Raspberry Strawberry Muffins

I'm still getting used to having stuff like raspberries and blueberries available to me right at the store, whenever I want. It's so much fun, each time I buy some to use for baking, I end up eating them plain, or with breakfast or something. And then I have to wait till I visit the store again before baking, and the cycle repeats. I finally managed to keep some away, since I had my eyes on these muffins since forever.

The muffins are so good! They're more of the healthy kind, especially since I used half whole wheat flour, than say these muffins, that were just sinful. These are perfect to go with your morning coffee [or are you a tea drinker?], they aren't too sweet, and perfectly soft, with busrts of flavor with the ample berries in it :)

Raspberry Strawberry Muffins

Adapted from Gingerbread Bagels via The Keenan Cookbook
Yield : A round dozen, if you don't make them teeny tiny like me

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups [240 g] all purpose flour  - I used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup mix of raspberries and chopped strawberries
About 2 tbsp of turbinado or any other coarse sugar, to sprinkle on top [optional]

Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 375 F [190 C]. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Fold this mixture into the above mixture, until just combined.
4. Now fold in the sour cream till incorporated. Add in the berries, fold and pour into prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle sugar on top, if using. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the tops feel springy. Enjoy xx

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Hello :)

I've been super super busy with something, so I thank all of you that have still stuck around for my infrequent posts. Hopefully everything should be sorted out soon. Anyway, it's time for another SRC post. And what a post at that. These cupcakes are just dreamy good. On my top 10 list for sure. Which reminds me.. I should do a top 10 post, shoudn't I?

This time I was assigned a lovely blog too [I've been very lucky with my assignments uptil now], and I had some great choices. It's owned by Jaida, someone who's food choices I really like, just by seeing what she posted. I leaned towards these cupcakes, I've been wanting to make some chocolate chip ones since forever, and also needed to finish my Callebaut chocolate chips stash. Plus, they are from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, a book that I trust highly, they've all been winners for me. I chose a different frosting recipe, because I don't like the powdered sugar ones too much, and there's this other frosting from Martha, a cream cheese one, that I love, and make very frequently.

The cupcake went perfectly with the frosting, soft, dreamy moist cupcake, with a rich, buttery, high on chocolate frosting. What more could a girl ask for?

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Makes 32

From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

For the cupcakes -

3 ¼ cups plus 1 Tbsp sifted cake flour (not self-rising), divided use

4 ½ tsp baking powder 

¼ tsp salt 

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract 

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk 

½ cup plus 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 

1 ¾ cups sugar 

5 large egg whites, room temperature 

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions - 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk and vanilla.
3. In your mixer bowl, cream the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until light ans fluffy. Reduce the speed. Now add 1/3rd of the flour mixture, beat till incorporated, and add half the milk mixture, again mixing just till incorporate. Repeat, finishing with the last third of the flour mixture, making sure not to overbeat.
4. In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Mix 1/3rd of the whites into the above batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest gently.
5. Toss the chocolate chips with the 1 tbsp of flour, and fold them in.
6. Fill muffins pans to 3/4th full, and bake for 20 mins, until tops feel springy.

For the chocolate frosting - 

From Martha Stewart via Annie's Eats

[I halved and had more than enough, I put on as much as you can see in the pictures]

14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

9 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions -

1. Melt the chocolate whichever way you feel comfortable. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of your mixer, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese till light and fluffy. Sift the confectioner's sugar into the bowl, along with the cocoa powder and salt. Mix to combine.
3. Beat in the room temperature chocolate, and the sour cream. Frost immediately.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting.. Turning 22!

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!






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!

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.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Happy 2011 <3

I had a pretty crappy year, so I have high hopes out of this one! It always happens doesn't it, that you hit a low, and from there you've only got to rise! So here's hoping for an awesome year/decade, for me and you too!!!

My oven had been on the fritz for the past 2-3 weeks, through Christmas [I know!], and it only just got repaired. With the strawberry season in full swing, I made these gorgeous cupcakes that I've had my eye on since forever. The pinky girlishness in them has been calling out to me since oh so long!

