Cupcake War Recipes

Ginger Wasabi Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1-2 tablespoons wasabi powder (to taste) – about 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp

For Frosting:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons soy creamer or heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and wasabi. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in coconut milk mixture. Stir until just smooth (do not overmix). Take a quick taste of the batter, and add more wasabi if you feel it is needed.

Pour into liners, filling each with 3 tablespoons of batter (cups should be no more than 2/3 full). Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For frosting, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla, ginger, and cream. Continue adding sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition (depending on the temperature of your butter, you may need more or less sugar/cream to achieve the proper consistency). Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and enjoy!

Orange Cream Cupcakes with Tang Frosting

Makes about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice

1 tsp. orange extract

2 tsp. orange zest (chopped to a paste)

3 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)

3 eggs (separated)

1/8 tsp. cream of tarter

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prep muffin tins with cupcake liners
2. Combine orange juice, extract and zest. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. Beat unsalted butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add egg yolks one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl.
6. Add in flour mixture alternating with orange juice mixture, just until fully incorporated.
7. In separate bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tarter until stiff peaks form, but before the whites turn dry…they should be shiny still, but when you lift the whisk, the peak should just bend.
8. Gently fold the whites into the cake batter.
9. Fill cups 1/2 full.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes until they rise just above the edge and look golden brown on the top. When you touch one in the center of it, it should spring back nicely.

Tang Buttercream

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Tang Powdered drink mix

1 1/2 Cups heavy cream

1 lb. unsalted butter (softened)

1/2 lb. salted butter (softened)

1/2 pkg. french vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup (or more to suit your tastes) powdered sugar

1. In easy to pour container, combine the Tang and heavy cream, set aside.
2. Beat the butter until soft.
3. Add the pudding mix and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly add in Tang mixture, little bit at a time to avoid splash ups. Get it all in there though.
5. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat the hell out of the buttercream until it is light and fluffy and silky smooth.

The cupcakes are filled with the buttercream as well. All you do is make a hole in the top of the cupcake. Pipe the frosting in. Put the cake hole back on top.

DECORATION: Planet made from malt ball with gummy ring OR cake pop planet sticking out with stick

 

Milky Way Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients:

Cake

3 Milky Way bars (2.05 oz. bars) (Buy an extra bar if you want for decoration.)

1 3/4 cup milk, plus 2 tbsp.

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

4 oz. butter (1 stick), room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Buttercream*

25 caramels

1/4 cup milk

4 oz. butter (1 stick), room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp. vanilla

*This buttercream recipe is enough for about 36 cupcakes.

Directions:

1. For the cake: In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the candy bars with 2 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla on high until well blended.
5. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
6. Add the Milky Way mixture and mix for 30 seconds on high.
7. Add 1/2 of the four mixture and 1/2 the remaining milk to the butter mixture and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk. Mix thoroughly until incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared cake pans.
8. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
9. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cupcakes onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.
10. For the buttercream: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the caramels, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in milk until smooth. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
11. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla for 3 minutes on high.
12. Add the cooled caramel and mix on high for 2 minutes. Frost your cupcakes

DECORATION: Chocolate disk with milky way swirl

 

NOT YOUR FATHER’S ROOT BEER FLOAT CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

½ cup butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

1 cup Not Your Father’s Root Beer

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugars. Add in two eggs, one at a time, and then mix in flour.
2. Once well combined, add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves and continue to beat on low speed. Pour in the Not Your Father’s Root Beer.
3. Scoop batter into lined cupcake tin (makes 12 cupcakes) and cook in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Marshmallow Vodka Buttercream Frosting

This frosting was the perfect topping for these cupcakes, reminiscent of both vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup marshmallow Fluff

pinch salt

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons marshmallow vodka

DECORATION: Chunks of astronaut ice cream piled/threaded up stick to give appearance of floating

Alternate: use vanilla/chocolate/strawberry merengue  – has similar texture

 

MAN ON THE MOON PIE CUPCAKES (Didn’t use- but still delish!)

Serves: 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 1 1/2 packages)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

For the topping

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons cup vegetable or coconut oil
• Candy-coated sunflower seeds (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, then vanilla.
4. Alternate mixing the dry ingredients and milk into the large bowl, starting and ending with the dry.
5. Divide batter among papers and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. These cupcakes will have flat tops.
6. Remove from pan and let cool completely.
7. To make the topping, set a stainless bowl (preferably your stand mixer bowl) over a pot of simmering water.
8. Add the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar, and whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the whites are warm.
9. Remove bowl from pot and immediately begin whipping at low speed, then gradually increasing to high. Beat for about 6 minutes, until glossy and quite thick.
10. Spoon into a piping bag, cut off end, and pipe onto cupcakes. Place cupcakes in the refrigerator.
11. To make the chocolate dip, combine chocolate chips and vegetable/coconut oil in a tall microwave safe measuring cup. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
12. When chocolate is cooled, VERY QUICKLY dip cupcakes upside-down into chocolate and replace onto rack. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Alternately, you can drizzle chocolate on top with a spoon, though excess will run off the sides.
13. Chill cupcakes for about 5 minutes, until topping is starting to set but still tacky. Decorate with candy-coated sunflower seeds, if desired. Chill until just before ready to serve.

DECORATION: Man on the moon face – fondant cut