the perfect cupcake

My birthday was last Thursday, and I was blessed to make my own birthday cupcakes. Any baker knows that it can be so hard to get that absolute perfect cupcake. That one that is moist, light, fluffy, but if you take too big of a bite you need a glass of milk kind of cupcake. It happened, and it was triumphant.

Vanilla Cupcakes (courtesy of http://www.joyofbaking.com/VanillaCupcakes.html):

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

- cream butter & sugar
- add egg one by one
- alternate wet & dry (three parts)
- bake for 18 minutes on 350 degrees


However, I didn't make a normal buttercream and instead my favorite kitchen boredom creation.

Coffee Cream Cheese Icing:
1 pkg cream cheese
3 tbsp butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbl coffee grounds

- paddle cream cheese and butter together until very creamy
- add in sugar and mix well for 5-8 minutes
- throw in every thing else

It's seriously the best icing in the world. It tastes like cream cheese with a side of sweet coffee. Tastes a little like heaven on a cupcake.

goat cheese, tomato, banilla

This was easily one of the tastiest meals I've recently whipped up in my boy's kitchen in Ohio. It was a simple penne (with lines) pasta dish, topped with home-made stewed tomatoes, and a cauliflower/ broccoli gratin... and of course, french bread!

For the tomatoes (this was for only three starving people):
however many PLUM tomatoes you feel you need (I'd say at least 10 or so)
fresh herbs (I used thyme and basil)
garlic
1 1/2 cup of olive oil
salt/ pepper
& whatever else you want

- boil tomatoes until skin pops/ peal/ de-core them (I cut off top and bottom, slice almost to the core long ways, lay on side, roll as you cut into it with knife.. ya get?)/ slice up to whatever size (I like mine chunky)
- in a separate pan: season oil until hot with basil, thyme, and etc.
- once tomatoes are chopped and oil is hot; throw oil over tomatoes and cook on low/med. heat for an hour or so.
- plate pasta, throw tomatoes over top, and drizzle seasoned oil. top with goat cheese.

so it was easy as that... i highly suggest using the rest of the oil for dipping the bread in!

Cauliflower/broccoli gratin:
one head of cauliflower
one head of broccoli
12 oz. goat cheese
2 cloves fresh garlic (sliced thin)
fresh thyme
3 tbsp milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs

- preheat oven to 450 degrees
- steam cauliflower and broccoli until only slightly cooked
- combine goat cheese + thyme + fresh garlic + milk in food processor until creamy
- once cauliflower and broccoli is steamed, drain, and place in a baking dish.
- spread goat cheese over top + sprinkle bread crumbs
- bake covered for twenty minutes/ remove cover/ bake for five minutes


& you've got yourself a delicious dinner.

For dessert one night I also made banilla yogurt cupcakes with a fresh blueberry swiss meringue buttercream. I can't remember what recipe I used for the cupcakes for the life of me. But and always... I made the same buttercream as featured in the previous post. Except this time I had the ingenious idea to paddle in fresh blueberries!!! So tasty. Do it, I dare ya.