Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Posted on July 21, 2008 by kitchenbelle

The Magnolia Bakery in New York City is known for its cupcakes.  The bakery has received much acclaim and several appearances in pop culture.  (A Sex and the City episode is the first that comes to mind!) Though I have never been in the bakery (though I did walk by once and the line was out the door!) I figured I could trust the simple vanilla on vanilla recipe.  Boy were these delicious!  The cake light was fluffy, with a nice vanilla flavor.  The frosting was so sweet and creamy!  However, if you don’t have a sweet tooth, I warn you against these! 

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour*
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 sticks butter (softened)
  • 2 cups suger
  • 4 eggs (at room temp)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the flours and set aside.

In a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter until smooth.  Gradually add the sugar  and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

Magnolia’s Vanilla “Buttercream”:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 box of confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and then the milk and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes until the icing is thick enough to be piped.  After frosting these cupcakes I sprinkled some clear sugar crystals on top of each.

*I am told self-rising flour can be purchased, however, when I did not see it at my local grocery store I went ahead and made it myself without much trouble.  The standard rule is for every one cup of self-rising flour your recipe calls for add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of all purpose flour and sift. 

Recipe adapted from Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcake and Buttercream recipe found here on foodnetwork.com

Filed under: cupcakes, Dessert, frosting, vanilla | Leave a comment »

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Icing

Posted on July 20, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

I was set on making fruit-flavored cupcakes and I hemmed and hawed over which fruit flavor for longer than anyone should hem and haw about fruit-flavored cupcakes, or anything fruit-related for that matter.  I considered orange, lime, pineapple, apple, watermelon and even grape.  I even considered different combinations of frosting and cake–lemon cake with lime frosting, orange cake with lemon frosting, vanilla cake with pineapple frosting.  I think the heat was getting to me–I almost forgot I do have more important things to think about!   Before spiralling too far into a fruit-salad hysteria I took a cold shower.  It was then that I settled on crisp, simple, refreshing: lemon.  And I am happy with the decision.  The cake was nice and fluffy with just the right amount of lemon flavor.  The icing was smooth and sweet–nicely balanced by the tartness of the lemon.    

 

Lemon Cupcakes:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • lemon zest of 2 lemons
  • lemon juice of 2 lemons

Preheat over to 325 degrees.  Insert liners into 2 cupcake pans.  In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating 1 minute after each addition.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixure, alternating with the milk.  Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Lemon Icing:

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of one lemon

In a large bowl cream together sugar and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.  Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Spread over cooled cupcakes. 

Lemon cupcake recipe and lemon icing recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

Filed under: cupcakes, Dessert, icing, lemon | 8 Comments »

Irish Cream Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Glaze

Posted on July 14, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 I would not be honest if I didn’t tell you I was in quite a rush when I made these cupcakes!  They were a last minute decision and I made them using ingredients already in my cupboards.  Nonetheless, I think they came out pretty well.  The Irish Cream flavor was strong but not overbearing.  Next time I think I will try frosting with a vanilla buttercream instead of the chocolate glaze, but time was not on my side (that seems to be a theme on this blog!) and I went with a simple chocolate glaze. 

I think these would be great for St. Patty’s day, especially with some shamrock embelishments.   

Irish Cream Cupcakes:

  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (I used salted)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 1/3 cups Irish Cream Liquor (I used Bailey’s)
  • 4 cups of flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Insert liners into cupcake pan.  In a large bowl cream together sugar and butter.  Add the vanilla and eggs.  Beat well.  In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a third bowl mix Irish Cream with milk.  Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternating with the liquid mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.  Fill the cupcake papers 3/4 full.  Bake for about 20 minutes.  Cool cupcakes in pan.  Makes 24 cupcakes.

Milk Chocolate Glaze:

  • whipping cream
  • coarsely chopped milk chocolate*

Heat the whipping cream until it is bubbling but not boiling.  Remove it from the stove and add the chopped up chocolate.  Whisk cream and chocolate together.  Add more cream or chocolate to reach desired consistency.  After the cupcakes cooled I drizzled the glaze over each.

*I was low on milk chocolate chips so I used a solid Godiva chocolate bunny that I have been holding on to!  Talk about improvising–haha!  I did feel bad watching his paws melt, but there was no time to run to the store!

Irish Cream Cupcakes adapted from Crazy about Cupcakes by Krystina Castella

Milk Chocolate Glaze adapted from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans

Filed under: chocolate, cupcakes, Dessert, icing, Irish Cream | 1 Comment »

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