Dreamsicle Cupcakes

  

Sorry for the fuzzy picture....you get the idea



 

My father LOVES creamsicles and has been asking me for about a year to make a creamsicle cake for him. Being the wonderful daughter that I am...I haven't made it until now. It's his birthday next week and I am going to visit him this weekend so I have run out of excuses.

The reason I was reluctant to make these is because creamsicles can evoke such a strong emotion in some people...they can take you right back to the best Summers of your childhood. For me they remind me of playing outside with all my friends and hearing...just off in the distance the jingle of the ice cream truck. "ICE CREAM!!!!" everyone would yell and race home to get money from Mom. Creamsicles, Nutty Buddies, Bomb Pops...all the best flavors of Summer.

When I saw this recipe, in the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook I just knew it would be close. I wanted the obvious orange flavor but I wanted to figure out how to bring in the background flavor of the "cream" part.  I made a few changes...modifications on her recipe as well as bringing in a topping recipe that I found on the internet...and changed a little.  The end result is pretty close to the classic Creamsicle and I hope you will give it a try and enjoy.

Here we go.....the recipes.

Prepare in the following order:

Garnish: (optional)

2 T. Orange Jello powder

4 T. Boiling Water

1 C. Coconut

In a medium mixing bowl dissolve Jell-O with boiling water. Add coconut and toss to completely coat. Spread coconut on a piece of wax paper to dry.

Frosting:

8oz Sour Cream

1 ¼ C. Confectioners Sugar

½ C. Fresh Orange Juice

8oz Whipped Topping (cool whip)

1/2 t. Orange Extract

1 C. Sweetened Coconut

In a medium sized bowl mix sour cream with coconut. Cover and place in refrigerator for about an hour. Remove from refrigerator and add sugar and juice and beat on medium until well combined. Fold in whipped topping and refrigerate until needed.

Glaze:

3/4 C. Confectioners Sugar

6 T. fresh Orange Juice

In a small bowl combine sugar and juice and set aside until needed.

Cupcakes:

1 Box Yellow Cake mix – without pudding (if you can find orange cake mix that would be better...but not easy to find)

¾ C. Miracle Whip...not mayonaise

1 (1.3oz) Pkg. Dream Whip

¾ C. Fresh Orange Juice (approx 2 medium oranges) zest the oranges before juicing

3 Large Eggs

3 T. fresh Orange Zest

1 t. Orange extract (if using yellow cake mix)

1 T. orange Jell-O powder (if using yellow cake)

Preheat oven to 375 and line 24 muffin cups with cupcake papers...23 if using a Pillsbury cake mix

1. Put everything in a large mixing bowl and beat on low for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. The batter should look thick and well mixed.
2. Divide the batter among the 23 or 24 muffin cups...filling about 2/3's the way full. If using the #16 scoop it will be just a little less than a full scoop.
3. Place the pans in the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350. Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back then lightly pressed.
4. When you remove the cupcakes from the oven place the pans on a cooling rack.
5.  Using a fork poke holes in cupcakes.
6. Remove cupcakes from pans and place on wire cooling rack.

Assembly:

1. Dip warm cupcakes in glaze and place on wire rack to let glaze soak in
2. Allow cupcakes to completely cool
3. Place a nice dollop of frosting on each cupcake
4. Sprinkle with garnish and refrigerate
5. Serve cool...like a real creamsicle

Red Velvet Cupcake

When I was a kid I remember my mother talking about red velvet cake. I had never seen one before and she was telling me about it. I clearly remember her saying that “Red chocolate is the best chocolate” which is why the red velvet cake was so special. As a kid I thought “Wow...red chocolate...cool” What did I know...I was just a kid.

My Mother is no longer with us but I remember her telling me about the "red chocolate" with a tear in my eye, a shake of my head and a laugh.

Anyway...one of the ladies I work with loves red velvet cake and her birthday is tomorrow so red velvet it is. This particular cupcake is based on the one in the Cake Mix Doctor chocolate cake book. I made a few changes but she really deserves all the credit.

