Experimenting with Cupcakes

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted anything...just another sign of my rather extreme laziness in the summer.  I've been home for almost 2 months and no pictures have been scrapbooked, I'm only halfway through my reading list, and most days I could not tell you what I actually did in the preceding 12 hours (unless I've been at work that day).  Such is the life of the graduate student on break I suppose.

I've been meaning to write this specific post for a while, but kept putting it off in the event that I baked more and wanted to add more stuff to it.  Seeing as I only have 4 weeks left of my summer, and still have only 2 cupcake recipes to share with you, I feel like I should go ahead and write this post!

So, I gave my sister a cupcake book for her (our) birthday, and so far we've tried 2 of the recipes:  Margarita Cupcakes and Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes.  I liked both, but the Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry was by far the superior cupcake - SO DELICIOUS.  In defense of the Margarita Cupcakes, there is definitely an added benefit of making margaritas out of the extra ingredients. . . just putting that one out there. ;)  This cupcake book has SO many interesting recipes to try, and I love that some of them are variations on a cake mix while others have you make your own cake!  I personally want to get to the Salted Caramel Cupcakes before the end of the summer, but other good options include Cafe Mocha, Cosmopolitan, Polka Dot Pumpkin Cheesecake, Chocolate Tiramisu, Pink Lemonade, Boston Creme, and Surprise Prize Cupcakes (the last one has a cookie dough center!!).  Man, I should have bought one of these books for myself!  Looks like I'll be heading back to Barnes & Noble when I get back to STL. . .

Margarita Cupcakes
1 pkg. white cake mix
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons margarita mix, divided
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 tsps grated lime peel, divided
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons tequila (or you can substitute in lime juice. . . but who really wants to do that?)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp. white decorating sugar
1 tbsp. salt
Green and yellow food coloring
Lime peel strips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Put paper cupcake cups in 2 standard muffin tins (makes 24 cupcakes).  Stir cake mix, 3/4 cup margarita mix, eggs, oil, water, 1 tsp lime peel and lime juice in large bowl until well blended.  Spoon evenly into cupcake cups and bake for 20 minutes (or until done).  Cool in pans for 10 mins, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.  (How easy was that?!)

Margarita Cupcakes with glaze

Combine tequila, remaining 2 tbsp margarita mix,and 2 tsp lime peel in medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in powdered sugar.  Combine decorating sugar and salt in small bowl.  Add food coloring one drop at a time until desired shade is reached.  Spread glaze over cupcakes; dip edges in sugar mixture (like the salt around the edge of a margarita glass).  Garnish with lime peel strips.
Note:  We didn't do the sugar/salt and lime peel garnish, and it still tasted great!

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 pints fresh raspberries, divided
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with 20 paper cups.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl; mix well.  Whisk coffee, cocoa and 2 oz chopped chocolate in large bowl until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Stir in sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups.  Place 3 raspberries in each cup (no worries, they sink down into the cupcake as it bakes!).  Bake for 20 minutes or until done.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, remove to wire rack until completely cool.
Bring cream to a simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.  Place remaining 6 oz chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.  Pour hot cream over chocolate; let stand 2 minutes (without stirring!  the chocolate is melting!).  Whisk mixture until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Dip tops of cupcakes in chocolate mixture (we actually found it easier to frost them with a frosting knife); return to wire racks.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Dip/frost again if desired (umm, yes? of course you want another layer of chocolate ganache!).  Top with a single raspberry, and let stand until set.

(Recipes from Cupcakes: Sensational Sweet Treats for Any Occasion, Publications International, Ltd. 2012)