More King Arthur Cupcake Fun!

   

     I have to give another shout-out to my friend Alex as well as her  husband Peter and their daughter Story who just graduated from Proctor! They gave me a very generous gift certificate to King Arthur Flour which of course, for a baking psycho like me is a bit like catnip for one of   my cats, so THANK YOU!

     Anyway, my daughter and I ventured up to the store on Wednesday morning...arriving bright and early and ready to have fun! After a delicious snack from their bakery, we got to work. Although there are a few items I usually like to stock up on, that day I decided I would indulge in some new item or baking quest. After seeing some really fun mini-cupcake papers...bright colors of course, I knew what it would be. With fun papers in hand, I was also able to pick up some of their Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa powder, which is absolutely divine if you are looking  for a reaaaaaallllllly dark chocolate cake or brownie. I have always wanted to get a pastry bag and some fun tips, so they went into the basket as well.

     We topped it off with some white edible glitter...of course, everyone needs a little glitter in their life and if it is edible all the better!

     We found a good recipe for chocolate cupcakes online, a Martha Stewart recipe.... interestingly enough because I consider myself FAR from the baking/recipe perfection that she cherishes. Anyway, here it is. By the way, these amounts might seem a little strange but I halved the recipe. Feel free to double them to make 32 regular cupcakes.

 Devil's Food Cupcakes

(makes ~54 mini cupcakes)

3/8 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

  3/8 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

     Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your mini-cupcake tins with papers. Whisk together the cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Melt the butter with sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, and beating until just combined after each.

    Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Yummy White Frosting
enough for one batch of cupcakes as listed above

10 TBS. softened butter
1/4 cup marshmallow FLUFF (not creme)
3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 TBS. milk or cream
almond or vanilla extract (to your liking)
gel food coloring, if desired

    In medium bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and Fluff until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar and flavoring and mix well, adding enough milk or cream to reach your desired consistency. If you plan on using a pastry bag to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes, you will want the icing to be a bit softer. You might even want to test some first. Remember you can always add a few more drops of liquid more easily than having to add A LOT more confectioner's sugar if you make it too thin. Have fun with these cupcakes and don't be afraid to experiment! I can't wait to try new flavors and colors next time!

yours in baking-

p