birthday bliss

More to come (cupcakes, tapas, and filet mignon, to be exact. Oh my! Thank you Thomas for this picture).

s'mores cupcakes

I've been wanting to make s'mores cupcakes ever since I had it from Cupkates. Her's are so yummy and everything about is delicious. Anyways, so I tried...and it turned out not bad...not super great.
I made mini cupcakes because they're so much cuter. I liked my cupcake liners too, which are from Joanns.
I made the graham cracker crust and it was pretty oily. I used some salted butter since I ran out of unsalted and it tasted fine. It was kinda hard to use my fingers to press it in, so I used a teaspoon which worked pretty well.
Okay, so the chocolate cake mixture was really runny and water-y. I think I didn't like this chocolate cake, I would use a different cake next time.
Out of the oven! They're kinda funny looking.
My marshmallow frosting. I think it was too soft, so maybe if I let it on the heat longer, it would've been better.
Yeah, they didn't look too pretty. My piping skills are lacking for sure...
We didn't have a torch so we used a gas stove. It was pretty dangerous, but not bad and it worked! (Plus, having jwoo do it for me, made it dangerous for him, not me :])
I topped them with graham crackers and Hershey's chocolate. They looked way cuter, covering my ugly piping skills.

Here's the recipe:

Makes 48 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs (from 16 to 18 squares)
3 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1 cup PLUS 1 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp flour
7 Tbsp cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

Marshmallow Frosting (Recipe below)
Extra chocolate or graham cracker pieces, to garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners; set aside. Place the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined. Place 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture prepared earlier into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping. Place 2 teaspoons of chocolate in each muffin cup. Set pan aside.

Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Mix these together until evenly combined. In a separate large bowl, mix together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Transfer the muffin pans prepared earlier to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each cupcake liner three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with the remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin pans to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

Transfer marshmallow frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round, star, or French tip. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet or other heatproof surface. Pipe frosting in a spiral motion onto each cupcake. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Top each cupcake with a piece of chocolate or graham cracker, if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Marshmallow Frosting
5 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water, making sure the water is not high enough to touch the bowl. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

s'mores cupcakes courtesy of 6 bittersweets

*update*

Look at other people's baked goods here!

chocolate fallen soufflé cupcakes

These are yummy. That's it. I've made them a couple of times for birthdays and gifts and they are very easy and do-able.

I wish I could say that I can make soufflés but I can't. This is my closest attempt...and they're fallen... These are definitely a go-to recipe when you don't know what to make!

These are step-by-step pictures on the process and it may seem time-consuming and mean lots of equipment to wash...it is. But I am the master of trying to lessen the amount of dishes to wash and use the easiest, most time-saving ways. So if I'm willing to do this, then I'm sure everyone will be able to.

First you have to melt the chocolate, butter, and espresso powder on the stove. Keep an eye on this and keep stirring or your chocolate will easily burn. Once chocolate is all melted, take it off the stove and set it aside to cool down.
Next, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. I used a hand-held mixer because I don't have a stand mixer. Using electric mixers is very useful and time-saving. I think my arm would break off if I didn't have one. Add in some of the sugar and all the salt until medium firm peaks form.
It's not too bad. Be careful not to overmix which I always end up doing because it's so fast with the electric mixer.

Well for the next step, I forgot to take pictures...but it's basically in a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale (used an electric mixer, it's very fast!). Then add the cooled down chocolate and vanilla extract into the mixture.
Then gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a spatula.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but try to not deflate the egg whites. And that's it! So I used a pot for melting, a bowl for egg whites, a bowl for egg yolk mixture, one beater (which I beat the egg whites first so I didn't have to wash and clean for the egg yolk mixture), and spatula. Nothing to it!
Line up your cupcake tin with liners. This is very important to have liners because the cupcakes will not come out even if you butter your tin generously. They're too delicate.
Fill them up about 3/4ths the way. I had a little more leftover from the 12, so I filled up the rest in a ramekin.
Bake and voila! First they're slightly puffy, but then they fall...hence the name fallen soufflé.

