Homemade Cake Flour

Ingredients

1 cup flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
...................................

Instructions

Measure out one cup of AP flour.
Remove two tablespoons flour from the cup.
Add in two tablespoons of cornstarch.
Sift together.

How to Make Buttermilk from Plain Milk with Lemon Juice or Vinegar

Makes 1 cup, recipe can be halved, doubled, or tripled as needed

What You Need

Ingredients

1 scant cup milk (whole, 2%, or heavy cream)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Equipment
Measuring cup
Measuring spoon
Stirring spoon

Instructions
Combine the milk and lemon juice. Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Let stand 5-10 minutes. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. (This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk.)
Use the buttermilk. Use this substitute (including curdled bits) as you would buttermilk in your recipe.
Other Buttermilk Substitutes:
Yogurt: Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup water to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
Sour Cream: Mix 3/4 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup plain water to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
Cream of Tartar: Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tarter. Let stand 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled.

Chocolate Dream Cupcakes

Chocolate-Nutella Cream Cheese Buttercream

a recipe by wickedgoodkitchen.com
Yield: Makes about 4½ cups;
enough to fill and frost two 9-inch layer cakes
or three 8-inch layer cakes

What makes our Chocolate-Nutella Cream Cheese Buttercream wicked good? This buttercream literally melts on your tongue and the flavor rings of nostalgia associated with the dreamiest of chocolate frostings. It is buttery, creamy and smooth with a hint of cream cheese and plenty of Nutella® flavor. Due to an adequate amount of fat from the butter, this special buttercream pipes beautifully. Our Chocolate-Nutella Cream Cheese Buttercream is versatile and will pair extremely well with white cakes, yellow cakes and chocolate cakes alike as well as cupcakes, cheesecakes and other sweet treats like baked doughnuts. Honest and truly, this buttercream is wicked good!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened (or 1 stick salted & 1 stick unsalted)
4 ounces (½ 8-ounce package/113 grams) cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®, softened
½ cup (148 grams) Nutella® Hazelnut Spread
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®
4 tablespoons (30 grams) sifted HERSHEY'S® Special Dark Cocoa, or your favorite
3½ to 4 cups (420 to 480 grams) confectioners’ sugar, spooned in cup, leveled off & sifted

Preparation

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add cream cheese, Nutella® and vanilla; beat until fully incorporated. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.
Gradually add cocoa and 3½ cups confectioners’ sugar, beating on low speed (stir), until well combined. Add additional confectioners’ sugar until desired consistency for spreading and level of sweetness is reached. Beat on high speed until well combined and smooth while scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 1 to 2 minutes. Before frosting cake layers, rebeat buttercream to ensure smoothness.

Notes
Tips:
If not using immediately, the buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature before beating smooth again.
If using the buttercream to pipe details, be sure to use chilled hands when handling pastry bag as warm hands can melt the buttercream.
To make 1½ recipes of Chocolate-Nutella Cream Cheese Buttercream, the math has been completed for you below:
1½ cups (3 sticks or 339 grams) unsalted butter, softened (or part salted & part unsalted)
6 ounces (¾ 8-ounce package/170 grams) cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®, softened
¾ cup (222 grams) Nutella® Hazelnut Spread
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey®
6 tablespoons (45 grams) sifted HERSHEY'S® Special Dark Cocoa, or your favorite
5¼ to 6 cups (630 to 720 grams) confectioners’ sugar, spooned in cup, leveled off & sifted

Strawberry Cake Recipe

a recipe by designmeacake.com

Ingredients:

 3 cups Cake Flour

 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

 2- 1/2 cups sugar

 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks of butter)
   at room temperature

 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 5 large eggs( separate eggs from yolks)

 1 cup Buttermilk

 1-1/4 cup mashed or pureed

 Frozen Strawberries

 Pinch of Salt

 Teaspoon Red Food Coloring (optional)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. You can preheat it to 350 F and lower the temperature to 325 when you place the cakes in the oven.
I like to bake at lower temperatures. Which require a longer period of baking. But if you
go to a higher temperature keep in mind it will take less time. I would not go higher than 350.
The baking time can change too depending on the size of the pan.


Spray (or butter and flour) 2 pans. I used two 8''x 3 pans.
Sift flour, baking powder. baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and 2 cups of the sugar.
Save the rest of the sugar for later.

Add eggs yolks one at a time, beating until well blended after each one.
Add the vanilla.

Add dry ingredients in small additions to butter/sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Mix in the Red food color (optional), and fold the strawberries in
this mixture.
Strawberries can be smashed or pureed.Set it aside.In a clean dry grease free bowl, mix egg whites with a wisk attachment.

