Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I haven't made any cupcakes since the red velvet ones I made a couple of weeks ago. I did make a vanilla bean cheesecake that I am going to share with you instead because it was delicious!

The crust after being baked.

Slicing the vanilla beans.

Scraping the vanilla beans into the batter.

The finished cheesecake!

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup ground pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

6 tbsp melted butter

In a bowl, mix together the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and ground pecans. Add the butter and mix well. Press evenly into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9 in. springform pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until golden brown.

Cheesecake filling:

1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese softened

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 vanilla beans

4 eggs

2 tbsp heavy cream

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time then add the flour and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and heavy cream, beating on low until combined. Split open the vanilla beans and scrap out the seeds into the batter. You can save your empty beans to garnish the top of the cheesecake.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the middle of the oven until set. It should bake about 55-70 minutes. Let cool in pan and remove the outer ring of the pan. Refrigerate cake.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse:

1 cup white chocolate chunks

8 oz heavy cream

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Heat white chocolate and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream in a bowl over a pot of simmering water until melted. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. While beating, slowly add white chocolate mixture until smooth. Beat remaining heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into white chocolate mixture. Spread over chilled cheesecake.

This cheesecake was awesome. It reminded me a lot of the one from Red Lobster. I also added some white chocolate shavings and the used vanilla beans on top. I got my vanilla beans from beanilla.com

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have to admit that I have never made nor tasted a red velvet cupcake. Sad, I know... So I decided to make some today and they are scrumptious.


The batter, isn't it pretty?




Ready to be baked.






Just out of the oven. They look beautiful.





The final product.

Red Velvet Cupcake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/3 cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar in mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at time, beating until each is fully incorporated.
3. In a seperate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar and red coloring.
4. Add a fourth of the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and mix. Then add a third of the wet ingredients. Continue rotating until all of the ingredients are mixed in. You should end with the dry ingredients.
5. Fill cupcake liners and bake 18-22 minutes. Cool on wire racks.


Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8oz cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups and beat until smooth.
3. Add milk if necessary to adjust the consistency.

Cupcake T-Shirts

I love cupcakes so much that I thought I'd try designing a couple cupcake t-shirts... check 'em out!

Cupcake T-Shirts

Cupcake Onesies

... and more!

Cheers,
Sarah

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse

Just out of the oven.

The whipped cream and white chocolate before folding them together.

The finished white chocolate mousse.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse topped with chopped macadamia nuts.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla

2 oz. white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pan with baking liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and white chocolate.
3. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk until smooth. Stir in nuts.
4. Spoon into baking cups filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.



White Chocolate Mousse

2 egg yolks
10g sugar
10g vanilla
1 packet of gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
175g white chocolate, chopped
250g milk
500g heavy cream

1. Boil milk. Bloom gelatin in the cold water.
2. In a bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar. Once the milk is boiling pour over yolks and sugar.
3. Quickly pour the milk mixture over the white chocolate, stir until it is melted. Add the gelatin, stir until it is dissolved. Chill over an ice bath until room temperature.
4. Whip heavy cream to soft peaks.
5. Fold the heavy cream and room temperature white chocolate mixture.



This was my first experimental recipe. I used my vanilla cake recipe and added white chocolate and macadamia nuts. My cupcake tester said these were "superb" after eating three in a row.


**Annette** You can get meringue powder at Wal-Mart in the craft section, by the cake decorating stuff.

Chow

Maple Cupcakes

Maple Cupcake

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans finely chopped

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line pan with baking liners.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, syrup and vanilla.
4. Stir in flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in nuts.
5. Fill baking cups and bake 20 minutes. Cool completely.


Maple Buttercream

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 stick Crisco butter flavored shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp meringue powder

1. Cream together butter, Crisco stick and salt. Add vanilla and maple syrup, mix until incorporated.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and the meringue powder and mix until creamy and smooth.
3. Continue adding powdered sugar a half cup at a time until it reaches the consistency that you want. Use immediately or refrigerate in an air tight container.
*If it becomes to stiff add milk, a teaspoon at a time, to thin the frosting.



Just out of the oven.



The final product. I finally found the perfect buttercream recipe! It was very smoothy and silky like. My cupcake tester gave this one two thumbs up.

Caramel Cupcakes

I have never had a harder time making cupcakes, well I guess it was the buttercream. I got this recipe from howtoeatacupcake.net. You can click here to get the recipe.

The cupcake batter. The recipe called for dark brown sugar but I didn't have any. I used light brown sugar and they still turned out great.

Caramel drizzle for buttercream. This is were I had all my problems. I am a little embarrassed to admit this because I went to pastry school, I made caramel a ton in school! The first time I made it the sugar began to crystallize. So I started over and realized I wasn't going to have enough sugar to finish the buttercream. I decided to cut the caramel recipe in half because I didn't think I needed that much. Good thing I was right! When I started to make it the second time,I poured my sugar into the pan and almost immediately turned golden brown because my pan was too hot (I used the same pan I had used before). It turned out alright, until it was time to make the buttercream. I did everything according to the recipe but the buttercream seemed to have separated or something. I am not sure why this happened. You can see in the picture below what I am talking about.

The final product. Despite my buttercream mess up, they turned out really good. The buttercream is my favorite so far. I am definitely going to make these again in the future. My cupcake tester said they taste like caramel rolls.

xoxo

Just A Recipe...

I didn't get around to making the caramel cupcakes with caramel buttercream today. May be tomorrow.

While searching the internet for cupcake things today I came across something interesting, A Cupcake Camp. Who knew there was a cupcake camp? I would love to go but it is in San Fransisco and Toronto. The one in San Fransisco was in early December. But if you want to attend the one in Toronto it is being held on January 25th from 2-5. It is held at Labspace Studios at 2A Pape Ave. For more information you can visit their website here.

Since I don't have much to post today I will leave you with my vanilla cupcake recipe:

Vanilla Cupcake

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 1/ cups flour
• 1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pan with baking liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
3. Combine flour and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the milk until smooth.
4. Spoon into baking cups filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Buttermilk Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Buttermilk Spice Cake

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 6 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking liners.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg and honey.
3. Sift all dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture.
4. Slowly add buttermilk.
5. Spoon into baking cups, filling 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

I used the Vanilla Buttercream recipe from below. I also sprinkled cinnamon on top. These are super yummy. Although, I think cream cheese frosting would have been better but I didn't have any cream cheese today. Maybe next time... Tomorrow I think I am going to try a caramel cupcake with caramel buttercream.

Cheers

Cupcake Baking Essentials

Kitchen Aid Artisan 5 qt. Mixer

This is definitely an essential for any type of baking. I use mine almost daily. It may seem kind of expensive but it is well worth the money.

New Beater Blade for 5 qt. Mixer

This beater blade looks awesome. It has rubber edges that constantly scrape the bowl. That means no more stopping to hand scrape the bowl and it eliminates batter build up on the blade. I don't have one of these yet but I can't wait to get one.

Baker's Secret 12 Cup Cupcake Pan

You can't make cupcakes with out a cupcake pan! This is the cupcake pan I use and I like it a lot.

Striped Baking Cups 100ct.

These are super cute and fun. I like to get different baking cups that will match my cupcakes.

Ateco 10 Piece Star Tip Set

These are great for easy and fast decorating. The set comes with 10 different sizes. I think Ateco tips are a lot more sturdy than Wilton tips. I also have a round set like these.

My Favorite Cupcake Books

This book is awesome. I just got it, so I haven't made anything from it yet, but it has a ton of great ideas. They all look fairly easy because they use all kinds of candy to decorate them. My favorite cupcake from this book has to be the penguins. They are so cute! I am going to make them first. I will post pictures as soon as I make them.




Just Cupcakes is a great book for beginners. It has 100 recipes that use box cake mixes and adds various ingredients to make cupcakes like Spiced Pumpkin, Banana Toffee and Chocolate Truffle Brownie. There is also a lot of cute decorating ideas.




This is definatly a book you should get. There is a section of Master Recipes that has recipes for white, yellow, chocolate, crumb cake cupcakes and many more. It has cupcake ideas for every occasion. Every cupcake has two pages that include pictures, a description, field notes, lifespan and tips.



Until next time,
~Sarah

Welcome

Hello, my name is Sarah and I love cupcakes! I have liked cupcakes my whole life but recently I have fallen in love with them. My plan for this blog is to share my cupcake creations, recipes I have come across and anything else cupcake related. I am going to try to blog everyday, so check back for updates!

First, let me start off by telling you a little about myself. I live in Wyoming with my husband of 8 years and our two wonderful children (who love trying my cupcakes). I have loved to bake since I was a little girl so I decided to attend baking school. I recently graduated from The Art Institute of Seattle with a diploma in Baking and Pastry.

Here are some of my of my recently baked cupcakes:

Peanut Butter Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream

Peanut Butter Cupcake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 tbsp. butter, softened
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with baking cups.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and peanut butter until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
4. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter and mix well.
5. Spoon into baking cups filling 2/3 full. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean.

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. In a mixing bowl, add butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Cream together until smooth.
2. Slowly add the heavy cream until you reach the consistency that you want.

Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream

I made these for my son's Christmas party at school. All the kids loved them.