Raspberry & Champagne Cupcakes

Remember when Mountain Man and I got stuck in Atlanta?

wasting our extra day at the aquarium

Well, on top of the fabulous wedding we attended, one of our friends who also made the trip to hotlanta happened to have a birthday that fell on the same weekend.

Now you all know how I feel about birthdays and I absolutely can't let one of my friends go without something sweet, especially when she's having to spend her birthday away from home!  

So I whipped up a batch of cupcakes, found a nifty little disposable cupcake carrier perfect for 6 little sweets and brought them as my carry on.

You'd be amazed at the amount of people who will make comments as you walk through the airport carrying a box of cupcakes, but much to their dismay the cupcakes made it all the way to Georgia and made their special delivery to the birthday girl.

Raspberry Cake 
Oven: 350 Bake time: 20 minutes
Makes 3 8-inch cakes or 24 cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 package raspberry jello
4 eggs, separated
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup flour, sifted
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup pureed raspberries  

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pan with liners and set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add jello and mix until incorporated (this lends for pretty in pink cake)
Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.
In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
Alternate flour and milk, incorporating after each addition- beginning and ending with flour.
Using a spatula mix in pureed strawberries.
In separate bowl, whip egg whites until slightly stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites slowly into batter.
Using an ice cream scoop, fill each liner with one scoop. 

Transfer to oven and bake for about 20 minutes- check with toothpick and adjust time if necessary.
Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool in pan for for about 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with the Champagne Buttercream listed below.

Champagne Buttercream

1 cup shortening (I use high-ratio shortening)

1 cup butter, softened

8 cups powdered sugar

1/4-1/2 cup cheap champagne* I used Andre-Blush

1/2 tsp vanilla

Place shortening and butter in a large bowl and beat until combined and smooth.

Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.

About 4 cups in, add 1/4 cup of champagne and vanilla.

Continue to beat and add remaining powdered sugar and more champagne as necessary. 

Beat/whip on high until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

*The frosting on these cupcakes is amazing- the tartness of the champagne blends well with the normally sweet buttercream.  Even though everyone liked the cupcakes I thought they were a little sweet..I always get such rave reviews on my strawberry cake I thought swapping in raspberries would work too, but there was something just a little off. I think I might go for a more natural raspberry flavor next time.

Happy Baking!

Berry Berry Good Cake

I can always count on April for some good baking talk during a long work day.

I wish I had a picture of the cake she made me for my birthday, because it was absolutely beautiful and undoubtedly delicious.

Last year I made April a Hello Kitty cake, but this year she requested something very different..something with fruit and cream. I turned to Martha for inspiration.

Martha Stewart always makes the most extraordinary looking cakes- she manages to create these beautiful, yet simple, and very classy desserts that appear effortless. She uses only top of the line ingredients and believes in a nice presentation just as much as the taste.

Nothing but the best for Martha...

and nothing but the best for our April!

A few cakes caught my eye, one in particular featured a Swiss Meringue Buttercream...a new beast in my cake decorating. I've dabbled in Italian Buttercream, but being part Swiss I thought I should represent a little! Although a little more time consuming than your average buttercream and much more finicky ingredients, the result is a ridiculously smooth and oh so sweet frosting for any cake.

But what about the fruit and cream you ask??

A batch of basic pastry cream, split into two- one combined with a quick raspberry puree and the other blueberry.

And so it was complete: my favorite White Cake, smothered between layers of alternating Raspberry and Blueberry pastry cream, covered with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and delicately decorated for my favorite admin.

1-2-3-4 Cake
(My absolute favorite White Cake)
Oven: 350 Bake Time: 35 minutes
Makes 2 or 3 8-inch round cakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks one at a time, beating until incorporated each time.
Alternate flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour.
Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold into batter until incorporated.
Transfer batter to prepared cake pans and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer to cooling rack for 30 minutes before removing cakes to continue cooling for at least an hour.