I'm not a fan on the butter-sugar buttercream, but this swiss meringue buttercream is something I could just gobble up. It's like a rich, buttery but not overwhelmingly so, sinful ice cream! The cupcakes are perfectly moist and tender, and if you do make these, you'll love how the batter looks too :) The buttercream is actually pretty easy to make, so don't worry about it!
The cupcakes are nicely sweet, and combined with the not too sweet buttecream, are totally dreamy! Perfet for any strawberry lover, because the flavor does really shine through



Strawberry cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Yield - 34 [I got 30] 

For the cupcakes -
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup [2 sticks/226 g] unsalted butter, at room temp
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup milk
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries [about 20], plus about 10 more for garnish

Equipment - 
2 cupcake/muffin pans


Instructions - 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line the cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and the white one at a time, mixing between each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, adding the milk twice in between i.e. dry, wet, dry, wet, dry, micing just until combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.
5. Pour the batter into the cupcake pan, filling not more than 3/4 full. Bake till a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the top feels spongy firm to touch, about 25-30 minutes.
6. Lay out on a wire rack till completely cool, and only then can you apply the icing.

For the swiss meringue buttercream - 
This makes the perfect amount for the cupcakes.


1 1/2 cups [8 oz] fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped.
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups [3 sticks / 339 g] unsalted buttter, at room temp.


Equipment - 
While I have made this with a hand mixer, it's a LOT of work, and subsequent arm pain, so having a stand mixer is highly recommended.


Instructions - 

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor, set aside.
2. In a large heatproof bowl, [you can use the bowl of your KA] add the egg whites and set over a pan of simmering water on medium heat.
3. Never stop whisking the whites, and add the sugar in bit by bit. I find that adding the sugar in parts helps it melt faster and easier, alternatively, you could add it all right in the beginning. Keep it over the heat until the sugar has completely melted. You can test this by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingers, it should feel completely smooth, and not gritty or grainy. Once it is completely smooth, you can stop whisking, and attach the bowl back to your stand mixer.
4. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium high until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and, if you're using the same bowl, the bowl is cool to touch, about 8 minutes
5. One thing to take care of is that the butter should be at the correct temperature. It should give slightly when you press down on it with a finger, and leave a small indent.
6. Now reducing the speed to medium low, add the butter, a tablespoon at a time. letting each get incorporated completely before adding the next. When you're a little more than halfway done adding the butter, the buttercream might look curdled. Don't worry about that, it's supposed to happen, and just keep beating the mixture until it becomes smooth again before adding any more butter.
7. Once you're done adding all the butter, scrape down, switch to the paddle attachment and beat for about 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. Add the puree and mix till incorporated. You just made Swiss meringue buttercream :)
8. This can be left out for a day or two. After that, let the frosted cupcakes/cake/whatever you use this on sit out for about 10 minutes before you eat it, so that the butter can warm up a little bit.
9. If you're refrigerating or freezing before using it, you must let it come down to room temperature, and preferably beat it on low for about 4-5 minutes using the paddle attachment.

Oh and the WINNER of the giveaway : It's comment #23, Hanaâ!!! Congratulations <3 <3

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes

So it's fall. Being in Bombay, fall doesn't really happen here, we don't get that wonderful beauty, nor do we get the fruits, nothing special. But considering most food blogs are American, seeing all the gorgeous dishes each person has been putting out has egged me on a bit, and I wanted to see for myself why there is such a hoopla over pumpkin in baked foods. I had never made nor eaten anything that had pumpkin cooked into it, I always thought it wasn't even available here, because pumpkins to me were, obviously, those huge orange things that you carved faces out of. It was only last week when complaining to mom about it, and wondering whether there would be any puree available at the 'import' shops that I realised the truth. It's not really my fault, I mean who would expect pumpkins to be green? Turns out, it's just a different variety, and is essentially the same.


I made my own puree, which was super easy to do. I was scouring through the internet as well as my cookbooks, and found one in Martha Stewart's book [one that I love] that had received raves, and looked really good too. Though it's called a cupcake, it's essentially made like a muffin, and came together in no time, no mixer, no nothing. Plus, it has brown butter in both the cupcake, as well as the frosting! What could be better? They were absolutely delicious, light, and I finally understand why people love pumpkins enough to be such a big shortage! I left some plain, because I'm not a big frosting fan [I know!!], but for once, the frosting actually added to the cupcakes, and gave them a needed boost of flavor and sweetness. Even with the frosting though, they aren't really dessert-y, they are more likely to be eaten for a quick snack [or not so quick, if you eat as many as I did :P] Either way, you have to try these. And you'll probably see more pumpkin posts around now :)





Just look at that crumb!! <3


Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 16 - I hate when recipes give such odd amounts, I overfilled a little bit and managed to get an even 12


For the cupcakes -
3/4 cup [1 1/2 sticks / 170 g] unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups [200 g] flour
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade [optional] - I didn't use, but would imagine it would be a wonderful addition
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon - Notch it up to 1 if you like
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg - Again, take it up to 1/2 tsp easily
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup [220 g] packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup [125 g] granulated sugar
2 large eggs


For the frosting -
1/2 cup [1 stick / 113 g] unsalted butter
2 cups [225 g] sifted confectioners sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk, plus more if needed.




Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 325 F [160 C]. Brush a muffin pan with butter, then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the sage, if using. Cook until the butter turns golden brown, swirling occasionally, about 10 minutes. Skim foam off the top using a tea strainer. Pour into another bowl to stop furthur cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind. Allow to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugars, eggs, and brown butter mixture. Make sure the butter has cooled down so as to not cook the eggs. Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling not more than 3/4 of the way. These have a slight rise, you can see how much they puffed up above the liners.
6. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool, and store at room temperature overnight, or frozen upto 2 months in an airtight container.

For the frosting - 

1. Brown the butter in the same way as step 2 above.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla and 2 tbsp milk to the butter, stir to combine. Add more milk if you feel it's needed, you are aiming at a thick glaze. Use immediately.
3. Dip the cupcake tops into the glaze, and allow to cool. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed.

Chocolate Devil's Food Cupcakes

So a small milestone passed last week.. I turned 21! It always sounded so horrendous, I wanted to stay away from it as much as possible, but now that I've turned 21, I'm actually enjoying it. People no longer look at me like a little kid. As for me, just turning 21 will bring no change, I'm sure, no maturity, I'm going to enjoy my teen dramas for a while longer :)


Anyway, the most pressing question, especially from all that follow this blog was, "Did you bake your own cake?". So here's the answer.. no I didn't! Even though I love baking, and it is literally a stress-buster, with all that was going on that day and the days leading up to it, I did not even TRY to find the time. I chose to enjoy the day as is, spending it with the people that mean the most!


But I have made cupcakes in a kind of belated birthday baking celebration. I was flipping through my cookbooks, and landed on Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, a fabulous book. I always wondered how Devil's Food cake tasted like, so I zeroed in on that recipe. According to Martha, devil's food typically includes melted butter, and the use of cocoa powder. Perfect! Different, yet sure to taste splendid, considering the millions of recipes for Devil's food there are.


These cupcakes were one of the softest I'd ever eaten, they have a fantastic crumb. I topped with a ganache, but these cupcakes are stars on their own, they were perfect even without the frosting, for a quick snack. The ones with the ganache were better for a sit-down, post-meal dessert! Both ways were delicious, that's why I suggest leaving a few cupcakes unfrosted, you'll want to taste those too!



The cocoa mixture looked like pure indulgence!


Devil's Food Cupcakes with Ganache
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes



For the cupcakes -


3/4 cup [80 g] Dutch process cocoa powder - I used natural
3/4 cup [185 g] hot water.
3 cups [360 g] flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 sticks [1 1/2 cup, 340 g] butter
2 1/4 cup [540 g] sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla/ a vanilla bean
1 cup sour cream - I used hung yoghurt


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line a cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a small pan, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.
3. In a medium pan, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In a saucepan, melt the butter together with the sugar over medium heat. Transfer to the bowl of your mixer, and beat until mixture is cooled, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions. Stir in the vanilla, and then the cocoa mixture.
5. Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream/yoghurt, making sure not to overmix.
6. Pour into prepared cups, filling till 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, and then remove. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or upto 2 months in the freezer

For the ganache - [I had a lot of various kinds of ganaches leftover from previous cake projects, I used those. I'm providing the recipe given in the book.]


1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup/honey


Instructions -

1. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
2. Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer over medium heat, and pour over the chocolate mixture. Let it stand until the chocolate begins to melt. Now gently stir the ganache to incorporate.
3. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 until ganache starts firming up, and begins to hold it's shape. Use immediately.

Blueberry Muffins.... How I Love Thee!

Strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, I love them all! Unfortunately, the one berry I hadn't tasted yet was blueberries!! And hearing how everyone was always raving about them only intensified the need!! Well, guess what? I finally tasted fresh ones after years and years of longing! After last week's post about the awesome stuff my parents got me, the one thing I failed to show were blueberries! And boy, was I surprised! They were even better than I imagined. So luscious, so ripe, so.... just WOW! I would have eaten them all up, but I just had to make something with them too, it would be a waste if I didn't! It's going to be a long while before I get my hands on any fresh ones again, and there was this particular recipe I've had my eye on since forever! The name itself is enticing!

