DESSERTS

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WACKY CAKE: It’s Crazy Good!

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I was recently asked to try a coconut balsamic vinegar and give my opinion. I used it in recipes you’d expect: Apple Sorghum Salad, Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant, and Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts. But, I also wanted to do a think-outside-the-box dish. A dessert perhaps? WHAT????

Then I recalled a chocolate cake recipe, called Wacky Cake, I found years ago in a lady’s club cookbook. At the time, I thought it was so named because all of the ingredients were put in a bowl and mixed at once. Now that I have made MANY cakes from scratch, I realize it’s because there are NO eggs, butter, or milk. Crazy, right?!

Wacky Cake came into frugal existence during the days of rationing, when these ingredients were hard to come by. The recipe called for cocoa, oil, baking soda, sugar…and white vinegar. At first glance, vinegar sounds like a horrible ingredient for a chocolate cake. But then I remembered, you can make buttermilk by combining milk with vinegar. So suddenly the vinegar didn’t seem so odd….until I realized there was no milk in this recipe. Hmmmm.

Since I’d made the cake before and knew it tasted good, I decided to take a chance and use the coconut balsamic vinegar. (I like to live on the edge….or, at least, nearby.)

Believe it or not, the Chocolate Wacky Cake came out utterly delicious! It was moist, firm, rose beautifully, and chocolaty. Day 3 tasted just as good as Day 1. There was no Day 4.

I topped it with a  Brown Sugar Frosting (Betty Crocker’s recipe), which was the perfect complement to the rich chocolate. I’ve included the recipe below.

Note:  You can make 29 cupcakes from this recipe.  Bake them at 350º F for about 17 minutes.

CHOCOLATE WACKY CAKE

  • 1 T instant coffee granules (you can probably use 1 cup of coffee & dilute it with 1 cup water if you don’t have the granules – but I’ve never done this myself)
  • 2 cups (473g) water
  • 2 cups (387g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2/3 cup (165ml / 141 grams by weight) vegetable oil
  • 3 cups (364g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 T vinegar (I’ve used both white and balsamic)

Preheat oven to 350º F (177°C) and grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ (23cm x 33cm) pan.

Into a large mixing bowl, add the coffee granules. Bring the water to a boil and stir into the coffee granules.

 

Add in the sugar, salt, cocoa powder, vanilla, and oil, stirring to blend by hand.

Add in the flour, baking soda, and vinegar. If using an electric mixer, use low speed and blend just until flour is incorporated – don’t over mix.

Pour into a greased and floured 13″x 9″ (23cm x 33cm) baking pan, tapping the filled pan 2 or 3 times on the counter to remove any air pockets.

Place in preheated 350°F (177°C) oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top springs back when lightly pressed. Also, if you put the pan close to (BUT NOT TOUCHING!) your ear, you can hear a faint crackling sound if it’s not done. If you hear the crackling, return pan to the oven for another minute and check again until the sound disappears – mine baked for 34 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

BROWN SUGAR FROSTING – covers a 13″x 9″ cake

  • 1/2 cup (112g) (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup (148g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 (49g) cup milk
  • 2 cups (217g) powdered sugar, measure before sifting

In a saucepan melt butter. Over medium heat, stir in brown sugar and bring to boiling. Lower flame to low and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add milk, increase heat, and bring to boil. Then, remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar to prevent lumps. Gradually stir into butter/sugar. If you let the butter/sugar cool too long and it’s not mixing well into the powdered sugar, just put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and try blending again. You may need to zap it another 15 seconds or so.

Place saucepan into a bowl of ice water, and stir continuously until spreadable, but not too thick.

Frost cake. Let set at least 20 minutes before slicing.

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES – A Gift Of Love!

