Cupcakes

Holiday Blog Tour: Chocolate Cupcakes

December 19, 2013

cup cuppy

I’m happy to announce I am the last stop on Heather Saffer’s Holiday Blog Tour to celebrate her new cookbook The Dollop Book of Frosting.

DollopBookofFrosting In case you aren’t addicted to the Food Network like myself, Heather was the winner of the fourth season of Cupcake Wars. She was especially talented at creating unusual and delicious recipes for frosting and icings which she shares in her new cookbook. 

The Dollop Book of Frosting shares sweet and savoury recipes including creative combinations such as honey mustard frosting for corn dog cupcakes or concord grape frosting for peanut butter granola. The recipes are unique and delicious. 

For the holiday blog tour I decided on something decadent, perfect for sharing with friends and family at holiday get togethers. I prefer making cupcakes to a whole cake especially for large gatherings. it is much simpler than cutting into a cake, and the serving size is perfect. Also, I actually dislike baking and decorating entire cakes. Cupcakes are easier and more appealing at a party. Arrange cupcakes on cake stands or platters. 

You can also wrap them up in small clear treat bags and tie a big ribbon on top for individual gifting, or to take home for a late night treat. 

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Chocolate Cupcakes
Yields 24
Double Chocolate Cupcakes - a moist chocolate cake topped with fluffy chocolate buttercream.
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For the Cupcakes
  1. 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  2. 1 1/2 cups flour
  3. 1 cup sugar
  4. 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  5. 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  6. 2 large eggs
  7. 3/4 cup warm water
  8. 3/4 cup Almond milk (original recipe calls for buttermilk)
  9. 2 Tbs. applesauce
  10. 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting
  1. 1 cup unsalted butter
  2. 1/2 Tbs. Vanilla
  3. 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  4. 3 cups powdered sugar
  5. 3/4 cup chocolate fudge
For the Cupcakes
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sift all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Add all wet ingredients and mix well.
  2. 2. Scoop into lined cupcake pans and bake 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
For the Frosting
  1. Cream butter until smooth by placing it in the mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and continue mixing an additional minute. Sift cocoa powder and add to mixture. Sift sugar and slowly add and continue mixing about 3 minutes. Mix in fudge and whip until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer to piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with walnuts, optional.
Adapted from The Dollop Book of Frosting
Adapted from The Dollop Book of Frosting
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/
Candy, Christmas, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Holidays

4-Ingredient Almond Butter Cups (Vegan, Dairy-Free, Wheat-Free)

December 18, 2013

almod butter cups

almod cups

Monday night we had a few of our neighbours over for a holiday get together. We’ve lived in our new house for exactly one year this month and we all kept saying “we should get together!” While we do see some of our neighbours quite often we thought it would be a great time to have everyone over to get to know each other a little better. At the beginning of the month our friends, Josh and Gillian, who live just one row over in our complex came over and we crafted some decorative invitations to leave at doorsteps. There’s just something about a ‘real’ invitation, not a Facebook invite. 

I came home from work Monday and ran around finishing setting up, tidying and getting ready. Gillian messaged me around 5 and asked “what time did we tell people to come over?” I replied “6.” 

Well, they came over just before 6 to get the appetizers going before the guests arrived. At about 10 after 6, we started joking “maybe they’re stuck in traffic” – seeing as how they only live next door to us. When guests still hadn’t arrived at 6:30, we began second guessing what time we actually told people to come – none of us had saved an invitation for ourselves or remembered what time we had told them to come at. 

Sometime just before 7 we realized we probably told our guests to come at 7, while Josh said “Ya know, I remember texting someone about it and saying 7 before..” Yup. We had told the guests to come at 7 – not 6. We had a good laugh, and realized it was probably better we were ready an hour earlier, than an hour late. 

Regardless, we were ready and the night was a success. Lots of great stories, even learning that we have way more in common with some neighbours than we thought (what a small world). In the summer it’s easy to say hi to everyone because we’re all on our decks, walking around outside etc. In the winter we are all bundled up inside and rarely bump into each other so a holiday party get together was perfect. 

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These little cups are my favourite creation. I make them not only at Christmas, but any night that I feel like a little treat. They take practically no time at all, no baking, and only 4 ingredients. 3 Really, because you can definitely omit the coconut oil if you do not have any.  They are vegan (dairy-free), wheat-free, peanut-free and contain natural ingredients unlike the list of processed items listed on a Reese’s PB cup. 

