The 8th of August is a very special date for me as it marks Rosa's Yummy Yums' birthday. Today, my blog is 5 years old...
Yes, exactly 1825 days ago, I wrote my very first post without knowing where it was going to lead me. Back then, I opened a blog account out of pure curiosity for that fantastic social tool that is blogging. I had no idea regarding what I was going to do with it. I had no plan. After having shared a few recipes and getting lovely comments from fellow bloggers and foodies, I very fastly got caught in the game and addicted this activity.
Thanks to my blog I have developped my cooking/baking, photography, language as well as writing skills (there's much more to learn though) and have been able to meet (physically and virtually) lovely people that I could never have known otherwise. This experience has been very enriching and has brought me so much.
Blogging is very therapeutic, just like baking and cooking. Through that medium I have been able to work on myself and become a better/stronger person. My self-esteem has grown and my shyness has decreased. The warmth of blogosphere always makes me feel less alone and motivates me in hard times. The frightened and psychologically bruised girl that I was in 2005 has healed and blossomed.
Therefore, I wish to thank all of you occasional as well as faithful readers and friends for reading and giving me so much. Your kind words, compliments, actions and gifts enlighten my life!
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This week, Amar and Luna at "CatSynth" (USA) are happy to announce that they are hosting Weekend Cat Blogging #270...
To submit your kitty picture(s), you can either leave a message in their blog's comment section (with your permalinks) or contact them viae-mail without forgetting to give all the needed information.
Last september, I blogged about the two different batches of cupcakes (around 50 all in all) that I made for my friend Corinne's daughter's birthday party. Well, after having posted the recipe for those exquisite "Vanilla And Lemon Cupcakes" a few months ago, today, I am posting about that second batch...
When I was doing some research on the net in order to find ideas for Samira's special event, it was clear for me that the cupcakes I was going to bake had to be rich, scrumptious, teen compatible, unforgettable and had to come in two variations and two different colors.
As most people, grownups and youngsters alike, love Snickers Bars, I thought that it would be an awesome idea to combine at least two of the ingredients (in that case, peanuts and chocolate) contained in that treat in order to create cupcakes which would be as regressive as possible!
Saying that these "Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes" are terrific is nearly an euphemism as they are just simply drop-dead gorgeous! Magolia Bakery's recipe gives very moist, terribly fluffy, pleasantly smooth and feather-like cupcakes, thanks to the use of buttermilk and baking soda (no baking powder here). Taste-wise, they are just orgasmically ambrosial. The deep, intense and vibrant chocolate aroma blends tremendously well with the addictively nutty, creamy, ample as well as slightly salty flavor of Alisa Huntsman's incredibly luscious as well as silky "Peanut Butter & Cream Cheese Frosting" (one of the best frostings I have ever tasted/made so far!).
Those divine little "babies" will drive your tastebuds crazy and you'll come back asking for more, licking your fingers greedily after each bite!
~ Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes ~ "Dark Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe by Magnolia Bakery "The Magnolia Cookbook", "Peanut Butter Frosting" by Alisa Huntsman "Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes" & adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums. Makes about 24 cupcakes.
Ingredients for the "Dark Chocolate Cupcakes": 2 Cups (255g) All-purpose flour 1 Tsp Baking soda 1 Cup (240g/2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened 1 Cup (210g) Granulated sugar 1 Cup (240g) Firmly-packed light brown sugar 4 Large eggs (~63g), room temp 6 Oz (180g) Unsweetened chocolate, melted (see remarks) 1 Cup (240ml) Buttermilk (see remarks)1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract Ingredients for the "Peanut Butter Frosting": 6.6 Oz (200g) Cream cheese, at room temperature 2.6 Oz (80g) Unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 1/3 Cups (400g) Confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1/2 Cup (128g) Smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)
Method for the "Dark Chocolate Cupcakes": 1. Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F). 2. Line the muffin tins with paper liners. 3. In a small bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside. 4. In a large bowl, (by hand or with the help of a handmixer/mixer) cream the butter until smooth. 4. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 6. Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla, mixing until well incorporated. 7. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk. With each addition, beat until ingredients are incorporated (but do not overbeat), until they are well blended and the batter is smooth. 8. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. 9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the tester toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 10. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes before removing them from the tins and cool completely on cooling racks before frosting.