Pastry Cream
recipe from Baked:New Frontiers in Baking
3 cups half and half
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, heat half and half to a simmer and keep warm.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until mixture is pale (about a minute).
Whisk half of warm half and half into egg yolk mixture, then pour that mixture into remaining half and half in saucepan continuing to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened (about 6 minutes).
Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla.
Transfer cream to bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Place in fridge for about an hour before using.

Raspberry Cream: Place 1 cup raspberries in small saucepan and mash with fork or potato masher. Add 2 TBS sugar and warm over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool completely before adding to cold pastry cream.

Blueberry Cream: Place 1 cup blueberries in small saucepan and mash with fork or potato masher. Add 2 TBS sugar and warm over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. All to cool completely before adding to cold pastry cream.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Combination of recipe from Martha and Bake Wise
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 TBS butter
7 TBS Crisco
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar and salt in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (double boiler).
Whisk constantly until mixture is warm to the touch (120-130 degrees) and sugar has dissolved.
Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment.
Starting on low, gradually increase to medium-high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Continue to mix until mixture is glossy and fluffy and completely cool (about 10 minutes).
With mixer on medium low, add butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Once all butter has been added, add vanilla.
Change to paddle attachment and continue to beat until frosting is smooth.

Happy Baking!

Biscuit Joconde Imprime & Mousse Entremet

You're probably thinking the same thing I did when I first saw this month's Daring Bakers' Challenge.. Biscuit saywhat?


The January 2011 Daring Bakers' Challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.

My French may be a little rusty, but try saying that 3 times fast!

Or just one time for that matter...

We'll do it phonetically, say it with me now Jo-cond Im-prim On-tre-me. Got it?

Joconde Imprime is a French baking term for a decorative design baked into a light sponge cake providing an elegant finish to an entremet formed in a ring mold.

Joconde actually refers to the almond sponge cake (or biscuit) used, named after the Mona Lisa herself, and entremet is simply an ornate dessert usually involving layers of cake, pastry creams or mousse.

So let's get to it, shall we?

 

Although we had to follow the recipe for the Joconde and use a dessert mold, we were given artistic freedom as far as the fillings and designs were concerned. My Joconde Imprime was filled with layers of cake, raspberry jam, lemon curd and white chocolate mousse.

There are a quite a few steps involved in this recipe, so kitchen management is very important. If using pastry creams or mousse to fill your dessert, I would suggest starting there. Since I used already prepared raspberry jam and lemon curd, I began by making the white chocolate mousse, knowing it would have to set. After my mousse was in the fridge I actually made my Joconde-Decor Paste (because it has to be frozen) and then made the Joconde Sponge.

Bicuit Joconde Imprime Recipes & Preparation


Patterned Joconde-Decor Paste*
14 TBS unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS powdered sugar
7 large egg whites
1 3/4 cup cake flour
food coloring

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Gradually add egg whites, beating continuously.
Fold in sifted flour.
Tint batter with food coloring.
*I only made half of this batter and had more than enough for the dessert.

Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a flat baking sheet.
Using a piping bag, pipe decor paste on baking mat or parchment paper in decorative designs.
Once done, slide baking sheet with paste into freezer. Freeze for about 15 minutes.
In the mean time, begin making your Joconde Sponge.


Joconde Sponge
3/4 cup almond flour/meal* I made my own by grinding almonds
1/2 cup plus 2 TBS powdered sugar
1/4 cup cake flour
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2 TBS unsalted butter

In a large bowl, whip egg whites and granulated sugar until stiff, glossy peaks are formed and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk almond flour, powdered sugar and cake flour.
On medium speed, add eggs, one at a time- mixing well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light.
Fold in whipped egg whites- do not overmix!

Preheat oven to 425.
Remove mat with decor paste from freezer.
Quickly pour Joconde batter over the design, spreading evenly and thinly, completely covering the pattern.
Transfer to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, watching carefully, until cake bounces back and has lightly browned.
Cool for a few minutes before removing from mat.
Flip cooled cake onto lightly powdered parchment paper so design side is facing up.

