National Cupcake Day for the SPCA....Favorite Recipes

STRAWBERRY LEMON CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

The SPCAs and Humane Societies across Canada are celebrating their first official cupcake day. You can register here to lend your support: Nationalcupcakeday.ca. Here  are a few all time favorite  cupcake recipes.

 

Ingredients

• FOR FROSTING:
• 250g brick cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
• 1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 6 small strawberries, hulled and halved
• FOR CUPCAKES:
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk

Luscious yet simple lemon-curd folds in seamlessly to this whimsical strawberry and lemon cupcake.

Instructions

• Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, until fluffy. Gradually beat in lemon curd until smooth. Refrigerate frosting and strawberries until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cups. Stir flour with baking powder and salt. Beat butter with lemon zest in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Gradually beat in a third of flour mixture, then half the milk. Repeat additions, ending with remaining third of flour mixture. Spoon into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full.
• Bake in centre of oven until a cake tester inserted in centre of cupcakes comes out clean, about 25 min. Let cupcakes cool completely.
• To assemble, insert a small paring knife 1 inch deep into a cupcake at a 45-degree angle, halfway between the centre and the outside edge. Cut out a small cone and save for another use. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Stir 1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries into frosting. Fill and frost each cupcake with a palette knife or spoon, then top with a strawberry half.

SUPER AWESOME CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups large-flake oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 cup ground flax meal
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup agave syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot water
• 100 g pkg good-quality dark chocolate (70%-85%), very finely chopped

Instructions

• Line a 12-cup muffin pan with silicone cupcake liners, then lightly spray with oil.
• Pour oats into a food processor. Whirl until very finely ground, about 2 min. Add cocoa, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whirl until combined, about 1 min.
• Whisk egg whites with applesauce, yogurt, agave syrup and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Add to food processor along with hot water. Whirl until combined, about 1 min. Scrape back
  into bowl. Batter will be runny. Let batter stand until thickened to the consistency of oatmeal, about 20 min.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Stir chopped dark chocolate into thickened batter. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in centre of oven until muffins have risen and a skewer inserted in centre of muffins comes out slightly sticky but not wet, 25 to 27 min. Let muffins cool in pan for 15 min. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Frost with Vanilla marshmallow frosting.

Prep Tip:

Muffins will stick to paper liners; use silicone liners for easy removal. Or spray muffin cups with oil if not using liners.

 

 

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES WITH MAPLE FROSTING

 

 

 

Makes 10 cupcakes

Ingredients for the Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the top of 10 muffin tins with vegetable oil and line them with 10 paper liners.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a level 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Ingredients for the Maple Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions for the Maple Frosting

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.