Method for the "Peanut Butter Frosting": 11. In a large bowl with an electric (hand)mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. 12. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. 13. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended. 14. Frost the cupcakes and decorate them as you wish.
Remarks: I had no unsweetened chocolate at home, so I used some Lindt 70% chocolate. If you have no buttermilk and you are looking for substituations, follow this link. You can keep your "Peanut Butter Frosting" in the fridge for up to a week or even freeze it for up to 2 months.
Serving suggestions: Enjoy without moderation, at any time of the day and on any occasion, with a big glass of ice cold milk.
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~ Cupcakes Au Chocolat Noir Et Leur Glaçage Au Peanut Butter ~ Recette pour les cupcakes par Magnolia Bakery "The Magnolia Cookbook", recette pour le glaçage par Alisa Huntsman "Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes" toutes les deux adaptées par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums. Donne environ 24 cupcakes. Ingrédients pour les "Cupcakes au Chocolat Noir": 2 Tasses (255g) de Farine fleur/blanche 1 CC de Bicarbonate de soude 1/2 CC de sel 1 Tasse (240g) de Beurre non-salé, ramolli 1 Tasse (210g) de Sucre cristallisé 1 Tasse (240g) de Sucre brun clair 4 Larges oeufs (~ 63g), à température ambiante 180g de Chocolat non-sucré, fondu au bain-marie (voir remarques) 1 Tasse (240ml) de Babeurre (voir remarques)1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure Ingrédients pour le "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter": 200g de Cream cheese, à température ambiante 80g de Beurre non-salé, à température ambiante 400g de Sucre en poudre, tamisé 128g de Peanut butter (sans morceau) Méthode pour les "Cupcakes au Chocolat Noir": 1. Préchauffer le four à 180° C (350° F). 2. Placer des petits moules en papier sulfurisé dans les compartiments de la plaque à muffins. 3. Dans un petit bol, mélanger ensemble la farine, la bicarbonate de soude et le sel. Mettre de côté. 4. Dans un grand bol, (à la main ou à l'aide d'un mixer) battre le beurre en pommade. 4. Ajouter les deux sucres et battre (~3 minutes) jusqu'à ce le mélange devienne léger. 5. Ajouter les oeufs, un à la fois, tout en mélangeant bien après chaque ajout. 6. Ajouter le chocolat fondu, puis la vanille et mélanger jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient bien incorporés. 7. Ajouter les ingrédients secs en trois fois, tout en alternant avec le babeurre. Après chaque addition, bien mélanger afin que les ingrédients soient totalement incorporés (ne pas trop mélanger tout de même) et que la pâte soit homogène/lisse. 8. Remplir délicatement les moules avec la pâte, en remplissant jusqu'au 3/4. 9. Cuire pendant 20 à 25 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la lame d'un couteau en ressorte sèche/propre. 10. Laisser refroidir dans la plaque pendant 15 minutes avant de sortir les cupcakes de leur compartiment et de les faire refroidir complètement sur une grille. Méthode pour le "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter": 11. Dans un grand bol, à l'aide d'un mixer, battre le cream cheese et le beurre ensemble, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit léger et onctueux. 12. Ajouter graduellement le sucre en poudre (1 tasse à la fois), en mélanger bien après chaque addition et en nettoyant les bords du bol régulièrement. Continuer à battre à vitesse moyenne pendant 3 à 4 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit léger et onctueux. 13. Ajouter le peanut butter et battre jusqu'à ce qu'il soit entièrement incorporé. 14. Couvrir le dessus les cupcakes avec le glaçage et décorer comme désiré.
Remarques: Comme je n'avais pas de chocolat non-sucré, j'ai utilisé du chocolat Lindt 70%. Si vous n'avez pas de babeurre, alors suivez ce lien pour plus d'infos concernant les possibles substitutions. Vous pouvez garder votre "Glaçage Au Peanut Butter" au frigo pendant 1 semaine et même le garder au congélateur (2 mois).
Idées de présentation: A déguster sans modération, à toute heure de la journée et en toute occasion, avec un grand verre de lait froid.
