Ever So Sweet

cupcakes for the masses!

2011-09-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

For a friend's daughter. Vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla bean Swiss meringue butter cream, all topped with fondant circles saying Happy Birthday and alternating with her favorite band's logo. No, I have no idea who All Time Low is. For my first fondant toppers, I think these turned out pretty kick ass.

For Ricky's office manager, Anne, on her birthday. Chocolate cupcakes with plain vanilla buttercream. I used this delicious Irish butter in this buttercream. I usually use plain ol' Land o' Lakes, but this buttercream was so basic that I wanted something really decadent in there. The only downside to using such delicious butter is that it is very yellow. It changed the color of my frosting, but it was nothing that a few drops of white coloring couldn't fix. Experiment with your butters! I used Kerrygold, but try other things too. European styles butters, imported butters, locally produced butters, even just shake it up a bit with a good quality organic butter. Trust me, you'll taste the difference.

All packed up and ready to go, with my cute little card on top. ♥

I made these the other day in my quest to find the best vanilla cupcake recipe. I'm a stickler for texture. I also wanted to take a picture of cupcakes on my new octopus serving plate. Funny, I've wanted a tattoo of an octopus holding a cupcake for the longest time, and that's exactly what this ended up looking like.

2011-08-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Lavender Creme Brulee

Dark Chocolate cupcakes with coconut cream cheese frosting and caramel drizzle.

My first cherry limeade cupcakes! Lime zest and vanilla bean cake topped with a fresh cherry swiss meringue buttercream (which also contained lime zest) topped with a cherry and a lime wedge.
Adorable, and quite a hit.
♥

cuppidycakes

2010-11-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

Spicy (thanks to Ancho chili powder) chocolate cupcakes with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. I love the pink icing with the leopard liners, I think it's so retro and adorable.

Minis! Little alfajore cupcakes. Buttermilk cake filled with homemade dulce de leche topped with dark chocolate buttercream.

Vanilla bean minis topped with vanilla bean swiss meringue buttercream that I dyed lavender.
On that note!
Friggin' McCormick no longer makes lavender. Which means I can't buy it at the grocery store. Which means I have to find it on the internet.
Lame.

Vanilla Cupcakes

2010-09-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Perfect (to me) Vanilla Cupcakes

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups organic sugar
6 large eggs (preferably organic)
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lemon zest
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream
-Method-
Preheat your oven to 350. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and incorporate after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and combine.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three additions, alternating with the cream, and ending with the flour mixture.
Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
♥

As Promised

2010-03-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lavender Brownies

3 T lavender

2 cups organic sugar

1 3/4 cups A.P. flour

3/4 cup + 2 T dutch process cocoa, plus more for dusting

1/2 t fleur de sel

1/2 t instant espresso (I use Starbucks Via Italian Roast)

3 sticks unsalted butter

4 eggs

2 t vanilla bean paste

-Method-

Preheat oven to 325º. Butter a 13x 9 pan and dust with cocoa powder. Pulse the lavender with a little of the sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining sugar, flour, cocoa, espresso, and salt. Whisk to combine.

Melt the butter in the microwave, and once cooled whisk in the eggs and vanilla.

Make a well in your dry ingredients and incorporate your wet ingredients. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out relatively clean.

Dark Chocolate Spice Cupcakes

No fancy recipe explanation here, this was just a basic dark chocolate cupcake recipe to which I added 1t ginger, 1/2 t cardamom, 1/2 t clove, and 1 t cinnamon. They were iced with basic buttercream with vanilla bean paste and lavender flowers.

Lavender Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup cream

5 T unsalted butter

2 t dried provence lavender

1.5 t good vanilla extract

1 t fleur de sel

-Method-

Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, making sure to wash down the sides with a pastry brush to avoid crystallization. Cook until amber in color, around 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cream, then put the pot back on the heat. Cook and stir until the cream is combined. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, vanilla, lavender, and fleur de sel. Let stand for 20 minutes, then strain. Serve immediately or keep, covered, in the refrigerator..

Lemon Tart

2010-01-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

-Lemon Tart-
1 tart pastry (recipe follows)
3 organic lemons
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp AP flour
2 large, free range eggs
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, I used Kerrygold Irish Butter
1.5 Tbsp good-quality vanilla extract (don't use McCormick)

Par-bake your tart pastry. Lay it into (roll it around your pin) a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the edges into the crimped sides of the pan, then cover the dough with foil and bake at 450º for 7-8 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, reduce oven temperature to 350º.

Zest both lemons to yield about 5 teaspoons of zest, then roll and juice the lemons until you have 6-7 tablespoons of juice. I juice my lemons into a cup through a small sieve to catch the seeds.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk, combine the flour and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg. Beat until the mixture is light in color and slightly thick. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and butter. Pour the mixture into your cooled pastry shell. Bake at 350º for 23 minutes. Let cool completely before unmolding.