I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of law that Valentine’s Day must include chocolate. Me, being a law-abiding gal (AND a devout chocoholic), am more than happy to do my part. Throw peanut butter into the mix, and you’ve got a winner!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES are a family favorite – and not just my family, but my neighbor’s, as well. But because they involve a bit of time, I only make them for special occasions such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

BTW, if you have little ones who like to “help” in the kitchen, this is the perfect recipe. They can assist with the ball rolling and chocolate dipping.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES – makes about 40

  • 1/2 cup butter (1 cube)
  • 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1 cup confection’s sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 3/4 cup graham crackers, crushed (3 oz total – about 5 rectangles)
  • about 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a saucepan, over a medium flame, melt butter and peanut butter together. Turn off heat. Blend in sugar and graham crackers. Remove from stove and let cool.

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Roll into 3/4″ balls – don’t make them too big since the chocolate will add to the size. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Chill until they’re solid – at least an hour.

Over a VERY low heat, melt half of the chips, stirring constantly. Turn off the flame now and then as you’re stirring to keep the temperature down – if the chocolate gets too hot, it solidifies. Once the chips are melted, turn off flame but leave pan on burner to keep the chocolate warm and melted.

One by one, drop peanut butter balls into melted chips, using a spoon to coat with the chocolate. Gently place back on the waxed paper, making a little swirl on top with the chocolate dripping off the spoon. Replenish saucepan with more chips as needed, melting them over a low heat into the remaining chocolate.

Chill the CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS.

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Best stored in refrigerator (especially on hot days) so they don’t get melty, but in cold climates, they’re fine on the counter in a covered container – although, they won’t last long once people know they’re there.

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Leftover Cranberry Sauce? Try APPLE CRAN CRUMBLE!

APPLE CRANBERRY CRUMBLE

APPLE CRAN CRUMBLE

It happens every year. I cook a big bowl of homemade Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving and, at least, half is leftover. Of course, I’ve considered just making less, but I worry that a small bowl will look skimpy. Then people might take even less thinking there’s not enough to go around, and I’d still find myself with leftovers.

Fueled by my hatred of waste, I decided to find a use for unwanted Cranberry Sauce. I focused my mind on cranberries, and apples crept into the picture. Then a streusel topping. Then a graham cracker crust. Then a caramel sauce drizzle. Mmmmm! I got to work and made APPLE CRAN CRUMBLE.

DELICIOUS!!!

DELICIOUS!!!

It turned out SO GOOD!!! So good, in fact, that I made a fresh batch of Cranberry Sauce just so I could make this dessert again.

NOTE: I made the caramel sauce from scratch – it was surprisingly easy. You can buy caramel sauce, if you like.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you don’t have leftover cranberry sauce, you can easily make it. Click on CRANBERRY SAUCE for my easy and fast recipe.

APPLE CRAN CRUMBLE – made in 3½ cup baking dish (about 6 servings)

Crust:

  • 10 graham crackers (about 6 oz total), crushed
  • 5 T butter, melted

Combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter. Reserve 1/2 cup. Pour the remainder into a casserole dish – I used a 9.5″ oval – and pat firmly to cover bottom.  Bake at 350º fahrenheit for 7 minutes. Cool before filling.

Streusel Topping:

  • 1/2 cup crust mixture that was set aside
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 tsp flour
  • 3 T dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted

Mix all together in a bowl.

Filling:

  • about 1½ – 2 cups cranberry sauce – drained
  • 3 small red delicious apples – peeled & chopped
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon.  Keep cranberry sauce separate.

Salted Caramel – makes about 1 cup

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 T butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

In a saucepan (don’t use a skillet – the sides are too short), combine the sugar and water. Turn on burner to medium high. Don’t stir, but you can gently swirl the pan now and then. What will happen is the water will boil and the liquid will turn clear. Stay nearby because things can change fast!

As the water boils off, the sugar will start to darken. When it gets to dark amber, you’ll see a puff of steam. REMOVE FROM HEAT or it will burn. Add in the butter and stir until it’s melted. Pour in cream and stir. Be careful when you add the butter and cream – they may splatter. Finally, stir in salt.

