Ree, the Pioneer Woman posted it as the best frosting she's ever tasted. It's called a million different names, the one I liked the best is heritage frosting. Reading up on it a bit, it sounded like something I would like, not too sweet, rich but not overbearingly slow, fluffy, and just a lot of fun. I can't stand the powdered sugar buttercreams, and I'm always looking for alternatives. This one was perfect. I loved it. My parents, the world's biggest frosting haters also ate these cupcakes, frosting and all. So it's a pure winner for me, and for anyone else who likes a not so sweet frosting. Usually sugar is the base, that gives stability to a buttercream, but here, the flour/cornstarch provides that required structure, allowing for a much more sophisticated end result.

Since I was experimenting with the frosting, I went with an old favorite recipe for the cupcake, Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake. It's one of the moistest cakes I've ever eaten. And you know what's amazing. I accidently left out the oil [I'm too scatter brained], and you would never know it looking at the cupcakes. I had happily gorged on a few, when I noticed the oil sitting on the counter. I haven't had the chance to try it again, so I can't recommend just leaving it out completely [maybe I made some other mistake too, because of which the cupcakes turned out well], but if you do try it, please let me know. It'd be so awesome to have a fat free cupcake!
Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting
Look how smooth and luscious :D

Chocolate cupcakes with Heritage Frosting
For the cupcakes -
Yield - about 28

2 cups [480 g] sugar
1 3/4 cups [210 g] flour
3/4 cup [70 g] cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup [260 g] milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Instructions -
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line two muffin pans with liners.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the sugar.
  3. Add in the eggs, milk, oil and extract, beating for about 2 minutes on medium. Now pour in the boiling water. The batter will be very thin, don't worry.
  4. Scoop into prepared pans, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.
For the Heritage frosting - 

1 cup [260 g] milk
1 cup [240 g] sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup [2 sticks / 226 g] butter

Instructions -
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat together 3/4 cup of the milk, the sugar and salt, until sugar is dissolved. Don't allow it to come to a boil, keep the heat on slow.
  2. In a small bowl, combine together the remaining 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch, to create a slurry/paste like mixture. Pour this slowly into the sugar mixture, and continue heating over medium heat, stirring gently. Do not stir too much, or you will break up the molecules that are forming, and thus ruin your base. Cook for about 1-2 mins, till it forms a thick paste. Do not allow it to come to a rolling boil.
  3. Now pour this mixture into the waiting bowl of your mixer. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  4. Once cool, cut butter into 1 tbsp chunks. With your mixer on medium low, using the whisk attachment, beat the cornstarch mixture. Begin adding the chunks of butter, one at a time, until each is mostly incorporated. Once all the butter is added, increase the spead to medium high, and whip for about 5 mins, until the frosting is fluffy looking. Use immediately.

19 comments:

  1. Happy belated Birthday Avanika! 22 is an exciting age, just into adulthood with an entire fun-filled decade ahead. :D

    These cupcakes look fabulous! I ♥ vanilla frosting with chocolate cake (or vice versa.) And I'm with you on the too sweet issue when it comes to frostings...I'll have to give this one a try.

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  2. Happy belated 22nd bday girl! Wow it makes me sad that I'm thinking of 22 as so YOUNG now ;p. Hope you had a blast and love your cupcakes! I've actually never tried this frosting on it's own but I make a cream cheese version for my red velvet cupcakes (including those I sell) and people go gaga over it. It's got a really great consistency and is less sweet which many people want.

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  3. Valerie - I'm sure you'd love it. It's barely sweet. Hahha I'm not too happy about turning 22, but let's see what this year has in store :)

    Xiaolu - Heheh I'm thinking 22 as being super old!! You must try this one. I've never really made a cream cheese frosting, but tried quite a few at the bakeries. Must change that soon.

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  4. Hey Avanika...Belated Happy Bday...enjoy ur 20s..they are the best years...i just turned 30 and i feel super old..:(.
    I remember seeing this frosting and thinking it was so wierd with the flour in it...since u and pioneer woman give the go ahead,i def will try it.
    BTW the same thing has happ to me with the hersheys recipe.I completely 4got the oil...and guess what? No one but me knew about it..every1 who ate the cake said it was delish...but to tell u the truth i would never knowingly omit the oil.Congrats on the new job too!! Try and post more recipes if poss...i look forward to your posts.

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  5. Happy belated birthday, Avanika! This is a great post, I have been looking for alternative to buttercream and whipped cream frosting, this could be the next best thing, thanks!!!

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  6. Happy birthday dear Avanika, happy birthday to youuu. :D OK, I'm a little late, sorry!
    I gotta try that frosting!

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  7. Happy Birthday. These cupcakes are perfectly lovely.

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  8. Hey! happy birthday girl :) hope u had a funtastic bday and here's wishing you a wonderful year as gorgeous as these cupcakes!

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  9. Happy Birthday!! I also just turned 22, and it feels weird I'm not used to it yet either! Those cupcakes look yummy and that icing sounds great I think I'm going to have to try with my next cake!

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  10. Happy Birthday....As long as you do not feel old you never will be... ;o)
    love the look of the cupcakes...and the icing I will be trying...

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  11. Happy 22nd birthday! You're just a youngun aren't you! :D What an intriguing frosting recipe!

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  12. Happy Birthday! This looks like a fun frosting to try out. Hope you have a great week!

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  13. yum, those look decadent! happy belated birthday!!!

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  14. hey avanika, belated birthday greetings!!
    i tried the frosting and it was absolutely delish!
    i followed the recipe by your gram measurements.

    do you follow the british or american cup system? 1 cup of sugar for me was 110 gms...so im a bit surprised how yours was nearly double??

    ree

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  15. Hi, I'm a first-timer on your blog. I'll have to say, I've never seen this way of making frosting before. I'm intrigued and I had to read it through a few times. Plus, I double-checked American and British measurements, so I'm good with the cup measurements.

    Very interesting, and I will absolutely be trying this method on our next birthday cake - my husband in August!

    Erika K

    Cuisinart 12 cup food processor

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  16. Happy belated! You still are a youngin :) I wanted to let you know about my cookbook giveaway that is going on right now until July 16th. Stop on by to enter! Hope you are having a great weekend :)

    http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-first-giveaway.html

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  17. 22? Wow you are sooo young :) Happy belated birthday and these cupcakes look fabulous.

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  18. Hey,

    I tried your frosting just now - but it became a custard like paste. Any idea what went wrong? I hate butter+powdered sugar frostings and was super excited to try this but didnt work.

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  19. So delicious looking! I think I could inhale that cupcake right now! I'm so craving cake!

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