When my good friend Corinne asked me to bake cupcakes for her teenage daughter's 14th Birthday Party, I didn't think twice and said "yes, sure" enthusiastically! I had never prepared anything for such an occasion nor did I ever bake/cook for crowds and thought that it might be a good way to put my culinary "talents" to the test...
Ever since I've known Samira (Corinne's daughter) she hasn't stopped raving about Rai's (at "Ugly Fruit") "Champagne Cupcakes" that she had tasted at our "Foodbloggers' Picnic" back in June 2007 (see my article). They had left such a mark on her that she can't forget them. The subject always comes back in most of our food conversations.
As Corinne is not a big fan of frostings or icings and she knows that I'm addicted to baking, cooking and anything that revolves around the culinary world, she naturally pictured me as the official baker for Samira's party. When it comes to making dainty and rich little cupcakes, the American way, topped with lots of buttercream, frosting, icing as well as girly decorations, I'm unfailingly ready to get started anytime!!!
So, on the day before the event, I made both the buttercream and frosting I needed for my "Vanilla & Lemon Cupcakes" (recipe below) and my "Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cupcakes" (recipe soon). On the same day, I arrived at my frien'd place at 12h00. We ate and then I started getting (hyper)active in the kitchen. Everything went suprisingly smoothly, eventhough I am not used to bake/cook for more than 4 people. After three hours of buzzing frenetically like a bee in spring, my 50 cupcakes were ready and looked amazingly good. Wow, I didn't know that I could whip up such perfect cupcakes!
~ Birthday girl ~
At around 16h00, we were invaded by a crew of 20 frantic, energy-loaded, yet very polite adolescents who arrived in a blitz and literally assaulted the table where all the food was. In a matter of minutes (or should I say seconds?!), nearly all the cupcakes had disappeared and most of the other goodies (tasty sandwiches & a delicious cake that Corinne had made) had vanished. It was as if a pack piranhas or flying grasshoppers had eaten their way through the living room (a good sign)!
Many of her friends congratulated us on the food and said that they had enjoyed everything. Phew! A real relief for both of us.
A few days later, I was pleasantly surprised to find a great postcard in my letterbox. Samira had written some heartwarming words of thanks and expressed her gratefulness for the work I did. She had truely been impressed by my cupcakes and thanked me for taking the time to bake them. How sweet of her!
Those dainty "Vanilla & Lemon Cupcakes" are really fabulous whether it is texture- or taste-wise. The cake part is feathery, soft, moist, delicately vanilla flavored and rises beautifully, and the buttercream topping brings this gustatory experience to a higher level of delightfulness with it's smooth, fluffy, silky, wonderfully buttery as well as lemony aromas and it's pristine ivory color that'll blow your mind. Truely droolworthy!
Makes about 24 cupcakes. Ingredients for the "Cupcakes": 1 1/2 Sticks (180g) unsalted butter 1 1/2 Cups (315g) Castor sugar 2 Eggs (~63g) 2 Tsps Pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 Tsps Baking powder 1/2 Tsp Salt 2 1/2 Cups (319g) Plain white flour 1 1/4 Cups (300ml) Milk Ingredients for the "Buttercream": 1 Cup (210g) Castor sugar 4 Large Egg whites (~63g eggs) 3 Sticks (12oz/360g) Unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 Cup (60ml) Fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons) 1 Tsp Pure vanilla extract A few drops lemon essence
Method for the "Cupcakes": 1. Turn the oven on to 190° C (375° F). 2. In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Set aside. 3. In a big bowl, cream the butter until smooth. 4. Add the sugar and cream again until the mixture is white, light and fluffy. 5. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time while beating/mixing well until blended. 6. Add the vanilla, then the dry ingredients and the milk, alternatively, while mixing well, until all ingredients are totally combined (homogenous batter). 7. Pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full. 8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one cupcake comes out clean. Method for the "Lemon Buttercream": 9. Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes (the sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream). 10. Remove the bowl from the heat. 11. Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. 12. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. 13. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes (during this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again). 14. On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, then the vanilla and the lemon essence (you should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream). 15. Decorate your cupcakes with the buttercream.
Remarks: I flavored my buttercream with vanilla and added a few drops lemon essence, but you are free to flavor your buttercream as you wish (essences, zests, spices, etc...) and to replace the lemon juice by any other liquid (same quantity - whisky, orange juice, coffee, etc..). You can keep your buttercream in the fridge for up to a week. In that case, press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream. Once you get the buttercream out of the fridge, let it rest for about 30 minutes before beating (with a hand mixer) it again. If it curdles, place the bowl over warm water (not too hot) and keep beating until it gets to the right consistency (creamy, fluffy and spreadable).
Serving suggestions: Eat without moderation! Serve those cupcakes with a good cup of tea or coffee or with a glass of ice cold milk!
Ingrédients pour les "Cupcakes": 180g de Beurre non-salé 1 1/2 Tasses (315g) de Sucre cristallisé 2 Oeufs (~63g) 2 CC de d'Extrait de vanille pure 2 1/2 CC de Poudre à lever/cake 1/2 CC de Sel 2 1/2 Tasses (319g) de Farine blanche/fleur 1 1/4 Tasses (300ml) de Lait Ingrédients pour la "Crème Au Beurre": 1 Tasse (210g) de Sucre cristallisé 4 Gros blancs d'oeufs (oeufs de 63g) 12 Onces (360g) de Beurre non-salé, à température ambiante 1/4 Tasse (60ml) de Jus de citron frais (de 2 citrons) 1 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure ou de pâte de vanille pure Quelques gouttes d'essence de citron
Method pour les "Cupcakes": 1. Préchauffer le four à 190° C (375° F). 2. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger tous les ingrédients secs. Mettre de côté. 3. Dans un grand bol, battre le beurre en pommade. 4. Ajouter le sucre et battre jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne blanc et mousseux. 5. Ajouter les oeufs, un à la fois, tout en battant bien après chaque ajout afin d'obtenir un mélange homogène. 6. Ajouter la vanille, puis les ingrédients secs, tout en alternant avec le lait et en mélangeant bien afin d'obtenir une pâte homogène. 7. Mettre la pâte dans les caissettes et remplir seulement au 2/3. 8. Cuire pendant 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les cupcakes soient dorés et que la lame d'en couteau en resorte propre. Méthode pour la "Crème Au Beurre": 9. Mettre le sucre et les blancs d'oeufs dans le bol du mixeur ou un autre bol à l'épreuve de la chaleur et mettre le bol au dessus d'un contenant d'eau frémissante. 10. Battre constamment, en gardant le mélange au dessus de la chaleur jusqu'à ce qu'au toucher, ce soit chaud, environ 3 minute (le sucre doit être dissout et le mélange doit ressembler à de la guimauve fondue). 11. Enlever le bol de la source de chaleur. 12. Avec le fouet du mélangeur ou au batteur électrique, battre la meringue sur vitesse moyenne pour la refroidir, environ 5 minutes. 13. Changer pour la palette du mélangeur et ajouter le beurre un peu à la fois en mélangeant pour rendre lisse.
14. Quand le beurre est incorporé, battre sur vitesse moyenne/forte jusqu'à ce que ce soit épais et très lisse, environ 6-10 minutes (durant ce temps le beurre peut se séparer, continuer à battre et il se replacera). 15. Sur vitesse moyenne, ajouter graduellement le jus de citron en battant bien après chaque addition, puis la vanille et l'essence de citron (vous devriez avoir à ce point un mélange brillant et lisse de crème au beurre). 16. A l'aide d'une poche à douille, décorer les cupcakes avec cette crème au beurre.
Remarques: J'ai parfumé ma crème au beurre avec de la vanille et de l'essence de citron, mais vous êtes libres d'aromatiser votre crème à beurre selon vos goûts (essences, zestes, épices, etc...) et de remplacer le jus de citron par un autre liquide (même quantité - whisky, jus d'orange, café, etc..). Vous pouvez garder votre crème au beure au frigo pendant 1 semaine. Dans ce cas, placez un film alimentaire sur la surface de la crème. Sortez votre crème au beurre du frigo au moins 30 minutes avant toute utilisation, puis battez-la à nouveau. Si elle se sépare, alors placer votre bol dans de l'eau chaude (pas trop) et continuez à battre jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait la bonne consistence (crèmeuse, mousseuse et étalable).
Idées de présentation: A manger sans modération! Ces cupcakes sont délicieux lorsqu'ils sont servis avec un bon petit thé, un exquis café au lait, un café séré ou un verre de lait bien froid!
