I'm Obsessed With Cupcakes

Ah, it's been four years since I began my obsession with cupcakes.

No, it's not some weird obsession where I have to constantly have to stuff my face with cupcakes nor do I have a room filled with cupcake-shaped decor.

They are simply my all-time favorite dessert. I consider myself a cupcake connoisseur. Here are a few cupcake recipes I found through great blogs and sites worth trying.

recipe from Pass the Sushi

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour

6 T cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups Coke (don't use diet)

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 can cherry pie filling

For the Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3-4 T Coke

For the Icing:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

6 T powdered sugar

1 teas Whip-It (optional*)

Maraschino Cherries for garnish

For complete directions visit http://passthesushi.com/cherry-coke-float-cupcakes

from bakersroyale.com

Ingredients:

1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

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

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoon instant coffee

1/2 cup hot coffee

1/2 cup chocolate covered toffee bits

Caramel Frosting

5 large egg whites

11/2 cup sugar

4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/3 cup caramel sauce

Chocolate Dipping Sauce

2/3 cups dark chocolate

2 tablespoons heavy cream

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

5-8 tablespoons water, warm

For complete instructions visit http://www.bakersroyale.com/cupcakes/toffee-crunch...

Recipe from Cosmo Cookie

Ingredients:

Food coloring

Vanilla cake mix

Cupcake pan

Paper baking cups

For directions and images visit: http://cosmocookie.blogspot.com/2011/09/rainbow-cu...

from "Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery" Recipe Book via KatieCakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup caster sugar

2 large eggs (free range)

1tsp vanilla

1 cup plain flour

2tsp baking powder

4 over ripe bananas mashed with a fork

6 oz. plain chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl cream, mix together the butter and sugar until light and smooth.

2.Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat together again.

3.Add the flour and baking powder and beat until well combined.

4.Stir in the mashed banana and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.

5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two thirds full.

6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

8. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

From Sweetology 101

Ingredients:

One Cupcake

Brown, Ivory and Pink Frosting

A marshmallow shaped like a banana or use yellow fondant shaped into a lovely banana-like shape

Mini Red Gobstopper

Tiny bit of green fondant

Sprinkles

1. Make the cupcake.

2.Frost cupcake..

3. Place "Banana" on Frosting

4. Pipe frosting colors on to resemble ice cream scoops.

5. Add sprinkles.

6. Add red "cherry".

7. Attach green stem with dab of corn syrup.

Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Cupcakes

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

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

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Zest of 1 lime

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

3. Whisk 3/4 cup of the all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

4. In another medium bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and lime zest - rub together with your fingertips until fragrant.

For the rest of the recipe, visit http://traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com/2011...

from i am baker

Ingredients:

Chocolate cupcakes

Marshmallow fondant

Raspberries

Blueberries

1. Roll it out the fondant to your desired consistency with a rolling pin.

2. Then cut it out (I used a parchment template) so that it fits around the cupcake. Trim if needed.

3.Remove the cupcake wrapper, and simply wrap fondant around the cupcake.

4. Add the fruit of your choice. No frosting needed.

Recipe from alanabread

Ingredients:

50 g butter (room temperature)

1 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

2 shots (60 ml) espresso

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs dutch-process cocoa

ESPRESSO SYRUP

3 shots (90 ml) espresso

1/4 cup sugar

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

100 g butter (room temperature)

2 cups icing sugar mixture

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbs milk

extra cocoa, for dusting

wafers, chocolate-covered coffee beans for decoration

For directions to the recipe, visit http://www.alanabread.com/2011/09/cappuccino-cupca...

For all those who can't have a delicious cupcake without getting a rash (or worse) here is a gluten-free solution for you. Omg, it looks just like the real thing!

recipe from Sweet Tooth

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

3/4 cup sorghum flour

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 cup warm coffee (not too hot)

1 tbsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 1/4 cup warm water

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp rice vinegar

For the Vegan Mocha Frosting:

8 tbsp vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)

2-4 oz cold coffee

1 tsp bourbon vanilla

1 tsp instant espresso

4 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:

- Preheat the over to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and xantham gum in a medium-sized bowl.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the coffee, Ener-G Replacer, olive oil, vanilla extract, and rice vinegar.

- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat for 2-3 minutes until well-incorporated and smooth.

- Divide batter into cups and smooth the tops.

- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting:

- Beat the margarine in the bowl of an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

- Add the coffee, vanilla, and and mix until combined.

- Slowly add the sugar and beat until smooth. If you want to further stiffen the frosting, add more confectioner's sugar until desired consistency is reached.

- Chill the frosting for about an hour to help stiffen it further.

- Load frosting into a piping bag fit with a large star tip and decorate as desired.

recipe from Cupcake Project

2 1/2-3 C diced apples (about 2 medium sized apples)

1/4 sugar (I used vanilla sugar)

1 t ground cinnamon

1/2 C water

1/4 C dark rum

4 large eggs

9 T butter (1 stick + 1 T)

1 C sugar

1 1/3 C cooked quinoa (You cook quinoa in the same way that you would cook rice. Read part one of quinoa for breakfast if you need more detailed cooking directions. I started with 1 C of uncooked quinoa and ended up with enough for this recipe plus plenty left over to have for breakfast or any other meal. I used Red Inca quinoa, hence the dark spots in the cake.)

1 3/4 C rice flour

1 t baking powder

For frosting:

Penuche Frosting Recipe

I got the penuche frosting recipe from Southern Food on About.Com.

1/2 C butter

1 C brown sugar, packed

1/4 C milk

2 C sifted confectioners' sugar (I only used about a cup)

Read more:http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2008/03/gluten-free-...