Birthday Party Event

    Hi everyone, I know you must be wondering what's up with NDY.   I been extremely busy with a party I had to do this past weekend.  It took up so much of my time during the week because of the planning stages with the client.   This event was a piece of work, but in the end it came out very well.  I made 4 dozen cupcakes from red velvet, vanilla, apple-tini, strawberry daiquiri, cognac and coke, and margarita.  I also made the custom display myself. 

What you think?

 

Friday Cocktail: Amaretto Apple Cupcakes

   Happy Friday!  Today I am guest posting on Cupcakes Take the Cake for my Amaretto Apple Cupcakes.  I am so thrilled.  If you follow Never Dessert You on Instagram, you may have seen a sneek peek of the sliced apples after they was simmered in the amaretto.

    These cupcakes reminds me so much of fall, with the smell of apples and cinnamon.  It is like an apple pie with spices and alcohol of course. 

    Are you drolling yet?  Head over to Cupcakes Take The Cake for the recipe.

   If you are new to their site, take a few minutes to look around and see all the delightful cupcakes that these awesome ladies share from all around the world.

Zucchini Cupcakes

    Wow, the week is finally coming to an end.  It's been a LONG week.  I have been in a funk for the past few days.  But I saw my favorite phrase "Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes".  And that is exactly what I did.  But not your ordinary vanilla, or chocolate cupcake - a zucchini cupcake.  You would not even notice there is zucchini in the cupcake.  It's sweet, full of spice and makes you forget you were having a bad week.  Have a Fabulous day Desseritas!

Zucchini Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 cups shredded zucchini
1/3 cups canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 (8 tbsp.) stick unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pan with liners.

2.  In a bowl mix flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla.  Add to flour mixture and mix until combined.

4.  Using ice cream scoop and scoop into cupcake pan.  Bake for 18-22 minutes.

5.  Put in freezer (right out of oven) for about 45 min to a hour.

6.  Make frosting.  Place butter, cream cheese and vanilla in an electric mixer.  Mix for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.  Add powder sugar, one cup at a time.  Mix for 5-6 minutes until frosting is light and creamy.

7.  Frost cupcakes and serve. 

Recipe adapted from I am Baker

Friday Cocktail: Bloody Mary Cupcakes

   

    I am sorry for my lack of posts this week.  I been extremely busy and drained with decisions to make.  But its all good when I get to bake.  I needed a picker up so I wanted to bake something out of the ordinary.  These cupcakes are definately out of the norm with Tabasco sauce, and tomato soup.   Please do not be alarmed by the ingredients in the cupcake.   It's taste so good especially with the extra spice. 

Bloody Mary Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/8 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp Worcetershire sauce
1/4 cup vodka
1 1/2 tsp red food coloring
3/4 cup condensed tomato soup

Cayenne Vodka Buttercream

3 2/3 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 tsp celery salt
2 tblsp plus 2 tsp milk
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vodka
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, clery salt and black pepper.  Set aside.

3.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed beat butter lightly,  Add sugar, mixing lightly.  Add egss beating until light and fluffy.  Add Tabasco, Worcetershire, vodka, and food coloring mixing, until well combined.  Alternate between adding soup and flour mintures in four additions, beginning and ending with flour.

4.  Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted in cupcake.  Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool compeletly.

5.  For frosting sift the podered sugar in a medium bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and celery salt together, for 1 minute.  Add podered sugar and milk, alternating between the two.  Beat until combined.  Scrape sides of the bowl.  Add lemon juice, vanilla, vodka, and cayenne pepper.  Mix until combined.  Beat mixture on high for 5 to 9 minutes until light and fluffy.

6.  Transfer frosting to pastry bag with a pastry tip attached.  Frost the completely cooled cupcakes.  Serve.


Recipe adapted from Intoxicated Cupcakes and Food Network

Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes

             These cupcakes are not your normal blueberry muffins. The blueberries are baked in a vanilla cupcake topped with a cinnamon-brown sugar streusel and then topped off with a cream cheese blueberry frosting.

         I made these for dinner to complete our dinner - baked Creole tilapia with pasta salad. My family enjoyed these. With or without the frosting these are scrumptious.

 

Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes

Ingredients

Topping
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 tblsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Cupcakes
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups blueberries

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
3 tblsps high-quality blueberry jam

 
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with baking cups.  For the topping combine the sugars and cinnamon.  Set aside.

2.  To make the cupcakes, sift the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and the 2/3 cups granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy for 3 minutes.  Add in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each egg is mixed in.  Add vanilla extract.

3.  Reduce electric mixer speed to low, and beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Do not over mix, just mix until incorporated.  Stop mixer and fold in blueberries.

4. Divide batter in baking cups.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar topping and press to adhere to batter.  Bake until golden brown, for 20-21 minutes and a toothpick when inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached.

5.  To make the frosting beat the cream cheese and butter in electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add sifted confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Raise speed back to medium-speed and beat for 1 minute.  Stop mixer and spoon jam onto icing without stirring.

6.  Transfer icing to pastry bag with a large round frosting tip and swirl mounds of icing on top of each cupcake. 

 
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2012