I participated in an Iron Cupcake Challenge today!

What is an Iron Cupcake Challenge? This competition is loosely based on The Food Network’s Iron Chef in that a different flavor/ingredient is chosen each month and participants must bake their best cupcake based on the given flavor, then bring their cupcakes to the competition to be judged by a panel of three expert bakers/foodies. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from each challenge go to a different charity every month. I was so happy to spend a night tasting cupcakes for a good cause – who wouldn’t have fun at an event like this!

The theme this month was “Thanksgiving.” There were 15 creative and delicious entries, which ranged from a sweet potato casserole cupcake to a pumpkin spice cupcake to a chocolate cupcake sculpted to look like a roasted turkey. I created a cupcake that was a sweet twist on stuffing with gravy. I, unfortunately, did not win this time, but am already excited to participate in the next!

A Sweet Twist on Stuffing with Gravy – Cupcake Style
Makes 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
¼ cup butter
1 cup pecans
1 cup cranberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 granny smith apple, diced into small pieces
1 angel food cake (store-bought or homemade), cut into ½ inch cubes
1 cup heavy cream
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-inch cupcake tins with silicone (preferred) or paper cupcake liners.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add pecans, cranberries, and spices; sauté lightly for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add apple and sauté until tender, 5 more minutes.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream and eggs. Set aside.
6. Transfer pecan, cranberry, apple mixture to a large bowl. Add ½ of the angel food cake cubes and stir gently to combine.
7. Add cream and egg mixture, stir to combine, and then add the remaining angel food crumbs. Stir a few times to combine, but do not over-mix.
8. Gently press stuffing mixture into cupcake tins. Fill cupcake liners to brim.
9. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until tops of cupcakes are golden.
10. Let cupcakes cool in tins for 10 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting with Brown Sugar Icing (below).

Brown Sugar Icing:
½ cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1. Combine brown sugar, milk, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Heat until butter is melted and brown sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and powdered sugar.
4. Let cool slightly (but not all of the way) before using.

Thanksgiving may be over, but the good eats don’t have to be. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think!

In case you didn’t get your fill of coconut with my last post, here’s an adaptation of Martha Stewart’s Coconut Layer Cake recipe. I mini-fied this recently for some guests and we all agreed these cakes were great summer treat – very light and refreshing. We had a hard time getting our guests to go home after serving them these!

Photo Credits: Jon Ventura

An added bonus to the deliciousness of these cupcakes is the healthy dose of coconut afforded by each cupcake. Although coconut was once vilified for its high saturated fat content, we now know that the saturated fat in coconut is actually different (specifically, healthier!) than other saturated fats, and consumption of the type of fat provided by coconut promotes a more favorable HDL/LDL (i.e., good cholesterol to bad cholesterol) ratio. Recent research has also shown coconut oils have antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiprotozoal properties as well as a variety of other important, health promoting nutrients.

Recipe:

(adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook by Martha Stewart)

Makes 12 cakes

Vanilla cupcakes:

Coconut Cream Topping and Filling:

Instructions:

Vanilla cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. with two racks centered. Line one 12-cake cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on low speed to soften. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light in color and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep beating while gradually adding the sugar, until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually drizzle in the beaten egg yolks, beating between each addition until the batter is no longer slick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl twice. Beat until mixture is fluffy again, about 3 minutes more. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour. Divide batter evenly among the 12 cupcake wells. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and return to the rack to cool completely, top sides up.

Coconut Cream Topping and Filling:

Place egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set the bowl aside. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the reserved yolks to warm them. Slowly pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook, while continuing to stir, over medium heat until the mixture just begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut and vanilla. Transfer the topping/filling to a medium mixing bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Transfer the filling to the refrigerator until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour.

Assembling the cakes:

When the cupcakes are completely cool, peel the cupcake liners off. Using a serrated knife, slice each cupcake in half horizontally to create two layers. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the Coconut Cream Topping and Filling on the bottom layer of each cupcake. Cover with the top layer, then place another heaping tablespoon of the Coconut Cream Topping and Filling on the top of each cupcake. Garnish with a quartered strawberry or fruit of your choice for some color and added sweetness.

Nutritional Information (per cupcake):

Calories: 223

Fat: 11.3 g

Saturated Fat: 7.0 g

Carbohydrates: 27.2 g

Protein: 3.6 g

I made these a few weekends ago for a BBQ we hosted at our house – they were a hit. In fact, after eating one of these, one guest actually told my husband: “You must have sold your soul to the devil to get her to marry you.” Now that’s a good mini cake.

Recipe:

(adapted from Cupcakes by Susanna Tee)

Makes 48 mini cakes

Mini cakes:

Frosting:

Instructions:

Mini cakes:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two mini muffin pans with mini muffin liners (or you can do two rounds of mini cakes with a single mini muffin pan). Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer. Gradually add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas and yogurt. Fold in the flour mixture, then the mini chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the mini muffin liners, filling the liners 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake the mini cakes in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:

Place the butter in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Spread the frosting on top of each mini cake and top with sprinkles, as desired.

Nutritional Information (per mini cake):

Calories: 94

Fat: 5.1 g

Saturated Fat: 3.2 g

Carbohydrates: 11.2 g

Protein: 1.1 g