lmm

almond butter cups bakeahlic

4-Ingredient Vegan Almond Butter Cups
Yields 24
Just like the popular peanut butter cups, these are peanut-free, vegan and wheat-free. An Almond butter center nestled between two chocolate layers topped with sea salt.
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Prep Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/4 Cup Smooth Natural Almond Butter
  2. 3-4Tbs. Almond Meal
  3. 1 tsp. Coconut Oil
  4. 6-8 squares Extra Dark Chocolate
Instructions
  1. Line a mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners. If you don't have a mini muffin tin, you can place them on a baking sheet or in a regular sized cupcake tin. You can use regular sized cupcake liners, however the cups will be quite large.
  2. 1. In the top of a double boiler place the chocolate and coconut oil. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. If you do not have a double boiler you can place a glass or metal bowl on top of a small pot with simmering water. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 1 minutes intervals at power level 8 until melted.
  3. 2. Using a small teaspoon, spoon chocolate into bottom of mini cupcake liners, about 1/4 full. Once all are filled place in refrigerator to set while preparing filling.
  4. 3. In small mixing bowl, combine the Almond Butter and Almond Meal until well combined. It will be slightly thick. If the filling is too thin, add more Almond Meal until desired consistency.
  5. 4. Remove cupcake tin from fridge. Spoon small drops of Almond Butter filling onto tops of hardened chocolate. Using remaining chocolate, spoon melted chocolate on top to fully cover almond butter.
  6. At this point, you can top with an Almond or Sea Salt. Place back in the refrigerator to set. Store in Fridge in container for up to a week, can also freeze longer. They are great right from the fridge, or take out about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
  1. Equipment needed: Mini Cupcake Liners, Mini muffin Tin (optional), Double Boiler (optional).
  2. These can definitely be made without the coconut oil if you do not have it.
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/
Christmas, Cookies, Italian

An Italian Favourite: Pizzelle

December 17, 2013

Pizzelle // Bakeaholic.ca

Pizzelle // Bakeaholic.ca

I’ve mentioned before that Christmas Eve is a big tradition for Italians. In many ways Christmas Eve was more important that Christmas growing up. 

For one thing, we opened up all of our gifts on Christmas eve. My brother and I were the first grandchildren on my Father’s side of the family – and we were for a few years until our other cousins came along. So on Christmas Eve Nick and I would have to stay up until midnight before we could open our presents i.e. we would be falling asleep on our Nonna’s couch. ‘Santa’ a.k.a my Nonno or Zio would dress up as Santa and come to my Nonna’s house at midnight to deliver presents.

Earlier in the evening we would eat our Feast of Seven Fishes dinner – Italians do not eat meat on Christmas Eve, only seafood. My brother and I were incredibly lucky to grow up with such amazing food and traditions. It was truly a feast to remember. We would begin with a seafood pasta course (usually tuna sauce my dad or nonna would make), followed by fish, prawns, mussels, clams, baccalà (salted cod), homemade calamari and other amazing dishes. It has always been my favourite memory of Christmas with my dads family.

As a child I remember stealing Pizzelles from the counter before dinner, when Nonna or Nonno weren’t looking. Pizzelles are incredibly thin, delicate waffle like cookies that are crisp and slightly sweet. You can eat about 6 in a minute flat. They were always the elusive holiday cookie that you would only get at Christmas or maybe Easter. Pizzelle makers were not popular so only my Nonna would have one therefore making it an even more treasured dessert that I looked forward to.

pizellea

Now, I have my very own Pizzelle maker by a complete mishap that happened this summer. Long story short, the company Chef’s Choice sent me an e-mail on a completely different subject that lead me to respond and receive a response from a woman in their marketing department. After a few back and forth conversations about her daughter, myself and my family she offered to send me one of their products to make up for the mishap. Of course I chose the Pizzelle maker, as it meant I would not longer have to borrow my Nonnas. Also – that I could now make Pizzelle’s whenever I wanted. 

Pizzelle // Bakeaholic.ca

I am also excited to be hosting my very first Christmas Eve dinner at our house this year. In honour of my Dad I hope everything turns out – though Christmas Eve has never quite been the same since he passed. Christmas makes me feel incredibly nostalgic. Nevertheless I am looking forward to having all of my family over to share a delicious seafood meal together – and Pizzelle’s will definitely be on the dessert counter. This time, I won’t have to sneak them.

Pizzelle // Bakeaholic.ca

Italian Pizzelles
Yields 36
Thin crisp waffle cookies
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Ingredients
  1. 3 Eggs
  2. 1 3/4 cups Flour
  3. 1/2 tsp. Anise seeds (optional)
  4. 1/2 cup Butter or oil, melted
  5. 2 tsp. Baking Powder
  6. 3/4 cup Sugar
  7. 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Instructions
  1. 1. Turn on Pizzelle Maker. In a medium sized bowl beat together the eggs and sugar until frothy.
  2. 2. Add the cooled melted butter or oil, vanilla and anise seeds (optional) and beat again.
  3. 3. In small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the egg mixture stirring with wooden spoon.
  4. 4. Stir batter until well combined, it will be slightly stiff and dough-like. The dough should be stiff enough to drop by rounded spoonfuls.
  5. 5. Drop by spoonfuls in the centre of the Pizzelle maker. Be careful not to place too much dough, otherwise it will spill out over the sides. You want them to have delicate 'fingers' like lace.
  6. 6. Bake according to your Pizzelle Maker's instructions, usually only 20-30 seconds per batch. Carefully lift off using a fork. Place on cooling rack to crisp.
Notes
  1. Special Equipment Needed: Pizzelle Maker
  2. Pizzelle cookies last quite well. Place in airtight container (my nonna would always place paper towel over them) and store on counter for up to 2 weeks. You can also easily freeze them for ice cream sundaes, or ice cream sandwiches.
b a k e a h o l i c https://www.bakeaholic.ca/