exotic cupcake flavors

June 5, 2013

coconut lovers cupcakes

coconut is one of those flavors that’s a hit or miss with people. you either love it or dislike it. there’s no in between or grey area with coconut for sure!

i personally love coconut because it reminds me of the weekends spent at the beach growing up. but i totally understand if you don’t love it – you aren’t alone! several of my friends and people i know despite coconut and i’m okay with that :)

the recipe calls for tons of coconut milk and coconut flakes in both the cake and frosting. the cake is light, fluffy and moist. seriously moist, and very flavorful. it’s a very white cake since i used cake flour and egg whites. so that’s why it has a lighter texture and a small crumb and can’t wait for you to try it!

cream butter and add sugar to the bowl.

egg whites make this cake amazingly fluffy!

scrape the bowl so all ingredients are incorporated.

add coconut milk and finish with the coconut flakes.

scoop batter into paper liners.

and voila! the cupcakes are ready to be ~~eaten~~ devoured.

look at that !

coconut lovers cupcakes

ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups cake flour
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature {still cold to the touch; sitting on the kitchen counter for 30 to 50 minutes}
1 and 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature {sitting on the kitchen counter for 30 to 50 minutes}
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups light unsweetened coconut milk, room temperature {sitting on the kitchen counter for 30 to 50 minutes}
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, packed

coconut buttercream frosting ingredients:
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature but still cold to the touch
2 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk, room temperature
1 and 1/4 cups sweetened coconut flakes for garnish {optional but highly recommended}

yields 21 cupcakes

directions:

preheat oven to 350F. line two standard cupcake pans with paper liners {21 cups in total} and set aside. in a large bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt. mix with a whisk and set aside.
cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 1 minute over medium speed {kitchenaid setting #5}.
add sugar to butter and cream together for 3 minutes over medium speed until fluffy.
set speed to medium low {kitchenaid setting #4} and add egg whites, two at a time, and mixing 20 seconds in between to incorporate well. add vanilla and mix for 30 more seconds.
stop mixer to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and paddle attachment and mix on high for 30 second to mix all ingredients well. if batter curds beat for 30 seconds more.
set speed to the lowest setting and alternate coconut milk with flour mixture in three additions.
add coconut flakes and mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds. do not over mix batter. if needed, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix with a rubber spatula.
scoop batter into paper lined cups with a standard ice cream scoop filling them 3/4 full.
bake for 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, rotating cupcakes half way through. let them cool in the pan on a wire rack for 2 minutes and out of the pan for about 30 minutes on the same wire rack.
make the frosting: cream butter for 3 minutes over medium speed {setting #5 on kitchenaid} with the whisk attachment of a stand mixer. once done creaming, mix for 30 more seconds at high speed. stop mixer. add sugar and beat at the lowest speed setting possible for 1 to 2 minutes until combined. while mixing add vanilla, salt and milk. increase speed to setting #6 or medium high and beat for 3 more minutes until fluffy and creamy.
frost cupcakes and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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May 2, 2013

scrumptious red velvet cupcakes

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hi, my name is carolina and i’m addicted to red velvet cupcakes. my addiction began many years ago and is still going strong ;)

okay, now that i have confessed, i can tell you all about these red velvet cupcakes. the cupcakes are light, fluffy and like my friend Paula {hi Paula!} would say “very red velvety.”

they don’t have too much cocoa powder so it doesn’t overpower their taste. we are talking about having the perfect sweet/tanginess ratio here. SERIOUSLY.

speaking of which, i developed this recipe with the intention of including greek yogurt. so it has a good half a cup of the non-fat kind. in addition we have the baking soda with the vinegar, adding the ultimate tang to the batter. a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

cake flour was also a major player in the small, light crumb of this cupcake texture. my favorite. because in my opinion, cupcakes should be light and airy, but flavorful. i’m not friends with dense, hard texture cupcakes. nope, can’t do it.

haha. watch out, apparently i take cupcakes’ texture very seriously.

let’s talk frosting {which by the way i take even more seriously than cupcakes’ texture}.

i paired the red velvet cupcakes with my good ol’ cream cheese frosting i developed years ago. if you like sugary frosting, where you can only taste sugar and more sugar, i think you need to try this recipe so the sugary frosting demons can leave your taste buds :) haha.

like you’ll see below, the cream cheese frosting is creamy, light, very tangy with a hint of sweetness from the powder sugar. very easy to make and it only has 4 ingredients.

