SCARY HALLOWEEN LEMON CUPCAKES

Is the time of the scary month again. October 31st is the day we'll celebrate Halloween Day in scary or cute costumes and fun foods with drinks.  This celebration not only involved the kids but also adults....so...Happy Halloween !!!

This year I'm making this lemon cupcakes which is so yummy, moist and fluffy at the same time. Just love this recipe that I had created. Anyway....I decorated these cupcakes with rolled fondant ( I used a good quality fondant ) and created some scary eye balls, scary pumpkins and witches hats. You can make anything you like, as long it is scary enough to treat or trick the kids....ENJOY !!!

INGREDIENTS :

3 large eggs, at room temperature
150 g fine granulated sugar/caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100 ml milk, at room temperature
210 g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced







METHODS :

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Place the cupcake liners in the 12 muffin cup tin.

2. In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy for about 5 minutes. Then gradually add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy for about 15 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated and then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

3. Add the flour in 3 batches and the milk and lemon juice in 2 batches. Always start with dry ingredients then the wet ingredients. Always end with wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated.
Example : Add the flour, then the milk and lemon juice. Then again flour then the milk and lemon juice. And  lastly the flour.

4. Using a ice-cream scoop, scoop the mixture to the lined muffin tins until at 2/3 full.

5. Bake in the water bath for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

6. Leave cupcakes in the cupcake muffin tins for 3 minutes before taking out and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Decorate the cupcakes with rolled fondant or any of your favorite frosting.

 

LEMON POPPY SEEDS CUPCAKES WITH MANGO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

My new adventure of creating a poppy seeds cupcakes. After hearing from my friend Su from Cooking Momster, she baked this poppy seeds cupcakes last week and turn out the cupcakes is not soft and fluffy. So I told her that I will try it myself and make her recipe little bit different and it really turns out to be super moist and fluffy. Here I would like to share my ideas of baking to all of you and Happy Baking!!!


Always remember to preheat the oven before doing any baking. This is a MUST!!! I boiled a pot of hot water and pour it in a baking sheet and leave it in the oven while I do my cupcakes mixing.


After mixing all the ingredients, I fold in the poppy seeds until well mixed.


Then put the mixture in a prepared lined muffin cups at about 2/3 full ( I'm lazy to do the 2nd batch so I put all the mixture in the muffin cups till full).


Put the muffin cups to the baking sheet with hot boil water ( that's called Water Bath Method ).


This is the batch of cupcakes look like after baking for 30 minutes at 350 F / 175 C


After the cupcakes cooled, I frosted with some Mango Cream Cheese Frosting and topped off with a lemon for decorations.

INGREDIENTS :

For Cupcakes:

3 large eggs, at room temperature
150 g fine granulated sugar/caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100 ml milk, at room temperature
210 g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
50 g poppy seeds


For Mango Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup mango puree
4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz ( 2 sticks ) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract




METHOD :

For Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Place the cupcake liners in the 12 muffin cup tin.

In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy for about 5 minutes. Then gradually add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy for about 15 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated and then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

Add the flour in 3 batches and the milk and lemon juice in 2 batches. Always start with dry ingredients then the wet ingredients. Always end with wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Then fold in the poppy seeds until well mixed.

Example : add the flour, then the milk and lemon juice. Then again flour then the milk and lemon juice. And lastly the flour.

Using a ice-cream scoop, scoop the mixture to the lined muffin tins until at 2/3 full.

Bake in the water bath for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Leave cupcakes in the cupcake muffin tins for 3 minutes before taking out and let it cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.



For Mango Cream Cheese Frosting

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Then add the mango puree and the vanilla extract until incorporated.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.

Beat the frosting at low-medium speed until it smooth and ready to frost.

These cupcakes are so yummy, moist and fluffy. With the Mango Cream Cheese Frosting combination with the LemonPoppy Seeds Cupcakes....I can said is a best dessert for summer time!!!

CHOCOLATE CHIPS & MASCARPONE CUPCAKES

Anyone who loves chocolate....they will absolutely love this recipe.

INGREDIENTS :

5 oz good unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup water
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips ( I used Nestle morsels )

For Ganache :

1 cup (6 oz) good semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Decoration :

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk



METHODS :

For the Cupcakes;

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 F.

Combine the unsweetened chocolate and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth.

With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in the mascarpone mixture.

In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips. Then add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture in 3 batches. Stir until just blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin pans with liners ( For puffier cupcakes, allow the batter to rest in the muffin pans for 20 minutes before baking ). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out with no crumbs attached. Cool the cupcakes completely before dipping, about 1 hour.



For the Ganache;

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Combine the heavy cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips. Using a fork, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and shinny.

Dip the tops of each cupcake in the ganache and transfer to a baking sheet. Placed the dipped cupcakes in the refrigerator to set, about 15-20 minutes.

For the Decorations;

With a electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and milk until creamy and smooth. Scoop the cream into a piping bag and pipe your favorite design on top of the cupcakes.

*** Allow cupcakes to return to the room temperature before serving.