Assembly and baking:

Spread apples over crust. Spoon on cranberry sauce. Sprinkle streusel topping on top. Lightly cover with foil so the topping doesn’t burn. Bake at 375º fahrenheit for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 5 minutes.

Let APPLE CRAN CRUMBLE cool about 15 minutes before drizzling caramel sauce on top. Serve warm. Vanilla ice cream can make it even better!

 

 

 

 

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HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS – Aloha!!!

MANGO TOPPED HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS

MANGO TOPPED HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS

Hello.  My name is Bonnie and I’m a chocoholic.

It was destined to happen – my mother consumed some form of this delectable treat everyday of her pregnancy with me. My fate was being written with each chocolate doughnut she vowed she wouldn’t eat…but did.

However, now and then I feel the need to broaden my dessert horizons – not everyone likes chocolate. (It’s a fact – I looked it up!)

I decided to make haupia – a coconut jello-like pudding, in memory of my Tahitian dancing days. As with most ethnic groups, food plays a central role in the Polynesian world. The first potluck I attended, I was asked to bring haupia. Not realizing there was such a thing as canned coconut milk, I actually bought coconuts, cracked them open, removed the meat, and made my own coconut milk. It took hours of life threatening work with a hammer and a sharp knife. The haupia was delicious, but definitely not worth the effort. Years later, I saw canned coconut milk in the market. It was a slap-palm-to-forehead moment.

In keeping with my portion control doctrine (everyone over 40 knows why), I made the haupia in custard cups. One cup = one portion. No nibbling those odd pieces in the pan that “no one else will eat and it’s sinful to waste.” Just to add a little substance, I poured the haupia over macadamia nut shortbread. And, then, because I can never let things alone, I made a mango sauce topping.

The mango sauce was delicious and extremely pretty, but I confess I prefer HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS sprinkled with just some toasted chopped macadamia nuts. Without the scene-stealing mango, the flavor of the toasted macadamia nuts bursts forth, complementing the subtle coconut flavor.

Haupia & Macadamia Shortbread

TOASTED MACADAMIA NUT TOPPED HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUP

Topped simply with chopped toasted macadamia nuts or perked up with Mango Sauce, HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS are an easy, light dessert.

Who can decide?

Which will I choose?

NOTE: It’s important to toast the macadamia nuts – I put the word “toasted” continuously in front of the word “macadamia” to remind you (I’m a mom – it’s what we do!). Toasting brings out the flavor and gives a better crunch. Just make sure you keep an eye on them – they go from lightly browned to black in an instant.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: I now use powdered coconut milk – that way I can use exactly what I need instead of opening a whole can for a small amount.

HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS – makes 4 servings

     Macadamia Shortbread – enough for 4 custard cups

  • 3 T macadamia nuts, chopped and toasted (measure and toast after chopping)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 T sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 T butter, soft

Put toasted macadamia nuts, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Whirl until nuts are tiny bits. Add in flour, vanilla, and butter. Blend until batter is creamed.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Pat dough into into the bottom of 4 ungreased custard cups (or muffin tins). It comes out to about 1 tablespoon of dough per cup. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and cool in cups on a wire rack.

     Haupia

  • 1  13.5 oz can of coconut milk  OR  put ¼ cup coconut powder in measuring cup and add warm water to 1¾ cup mark
  • 3 T cornstarch
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • dash salt

Put the cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and mix. Pour in some of the coconut milk and make a smooth paste. Add in the rest of the milk and heat over a medium flame, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until the liquid is thickened – about 5 minutes total.

Pour evenly onto the shortbread in custard cups. Let cool, then refrigerate at least 5 hours to set.

     Mango Sauce – optional

  • ¾ cup mango chunks (fresh or frozen)
  • 1½ tsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Purée all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Serve on top of haupia, if desired.