enjoy my directions in pictures {i do my best to guide you through the recipe!} and how these adorable but scrumptious red velvet cupcakes look like after baked.

sift flour with cocoa powder, add sea salt and whisk well!

add sugar to oil and beat in the bowl until creamy.

proceed to add eggs beating well after each addition.

this is the red gel paste i used. you can certainly use beet juice if you like!

alternate flour, milk/greek yogurt mixtures.

this is one of my favorite parts. making the baking soda bubble with the vinegar makes me feel like a scientist ;)

scoop batter into lined cups

onto the frosting! cream butter and add the cream cheese.

mmm!

add sprinkles!

scrumptious red velvet cupcakes

ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups cake flour
1 and 1/2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature {about 30 to 45 minutes sitting on the kitchen counter}
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 tsp red gel paste food coloring
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature {about 30 to 45 minutes sitting on the kitchen counter}
1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt, room temperature {about 30 to 45 minutes sitting on the kitchen counter}
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps white vinegar

yields 20 cupcakes

directions:

preheat oven to 350F. line two standard cupcake pans with good quality {grease-proof preferably} paper liners {12 and 8 cupcakes in total}.
combine milk and greek yogurt in a small bowl or large measuring cup and whisk well eliminating any lumps. set aside.
in a large bowl, sift flour and cocoa powder. whisk in sea salt. set aside.
in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil and sugar for 2 minutes at medium speed {speed #5 on kitchenaid}. sugar and oil should be well combined and have a creamy consistency.
add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition.
follow with vanilla and food coloring at medium speed.
alternate milk mixture with flour mixture three times at the lowest speed setting. make sure to finish with the milk.
stop mixer and in a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar mixing well with a fork. it will foam and you’d want to add it to the batter immediately. beat on medium high for 30 seconds until well combined.
with an ice cream scoop, pour batter into cupcake liners filling 3/4 full.
bake for 18 minutes rotating cupcakes half way through.
cool cupcakes on a wire rack for 3 minutes. let them cool out of the pan completely before frosting.
store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

cream cheese frosting

ingredients:

12 tbsps unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature but still cold {about 45 minutes sitting on the kitchen counter and cold to the touch}
12 oz package cream cheese, cubed, room temperature but still cold {about 45 minutes sitting on the kitchen counter and cold to the touch}
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
sprinkles for garnish {optional}

directions:

beat butter for 3 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at medium speed {setting #5 in a kitchenaid}.
add cream cheese to bowl and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until well combined and fluffy.
add vanilla extract and beat for 30 seconds. stop the mixer to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on high for 30 more seconds to combine all the ingredients.
set mixer to the lowest setting and add powder sugar a little at a time. once all the sugar is incorporated, about 30 seconds, mix on high for 1 and 1/2 minutes to make the frosting creamy, fluffy and airy.
in a piping bag fitted with desired tip, add the frosting to decorate the cupcakes.

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cream cheese • cupcakes • exotic flavors • Leave a Comment

April 4, 2013

spring lemon blackberry cupcakes

so i’ve been inspired to bake more lately. i don’t like the clean up aftermath that comes with it, though. but, it’s worth it because i get to share my recipes with you :)

i made these cupcakes because they are fragrant, light and fresh {lemon is such a great spring flavor!}, paired with blackberry cream cheese frosting, which is just the perfect weekend or week-day dessert for spring and even summer. and to top it off, i used toasted coconut. you can certainly use regular coconut, lemon zest or any other topping of your preference. amazing spring flavors for sure :)

they are also perfect for a rainy day or any kids or adults party you have marked in your calendar.

try these fluffy lemon cupcakes with a tangy blackberry cream cheese frosting, made with real blackberries. 40 to be exact! let me know when you make them and make sure to share pictures with me on facebook, instagram or twitter.

set all ingredients out so they are right there when you need them.

beat egg whites until soft peaks form.

cream butter and sugar together.

scrape the bowl so the ingredients are well incorporated.

add egg yolks one at a time.

vanilla and milk are next!

alternate flour and egg whites.

finish with lemon zest and juice.

scoop batter in individual cups.

now onto the blackberry frosting. puree 20 blackberries in a food processor or blender.

add powder sugar to butter/cream cheese mixture.

strain blackberry puree onto the frosting.

and add the other 20 mashed blackberries.

and here’s how they look like once all finished!