And thank god I did! The muffins were soo good! Velvety satiny perfection! I wasn't a huge fan of the crumb topping that was a part of the recipe, that I tried since the recipe was so well reviewed! I'm also giving my favorite crumb topping recipe below, I'd suggest you try it with that instead, though you can always try the original one too. I'd love to hear what you prefer with it.



To Die For Blueberry Muffins
Adapted from allrecipes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the crumb topping [the one on the muffins]
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed [I used about 1/2, it wouldn't hold other
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


For the streusel topping I usually use, and would prefer with these:
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans [I usually use walnuts]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened



For the muffins :

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease muffin pan or line with muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
3. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup.
4. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries.
5. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
   

For the crumb topping:

1. Mix together sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon.
2. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

For the streusel topping:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and pecans.
2. Using a fork, cut in butter until well combined and mixture begins to hold together a bit.
   

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

I loved these muffins. I'm going to use the muffin recipe as a base for other fruits too, it was perfect!! Trust me, try these NOW! They deserve the YUMSILICIOUS title!!

Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes for My First Blog Event :)

Ice cream cupcakes.. Why didn't we meet sooner. This is such an amazing combination.
I was blog browsing a few days ago, and came across Yummy In My Tummy's post. Yummy in the tummy was the name I had first wanted for my blog, but every combination of the above words was taken:(
Of all the blogs with the above name, this is the only active one. And it is a great blog :)
I saw the ice cream cupcakes post, and immediately felt the need to make these and take part in the 2nd Annual Ice Cream Cupcakes Roundup hosted by Scoopalicious and Cupcake Project for myself too. I saw the due date - 31st May, and knew I had to hurry up and make these. Got them done just in time :) Whew! [Luckily, the time difference works in my favor].

Update - Please vote for my cupcake at Cupcake Project or Scoopalicious. You stand to win an an 8-pack of homemade cupcake birthday cards just for voting :-)

After the recent mango overload, I've been missing chocolate. And for a blogger who claims chocolate to be her first love, it doesn't seem right that there's only one post about chocolate as of now. So of course, I made chocolate cupcakes from another favorite book of mine, David Lebovitz's The Great Book of Chocolate :-) I added Baskin Robbin's Gold Medal Ribbon Ice Cream in the center, and topped off with Chocolate Caramel Ganache. It was pure heaven :) I also drizzled Hershey's Dulce De Leche Caramel Topping. You must try this, NOW! :)




Black-Bottom Cupcakes [I only used the chocolate cupcake part]
Adapted from The Great Book of Chocolate
Yield : 12 cupcakes


1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1 cup (210 grams) light brown sugar [I used regular castor sugar]
1/3 cup (30 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) unflavored vegetable oil (I used safflower)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate [I prefer chopped chocolate because I can control the size, you can use chips too]

This is a very easy recipe to prepare.

1. Preheat oven to 180 C [350 F]
   
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and the salt.
3. In a smaller bowl, mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla.
4. Mix, and pour into muffin pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cupcakes feel springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean [Mine were done in 20 mins, so make sure you check them].

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
These cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 - 4 days.

The weird thing about this recipe is that it contains no eggs, but it still tastes the same. A nice alternative for vegetarians/vegans.

The instructions in the project mention filling the cupcake pan about half full. But since I was going for 'sandwich style' instead, I filled as usual. In hindsight, I probably should have listened to them, because -



I had to cut great chunks out of the middle to ensure the cupcakes wouldn't become ginormous. I then returned them to the pan, and added the caramel/chocolate [I used two flavors] ice cream. The pan lends the much needed support, since the wrappers are off.



After this step, I covered the cupcakes with the chocolate caramel ganache -


And there you go...

Since its so hot over here, I had the hardest time trying to click a picture without the ice-cream melting all over. Don't let the appearance deceive you, because these are the most gratifying things EVER! :)

I also tried a few cupcakes in the way it was meant to be made, according to the hosts. Since I hadn't accommodated for the added height, I cut the tops off, and also made a hole for added ice cream deliciousness :)



And then, the ice cream -

I topped this off with ganache after the ice cream had set a little, but I forgot to click a picture :(