Cupcakes with a Heart

I haven't posted for a while, but I promise I haven't given up baking or blogging! The past few weeks have been busy with work and other things in my personal life that have kept me pretty busy. I knew I had to get this done by valentines day, and I wanted to share this recipe with you. This is my entry into the PomWonderful Cupcake Contest- a contest combining two of my favorite things- Cupcakes and Pomegranates. I started with one of my favorite cake recipes, made a few changes and incorporated Pomegranate Juice, tried a new trick I learned from Bake It In a Cake and voila- Cupcakes with a Heart.

Cupcakes with a Heart (aka Champagne and Pomegranate Cupcakes with Tahetian Vanilla Bean Buttercream)

Makes 30 Standard Cupcakes

Cake:
2 boxes white cake mix
6 egg whites, divided
1 cup milk, divided
3/4 cup champagne
3/4 pomegranate juice
4 tsp vanilla extract, divided
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

Frosting-
3 sticks butter, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar, divided
1 tahetian vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp milk
red food coloring if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine 1 cake mix with 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup milk, 3/4 cup champagne, 2 tbsp oil and 2 tsp vanilla. Stir with wire whisk for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.

In a second bowl, combine remaining cake mix with 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup milk, 3/4 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tbsp oil and 2 tsp vanilla. Stir with wire whisk for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.

Spray bottoms of 2 8x8 pans with nonstick spray, and pour a 1/2 in thick layer of champagne cake in one pan and pomegranate cake in the other. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set aside and let cool.

Prepare muffin pans with liners and fill slightly less than 2/3 full with batter. Take a small heart-shaped cookie cutter (small enough to fit inside a cupcake) and cut 15 hearts from each cake layer. Insert a heart of the opposite color into each cupcake and push down as far into batter as it will go. Take care to keep cupcakes lined straight so that when cupcakes are bitten into you can see the heart.

Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until cupcakes are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely before decorating.

In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer until smooth. Slice down the side of the vanilla bean and scrape insides into bowl, or add extract. Mix until combined. Add powdered sugar in small batches, mixing well after each addition. Add milk, 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring, if desired. Frost cupcakes and place some sort of decoration on the front, so the cupcakes remain facing forward.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

The Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cinnamon Rolls



Sundays are all about Breakfast Rolls at my house- The Cooker Boy loves to help me make the dough, and he would devour the entire pan if I'd let him. This recipe is a variation on the first Cinnamon Roll recipe I poted- both the original and this version are from The Pioneer Woman. The addition of brown sugar, salt and chocolate chips makes these cinnamon rolls taste like chocolate chip cookies. I didn't make any changes to this recipe- it's perfect just the way it is! ( I did, however, cut the recipe in half. As much as I love breakfast rolls, there's no need for me to make more than 2 pans at a time.)

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Dough:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 pkg dry active yeast
1/2 tablespoon (heaping) salt
1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (heaping) baking powder

Filling:
1/2 stick butter,melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Icing:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)

Heat milk, sugar and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until warm but not boiling. Allow to cool to slightly warmer than lukewarm. Add yeast and 4 cups flour and stir until just combined. Dough will be wet and sticky. Cover and set in a draft-free area (I use my oven, turned off of course) and let sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add remaining flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir until combined. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour prior to rolling, and longer if you have the time.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and grease desired pans. Divide dough in half, and keep unused half refrigerated until needed. Generously flour your work surface, then turn dough onto floured surface.
Roll into a large rectangle, leaving dough about 1/4 inch thick. Mix melted butter and vanilla, and drizzle 1/2 of mixture onto dough. Use fingers or pastry brush to spread evenly across the dough. Combine sugar and salt, and sprinkle half over melted butter. Top with half of brown sugar, chocolate chips and pecans if desired.

Beginning with the edge farthest from you, roll dough toward you forming a tight roll. Pinch edges together to seal. Slice into 1/2-3/4 inch thick pieces, and lay in prepared pans. Allow dough to rise for 20 minutes then bake for 20-22 minutes at 375 degrees or until tops of rolls are golden brown.

Prepare icing while rolls are baking. Mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and milk and mix with electric mixer until smooth and pourable.

Pour on rolls while warm, and top with extra chocolate chips and pecans if desired.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Rubber Duck & Diaper Cakes

 Just a few photos today- These cakes were made for a coworker's baby shower earlier in the week. I used some of my favorite recipes for the rubber duckie cake- the bottom tier is chocolate cake with raspberry champagne filling and vanilla buttercream, and the top tier is white cake with a layer of chocolate ganache filling and tiramisu buttercream. Both layers were popular- and the cake was demolished by my coworkers- and someone asks me about it every time I'm at work now. I've even earned a new nickname...Martha!

As I was shopping for a gift, I thought I would try a different kind of cake- a diaper cake. This one requires no baking, just a little time and creativity in assembling. The mom-to-be loved it, and I think I've found a new business effort! Diaper cakes make great baby shower centerpieces, as well as gifts. I made mine using Pampers Swaddlers Diapers, baby washcloths, receiving blankets,  a hooded bath towel and some ribbon. I'm sorry I didn't take better pictures before I wrapped it up- it turned out super cute, and all of the "ingredients" are must haves when you bring a new baby home!