-Tart Pastry-

In medium bowl cut 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter into 1-1/4 cups AP flour until pieces are the size of peas. In a bowl combine 1 beaten egg yolk and 1 tablespoon ice cold water. Gradually stir the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Shape into a ball. If necessary, cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough on an 10 inch circle. I use a French pin on my tart and pie doughs, as I think the shape of these pins helps to form a better circle. You can make this whole thing in your food processor, too.

French Pear and Almond Tart

2009-12-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

recipe courtesy of Dorie Greenspan
photo courtesy of me ♥

-Sweet Tart Dough-
1.5 cups AP flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick plus 1 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg yolk, beaten

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. Scatter butter over the top, pulse until butter is cut in coarsely. Add the egg yolk, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Once the egg is incorporated, pulse in long, 10 second intervals until the dough forms clumps. Turn out and knead very lightly, then press into your tart pan.
To partially bake- Butter the shiny side of a sheet of aluminum foil. Press the foil tightly down onto the crust, and bake at 375º for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

-Almond Cream-
6 tbsp room temperature butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup ground almonds (or almond flour, available in bags on the organic food aisle)
2 tsp AP flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla

Combine the butter and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Add almonds and pulse until well blended. Add flour and cornstarch, pulse for 8-10 seconds, then add egg. Process for 15 seconds more, until egg is combined well. Add vanilla and pulse to incorporate. Pour cream into a nonreactive bowl, cover (press it onto the top of the cream) with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Pour the prepared almond cream into the cooled, par-baked tart shell. Smooth out.

-To Assemble-
Peel and core 3 medium Bosc pears. Slice each pear in half lengthwise (see photo) and then very thinly crosswise. Lift each sliced pear, keeping it's shape, with a spatula. Place the pears on top of the almond cream in the tart shell, top facing inwards.
Place the tart on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350º for 50-60 minutes, until the cream puffs up around the pears. Let cool before unmolding. Serve with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.

Pear Cupcakes

2009-12-19T18:41:00.000-08:00

Preheat oven 350º F.
1.5 cups AP flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 large ripe pears, peeled and diced small
1/4 cup canola oil

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, vanilla, almond. Add oil and mix. Fold in pears.

Pour into liners. Bake for 16 minutes. Let cool completely.

For Buttercream

2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup room temperature butter
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1-2 tbsp cream
1 large strip (about 2 inches long) candied ginger, chopped finely

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix butter and confectioner's sugar. Add almond and vanilla, and enough cream to reach desired consistency. Whisk in candied ginger.

Pipe onto cupcakes, and garnish with thin strips of candied ginger.

Cherry Almond Cookies

2009-12-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

1 stick of butter, room temperature (I leave mine out overnight, but you can microwave your wrapped stick for 10-15 seconds)
1/2 a cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fleur de sel
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 cup dried chopped cherries (I used Welch's)
1/2 slivered almonds, toasted and chopped
1 Tbsp lemon zest

In the bowl of your mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla, almond, cinnamon, and salt until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat to incorporate. Add the flour and beat on low until just blended. By hand, stir in the cherries, lemon zest, and almonds.

Shape dough into a log (it will be wet) and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and position rack in the center of the oven. Cute dough into 1/2 inch rounds and place on parchment lined sheets, about an inch apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned around the outside but still very soft in the center.

Banana Pancakes

2009-11-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Butter or use non cooking spray on a large skillet over medium-low heat. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan, I use about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Nestle a few slices of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute, until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter or spray to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve garnished with sliced bananas, butter, and maple syrup, if desired.

Tarte Tatin

2009-11-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

From Chocolate and Zucchini
-Short Pastry-
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1-2 tbsp cold milk
In a food processor fitted with a plastic blade, pulse flour and sugar to combine. Add butter and salt, pulse until it forms coarse crumbs. Slowly add the milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough reaches the desired consistency and forms a ball.
Turn out onto a floured surface and form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

-Salted Caramel-
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp fleur de sel
3 tbsp room temperature unsalted butter
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine water and brown sugar. Cook over medium low heat, DO NOT STIR. If you stir, the gods of caramel will smite you. Cook until sugar has melted and bubbles just begin to form on the surface, then quickly remove from heat. Add fleur de sel and butter, stir gently.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch round cake pan. Pour in the caramel, swirling the pan to coat the bottom. Arrange 2-3 peeled, sliced apples (I used Gala) around the pan, covering as much as possible.
Roll out the short pastry on a floured surface into a 10-11 inch round. Prick it all over with a fork, then pick it up (by rolling it around your pin) and slowly roll it on top of the apples. Tuck the sides in to the pan.
Bake at 350º for 45 minutes to one hour.
Remove from oven, let cook. Run a sharp knife along the edges to loosen sides. Carefully invert onto a serving platter or cake stand.
Note:
This cake would also be fabulous made with pears or plums, just something to think about.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2009-11-11T17:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the pumpkin cupcake with dulce de leche filling and buttercream recipe I used. I got the recipe from Occasional Sugar, and she got it from The Sweetest Kitchen, who adapted it from Martha Stewart, Recipe Girl, and Joy the Baker. Whew!

