Cupcakes for Benjamin's 5th Birthday

Benjamin requested "Lightening McQueen and Mater" cupcakes for his birthday celebration at school. "Red frosting and yellow lightening bolts for Lightening McQueen and brown sprinkles for Mater." So I used most of a chocolate cupcake recipe that I had been eying for a while and used red-tinted vanilla buttercream frosting instead of the ganache the original recipe calls for. The cupcakes are delicious and surprisingly easy to make, so I will absolutely be trying it again with the ganache.

I felt like I could really taste the red food coloring, so if you're looking to dye frosting a dark color, I would definitely try to find some of that food coloring gel that you can use with a lot less volume. Though, having never used it, just having seen it used on tv, I'm not sure if it still has that food coloring taste. I think I'm just super sensitive to it, but the food coloring taste makes me crankier than I feel I should be whilst eating tasty treats.

Oh, and the birthday boy loves that he made an appearance in his cupcake picture.



Lulu's Cupcakes
A variation on this recipe from Lulu's Bake Shoppe, Boston, for Food Network Magazine

For the Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Place paper liners in two 12-cup muffin pans.

Prepare the cupcakes:
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling:
Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill).

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Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Courtesy of Gale Gand

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.