Boston Cream Cupcakes

From time to time I send baked goodies in with my husband to his work. A few months ago, one of his co-workers tore a cupcake expose (if you will) out of one of her magazines and sent it home with him for me to see. In this batch of cupcakes was the Boston cream cupcakes I made for the 4th of July.

I've never been a fan of eclairs, Boston cream pie and the like. But these are good. And the chocolate glaze that you spoon on top is one of my favorites.

Boston Cream Cupcakes:
Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk

Filling:

• 1 - 3oz package cook and serve vanilla pudding (I got the bigger package and appreciated having some extra to work with)
• 1 1/4 cups milk (I used 2 1/4 with the bigger package)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Glaze (YUM!):

• 8 oz semisweet chocolate (chopped or you can use chips)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened and cubed

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line about 20 muffin cups with liners. In a medium bowl, mix together your flour, soda, powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until well blended. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then, beat in your flour mixture alternately with your buttermilk (I read somewhere that it's always best to begin and end with your flour mixture).

Spoon batter into your muffin tins (about 2/3 full) and bake for about 15-18 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean). Let cool.

For the filling: Resist the urge to use instant pudding (unless you're planning to store and serve directly from the fridge). It is a lot quicker and easier, but the cook and serve pudding can handle being at room temp. much better than the instant stuff. Make the pudding according to package directions, cutting back the milk to 1 1/4 cups for the small package or 2 1/4 cups for the large package. Once you remove from heat, stir in the vanilla. Cover with pastic wrap (press the wrap directly onto the top of the pudding so you don't get that pudding "skin") and refrigerate until cold and firm.

Meanwhile, for the glaze: Combine your chocolate, sugar, and water in a small saucepan on low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and smooth. Let cool.

Now, to assemble the cupcakes, slice the top off of each cupcake (just about where it hits the paper liner). Spread pudding on the cut surface and replace the cupcake top. Spoon some chocolate glaze on the top of the cupcake, helping it spread with the back of the spoon. Let chocolate glaze set and then serve, or refrigerate until serving.

Happy 4th! (Belated)

While some people might have made their 4th of July yummies a day or so early in order to blog them before the 4th of July, I did not. I am not that organized, nor do I want to feel my friends and family day old treats. I'm a last minute fresh type of girl (or just procrastinator extraordinaire - you decide). But I did have a TON of fun with my baking this year!

To start, I sent some sugar cookie stars and Boston Cream cupcakes (*recipe coming!*) into work with my husband:

(I can't resist cute decorations! Or polka dots... hence the cupcake liners.)

For the family celebration I made a cake similar to this one, but with some extra pizazz:

My labor of love and food coloring!

Patriotic funfetti and red-dyed white cake on the inside with strawberry and blueberry fruit filling!

And just for fun, since we found red, white, & blue tortilla chips, I made a delicious 7 layer dip for John and I to munch on:

Quick and Easy 7 Layer Dip:

*I like more bean than sour cream, so this recipe reflects that. If you're the opposite, just double the sour cream and cream cheese. Also, guac can be added between any of the layers.

• 
  
  1 can refied beans
• 
  
  1 package taco seasoning
• 
  
  8 oz sour cream
• 
  
  4 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 
  
  1 jar of salsa (or fresh tomatoes and green pepper, chopped)
• 
  
  shredded cheddar

Here goes: Mix together your refried beans and taco seasoning. Spread in the bottom of a 13x9 pan (I always use a little bit smaller dish for a fuller dip). Cream together the sour cream and cream cheese and spread over the beans. Top with salsa and/or fresh veggies, and finish of with shredded cheese!

Baby Shower & Delicious Cupcakes!

 was all set to post about homemade fries and chicken nuggets when it occurred to me that I never posted about my best friend/sister-in-law's "surprise" baby shower. It was a ton of fun and, given my new love of diaper cakes, of course I made her one.

She and her husband have decided not to find out the baby's gender beforehand, so we had a cute, colorful, gender-neutral party!

I saw these cuties in a Paula Dean magazine. Jelly beans, life savers, and ribbon.

What's that? You're wondering what we had for dessert? Well, strap on your seat belt, because this dessert is delicious and adorable! I saw this idea on a website somewhere, except that used it for mother's day. I modified it slightly and.... 

 

Baby shower hostess inspired cupcakes!

Hostess Cupcakes:

Cupcakes:

• 
  
  1 1/4 cups flour
• 
  
  2 tsp baking soda
• 
  
  2 tsp baking powder
• 
  
  1/4 tsp salt
• 
  
  1 1/4 cups sugar
• 
  
  4oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 
  
  1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 
  
  2 tsp vanilla
• 
  
  2 eggs

Filling:

• 
  
  4 Tbsp butter, room temp
• 
  
  1 cup powdered sugar
• 
  
  2 tsp vanilla
• 
  
  3 Tbsp heavy cream
• 
  
  1 cup marshmallow fluff

Ganache:

• 
  
  6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
• 
  
  1 Tbsp butter
• 
  
  2 tsp vanilla

Icing (to write with):

• 
  
  1/2 cup butter
• 
  
  2 Tbsp milk
• 
  
  2 cups powdered sugar
• 
  
  1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place liners in cupcake pan (this makes about 18 - 20 cupcakes).

To make the cupcakes, mix together your flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Next, pour your sugar into a small saucepan and add 1 cup of water. Bring this to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then, pour into a large bowl and add your chocolate and butter. The heat from the sugar mixture will cause your chocolate and butter to melt. Stir occasionally until smooth and let cool slightly (it can be warm, just not hot).

Once cool, stir in the vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat your eggs into the cooled chocolate mixture 1 at a time. Then, mix in your flour mixture in 3 batches.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners (about 2/3 full) and bake for 20-25 minutes. They will sink down a little in the middle, but when you add the filling, it will correct this.

For the filling, use an electric mixer to cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and then the vanilla and 1 Tbsp heavy cream. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp heavy cream in alternating batches. Beat in marshmallow fluff and set aside.

To fill the cupcakes (once completely cool), place your filling in a pastry bag (I used my pampered chef easy accent decorator for this one) with a good size star tip on it. Poke the tip into the center of each cupcake and fill. I filled until the cupcake puffed back up and I met resistance.

For the ganache, on low (the lowest of low settings) heat in a small saucepan, combine you butter, chocolate, and heavy cream and stir until melted. Let cool for a few minutes and then add your vanilla, stirring until it is smooth and glossy.

Spread ganache on each cupcake and refrigerate at least 15 minutes (I did 2 batches of ganache, chilling in between because I wanted a nice, thick frosting).

Meanwhile, make your icing! Beat all the ingredients together, adding more milk if necessary to thin out. Put into a pastry bag (I did NOT use my PC decorator for this) with whatever tip you desire to write with (I used a #2, plain) and decorate!

YUM!

Also, because she is my best friend, I "custom made" some onesies for her sweet baby (the whale one is an inside joke - Sea World, anyone?):

Happy Summer!