Here we go...the recipe:

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

1 box Devils Food cake mix, with pudding in the mix

1 C. Sour Cream

½ C. Milk

¼ C. Vegetable or Canola Oil

3 Large Eggs

1 (1oz) bottle Red Food Coloring

1 t. Vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 and line 24 muffin cups with cupcake papers. Just a note here...if you use a Pillsbury cake mix, and use the #16 scoop you will just barely get 23 cupcakes. I have never gotten 24 cupcakes when I use a Pillsbury mix.

(prepare the frosting base so it will be cooling while you make the cupcakes)

1. Put everything in a large mixing bowl and beat on low for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. The batter should look smooth and well mixed.

2. Divide the batter among the 24 muffin cups...filling about 2/3's the way full. If using the #16 scoop it will be just a little less than a full scoop.



Damn that Pillsbury...



3. Place the pans in the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350. Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back then lightly pressed.



Look at the pretty domes...







4. Cool in the pans for about 5 minutes then remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a wire rack.

5. While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 cup milk or half & half
12 tablespoons flour
3/4 C. butter - room temperature
1 cup sugar

8oz Cream Cheese – room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Whisk milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar isdisolved. Add flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Let cool. Transfer paste to mixer bowl and start beater on medium. Add butter in pats and beat until well incorporated . Keep beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and any flavorings.

This frosting has a light cream cheese flavor. If you prefer more just add more cream cheese and less butter...or just more cream cheese. :)

Frost the cupcakes and enjoy.

If you are following Weight Watchers 1 cupcake = 13pts

PS...I sprinkled the tops with some red sugar but another very pretty garnish is to take one of the un frosted cupcakes and crumble it up very fine. After take each of the frosted cupcakes and roll just the rims in the red velvet crumbs or you can sprinkle the crumbs on the tops.

Just a few comments about my cupcakes. I almost always leave the edges of the cupcakes exposed...this is why I really like a nice dome on them. Also, I think of the frosting as an enhancer...not the star of the show. This is why my frostings almost always will not be very sweet and will only have a hint of flavor...unless I need a noticable flavor contrast that is.

Anyway...that's my story.

Chili Chocolate Cherry Bomb Cupcakes

Well...tomorrow is Valentines Day and I made these cupcakes to take in to work.

Chili Chocolate Cherry Bombs

I like to make unusual cupcakes and this is a variation of one of my more popular ones. It is a Chili Chocolate cupcake with a chocolate cream filling...with a Marachino Cherry hiding in the center and topped with a vanilla cherry frosting. 

Usually I make my cupcakes from scratch but everyone seems to prefer this one made from a box. Hey, easier for me.

These are really easy and I hope you will make them for your friends and family. They will be amazed and impressed and only you will know just how easy they were to whip up.

Here is the recipe.:

Chili Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix with pudding in the mix

1 C. Milk

1 C. Sour Cream

3 Large Eggs

1/2 t. Almond Extract

1 1/2 t. Vanilla Extract

2 or more Large Chipotle Chilies - well chopped (I use the ones canned with Adobo Sauce)

1 t. Adobo Sauce (from the canned chilies)

3.5oz Bar Dark Chocolate - grated

1. Preheat the oven to 375 (yes...375) and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Place first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and mix on low for 1 minute. A stand mixer is great if you have one...if not a hand mixer is fine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium for 2 minutes. You can try the batter to see if you want to add more chipotles. It should have a spicy feel on your tongue. You can always add more as the heat will calm down somewhat when baked.

3. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups...filling about 2/3 full. You should get between 22 & 24 cupcakes. I use a #16 scoop which holds 1/4C. If using a scoop like this the scoop should be almost but not quite full. If you don't have a scoop I recommend you get one. It makes everything so much easier.