Here's the recipe! Guess where I got it from? Of course! Smitten kitchen! She adds a white chocolate mint cream, but I didn't. If you eat it with vanilla ice cream...omggg its super yummy especially when the cupcake is warm. My step to step is slightly different, but results should be the same!

Ingredients:

6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used semisweet)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) (86 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) espresso or instant coffee powder
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons (97 grams) sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9 standard-size (3-ounce) muffin cups with paper liners. Stir chocolate, butter and espresso powder together in heavy medium saucepan over low heat mostly melted, then remove from the heat and whisk until it is fully melted and smooth. (I like to put the butter underneath the chocolate in the pan, so that it protects the chocolate from the direct heat.) Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Using electric mixer (a hand mixer, rather than a stand mixer, actually works best here because the volumes are so small) beat egg yolks and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture is very thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Briefly beat lukewarm chocolate mixture, then vanilla extract, into yolk mixture. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and all of the salt, beating until medium-firm peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling each three-fourths of the way.

Bake cakes until tops are puffed and dry to the touch (some may crack, embrace it) and a tester inserted into the centers comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a cooling rack, where the cupcakes will almost immediately start to fall.

Chocolate fallen soufflé cupackes courtesy of smittenkitchen

berkeley bowl cafe

Okay I promise this is the last post for today.

So remember two posts ago (I know, soooo long ago), I said I was craving Sprinkles? Well at Berkeley Bowl Cafe where a bunch of us went for lunch, they had these smore cupcakes on display. Smore cupcakes! You bet I was thinking of Cupkates.

Unfortunately, they were dry and the frosting was not marshmallow...I was sorely disappointed. I remembered before I discovered Sprinkles how I hated cupcakes.

Sigh.

I will not be craving cupcakes for a while, thank you very much.

Disclaimer!! This is not to say that Berkeley Bowl Cafe is bad! Their food is, in fact, quite good! But I'll save that for a future post.

kind of a pointless post...

When I went home to LA this weekend, N and I watched Food Network's new Cupcake Wars show, where they featured Kara from Kara's Cupcakes! While I rooted for her for being a Bay Area business, it just made me think of how much I wanted Sprinkles.

Sigh.

Really, it's a good thing I don't live closer to Palo Alto.

/end pointless post. Thank you for reading.

more cupcake love

I know what you're thinking--for a person who doesn't like cupcakes, she sure eats cupcakes a lot!

I won't deny it, but I'll say this: I've yet to find a cupcake that I like better than Sprinkles.

That being said, today's cupcake is from Cupkate's, Berkeley's own cupcake truck! Following the trend of food trucks/carts that divulge their locations via Twitter, Cupkate's sells unique cupcakes and (the occasional) creme brulee.

We (me, Thomas, and Dan) got two flavors between the three of us: salted caramel and s'more. Jess Riady had raved about the s'more cupcake, and it didn't disappoint. It has a graham cracker crust on the bottom, the moistest chocolate cake in the middle, and toasted marshmallow for frosting. Now, being the frosting hater that I am, I LOVED the toasted marshmallow on top. It just adds a lovely, whimsical feel to the cupcake, added with the graham cracker bottom, it was seriously a worthy tribute to its namesake!

I'm a little disappointed in the salted caramel, I think just because the s'more was so good. It seems to use the same chocolate cake as the s'more with a light caramel frosting sprinkled with salt. It was good...just not as good as the s'more.

Also, the cupcakes (including the s'more) were quite oily. I don't know if they used more oil so that the cupcakes won't dry out in the truck, but it did leave an unpleasant residue. Is there such thing as too moist a cupcake? Let me tell you, this cupcake glistened with oil, it was that moist.

So yes, I do prefer Sprinkles, where the cake is moist without being oily, and the frosting a lovely thin layer. That being said, I also think that Cupkate's s'more cupcake is worth trying! What a wonderful and well executed concept for a cupcake!

