Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Very moist and chocolatey cake topped with creamy frosting.



Chocolate Cupcakes
Paula Deen
(Yield: approximately 30 cupcakes)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

Brew one cup of strong coffee and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

Add oil, cooled coffee, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 15 to 19 minutes.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, and then remove cupcakes from the pans and cool completely.


Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened & 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar (not Powdered Sugar)

Directions:
In a small or medium saucepan, add milk and whisk in flour over medium-low heat. Whisk continually until mixture is very thick...almost as thick as brownie batter; It must be thick, or the frosting will not set up properly. 

Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool completely on counter; I place on cool, wet dishtowel. 
Place plastic wrap directly ON top of mixture while cooling. For the next step, the milk/flour mixture must not be warm AT ALL, but if you cool mixture in refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature before proceeding. Once mixture has cooled, add in vanilla extract.

In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and granulated sugar on low for 2 minutes, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.  Add in the cooled milk/flour mixture and continue beating on medium-high for 8 minutes until resembles whipped cream. Frost cake/cupcakes and store in refrigerator (for firmer texture) or at room temperature (for softer texture).

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

The texture of this frosting is similar to whipped cream...luscious.


Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened & 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar (not Powdered Sugar)

Directions:
In a small or medium saucepan, add milk and whisk in flour over medium-low heat. Whisk continually until mixture is very thick...almost as thick as brownie batter; It must be thick, or the frosting will not set up properly. 

Remove pan from heat. Set aside to cool completely on counter; I place on cool, wet dishtowel. 

Place plastic wrap directly ON top of mixture while cooling. For the next step, the milk/flour mixture must not be warm AT ALL, but if you cool mixture in refrigerator, then bring back to room temperature before proceeding. Once mixture has cooled, add in vanilla extract.

In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and granulated sugar on low for 2 minutes, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.  Add in the cooled milk/flour mixture and continue beating on medium-high for 8 minutes until resembles whipped cream. Frost cake/cupcakes and store in refrigerator (for firmer texture) or at room temperature (for softer texture).

Yummy Yellow Cake with Strawberry Filling and Buttercream Frosting

This recipe produces a a fluffy yet dense textured cake perfect for any celebration; it is an adaptation of "White Almond Wedding Cake" found on Allrecipes.com.
Very versatile...change flavorings, filling, frosting, and garnishes to suit your taste.

Yummy Yellow Cake
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: 8 or 9-inch layer cake)

Cake Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) white cake mix (I used Pillsbury Brand, but 15.25 to 18.25 ounce works)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream (I used lite)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon buttery sweet dough emulsion (optional - purchased from King Arthur Flour)
3 large eggs

Filling:
Smucker's Strawberry Sundae Topping
Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease bottoms of two 8-inch round pans; line with parchment paper, and then grease and flour parchment and pans. Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl and mix on lowest speed until thoroughly combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 4 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pans (NOTE: I filled my pans approximately 1/2 full and had a small amount of batter leftover), and bake for approximately 47 minutes.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert cake layers onto cooling rack (peel off parchment paper). Once cooled, place one layer on serving platter or cake stand and top with small amount of strawberry topping spreading thin layer to within one inch of cake (don't let it drip over the edge); spread frosting over strawberry topping. Place second cake layer on bottom layer and frost whole cake with frosting.

Garnish suggestion: Using a star tip (Wilton 4B), add swirls of frosting to top edge of frosted cake...center fresh strawberry in each swirl.

Buttercream Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(Yield: enough to frost layer cake)

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Crisco Shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons meringue powder (optional)
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 Tablespoons milk or cream, for desired consistency

Directions:
Mix the butter, shortening, and salt on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add vanilla extract, butter flavoring, and almond extract, and then continue to mix until thoroughly blended.
Stop mixer and add meringue powder, if using, along with 1 cup powdered sugar. Start mixer on the lowest speed and add the remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the sugar is thoroughly blended.
Add milk or cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time, if needed for desired consistency.
Turn mixer to medium speed and continue to beat frosting for an additional 5 minutes.

White Layer Cake with Sour Cream Coconut Frosting

White Layer Cake - i am baker
Sour Cream Coconut Frosting - Whispers of Thyme

This cake recipe is from Amanda at i am baker, and it is dense and yummy.

I decided to fill it and cover it with a sour cream coconut frosting because I wanted a lighter frosting than traditional buttercream. If you've never tried a sour cream frosting, I will tell you this...it does have a slight taste of sour cream and can be made thicker and sweeter with the addition of more sugar.

Here's what you'll need (for the cake): 
Cake Flour, Milk, Egg Whites, Almond Extract, Vanilla Extract, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, & Butter

Allow the milk and egg whites to reach room temperature before starting the cake.


Combine milk, egg whites, and extracts in medium bowl and whisk together thoroughly.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in mixer bowl.

Add in cubed butter and beat for a couple of minutes.

 Add in all but 1/2 cup of milk and mix...then add additional milk and mix again.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake.