spring lemon cupcakes with blackberry cream cheese frosting

lemon cupcakes:
4 large eggs, room temperature {sitting on the counter for 30-50 minutes approx.}
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature {cold to the touch and not melted; sitting on the counter for 30-50 minutes approx.}
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature {sitting on the counter for 30-50 minutes approx.}
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
zest of two lemons
juice of one lemon

yields 15 to 17 cupcakes.

blackberry cream cheese frosting:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature {cold to the touch and not melted; sitting on the counter for 30-50 minutes approx.}
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature, sliced in chunks {cold to the touch and not melted; sitting on the counter for 30-50 minutes approx.}
4 cups powder sugar, more if needed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more
40 blackberries, divided
4 tbsps toasted coconut, for garnish

lemon cupcakes directions:

preheat oven to 325F.
line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. between 15 and 17.
in a large bowl, sift flour and baking powder. add sea salt and mix well.
separate egg whites from yolks. beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment over high speed for 1 1/2 minutes or until soft peaks form. you can use a hand mixer as well {beat for about 3 minutes}.
once egg whites are done beating add to a bowl and set aside.
in the same bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter over medium high speed for 1 minute with the paddle attachment. add sugar and mix until fluffy and creamy, about 3 minutes. scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 30 seconds on high.
reduce speed to medium low and add egg yolks one at a time mixing well after each. mix in vanilla.
scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are well incorporated. beat on high for 30 seconds.
set speed to the lowest setting and add 1/3 of the egg whites alternating with 1/3 of flour mixture and 1/3 of milk. repeat until you use all ingredients. make sure to finish with egg whites or milk.
add lemon juice and zest. mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. do not over mix.
bake for 18 minutes, rotating cupcake pans half way through.
place cupcake pan on a cooling rack and let cupcakes cool for 3 minutes.
take cupcakes out of the pan and cool completely before frosting, about 30 minutes.
store frosted {or unfrosted} cupcakes in an airtight container immediately to avoid dryness. they are good for up to 3 days at room temperature.

blackberry cream cheese frosting directions:

wash and dry blackberries thoroughly.
in a food processor or blender, puree 20 blackberries. set aside.
with a fork, mash the other 20 blackberries. set aside.
cream butter over medium speed with the whisk attachment of a stand mixer for 1 minute or until fluffy.
add cream cheese and mix until incorporated.
add salt and vanilla.
strain blackberry puree over the frosting bowl to avoid the seeds going in.
add mashed blackberries to the bowl. don’t use a strainer for this, you are going to want all of it.
set speed to low and add powder sugar, little at a time, and mix well.
if the frosting is too runny, refrigerate for 30 minutes. if it’s still too runny, add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup powder sugar more. you may want to add an additional dash of salt to balance out the sweetness.
frost with desired tip. i used wilton 1A.
you can certainly make this frosting with a hand mixer.

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blackberry • coconut • cream cheese • cupcakes • exotic flavors • lemon • 6 Comments

November 30, 2011

almond joy

this post is about almond joy. nope, not the candy. just almond and the joy it brings in baked goods.

almonds and nuts in general are pretty tricky to bake with. you have allergies to avoid and very particular flavors to work with.

in fact, some people highly dislike walnuts, almonds and other nuts in their baked goods. i highly dislike nuts in my ice cream. but, hey, that’s just me.

when it comes to desserts, walnuts and hazelnuts are my favorite. almond not so much. well, i shouldn’t say that. i love almonds in my desserts. just not the fake type.

you know that almond extract stuff they sell everywhere? no, thanks! it tastes like i’m eating plastic almonds… you get the idea.

i decided to challenge that fake almond flavor by experimenting on my own. and boom! it worked. and without the extract :)

almond cake is now one my favorites besides red velvet, of course!

this almond cake is not only moist but so flavorful, hearty and it tastes like an actual almond. it’s almond in a cake ;) this is a perfect flavor for a wedding, first communion or just a party. and now with the holidays upon us, it’s a perfect festive flavor that gives you a break from the typical pumpkin or gingerbread.

since the cake is sweet and salty, i paired it with white chocolate buttercream and salted caramel drizzle.

here are some photos to show you the final product. what about you? are you a baked good nuts type of person? wait, that didn’t come out right. haha. the word nuts is just funny ;)

{p.s. i will make almond joy cupcakes soon, because it just sounds amazing}