Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Sometimes I crave spice and sweet together. If one adds sweetness to spicy food it may go wrong, but the other way round works just like a charm.

Hence, I made these cupcakes with the addition of spices and they tasted absolutely what I was looking for!  I’ve made two kind of frosting here, one with chocolate and the other with cocoa. Both were good but the one with melted chocolate had a richer and smooth texture to it.

Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes:

125 g All purpose flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
75g Chocolate, chopped
125 g Unsalted Butter
125 g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Salt, pinch
Coffee, 1 tbsp dissolved in 2 tbsp of hot water
4 tbsp heavy cream

SPICE MIX
1.5 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
Ground Nutmeg, a pinch
Ground Clove, a pinch

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 1 :

Cream Cheese 125 g, softened
Butter 50 g, softened
Semi sweet chocolate 60 g, chopped
Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
Milk 1-2 tbsp
Icing Sugar 50 g

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 2 :
125 g, Cream Cheese softened
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2 tbsp Heavy Cream
50 g Icing Sugar

Instructions:

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Sift dry ingredients except sugar together. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Once melted, set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl with the help of an electric beater for a few minutes.
Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until well combined.
Add eggs and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
Add vanilla extract and coffee. Mix until well combined.
Add flour mixture and continue to beat until well combined.Do not overbeat.
Add cream and mix well.
Using a spatula, fold in the melted chocolate.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes.

When cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and let cupcakes sit in the muffin tray for 5 minutes.
Remove cupcakes from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 1 :

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let stand until just warm.
Beat cream cheese, butter and milk until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla essence and mix well with the beater.
Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until mixture is smooth.
Mix in melted chocolate until combined.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 1

Using a piping bag pipe the cooled cupcakes or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 2:

Beat the cream cheese, vanilla essence and heavy cream together. Sift icing sugar and cocoa powder over it and beat until well combined.
Using a piping bag pipe the cooled cupcakes or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 2

Bon Apetit!

PS: Did you notice that the frosting is definitely way more better at presentation than my previous posts. I followed Marina’s (from City-Cupcakes) advise and got pretty looking swirls. 🙂

 

Virgin Pina Colada Cupcakes

Hola!

I’m quite excited today not just because it’s the start of another weekend but for many more reasons which I will divulge later on. For now I would like to share with you a truly amazing recipe for cupcakes. These are the Pina Colada Cupcakes..Oops I meant Virgin Pina Colada Cupcakes.

It’s the last month to bask in the warmth of the sun and I’d better make most of it. Being more of a beach person which is rather ironical considering the fact that I’m scared of water. I can swim, but I still am respectful of the ocean. 😉 Anyways, this year has been different and I haven’t had the opportunity to unwind on a white sandy beach with a drink in my hand gazing at the beautiful sunset. Sigh!

I cannot allow this to bring me down. I have had the happiest childhood memories incidentally of them being in summer. Well, If thou cannot go to the beach, thou shall bring the beach at home. If not the beach, at least the experience. 🙂
I have achieved what I was looking for with these virgin pina colada cupcakes! Everyone loved these and I would be lying to say that they were not DE-LI-CIOUS!!!!!! That’s how one of my friends described it. 😉

Virgin Pina Colada Cupcakes

 

Before I get to the recipe I’d like to say that ideally I would have loved to use a coconut frosting. Why did I not?
I was under the impression I definitely had enough coconut cream and desiccated coconut at home, which I later found out I didn’t. Humph!… I didn’t have the time to take a trip to the grocery store and so I just improvised and went with what I had.

Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
100 g Butter, softened
125 g caster sugar
2 eggs
125 ml coconut cream/milk
150 g + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Cornflour
100 g pineapples, chopped

Mascarpone Frosting :
Mascarpone Cheese 125 g
Heavy Cream 100 ml (optional)
Icing Sugar 40 g
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, optional
12 cubes of pineapple for garnishing, optional

Instructions:
Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 190 C. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cornflour and keep aside. Sift 1 tbsp of flour over the chopped pineapples and keep aside.
Cream butter and sugar with an electric beater until combined. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
Add coconut cream/ milk and beat until combined.
Add the sifted flour and beat until just combined. Do not overbeat.
Fold in the chopped pineapple and spoon the batter into the cupcake liners until 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

It’s really easy and fun to convert them to Pina Colada Cupcakes as well!
Here’s How?
While the cupcakes are still warm, pierce several holes the cupcakes using a toothpick. Now drizzle over some coconut-flavored rum. Voila!

Mascarpone Frosting:

Beat the whipped cream until it holds stiff peaks.
Beat the mascarpone and half of the sugar until soft and creamy. Taste and add more sugar as desired.
Fold the whipping cream into the mascarpone cheese and beat until well incorporated, for a few seconds only.
Now pipe the frosting in your piping bag and decorate the cupcakes as you please.

I have dusted my cupcakes with some ground cinnamon, it just makes the whole thing pop!

I’m sure these would turn out good as vegan cupcakes by eliminating butter and eggs and adding pureed pineapple and a dash vinegar. Will try it out soon!

Perfect for a BBQ or Pool Party!

I am taking these to Angie’s wonderful Friday Fiesta Party co hosted by the lovely ladies Margot and Saucy! Happy Fiesta Friday friends!

Bon Apetit!

The Cup of Life!! Beer Cupcakes for Dudes!

“Beer with Cupcakes! Whaaaat?? Are you crazy! Yes, I forget. You are a crazy girl!” followed by his ever so famous guffaw. That’s my friend talking.  It’s beer in a cupcake, not with a cupcake. That’s my argument. These are just perfect to serve on the big day, 13th of July! I sure will be doing so!

One of the teams i was rooting for is now out of the game! Yes, Brazil! It was an outcome no one could have imagined. It was indeed a sad day and i could see disappointment writ large on the faces of my friends who had gladly adorned themselves in green and yellow! The chants of “Dalej dalej dalej O!brazil seemed to have gone down after the first 25 minutes! Alas, this is life and sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and march forward.

Yours truly.

 

In much happier times, after the quarters win!

The second semi final game seemed to be at the other end of the spectrum with no goals being scored at all! I am quite delighted that Argentina have moved to the finals. My hubby is a bit confused as he loves both the teams…he seems to lean towars Messi though.. 🙂 It should be a good game and may the best team win. Go Argentina! 😉

Discovered in Prague!

These cute little cupcakes will make an excellent treat to serve to the guys! 🙂 I have used a dark lager beer for the caramelised cocoa kind of flavor that the beer imparts to the cupcake. It would be interesting to try some fruit beers though! Paired with cream cheese frosting it balances the sweetness of the cupcakes and enhances the taste of the beer!

Ingredients:

Vanilla Cupcakes:
I have used my basic vanilla cupcake recipe with the exception of milk.

CreamCheese Frosting :
Cream Cheese 250 g, softened
Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
Icing Sugar, 2 tbsp
Salt, a pinch (optional)

Instructions :

Vanilla Cupcakes:

While the cupcakes are still warm, pierce several holes with a toothpick. Drizzle beer over the cupcakes. Cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting :

Beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until mixture is smooth.
If using salt, add it just before piping the cupcakes.

Pipe or spoon the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cupcakes.
Decorate with some pretzels!

Bon Apetit!

This recipe has been adapted from “Cupcakes with Attitude”.

Reach for the Cup of Life!

I have no idea why but the song has been lingering in my mind for days now. To uplift the weekend mood,
“Ale, Ale Ale. Go, go ,gol! Ale, Ale, Ale.
Tonight’s the night, we’re gonna celebrate.
The cup of life!!! Ale, Ale, Ale.

The countdown begins…… Un, dos, tres………..

Choco-vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Choco-Vanilla Cupcake

What would you do if you absolutely must have vanilla and chocolate cakes. Make Choco-vanilla Cupcakes, voila!

I had bought a different brand of chocolate and was dying to try it out, so I thought of making a chocolate frosting. What better than cupcakes to pair it with. Super quick and easy to make, I decided to make me some cupcakes. I couldn’t decide i wanted chocolate cupcakes more than the vanilla ones so I made both. 🙂 I topped these up with chocolate cream cheese frosting which was just perfect.

Spoon one scoop of vanilla and chocolate batter into cupcake liners

I have posted links below for the cupcake recipes.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
Click Here
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Click Here
:

Bon Apetit!

I am embarrassed to say I had 6 of these!

🙂

White cupcakes with white chocolate ganache

I am a huge fan of Chocolate cake unlike my better half, and he of the white cake unlike me.Much like Lily and Marshall’s olive theory….;)
Nevertheless, I thought it would be better to make cupcakes than an entire cake for my dear hubby as he wanted to take them to his work place.These cupcakes have a rich buttery flavor and a smooth and velvety texture.Very classy topped with a white frosting or a fruity buttercream of your choice.
It makes about 14 cupcakes however I was left with only 8 to frost with white chocolate ganache as they all disappeared from the wire rack……into my hubby’s tummy. 🙂

Makes 14-15 cupcakes

Ingredients :

Cupcakes

Egg whites from 3 eggs
Full cream milk 150 ml
vanilla extract 1 tsp
all purpose flour 200 g
caster sugar 200 g
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt a pinch
Unsalted butter 125 g

White chocolate ganache

Heavy cream(30% fat) 125 g
White chocolate 300 g, chopped

Instructions:

Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Whisk egg whites, 3 tbsp extract and vanilla extract in a bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.
Add the butter and remaining milk to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well incorporated.

Increase the speed of the mixture and gradually add the egg white mixture.The resultant batter should be smooth.

With the help of an ice cream scoop, scoop out the batter and fill the cupcake liners until three-quarters full.

Bake for 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and let cupcakes sit in the tray for 5 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Ganache:
Heat heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil.

Reduce heat and using a whisk, stir in the white chocolate until it melts into the cream.Remove from heat and leave to cool in the pan.

You can chill until needed in a bowl covered with cling wrap.

Assemble the cupcakes :
Spoon the chocolate ganache into a piping bag and and pipe the cupcakes or spread over the top using a spoon.

White Cupcake with White Chocolate Ganache

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bon Apetit!

Chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

I made my first chocolate cake eight years back….out of Betty Crockers cake mix in a pressure cooker…..It was delicious covered with chocolate buttercream I made myself.I would generally bake for my family being coached by my mother :), this was the first time I made a cake for one of my friends on his birthday.He ate almost half of it. 🙂
I still remember how happy it made him and I forayed into the world of baking and have loved every part of it.

This recipe for chocolate cupcakes has been apdated from the book “Cupcakes with attitude” by Benjamin Wong.The cupcakes turned out super moist, well balanced flavor of cocoa powder.The tangy cream cheese chocolate frosting takes the cupcake to another level and these would make for a perfect treat served at any occasion or party.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cupcakes:

All purpose flour 125 g
Baking Powder 2 tsp
Butter 125 g, softened
Cocoa powder 2 tbsp
Caster sugar 125 g
Eggs 2, lightly beaten
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Full cream milk 2 tbsp (optional)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cream Cheese 125 g, softened
Butter 50 g, softened
Semi sweet chocolate 60 g, chopped
Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
Milk 1-2 tbsp
Icing Sugar 50 g

Instructions:

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line muffin tray with cupcake liners.

Sift dry ingredients except sugar together. Set aside.

Cream butter in a mixing bowl with the help of an electric beater for a few minutes.
Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until well combined.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture and continue to beat until well combined.Do not overbeat.
Add milk if using and mix well.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes.

When cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and let cupcakes sit in the muffin tray for 5 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting :

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let stand until just warm.
Beat cream cheese, butter and milk until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla essence and mix well with the beater.

Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until mixture is smooth.

Mix in melted chocolate until combined.

Using a piping bag pipe the cooled cupcakes or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Bon Apetit!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been now living in Wroclaw for about three months now.Friends who know me very well are aware that three months is my threshold for being away from home. 🙂 While I was working in Singapore, I would visit my home town Pune, India at least three times a year. One of the times, I did carry home the famous Kaya Jam and some cupcakes.To say the least, the cupcakes were totally amazing and I can never stop thinking about them….

So when I was having friends over for a casual dinner and drinks on a Friday night, couple of whom were Singaporeans, I thought what better than cupcakes to keep it simple and classy.Incidentally, it turned out that all the eight of us had lived in Singapore for some part of our lives.So it turned out to be perfect as Singaporeans love their cupcakes!

Makes 24
Ingredients :

Vanilla Cupcakes :

Butter 125 g, softened
Caster Sugar 125 g
Eggs 2
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Salt a pinch
All purpose flour 125 g
Baking powder 2 tsp
Full cream milk 2 tbsp (optional)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cream Cheese 125 g, softened
Butter 50 g, softened
Vanilla Extract 1 tsp
Milk 1-2 tbsp
Icing Sugar 50 g

Instructions :

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180° C. Line muffin tray wit cupcake liners.

Sieve the dry ingredients together except for the sugar.

Cream butter with the help of an electric mixer or by hand for a few minutes.Graduall add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the sugar is well incorporated.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the dry ingredients and beat until well mixed. Do not overbeat.

Add milk if using.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners until three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

When cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tray for 5 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from the tray and cool completely before frosting.

Well, they taste great just plain too!

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting :

Beat cream cheese, butter and milk until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla essence and mix well with the beater.

Gradually add the icing sugar and beat until mixture is smooth.

Using a piping bag pipe or spoon the cooled cupcakes or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Decorate as you fancy!

There were no leftovers 🙂

Bon Apetit!