4. IMPORTANT...As soon as you place the cupcake pans in the oven turn the temperature down to 350. Starting at the higher temp helps create a nice dome. Bake cupcakes about 20-25 minutes. They should spring back when lightly pressed...or you can use the toothpick test, which when inserted into the center should come out clean. I actually have a cake tester...whatever you have will be great.

5. When cool cupcakes in the pan, on a wire rack, for about 10 minutes...then remove them from the pans and cool completely on the wire rack.

Extra Ingredient you will need: Marachino Cherries...with the stems  You will need 48 of them

Chocolate Cream Filling:

1-6oz bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 Stick Butter - at room temperature

1-7.5oz jar Fluff (marshmallow cream for those who don't have Fluff)

1/2 t. Vanilla extract

1 1/2 C. Confectioners Sugar

1. Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave for 50 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir the chips until they are melted and smooth.

2. Add the butter, Fluff and vanilla to the chocolate. Beat on low until well combined...about 1 minute . Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat on low to incorporate and then increase to high for about a minute...or until light and fluffy. You will have more than enough to fill the cupcakes but there are other things to make that you can use this for.

The Best Frosting You Will Ever Taste:

Let me just say that this is the most versitile frosting I have ever made. It's not too sweet and is very smooth and creamy yet light. I use it as a base for almost all of my frostings...I've added lemon curd to it for lemon cupcakes, cocoa powder for chocolate, strawberry jelly, espresso powder, etc. The possibilities are endless. I've even substituted some of the butter with cream cheese for an incredible cream cheese frosting.

2 C. Milk or Half & Half

12 T. All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar (regular granulated sugar...NOT powdered sugar)

2 t. Syrup from Marachino Cherries..(for a stronger cherry flavor opt for cherry extract or flavoring and reduce to 1t. or to taste)

1. In a medium sauce pan whish together milk or cream and sugar. Heat on medium, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the flour, whisk very well...being sure to remove any and all lumps. Keep whisking until the mixture become the consistancy of paste...it takes just a few minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. (Actually it is best to make this first and let it cool while you are making the cupcakes and filling.)

2. Transfer paste to a mixer bowl and start beater on medium. Add butter about a tablespoon at a time until well incorporated. The frosting will start to lighten up and become fluffy as the process goes on. Add cherry syrup and keep beating until frosting is light and fluffy. 

OK...now the fun begins. Assembly:

1. Using a paring knife, apple corer or a juice extractor remove the middle of each cupcake. Keep the extra cake for another use.

2. Using a small spoon or a pastry bag add about a teaspoon of the chocolate filling to the hole in each cupcake. This is just like a bed for the marachino cherries to rest on.

3. Place a marachino cherry in the center of each cupcake and then fill the hole up to the top with the chocolate cream filling.

      

4. If you are using a pastry bag to apply the frosting get it ready and use whatever tip you like. I have a really big open star tip but you can use whatever you want...just the bag, with no tip at all, is also great. Whatever you are going to use just frost each cupcake with the frosting.

5. Place a marachino cherry on top of each cupcake to decorate. If you have extra chocolate you can grate it and dust the tops or use cocoa powder if you have it. McCormick makes a great Cocoa Chili powder which would be perfect for that extra bite!!

OK....here is what you can do with the middle of the cupcakes that you saved...and the extra chocolate cream filling.  Crumble up the cake and add enough filling to the crumbs to make a thick paste. Roll them into balls, about the size of a walnut, and place them on a plate or tray depending on how many you have...if you have left over cherries you can put one in the middle of each ball if you would like. Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour or two...they will get nice and firm. Melt some chocolate in the microwave and dip the cake balls in it. Place on wax paper and back into the refrigerator to firm up. If you don't have any extra chocolate to melt you can just put some confectioners sugar or cocoa powder (add a shake or 2 of red pepper powder) in a bag and toss in the chilled cake balls. Toss to coat and voila!! Cake Balls....



If you happen to be doing Weight Watchers the points value for 1 cupcake is 10pts