Beat until peaks are stiff but not dry and add the 1/2 cup of sugar you saved to the egg white mixture.
Mix a bit more to make sure the sugar is mixed and the peaks stay stiff.
Fold the egg whites in the butter mixture. I do this in 3 steps.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center
comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

The amount of time really depends on the pans you use anf your oven. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out and seal them in plastic well.

Place the cakes in the refrigerator and let them cool well.

I leave them at least over night.
I recommend to eat the cake at room temperature.

Chocolate Cake Pops!

Chocolate Cake pops...ready to go  :)

Coconut Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 - 1 tsp coconut extract or imitation coconut extract

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 - 3 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Yellow food coloring, optional

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer blend together until smooth and fluffy about 1-2 minutes. Tint with yellow food coloring if desired.
Note: if you don't want the piled high style of frosting (if you don't like a lot of frosting) then half a batch would be enough. Personally I don't normally like a lot of frosting but this frosting is so good that I liked the piled high style for these, plus it made for prettier piping with the blueberry sauce =).

My Favorite Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature (I like to use 3/4 cup salted and 3/4 cup unsalted)
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder*
3 - 4 Tbsp heavy cream or half-&-half
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment (paddle attachment works too. Whichever you use just pay attention the the shade of the butter), whip butter on moderately high speed until very pale and fluffy (nearly white in color), about 6 - 8 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl. Sift in cocoa powder then add in powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until combine, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed and adding up to 1 tbsp additional cream to thin if desired. Increase mixer to medium-high speed and whip mixture until pale and very fluffy about 4 - 5 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl.
Note that similar to whipped cream the frosting will lose some of its "fluff" after a few hours, it will still taste the same it just loses some of the air that was whipped into it (similar to whipped cream how it loses it's stabilization after a few hours). It is best to prepare and use within a few hours for best (fluffiest) results.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients
Yield: enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature*
1 cup (15g) freeze dried strawberries
2 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 cups (230g) powdered sugar

Directions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy 6 - 8 minutes, frequently scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Meanwhile, pulverize freeze dried strawberries in a food processor** until finely ground (wait about 10 second before opening food processor allowing the powder in the air to settle a bit. There should have 3 1/2 Tbsp of the strawberry powder). Transfer strawberry powder to whipped butter and blend mixture until combine. Stir in heavy cream followed by powdered sugar and whip mixture 4 - 5 minute longer on medium-high speed, until very pale and fluffy, frequently scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. For best results frost and serve within an hour.
*or softened in microwave on HIGH power in 4 - 5 second intervals, rotating butter to next side between intervals until lightly softened.
**if you don't own a food processor, you can place the strawberries in a resealable bag, seal bag and crush to fine powder with a rolling pin.
Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)*
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use clear if desired)

Directions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the paddle or whisk attachment whip butter on medium high speed (if using whisk attachment whip on high speed) until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, frequently scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl. Immediately spread over cooled cake or cupcakes.
Note: if you want an alternate flavor of frosting, coconut or almond extract would be a great substitute for the vanilla extract, just add it to taste.
*I use half salted butter and half unsalted butter (3/4 cup of each)
Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream

For the Cupcakes:

3/4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
1 can cherry pie filling

For the Almond Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
2-3 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
 In a medium bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add vanilla and eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and milk (starting and ending with the flour mixture), while mixing on low speed. Continue to mix until smooth. 
Stir in cherry pie filling.Spoon into cupcake liners and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Buttercream:

Beat butter for 5 minutes and then add powdered sugar, almond and vanilla extract.  Taste as you add ingredients to get the desired flavor and strength.  Add sour cream and beat again until smooth.

Mint Chocolate Cake pops

so so gooodddd.... :)

 

Mint Chocolate Cake pops...ready to go  :)

Cupcake Cookies

No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

very light and refreshing cheesecake....

Ingredients

( recipe makes 1 - 8 inch round pan )

9oz (250gr) vanilla wafers or Graham crackers

7 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp unflavored gelatin

finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons

12oz (350gr) cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Line the pan with parchment paper. Put the cookies into a bag and crush with a rolling pin.

2. Melt the butter and combine it with the crushed cookies, mixing together well.

3.Press the cookie base firmly into the base of the pan, until a flat surface is achieved. Chill.

4. In a small heatproof bowl, soak gelatin in the lemon juice for 5 minutes to soften.

5. Place the bowl over a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatin melts. Set aside to cool.

6. Beat the cream cheese , sugar, and lemon zest together until smooth.

7. In separate bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Make sure it is not stiff.

8. Beat the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture and mix well to combine.

9. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture. Be careful not to lose volume.

10. Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the cookie base, scraping it with a spatula.

11. Smooth the top well a damp palette knife , or the back of a damp spoon.

12. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Run a sharp, thin knife around the inside of the pan.

13. Turn the cheesecake out gently onto a plate, making sure to remove the paper before cutting.

Happy New Year 2014 !