Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a great dessert: they're basically cake, but in easy-to-travel-with, easy-to-share portions.

Check out today's six cupcake recipes, including Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting, Piñata Cupcakes, and Chocolate Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Swirl Frosting. Enjoy!

PINK LEMONADE CUPCAKES

This recipes also comes from Tablespoon's e-newsletter. This one begins, “With some pink lemonade concentrate and a box of Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist® natural vanilla cake mix, you can create uniquely colorful pretty-in-pink cupcakes.” Prep Time: 25 min; Total Time: 1 hr 30 min; Makes 24 servings.

To view this recipe and a photo of these yummy cupcakes online, click here.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ natural vanilla cake mix

3/4 cup frozen (thawed) pink lemonade concentrate

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

3 eggs

Pink food color, if desired

Frosting and Garnish

2 containers Betty Crocker™ Whipped fluffy white frosting

6 tablespoons frozen (thawed) pink lemonade concentrate

Pink food color, if desired

Pink candy sprinkles, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, 3/4 cup lemonade concentrate, 1/2 cup oil, the water, eggs and food color. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat frosting, 6 tablespoons lemonade concentrate and the food color with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Frost cooled cupcakes. Garnish tops with candy sprinkles.

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH CARDAMOM CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

This came from Brett Moore, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. He wrote, "I love the taste of warm gingerbread, especially around the holidays. Cardamom is a wonderfully fragrant spice that goes well with gingerbread. If you don't care for cardamom, you can substitute allspice or cinnamon. Reprinted with permission from The Spice Kitchen: Everyday Cooking with Organic Spices by Katie Luber and Sara Engram (McMeel 2009)." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes Makes 12 cupcakes

To view this yummy recipe online, click here.

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon dried lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons dried lemon zest

1 teaspoon ground green cardamom

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease 12 standard-size muffin cups or line them with paper cups. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the boiling water and the baking soda until dissolved. Stir the baking soda water into the molasses mixture.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon zest, and salt into a small bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until the batter is combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of one or two of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. Cream together the cream cheese and the sugar in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and cardamom and beat until fluffy and smooth. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Place the cupcakes on a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL FROSTING [VEGAN]

This is from Kristen Genton at One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "This is a great basic chocolate cupcake that would go great with any frosting, but here it's topped with a generous swirl of chocolatey peanut butter bliss. Definitely make these the next time you're craving a cupcake!"

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/chocolate-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-swirl-frosting/.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

1-1/2 cups water

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1-3/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1/4 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

For the Peanut Butter Swirl Frosting:

3 tablespoons vegan butter

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon almond milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Swirl Frosting:

5 tablespoons vegan butter

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon melted vegan dark chocolate

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

To Make the Cupcakes:

Add dry ingredients to the mixer and mix until fully combined.

Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the dry. Mix until completely smooth (about 3 minutes).

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

To Make the Peanut Butter Swirl:

Cream vegan butter with peanut butter. Slowly add in powdered sugar until smooth. Whisk in almond milk at the end.

To Make the Chocolate Swirl:

Cream vegan butter and peanut butter. Slowly add in powdered sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Beat in melted chocolate until combined.

To Decorate:

In a piping bag, add the peanut butter frosting to one side, and the chocolate swirl to the other side.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH A PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Just the name of this got my attention. This is from Baking at Home, and can be found at https://bakingathome.com/recipe/chocolate-cupcakes-with-a-peppermint-frosting/.

Ingredients

3/4 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 C. unsweetened natural cocoa powder

2 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Powder

1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 C. Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil

2 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 C. whole milk

For the frosting

4 C. confectioners sugar

1/2 C. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

3 Tbsp. milk or heavy cream

crushed peppermints for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

In another large bowl add eggs, oil, vanilla, and milk and whisk to combine.

Slowly incorporate wet ingredients into the dry ingredients by folding it in until just combined.

Spoon into muffin tins with liners filling halfway and bake for 18-21 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

While the cupcakes cool, make the icing by adding butter to a bowl and beating with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.

Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar a little at a time until all has been added.

Add peppermint extract and milk and continue to mix until the icing is smooth and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

Top cupcakes with desired amount of frosting and sprinkle with crushed peppermint.

PINATA CUPCAKES

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Learn how to make Piñata Cupcakes, and you'll have everyone looking forward to your next party. Make and bake the cake mix, then cut a small hole to create a pocket in the center of the cupcake to fill it with your piñata goodies (rainbow-colored sprinkles and mini chocolate-covered candies). Want even more color? Divide the frosting up, and add different gel food colors for a fun rainbow effect. A cupcake is always a treat, but every bite of this fun, candy-filled Piñata Cupcakes recipe is a fiesta."

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/pinata-cupcakes.

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix

Water, oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1-1/4 cups mini candy-coated chocolate candies

1/2 cup candy sprinkles

6-1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 to 7 tablespoons milk

Gel food colors

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool cupcakes completely on cooling rack, about 15 minutes.

In small bowl, mix mini candy-coated chocolate candies and candy sprinkles.

Using sharp knife, cut a circle/hole into center of cupcake to create a little pocket about 1 inch deep, leaving 1/4-inch of cake at bottom. Trim baked side of plug to 1/2 inch, and set aside.

Place about 1 tablespoon candy mixture inside cupcake. Replace cupcake plug to cover candy mixture. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and candy mixture.

In large bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 4 tablespoons of the milk.

Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a teaspoon at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

Divide frosting (about 1 cup each) into four separate small bowls. Stir gel food color into each bowl to make desired colors. Spoon each color frosting into separate pastry bag fitted with desired tip. Frost cupcakes, as desired.

Expert Tips

We recommend using gel food color, which can bring vibrant colors that won’t change the frosting consistency.

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a pastry bag and piping tip to give a more polished decorating look. For easy cleanup, look for disposable pastry bags, which often come with various piping tips.

To give these Piñata Cupcakes a festive look, we’ve used a variety of gel food colors. Try to look for inside-of-the-cupcake sprinkles and candies that match the frosting colors.

For a quick and easy way to make the pockets in the cupcakes, use a 1-inch round cookie cutter.

For the maximum piñata effect of candy spilling out of the cupcakes, fill the cupcakes with the sprinkles and candy on the same day they'll be enjoyed.

RED VELVET MINI CUPCAKES

This comes from The Food Network and begins, “Oil takes the place of butter in these cupcakes, making them lower in fat, but also making the crumb moist. Also, all of the flour is whole wheat! The frosting is simply sweetened reduced-fat cream cheese, but it's plenty tasty.”

Total: 1 hr; Active: 20 min; Yield: 48 mini cupcakes (2 cupcakes per serving); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/red-velvet-mini-cupcakes-recipe

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon red food coloring

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup lowfat (1-percent) buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating ice cream scoop

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 mini muffin cups (2 large tins or 4 small) with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the oil and granulated sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Beat in the food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour, beating well after each addition. Whisk together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and then beat into the batter until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the mixture and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

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