NOTE: If you’re using a muffin tin instead of custard cups, add the Mango Sauce after plating. To remove the HAUPIA & MACADAMIA SHORTBREAD CUPS from the tin, carefully run a dull knife around the edge, working your way to the very bottom to release the shortbread. Carefully, lift out and transfer to plate.

 

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CHOCOLATE PUDDING – The Mac ‘N Cheese Of Desserts!

Creamy CHOCOLATE PUDDING!

Creamy CHOCOLATE PUDDING!

Good ol’ Chocolate Pudding – the ultimate comfort food dessert. It’s chocolaty. It’s creamy. It’s a wonderful finish to a filling meal. Much as I love cakes, cookies, and pies, quite often nothing hits the spot like Chocolate Pudding.

If you like, you can even dress it up by swirling in raspberries or bananas, baking a graham cracker crust in custard cups then pouring in the cooked pudding, sprinkling on pound cake cubes, or piping on a cloud of whipped cream, topped with a cherry. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Puddings can be made with eggs, gelatin, flour, or (my preference) cornstarch. Also, they can be steamed, baked, or cooked on the stovetop (again, my preference). I’ve come up with what I believe is the perfect blend of ingredients.

Note: Take the time to smash out all the cocoa lumps by making a paste with the milk BEFORE you begin cooking. Then you’ll have a nice, smooth pudding.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING – makes 2 cups

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 T cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups milk (I use nonfat)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 T butter

In a saucepan mix together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Pour in about 1/4 cup of the milk (you don’t have to measure). Using a flat headed stirrer (see photo), blend the milk into the cocoa mixture, smashing out all the lumps.

Flat-headed wooden stirrer

Flat-headed wooden stirrer

As the mixture becomes too thick to blend, add a little more milk. You don’t want to add too much milk until all the lumps are smashed – otherwise they’ll just float on top and you’ll never get rid of them. Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the milk, making it a thick paste, add in the remaining milk.

Over a medium flame, cook pudding until thick, stirring frequently – about 10 minutes. At approximately 8 minutes, you’ll notice it begins to thicken. Keep going until the boiling point. Remove from heat and add in butter and vanilla.

Pour into serving containers and cover to prevent a skin from forming (unless you like skin).

 

 

 

 

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MINI LEMON PIES – A Flavor Explosion!

 

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ZINGY MINI LEMON PIES

While I’m a confirmed chocoholic, sometimes I like to shake things up a bit. So when my friend, George, gave me several lemons from his tree, I decided to make a lemon pie. And I didn’t want just a hint of lemon…I wanted LEMON! Toe curling lemon!

The key to achieving lip smacking lemony flavor is using plenty of lemon zest. For you newbies, zest is the very outer layer of citrus – where the color is (not the white rind part). Use the smallest holes on a cheese grater and cautiously scrape away. One lemon produces about 1 packed teaspoon.

Portion control being my motto, individual pies baked in custard cups were in order. When I make a standard sized pie, I have a tendency to cut myself a slice, then (because it wasn’t a perfect cut) “clean up” the raggedy edge left behind, then (after inhaling said piece) slice myself “just a wee bit more”.

If something is already preordained as a portion, I seem to have better control over myself. (I remember the days when I could eat half a cake, do 10 jumping jacks, and not gain an ounce. Sigh!)

While the graham cracker crust is briefly baked, the pie isn’t. Rather, the filling is cooked on the stovetop, poured over the crust, then refrigerated. For optimum taste, Mini Lemon Pies should be made the day before serving so they’ve properly set and chilled.

MINI LEMON PIES – makes 4 custard cup pies

Crust:

  • 3 T butter, melted
  • 6 graham crackers (3.2 oz), well crushed (no chunks!)

Mix butter and graham crackers together with a fork. Divide evenly amongst 4 custard cups. Pat down to fill the bottom of each cup. To do this faster and easier, I use a 5th custard cup to press down the crust, rather than my fingers or a spoon.

Bake at 350º Fahrenheit for 7 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool.

Filling:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp packed lemon zest (don’t be stingy!)

Melt butter and set aside to cool down a little while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Put water in the bottom half of a double boiler. Don’t overfill or the water will sputter out.

Into the top half, put the eggs. Beat well with an egg beater or whisk. Add in sugar, lemon juice, zest, and butter. Turn flame on medium. Adjust heat as needed to keep the water from boiling over.

Stir well and frequently until thickened – about 10 minutes. (At around 7 minutes you’ll notice the mixture begins to thicken.)

NOTE: The filling will firm up in the fridge.

Remove the top pot from the water bath, wipe off the dripping water, and pour the filling evenly into the 4 custard cups. Let set on the counter at least half an hour to cool, then refrigerate in a covered container.

Top with whipped cream, if you like, and serve.  Then try and restrain yourself from indulging in another.

 

 

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ALMOND COOKIES: Chocoholics Approved!

 

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I generally live by the rule, “If it isn’t chocolate, it isn’t dessert.” However, sometimes rules are meant to be broken. There are actually times when I crave a little something to go with my morning tea or after a filling meal that ISN’T chocolate. Honestly!

When I was a child, my favorite thing about eating at a Chinese restaurant was the almond cookie for dessert. For a girl who, even as a child, lived by the chocolate credo, that’s saying a lot!

Because Almond Cookies are rolled into a ball, then brushed with an egg yolk wash, they’re a little more work than an average drop cookie. But after one bite, you’ll know they are worth the effort. An extra bonus is these Almond Cookies come out looking very professional – pop them in a pink box and people will think you spent a fortune at top bakery.

Note: Bigger is not always better.  If these cookies are too large, they become a bit chewy. Stick with the recommended 1″ size dough ball.

Additional Note: You may notice there’s no salt in this recipe. It’s not an oversight.

ALMOND COOKIES – makes 45 cookies

  • 45 whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup butter, soft
  • 1/2 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 tsp water

Lightly toast the almonds. Let cool.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, and egg. Beat in the sugars and almond extract.

Gently add in flour, soda, and powder in 3 increments.  You can use the mixer on low speed – just don’t over mix.

Roll dough into 45  1″ balls, placing them on an ungreased cookie sheets – a dozen per sheet works well. Flatten slightly with fingers.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Beat egg yolk and water together, then lightly brush on cookies. Press an almond in center of each. Dip your finger in egg yolk wash and run it over almonds. (If you use the pastry brush, cookie dough gets on it and almonds don’t look as nice.)

Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes if using a dark nonstick cookie sheet, and 19 minutes if using a silver one. (I prefer the dark sheet.) Cookies should be lightly browned. Let rest 2 minutes on sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool.

 

 

 

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LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS – Watch Your Figure AND Enjoy Dessert!

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LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS go wonderfully with tea.

I’m a gal who requires (yes, requires) a bit of chocolate everyday. I save it until the end of the day – if I have it earlier, I’m STILL going to have some after dinner.

However, this is a troublesome time of year for us chocoholics. With the weather warming up, the clothes are paring down, and those excess winter pounds are going to show.

Fear not! Have I got a dessert for you: LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS!

These yummy cookies appeal not only to my sweet tooth, but to my frugal nature. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Freeze, I always have frozen egg whites as a result of recipes that call for only yolks. No way I’m throwing out precious food – waste not, want not!

The calorie count per cookie is going to depend on how big you make them. So I’ve added up the calories for the entire batch – 1267 calories. Divide the number of cookies you make into 1267 and that will be the per cookie calories. I made almost 4 dozen, so each cookie is approximately 30 calories.  Not bad considering even the worst tasting store-bought are at least 60. I allow myself 3 or 4 – this way I feel like I’ve had a full dessert, but only consumed 90-120 calories.

LOW-CAL CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS – I made 43 cookies

  • 2 egg whites
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 tsp vanilla
  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Beat egg whites just until they become stiff (when the peak that forms when you lift up the spatula doesn’t collapse). With beaters going, add in sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whites will become glossy.

Scrap the batter clinging to the beaters into the bowl. Pour in the chocolate and vanilla, and gently fold everything together using a large spoon. It’s okay if it’s a little streaky – they look pretty that way.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Spoon batter onto greased or nonstick cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies set 2 minutes on hot sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. Store in airtight container.

 

 

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VALENTINE PRETZELS – Feel The Love!!!

valentine pretzels

Yikes! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  There are so many people to whom you’d like to give a little something, but your wallet may still be reeling from the holidays. What to do?

How about baking homemade treats that are sure to make you the most popular Valentine around? Oh, I can hear the excuses now: “I don’t know how to bake.”  “I don’t know what to make.”  “I don’t have time.”

Thank goodness you came to me.

If chocolate, caramel, and salty pretzels sound good, then I have a fool-proof recipe for you that can be put together in minutes: VALENTINE PRETZELS!

A popular version of this recipe uses small pretzel twists. The problem is the candy melts through the holes. So I looked in the cracker aisle and found the perfect solution:  a new product from Keebler (and, no, they’re not paying me) called Town House Pretzel Thins with sea salt. Not only are they the right taste and construction – THEY’RE HEART SHAPED!!! Products are pictured below to aid in your search.

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VALENTINE PRETZELS

  • Keebler Town House Pretzel Thins – sea salt flavor
  • Rolo candies (or other caramel filled candy)
  • pecan halves, lightly toasted

You’ll need one of each per Valentine Pretzel.

Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit.

Place crackers salted side down on ungreased cookie sheet, so that they’re curving downwards.  I place the crackers salted side down so that your tongue gets bathed in salt as you bite into the chocolate and caramel. Don’t worry if you forget – they’re still delicious!

Top with unwrapped candy. Bake for approximately 4 minutes, until candy is soft but still retains its shape. Remove from oven.

Press one pecan half into each softened candy, firmly enough that the pecan embeds into the candy, but not so hard that the caramel comes squirting out.

Let cool either on the counter or briefly in fridge.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When Life Sends You Lemons…Make LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKES!

Lemon Zinger Cupcake

LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKE

My friend, George, thoughtfully bestowed upon me a bagful of lemons from his garden. As most of you know, once nature’s bounty has been picked, there’s only so long before those fresh and flavorful fruits and veggies turn into mushy fodder for the compost heap. So I needed to come up with some ideas to take advantage of these luscious lemons.

There were the usual options of lemon cream pie, lemon bars, the obvious lemonade, and, of course, as self-proclaimed Queen of Freeze, I realized I could have just frozen the juice in ice cube trays and dealt with the dilemma later.

Then it came to me:  Lemon Zinger Cupcakes.

I knew exactly what I wanted:  a delicate cake crumb that packs a lemony wallop. I tried a couple of recipes that I found online, but they were rubbery, sticky, and didn’t have the lemon punch.

So I set about creating my own lemon cupcake recipe. I’ve been baking my whole life – how hard could it be? Oh – it be hard! Believe me, creating a cupcake recipe isn’t exactly….well, a piece of cake. With cooking, you can change a recipe by adding this or that in the amount you want. Baking is a whole different world! There’s a science to baking that must be respected or your recipe will be a dismal flop.

For the past week I’ve been learning about what makes a cake wet, dry, sink in the middle, rubbery, and have an even crumb rather than tunnels. The flour has to be in the right proportion to the sugar, the eggs to the fat, and the eggs and liquid to the sugar. Then there’s the baking soda versus baking powder dilemma. Finally, with a lemon cupcake, I needed to get the most flavor I could without over-wetting the cupcake. Yikes! So much to learn!!!

Since I was creating this Lemon Zinger Cupcake recipe to post on my blog, I wanted it to be user friendly. My criteria was:

  1. Use melted butter rather than softened. Who can remember hours ahead of time to remove the butter from the fridge? Most cake recipes use softened, but I tested the same recipe with melted and softened – there was no difference.
  2. Use salted butter. This is what’s in most of our refrigerators. When you buy unsalted, you have to buy at least 2 cubes – what do you do with the other if you normally don’t bake?
  3. Use all-purpose flour. Not everyone keeps cake flour around. There was no difference in my taste test.
  4. Use whole eggs rather than yolks or whites. It’s wasteful to throw out the unused part, and you can only freeze whites – unused yolks have to be used within a day or two.

I was a woman on a mission! So this past week I took one for the team (because I’m that kind of gal) by baking and sampling batch after batch of evolving LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKES recipes. But it was worth it because I finally came up with exactly the texture and flavor I wanted. I topped them with a vanilla buttercream frosting. While some people choose a lemon frosting, I think the buttercream better complements the powerful lemon zing.

Sliced Lemon Zinger Cupcakes

Sliced LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKE

It should come as no surprise that my freezer is loaded with lemon cupcake rejects to be used in some future recipe. They all tasted good, but the texture flavor wasn’t what I wanted for this recipe. Waste not, want not!

Speaking of freezing, cupcakes – frosted or not – freeze really well. Honestly! My LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKES recipe yields 9 cupcakes, which is kind of a skimpy number. If you need additional, double the recipe, then freeze the extras (if any). Don’t try to triple or more – the batter needs to be baked as soon as it’s mixed.

LEMON ZINGER CUPCAKES – makes 9-10 cupcakes

  • 1¼ cup (157g) (5.5 oz) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda (NOT powder)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 6 T (84g) salted butter
  • ¾ cup (147g) granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 1 T lemon zest, packed in the measuring spoon (don’t be stingy)
  • ¼ cup (58 ml) milk (I used nonfat)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • optional (but not really necessary) for extra zing – ½ tsp lemon extract

NOTE:  Ingredients must be at room temperature.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Melt the butter. Remove from heat just before it’s completely melted – it will continue to melt. (You don’t want butter too hot or it will cook the eggs.) Pour into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Add in the sugar and beat at medium high for 4 minutes.

Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each.

Add and mix in the lemon juice and zest (and lemon extract, if using).

Add in about half the flour mixture and VERY GENTLY mix in. It’s okay if there’s still flour unincorporated. You don’t want to over mix cupcakes or they’ll be tough. You can use your electric mixer, but keep it at the lowest speed and beat for just a few seconds.

Add in the milk and vanilla, and VERY GENTLY mix in.

Add in the rest of the flour and (you guessed it) VERY GENTLY mix in.

Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit.

Fill muffin cup liners 2/3 full with batter. Put a little water into the empty cups so they don’t scorch.

Bake for 13-18 minutes. DON’T OPEN OVEN DOOR BEFORE 13 MINUTES! Test for doneness by lightly pressing center with your finger. If it springs back, it’s done. Do this fast – you don’t want the oven to cool from the open door.

When done, take pan from oven and let sit for 1 minute before carefully removing cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING – makes about 2 cups, enough for above recipe plus extra

  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (388g) confectioners sugar (I never sift, but you can, if you want)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5-6 T milk (I used nonfat)

Put the butter out to soften when you start the cupcakes (or earlier, if you can remember). Cut it in small pieces to soften quicker.

Cream together the butter and sugar at medium high speed of an electric mixer. Add in the salt, vanilla,  and 2 T milk, and beat at medium high. Continue to add milk one tablespoon at a time, beating well with each addition, until you get the consistency you want. If you add too much milk, the frosting will be too thin, especially if you’re piping it. If this happens, just add more confectioners sugar. If it gets too thick, add more milk.

You can freeze leftover frosting. It’s always nice to have some extra on hand.

NOTE: I decorated the cupcakes with yellow sprinkles and a lemon coated almond.