Follow them on Twitter for where they'll be next!

sprinkles part 2

This girl and I went gallavanting all over South Bay last Saturday, and of course (OF COURSE) part of our motivation (or rather, a large part of our motivation) was Sprinkles Cupcakes in Palo Alto. I haven't been to the original store in LA, but this is the next best thing right? Right?!

The store is adorable. The cupcakes are laid out behind a glass pane right when you enter the frosted glass doors (though, this led to problems as the line progressively got longer since leaving the door open caused the cupcakes to dry out). They also sell take home cupcake kits, t-shirts for babies, and other cute things. Photos courtesy of Jess.



We had originally wanted to try the Mocha cupcake, since we had both sampled the Red Velvet, but unfortunately they had none on display! So instead we opted for...




The Black and White! Description from the website: belgian dark chocolate cake with creamy vanilla frosting.

They forgot to mention the crunchy chocolate sprinkles on top! So fun.

Isn't the packaging (including the utensil) adorable? I'm such a sucker for good packaging. Just goes to show that you don't need something fancy--a simple brown paper bag looks so elegant and whimsical with the wooden spoons and Sprinkles sticker!



I was afraid that it wouldn't meet my expectations (because the Red Velvet was just that good!), but the cupcake was moist, with a lovely chocolate flavor that wasn't too overpowering. The frosting was sweet (I admit, we didn't finish the frosting), but it was a good contrast to the cake, which wasn't too sweet. Delicious! We'll have to go back again to try the others.



Happy.

Sprinkles Cupcakes
http://www.sprinkles.com/
393 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, CA

(On a side note, I dislike this shopping center so much! And not because I graduated from Cal--it's just not set up well at all! Why is Nordstrom all the way over there by itself?!)

PS Jwoo, have you had Horchata before? I had some yesterday and it was SO cinnamon-y, I thought you would like it, since you like all things cinnamon. Like churros!

sprinkles cupcakes

Now, you may or may not know--I am not a big fan of cupcakes. *cues the collective gasp* Yes I know. It's tantamount to blasphemy, but I don't know! I just never understood the appeal.

Until I had Sprinkles.

I had heard of Sprinkles before (N had gone and enjoyed it, as well as various other people), but as I was in the Bay Area, I never got the opportunity (though I just learned there's an Palo Alto location. Still too far). I tried other cupcake places--Teacake, Kara's Cupcakes, etc.--it just didn't do anything for me.

But Sprinkles. Oh my goodness.

So my cousin Connie brought a box to church. "Eat one," she said. "I have too many!"

I resisted, but she already plopped on in my hands. Luckily (or so I thought) Dan said that he would eat it if I wouldn't. I watched him eat it without comment until curiosity got the better of me. "I want to try," I said, snatching it from him. And I'm so glad I did.

Connie had gotten the red velvet cupcake with a smooth cream cheese frosting and two circular candy sprinkle pieces. It was moist and had the best chocolate flavor, and the frosting was smooth and light. The cream cheese frosting balanced perfectly with the red velvet. I don't think I can adequately describe the sensation in my mouth.

I'm a believer in cupcakes now. No, I should rephrase that--I'm a believer in Sprinkles.

Perhaps it's a good thing that there aren't any locations nearby. I would not have enough self control.

No pictures because we ate that thing as though it would be our last taste of food. Please visit their website for their beautiful eye candy!

www.sprinkles.com

sue's baby shower

Our pastor and his wife are having a baby and he (his name is Matthew!) is due next week! It's so exciting. We had a baby shower for them at Christie's house. We had food, played games, opened presents and there was even a pinata!

Measuring Sue to see how wide she is (41.5 inches! Justin won that game).


May made this amazing cheesecake, topped with blueberries! I don't normally like cheesecake, but I ate some of this one--it was delicious.

Harmony made chocolate cupcakes with a meringue topping. Mmmm.

N made brownies and her signature oatmeal butterscotch cookies--but I'll leave it to her to tell you about those.