Saturday, February 19, 2022

Chocolate Cupcakes

If you're a chocolate lover,
you'll love these cupcakes.
Decorated with Amarena Cherries,
candied sour cherries in a
flavoured syrup. 

I adapted this recipe from
 thejoyofbaking.com and
changed the topping, adding
the cherries. 
































Ingredients:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling hot water or hot coffee
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter,
 at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350deg. F.

Grease or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir the cocoa powder with 
the boiling hot water (or hot coffee), set aside to cool.



In another bowl, whisk or sift the flour 
with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Set aside.



With an electric beater beat the butter until smooth. 

Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat
on medium high speed, until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time beating
until fully incorporated.
 


Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.

Add the flour mixture (in 3 additions) 
alternately with the cocoa mixture,  beginning
and ending with the flour mixture.
Add only until the ingredients are incorporated. 
Overbeating will cause tough cupcakes.

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with batter


and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a
toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Do not overbake, or cupcake will be dry.




Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
My new baker's rack. 💖A nice gift from my niece Linda.


After completely cooled,  frost the cupcakes.
I used Betty Crocker, Creamy Chocolate and
Italian Amarena Cherries, 



Enjoy!!
They are as good as they look!

I made this recipe into a small chocolate 
cake for my Granddaughter's birthday.
She has allergy issues so I made a 
chocolate glaze for the top using
1 cup cocoa mixed with a few teaspoons 
of lactose milk.
I decorated with strawberries and blueberries. 
Bake about 25-30 minutes,
inserting a toothpick in the middle 
of the cake and if it comes out clean,
the cake is done. 








Thanks for your visit.
💛💛💛

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Homemade Valentine Cake






 I made a cake for Valentine's Days this year.
I adapted the recipe comes from an old
Five Roses Cookbook. 



I substituted the shortening for butter
and the milk for unsweetened Almond Milk.




A simple cake.
decorated with Betty Crocker,
whipped icing, flaked coconut, 
 cherries, and sprinkles.





My instructions:

Heat oven to 350 deg. F.
Prepare 2 pans, greasing
and lining the bottoms 
with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and
 salt together. Set aside.

With a mixer beat the butter and
 sugar together until well combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time,
 beating well after each addition.

Add in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture 
alternating with the milk.

Divide the mix between two pans.

Bake 20-25 minutes.
Or until a toothpick in the
 middle comes out clean.


To assemble the cake,
I added some Raspberry Jam 
between both cakes....





I frosted with the white icing
and added shredded coconut.
I'm not a fancy cake decorator...🍰

Added the cherries
 and sprinkles.

The cherries should be
rinsed in cold water
and patted dry with
paper towels....



who ate the cherry?


Enjoy!
Happy Valentines Day!!
💕💖💗💘