DC Cupcake's Vanilla Cupcakes

DC Cupcake's Georgetown Vanilla Cupcake 



INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups flour , sifted
1/2 tsp. baking powder, sifted
1/4 Tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract + seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 1/4 cups whole milk , at room temperature

Georgetown Cupcake Buttercream Frosting

16 Tbsp. (8 ounces) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp. whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

To make your cupcake unique for your Valentine add a mix-in!

• ½ cup Chopped French Chocolate (if you want to INDULGE your sweetheart)
• ½ cup Rose Champagne (if want to LOOSEN UP your sweetheart)
• ½ cup Diced Strawberries (if your sweetheart is ROMANTIC)
• ½ cup Cinnamon Heart Candies (if your sweetheart is SPICY)
• ½ cup of Coffee Liqueur (if you and your sweetheart like to STAY UP ALL NIGHT)
• ½ cup of Dulce de Leche / Caramel (if your sweetheart is SEXY)
• ½ cup of Goldfish (if your sweetheart likes something SALTY and SWEET)
• ½ cup of shredded coconut (if you don't have time for that EXOTIC getaway)
• ½ cup of mashed banana (if your sweetheart is BANANAS)

DIRECTIONS:
For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 cupcake pans with baking cups or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Combine the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.


**If adding a special Valentine ingredient:
Add the ingredient of your choice to the batter, mix for 10 seconds, then scoop batter into cupcake pans!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cupcake Surprise

Yields 12 Cupcakes
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan wells.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup sour cream

Instructions:
1. Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water. Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
3. Whisk eggs in second bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
4. Fill cupcake line ¼ full. Add a Reeses peanut butter cup to each well and finish pouring cupcake batter on top of it until the wells are two-thirds full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
5. Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Chocolate Swiss Meringue
• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Instructions:
1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine. Add cooled chocolate and mix to combine.

Chocolate Pouring Sauce
• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-5 tablespoons water, warm
Instructions:
1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

Assembly
1. Frost cooled cupcakes. Freeze frosted cupcakes for ten minutes. Drizzle chocolate pour over chocolate frosting (reheat chocolate pour in microwave as needed to keep pouring consistency). Shake sprinkles on chocolate sauce. Place peanut butter cup on top and add a more frosting. Finish with a maraschino cherry.