Here are mine, they turned out great! Try this recipe!

Step 1) Make the Dulce De Leche

Adapted from Recipe Girl

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

boiling water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Open up the can and pour the sweetened-condensed milk into a pie pan. Cover tightly with foil and place into a larger pan (a 9" x 13" baking dish or a roasting pan) Pour boiling water in larger pan & around pie plate (level of water should be about halfway up the pie plate). Don’t let any water seep up and into the pie plate.

Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. At the one hour point, peel off foil and check for progress. If the mixture has thickened and turned a caramelly color, it’s done. If it doesn't quite look thick enough or dark enough, cover it up and bake it a little longer (mine took 75 minutes).

While the mixture is baking, make the batter for the cupcakes (see below)

When the mixture appears to have turned into a nice, thick caramel, remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes, and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Cool the oven to 350 degrees for the cupcakes.

Step 2) Bake the Pumpkin Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp allspice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

7.5 ounces pureed pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Step 3) Mix the Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Adapted from Joy The Baker

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons prepared dulce de leche

Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate.

Step 4) Fill and Frost Cupcakes

Once cupcakes are completely cooled, use the cone method
to fill each cupcake with a dollop of dulce de leche. Frost with dulce de leche buttercream.

My first link!

2009-11-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

Ever So Sweet was linked in another blog for the first time!
Thank you to Teresa R. at Life, Homesteading, and Everything for trying out my Blueberry Bars and loving them, and for posting about it!
Your followship (?) is appreciated, I hope you try more recipes from my blog! Happy Baking!

Organic Blueberry and Oat Bars

2009-11-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

1 3/4 cup Quaker Oats, uncooked
1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter
2 cups frozen organic blueberries
1/2 cup organic sugar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice + 2 tablespoons lemon zest

Heat oven to 350 F.
Grease or butter your backing pan, I used a 9x9 Pyrex dish and had some crust leftover, so I suggest using an 11x7. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, nuts, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with your (clean!) hands until the mixture is crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture and press remaining crust mixture into your baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine blueberries, organic sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan. Bring everything to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes, making sure to stir it occasionally. Combine the remaining tablespoon of water, your cornstarch, and lemon juice. Slowly stir into the blueberry mixture; cook and stir until thickened, about 30-45 seconds. If clumps form, whisk them out. Add lemon zest, stir in thoroughly. Spread over partially baked crust and sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, lightly pressing it down. Bake for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Allow it to cool (at least an hour) and cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Key Lime Pie

2009-11-03T10:52:00.001-08:00

12 ounces thawed cool whip

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
2 T key lime zest
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)

Stir together the cream cheese and condensed milk. Add lime juice and zest, then gently fold in the cool whip. Pour into graham cracker crust or mini crusts. Refrigerate 6 hours or until set.
Voila!

Vanilla Bean Cookies

2009-10-21T08:12:00.001-07:00

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste
3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Whisk together flours, baking soda, cream of tartar, and fleur de sel; beat into creamed mixture until just combined. Shape dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake!

Salted Caramel

2009-10-20T12:28:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 T water
1 T good quality honey
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 T butter
1 t Fleur De Sel

In a medium saucepan, heat the brown sugar and the water. Swish the pan around, but do not stir. When it begins to bubble, add the honey and stir. Add the salt and cream and stir until everything is blended. Remove the pan from the heat, add your butter, and stir once more. Serve hot over ice cream and desserts or allow it to cool and thicken.

My Banner Photo

2009-10-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

My banner photo (of a Tarte Tatin made by moi) was taken by my very talented cousin, Kendra Lacasella, for anyone who noticed how beautiful it is and was wondering. See her Flickr album here.

Just some photographs of treats from the past, to let you know what's to come

2009-10-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Tart with Lavender Pastry and French Pastry Cream

Tiramisu

Blackberry Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Lavender Pastry

Lemon Butter Cookies

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Candied Orange Slices

Peach Pie

Pear and Almond Tart

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

Buttermilk Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream and Peppermint Pearls

Peach, Plum, and Nectarine Tart

Vanilla Cupcakes with Swirled Vanilla Buttercream

Lemon Curd Filled Cupcakes with Lemon Mascarpone Frosing

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies