Seedling Cupcakes

After mentioning these cakes in the previous post, I had many requests for a recipe and instructions. Fear not, these cupcakes are quite simple and are a little taste of spring when there's a sub-freezing windchill outside! The cakes are also perfect for a spring or summer birthday, and would be fun for your pint-sized guests to "plant" themselves. 

Here's what you need:

1. 4-ounce canning jars (I used Ball's quilted jelly jars). They usually run about $10 per dozen depending on where you purchase them. That might sound expensive if you need 24, but remember you can reuse them endlessly. 

2. Your favorite cake recipe. I used my chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting recipe.

3. Butter or non-stick cooking spray, to grease the jars.

4. A jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.

5. Chocolate cookies or wafers. I used Newman's Own Organics Double Chocolate Chip Cookies - YUM!

6. A toothpick, or something similar, to help you "plant" your seedlings.

7. Edible herbs or flowers. I chose mint since my options were limited last winter when I baked the cakes. A variety of herbs or flowers would be awesome, especially in the summer when you have so many choices.

8. Popsicle sticks, optional. The sticks allow you to personalize the cakes and make them look more like seedlings. I wrote "Happy" and "Birthday" on mine. Writing the recipient's birthdate as you would a planting date would look cute as well.

Lavender Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Each passing year, I like to try something new for my birthday treat. In 2012, I made these insanely sweet banana cupcakes with brown butter cream cheese frosting and caramel drizzle (which also win the Longest Name award). In 2013, I used my green thumb in the kitchen to bake these adorable "seedling" cakes in canning jars (which are sadly still on the long list of treats to blog about).

Birthday 2013

The inspiration for this year's birthday cupcake started early; four months ago to be exact. On the very last day of August, I enjoyed a lovely lavender lemon cupcake from High Point Cafe in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. I knew then and there that I would have to adapt this cupcake for my birthday. If you have been keeping up with me in the kitchen, you know it's been the year of lavender.

Cupcake courtesy of High Point Cafe

Pumpkin Cupcakes

As soon as autumn arrives, everything is pumpkin; pumpkin soup, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie. Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. Imagine my surprise then, when I realized I have only posted one other pumpkin recipe in two years (this vegan banana pumpkin walnut bread last October)! So here we go...

For several years, I've made the classic PB and chocolate combo for my dad's birthday. Take a peak at these cupcakes and you will see why. This year we broke tradition and decided on pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I was paging through the latest Food Network magazine not long after and found a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes in their "50 Things to Make with Canned Pumpkin" article.

The recipe starts as a spice cake and FN suggests doubling it to make cupcakes. I used Trader Joe's organic canned pumpkin, grown and processed in Oregon, which sells for $1.99 a can. Any pumpkin puree will do, just be sure not to use pumpkin pie mix which comes pre-spiced. Speaking of spices, FN calls for pumpkin pie spice which I substituted with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The picky side of me prefers to add them individually. My only gripe with the recipe is the TWO sticks of butter in the cake. I didn't have time to experiment with the fats/oils this time around but I'm determined to lower the saturated fat in the future. Top these spicy cakes off with a sweet frosting like the cream cheese frosting you have already seen me pair with carrot, banana, and more.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

My chocolate peanut butter cupcakes finally deserve a posting, as chocolate and peanut butter is arguably the greatest combination in the world of sweet treats. 

When it comes to chocolate cupcakes, I prefer a dark chocolate or Devil's Food cake. Often the standard homemade chocolate cake just isn't chocolaty enough. If you don't have the time to whip up cakes from scratch, I suggest Trader Joe's chocolate cake mix (in the pink box). TJ's leaves out the artificial colors, flavors and preservatives you may find in other mixes and produces a yummy, moist cake. (I've never tried TJ's frosting, so if you have let me know how it is).

One Year Ago: Margarita Cupcakes

Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Birthday to my sister! One year ago, we celebrated with these margarita cupcakes.

A hint of lime in both the cake and the icing make these cakes more tart than sweet. And they taste better if you bake them while wearing a sombrero. Seriously.

Carrot (Cake) Cupcakes

I know what you're thinking. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is one of the most unhealthy cake choices. Sugar, oil, butter, cheese. Despite the bad reputation, find a reason to make these cupcakes once a year. Seriously. They're that good. Make them for Easter or a spring birthday and you've already lessened the chance of eating all 24 yourself.

These cupcakes made their first appearance last year on my mama's birthday and they're back to celebrate another year. She's a huge carrot cake fan (aren't we all?). This particular cake is just slightly spicy, with a touch of cinnamon, and is super moist. You won't find any raisins here, but you could toss them in if your heart desires.

I love baking with carrots. The color is fantastic. This recipe calls for a lot of grated carrot. If you don't have a food processor, save time by purchasing shredded carrots and finely chop them.

Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Drizzle

I’ve been making my own birthday cakes since high school and this year was no exception. I wanted to spotlight one of my favorite flavors, (real) banana, and after a few days of deliberations, decided on cupcakes.

A banana cupcake recipe from the book Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson (2008) resulted in a dense, banana bread-like cake. I am a huge banana bread fan and the flavor was satisfying. As with any banana recipe, use very ripe, even black, bananas.

I paired the cakes with my go-to cream cheese frosting with a new twist. My friend/chef/ultimate foodie/supermom Lindsay suggested browning the butter in the frosting. Brown butter makes everything better. That’s a fact. The melted butter made my frosting a bit runnier than usual but the flavor was worth it. Just be sure to transfer the cakes to the fridge shortly after icing.

I finished the cakes off with Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce and banana chips. Perfection.

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes in a rush

Have you ever counted the number of ingredients on the side of a cake mix box? Best not to try. I grew up on box mixes and was using them primarily up until my decision to stick to foods containing just a few ingredients that I can actually pronounce. Box mixes are convenient and reliable, however, so I won’t swear them off – especially in a pinch.

At the end of a busy week before Christmas filled with decorating, shopping, work, and school, I decided to make Christmas cupcakes for some friends. I don’t believe I had ever made “Christmas” cupcakes before, so I wanted to make them seasonal. The answer: peppermint.

It’s this simple:

1. Pick up a box of chocolate cake mix, preferably Devil’s food or dark chocolate

2. Grab a container (or two!) of chocolate icing - go darker here too, not milk chocolate

3. Toss a bottle of peppermint extract in your basket

4. Stop in the seasonal aisle and grab some Peppermint Patties and candy canes

Bake the cake mix according to the directions on the box. Add just a drop or two of peppermint extract to the icing (about ¼ teaspoon). Peppermint extract is strong, much stronger than vanilla extract, and a little goes a long way. It’s best to start with a little, stir, and taste. You can always add more and you won’t mind taste testing as you go. I used about a container and a half of icing to ice 24 cupcakes with the method you see in the photos.

Decorate the cakes with the peppermint candies. I placed a few candy canes under parchment paper and crushed them with a rolling pin to make the peppermint dust, and cut the Peppermint Patties in half to show off their bright white centers.

These cupcakes are delicious. Which leads me to ask, why don’t we see them more? I spent some time searching for chocolate peppermint cakes online and most recipes made a white peppermint frosting. Chocolate and mint is a superb combination and you can bet I’ll be making these again next year – hopefully with a perfected homemade cake and icing.