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.