Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

13

These are tasty. What else can I say? Adapted from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 c unbleached AP flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c water

Frosting:
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
3 c powdered sugar
2 t orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt chocolate in the microwave (carfully!) or in a double boiler.

2. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until batter lightens in color, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream and mix to combine.

4. Add the baking powder, soda, salt and half the flour. Mix until blended.

5. Add the water, mix until blended. Add the remaining flour, and mix to just combine, don’t overmix.161

6. Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full, then bake for 13-17 minutes.

7. For frosting, combine everything besides sugar in a bowl and beat to combine. Add sugar and beat until fluffy and light. Cool frosting until the cupcakes are cool too, or else you’ll have frosting oozing all over the place. Or you know, don’t wait until the cupcakes are cool. Oozing frosting is OK sometimes.

Share Button

Carrot Cake

carrot2

This is my favorite carrot cake. No nuts (yuck!), no superfluous ingredients like pineapple, and lots of cream cheese frosting. It’s also “light”, or as light as a cake with frosting can be. Thanks, Cooking Light magazine.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
Cooking spray
9 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I usually double this)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups finely shredded carrot

Frosting:
1 cup (8 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided (Taste before you add it all if you like less sweet frosting like me)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare cake, coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

3. Place 9 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

5. To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.cake2small1

This cake keeps in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 days
without drying out. I’ve also made it with an orange
cream cheese frosting using the same recipe. Just add
in a large orange-worth of zest, along with a bit of the juice.
Hope you enjoy this cake as much as we do!

Share Button