Once baked, let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.

 


Here's what you'll need (for my frosting):
Sour Cream, Powdered Sugar, Cool Whip, Flake Coconut, & Vanilla Extract 
(not pictured)

To a large bowl, add:
sour cream and vanilla extract...stir, 
powdered sugar...stir,
flaked coconut...stir,
Cool Whip (thawed)...stir in gently until thoroughly combined.

 

Once cake is cooled thoroughly, assemble the cake with the frosting .

  

Cut a Big slice...

and savor every bite!

My changes and tips for the cake:
1) used whole milk,
2) reduced almond extract to 1 teaspoon,
and
3) my cake took longer to bake...approximately 34 minutes (I used two 8-inch pans)

RECIPE: White Layer Cake

RECIPE: Sour Cream Coconut Frosting

Sour Cream Coconut Frosting

Light and creamy frosting that makes a white cake!


Sour Cream Coconut Frosting 
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com 
(yields enough to frost layer cake)

Ingredients:
16 ounces sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
3 cups sweetened flake coconut
12 ounces Cool-Whip 

Instructions:
To a large bowl, add:
sour cream and vanilla extract...stir, 
powdered sugar...stir,
flaked coconut...stir,
Cool Whip (thawed)...stir in gently until thoroughly combined.  
Enough to frost and fill a 2-layer cake.    

Tips:
1) A fourteen ounce bag of sweetened flake coconut contains 5 1/3 cups coconut; you will only need 3 cups for this recipe.
2) Use more powdered sugar if you prefer it sweeter or thicker,
3) Frosting and frosted cake must be stored in the fridge...Do NOT freeze,
and
4) This is not a frosting to serve outdoors on a warm day!

Buttercream Frosting/Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream Frosting or *Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com
(yields enough to frost layer cake)

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup Crisco Shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 1/2 teaspoons meringue powder (optional)
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 Tablespoons milk or cream, for desired consistency

Directions:
Mix the butter, shortening, and salt on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and butter flavoring, then continue to mix until thoroughly blended. Stop mixer and add meringue powder, if using, along with 1 cup powdered sugar. Start mixer on the lowest speed and add the remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the sugar is thoroughly blended. Add milk or cream, 1 Tablespoon at a time, if needed for desired consistency. Turn mixer to medium speed and continue to beat frosting for an additional 5 minutes.

*Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com

 
Ingredients:
Prepared Buttercream Frosting (see above).
Four (4) Hershey Chocolate Bars (1.55 ounces each)

Directions:
Prepare Buttercream Frosting recipe as specified above. Microwave four (4) Hershey chocolate bars on medium power until melted. Stir and then set aside to cool. Once cooled, add the melted chocolate to the Buttercream Frosting and blend with mixer until fully incorporated and smooth.

Recipe Review - Banana Cake

Banana Cake Recipe - Dulce Dough 
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe - Whispers of Thyme

This is by far the Best Banana Cake I have tasted! The cake recipe is from Jill at Dulce Dough. Her recipe calls for Rum Cream Cheese Frosting, which sounds good, but since I didn't want it to be too cream cheesy, I opted for my Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting, which is listed at end of this post. 


For the cake you will need flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ripe bananas, buttermilk or sour milk, shortening, vanilla extract, and eggs. I used buttermilk powder (and water) instead of buttermilk.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
[If using buttermilk powder, add the powder in now. We'll add the water in a minute.]

Whisk them all together.

Mash the bananas.

Measure mashed bananas. Add to flour mixture.

Add the water now if using buttermilk powder.

Add shortening.

Add vanilla.

I also added this (optional): Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor
This is for baked products only, not frosting, etc.

Mix until well combined.

Add eggs.

Beat everything together.

Pour batter into pans.

 Bake and remove from oven.

Remove from pans and cool on rack.

For my Frosting you will need butter, cream cheese, shortening, salt, [meringue powder, optional], powdered sugar (confectioners'), [heavy whipping cream (or milk)], vanilla extract, and imitation butter flavor (like McCormick or Watkins). Meringue powder can be purchased from Wal-Mart.
 

Add butter, shortening, and cream cheese to mixer bowl.

 Add in salt.

Blend together.

 Add in vanilla and imitation butter flavor.

Sift in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar along with meringue powder, if using.

Blend well and add remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix for 5 minutes on medium speed. Add in 1 tablespoon of cream or milk at a time, until desired consistency.

Assemble the cake.

Slice, eat, and be prepared to say Yum!

Note: Cake must be refrigerated or frozen.


RECIPE: Banana Cake

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting 
 (frosts 2 layer cake)

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter*, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup shortening
1/8 teaspoon salt*
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon imitation butter flavoring
2 teaspoons meringue powder
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, for desired consistency

Directions:
Mix together butter, cream cheese, shortening, and salt until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract, butter flavoring, (and meringue powder, if using). Mix well. Add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all sugar has been added, mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add cream (or milk) 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed for desired consistency. 

*If using salted butter, omit salt in recipe.