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Tuesday, August 4, 2009

The Carrie Cupcake




I can't believe Jillian is six months old already!!! Last night I was going through all our videos since before Christmas and found all the footage from her birth. I hadn't seen it before and it feels like it all happened last week! I was a little surprised at how upsetting my c-section was to watch, because I didn't feel that way at the time! Did you know some guy poked me with a freaking needle? Just to poke? 'Cause I didn't know that! I did think it was pretty dang funny that my mom and I were discussing cupcakes while they were working on me! I loved seeing all the footage of Jilly now that I know her better. Seeing her reactions to everything was just so . . . her! She's such a calm, sweet baby!


Devil's Food Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

I made these cupcakes for my friend's birthday. Very, very belated birthday. (Sorry, Carrie!!!) They were scrumptious!!! The cupcake is from Martha Stewart (Thank you, Sarah, for the recipe!) and I filled it with a salted caramel buttercream, dipped it in dark chocolate and piped more buttercream on top. I had to give them away so I wouldn't eat them all myself!

The Carrie Cupcake
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcake Book

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
3 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature


Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine.
Remove from heat and pour into your mixer's bowl.
On medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 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 and add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
Bake, rotating tins halfway through, about 20 minutes.
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

3/4 cup salted caramel
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 lbs. of powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons cream

In your mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
Sift in about half the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined.
Add the caramel and mix well.
Sift in remaining powdered sugar and mix.
Add in cream and mix well.
Sift in more powdered sugar as necessary to achieve desired consistency.



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2 comments:

Carol said...

Ahhh, I'm in love! With Jilliebean, not the cupcake! Oooh, but the cupcake is tempting! You're not going to make people out in blogland choose which is better? I hope not Jennie, because as much as you are a wonderful cook, I think Jilliebean will beat out the cupcake!

Nicole said...

What an absolute doll! She just gets prettier and prettier each day....and don't you think their personality makes them even more pretty?! I always did with my kids. The cupcake looks delish (as usual)!!