Preparing the Mould & Mousse Entremet


Place springform pan, with base removed, on serving dish.
Line inside of pan with parchment paper.

Trim cake of any dark or crispy edges- leaving you with a nice rectangle.
Measure the height of your pan, and cut cake into strips in equal heights and lengths (I used a pizza cutter to ensure smoothness).
Press cake strips into your mold, decorative side facing out, overlapping the pieces if necessary. Gently push and press edges together to make a seamless cake.
Now the mold is ready for filling.

My filling: I used the extra cake to line the bottom of the mould. Then covered the cake with a layer or raspberry jam and lemon curd, followed by a layer of mousse. This got me about half way up the mould, so I repeated the process one more time.

White Chocolate Mousse
7 oz. white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 TBS sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a small bowl, whisk sugar and egg whites until pale yellow.
In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup whipping cream to just a simmer.
Once warm, slowly add to egg/sugar mixture to temper, whisking constantly.
Return mixture back to saucepan and continue to heat until warm or until mixture coats back of a wooden spoon.
Pour mixture over white chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you're having trouble with your chocolate melting, create a double boiler and continue to heat while mixing.
Beat 1 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks are formed.
Slowly fold whipped cream into white chocolate mixture.
Place in fridge for at least 1 hour to set.
*For the challenge, I made two batches of this mousse

Happy Baking!

Oh and thanks for all the well wishes, I'm feeling much better :)

Mango Raspberry Upside Down Cake

I'm not exactly sure how we did it, but somehow MM and I got everything unpacked and organized in just one day.. yes you heard me correctly.. ONE DAY! A mighty big Goodwill pile, lots of creativity, two absurdly full closets and a couple minor arguments later, everything somehow found its place in our tiny two bedroom apartment.

Sunday afternoon (after all the unpacking was complete) we perused the grocery store isles where we picked up some gorgeous looking mangoes. MM might have had other things in mind for these tropical beauties, but I knew that these bad boys were going to make their way into something baked and delicious.

Just as we got it all settled, MM had to turn around and leave for a couple of days for an interview a couple hours away. And to celebrate the prospect of a job and the beginning of our adventure as cohabitants I thought I would make him something special for his return in the form of Mango Raspberry Upside Down Cake.

If you ask me, Mountain Man is a pretty lucky guy...I mean, he gets to come home to a cozy little apartment with his adoring girlfriend waiting for him AND a lip-smacking totally tasty freshly baked cake!?

I'm pretty much the best girlfriend ever... OK maybe not EVER, but I'm pretty darn close ;)

Mango Raspberry Upside Down Cake
Oven: 350  Bake Time: 40 min
Cake recipe found in: A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman


2/3 cup unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup warm milk
2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 large mango, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1 TBS white sugar
4 TBS brown sugar
3 TBS butter, melted
2 TBS hot water
1/2 lemon squeezed for juice

Preheat oven to 350.
Fruit: Lightly spray a springform pan (or 8-inch cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, melt butter in microwave- about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and mix until smooth (add hot water to thin)
Pour sugar mixture into bottom of springform pan, spread to evenly coat pan.
Arrange sliced mango in prepared pan and squeeze lemon juice over mangoes.
Puree raspberries and sugar in food processor or blender (I have a Ninja making it very simple for small batches of ingredients, but if you don't have this you could easily mash raspberries in a deep bowl with the back a spoon).
Pour raspberries over mangoes and set aside.

Cake: In a food processor, pulse butter chunks and sugar until blended.
Add eggs and vanilla, pulsing until blended.
Stir in milk, flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse until incorporated.
 Pour batter over mangoes and raspberries.
Move to oven and bake for 40 minutes, until barely brown and toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer to cooling rack.
Once cool, invert cake onto a serving plate.

Happy Baking!