Pumpkin-Pie-in-the-Middle Cupcakes

Please don't tell my mom; I skipped class to make these cupcakes. I was just having a rough day. My roommate in DC this summer, Beth, posted this recipe to my wall. I was so frustrated that I promptly skipped class, drove straight to Kroger, and set to work. It was exactly what I needed to make me feel in control of my life again. How does that always happen? Even better, these cupcakes were absolutely delicious, and obviously unique. Pumpkin pie IN a cupcake!? As my friend Mackey said "They solve the eternal debate over which is better, cake or pie."

Basically, the gist of this cupcake is the following: vanilla cream cheese cupcakes with a tiny pumpkin pie in the middle, topped with vanilla-cinnamon buttercream icing. AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS. The only major flaw with the design is that it's one of the more labor-intensive recipes I've undertaken, specifically because it's like you're making two separate desserts.

Also, I apologize for the really terrible quality of the cupcake picture uptop. I was (literally) running to my exec meeting when I realized I should probably photograph the cupcakes before they got eaten. To make up for it, I will give you a zillion pictures of my friends on APhiO's exec board devouring said cupcakes. You're welcome.

Pumpkin-Pie-in-the-Middle Cupcakes

Adapted from bakeitinacake.com

Ingredients:

• For the pumpkin pies:

- 1 box refrigerated pie crust

- 8 oz pumpkin

- 8 oz sweetened condensed milk

- 2 eggs

- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger)

• For the cupcakes:

- 1.5 sticks butter, at room temperature

- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

- 1.5 c sugar

- 3 eggs

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 tsp baking powder

- .5 tsp baking soda

- .5 tsp salt

- 1.33 c whole milk

- 2.5 c flour

• For the icing:

- 2 sticks of butter, room temperature

- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

- 2 c powdered sugar

- vanilla extract and cinnamon to taste

To Make:

• Pumpkin pies:

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

- Combine pumpkin and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl until fully incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, then spices. Mix well.

- Using a juice glass, cut dough into small circles, and use them to line mini muffin cups. Fill each crust about 3/4 of the way full with the pumpkin mixture.

- Bake for 7 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 10 more minutes, until the crusts are golden and the filling is set.

- Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from mini muffin tins.

• Cupcakes:

- Cream butter and cream cheese together for about 90 seconds, then add the sugar and mix well. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

- Add milk and flour, alternating between small amounts of the two until completely combined and smooth.

- Line regular muffin pans with paper liners. In each liner, place a heaping tablespoon of the batter. Place a pumpkin pie in each and gently push down (the pie should NOT touch the bottom of the pan). Place another heaping tablespoon of batter overtop of the pies, so that the top and sides aren't visible.

- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool 10+ minutes in the pans before removing to cool completely before frosting.

• Icing:

- Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth.

- Add powdered sugar, incorporating by half cups, then vanilla and cinnamon.

- Chill before frosting.

Some Notes:

• That pie filling is annoying. I used a full 16ish oz can of pumpkin because that's the smallest they sold and made it according to the back of the can, and I now have a ridiculous amount of excess filling chilling in my fridge. So, be warned, you will either have to throw out some perfectly good pie filling or do like I plan on, and make personal pumpkin pies in regular muffin tins. Yum!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (For Jazz Musicians)

Holly on the left, Bray on the right, yours truly in the middle.

Tibbs chowing down.

So, I'm back in the A-k-rowdy, at least for the moment. I've been here a week now, but there has been utter pandemonium with my dad moving into his new house, and trying to figure out where I'm stashing all my stuff, as well as catching up with just about everyone I ever knew in high school, and making some new friends along the way.

I've been restless lately, and everyone can see it. I cut and dyed my hair, got a new piercing (or two) and have been making some pretty poor decision-making as of late. I needed some centering, so when Brandy issued her cupcakes-at-Northside ultimatum, I jumped to comply.

Oh, and if you're unfamiliar with what Northside is, please allow me to enlighten you. The Northside, technically, is an almost-hole-in-the-wall bar in downtown Akron. On Wednesday nights, The Northside hosts an open-mic jazz workshop for the University students from 9 pm until midnight. If you're in the Akron area, GO! It's a great time. Afterwards, many of the musicians (with whom I've become friends because of my frequent attendance) go eat at Luigi's, next door.

They work hard, and hard work should be rewarded. Hence, cupcakes.

The actual text message conversation that begat the inception of these cupcakes (yep, big words... get over it):

Bray: Cupcakes, as promised, at Northside tonight?

Auds: Oh, damn. I forgot.

Bray: You have three hours. Make it happen.

Auds: Yes, ma'am.

In Brandy's defense, she did come over and help frost the cupcakes, as well as keep my company as I dyed my hair a color similar to red velvet. Holly Jane and Zoe were there too, ready and willing to steal half-made frosting, incubate my eggs to room temperature, and tell me that my hair looked fabulous. It's really why I keep them around... Kidding, of course.

Oh, and the cupcakes got rave reviews. :)

Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Icing

Adapted from More from Magnolia

Ingredients:

For cupcakes-

• 3 1/2 c cake flour
• 1 1/2 stick butter (softened)
• 2 c sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 1/2 tbsp red food coloring
• 3 1/2 tbsp water (at room temperature)
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 c buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

For icing-

• 6 tbsp flour
• 2 c milk
• 2 c butter (softened)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners. Sift cake flour and set aside.
2. Cream together butter and sugar for cupcakes on medium speed until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating in between.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together food coloring, water, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Add to the batter.
4. Stir salt into buttermilk. Add in 3 parts, alternating with the cake flour, to the batter. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and baking soda. Add to batter, and mix well. Divide batter between cupcake tins.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
6. In a medium saucepan, whisk together flour and milk for icing. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture becomes very thick (about 10 minutes). Cover with waxed paper placed directly on mixture and cool to room temperature (can be refrigerated to speed up the process).
7. Beat the butter for the icing until it becomes smooth, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla. Beat again (it's a theme!)
8. Add cooled milk mixture to butter mixture and beat for 5 minutes. Frost cupcakes immediately.

Some Notes:

• As with most of the cupcakes I make, the frosting-cupcake ratio should be at LEAST 1-1. If you're going to eat a Pastry Flower dessert, expect to go into a sugar comatose directly after. But really, more is better when it comes to icing on these cupcakes.
• And don't be deterred by the complexity of the icing. It was better than ANY store-bought.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze

Wow. I completely forgot how stressful moving from one place to another, 200 miles away is. Please forgive me for the lull in posts, but I have a backlog of delicious goodies to post for you guys! First on the agenda... these absolutely luscious peanut butter-chocolate cupcakes with chocolate glaze. Everyone from 10 year-olds to college guys to my grandparents' friends loved them; they're definitely a new go-to recipe for me... the classic pb/chocolate combination is beloved by many so you can't go wrong with these.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts 

Ingredients:

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 c. smooth peanut butter
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. hot water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line about 16 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl cream together peanut butter, butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after additions. Still in vanilla (1 tsp.). Alternately fold in the flour mixture and the milk by thirds. Fold in the chocolate chips (1 c.).
4. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely.
5. Combine the last three ingredients in a double boiler and brush onto cupcakes after they have cooled.

Some Notes:

• A pastry brush works really well for brushing the glaze over the cupcake.
• Serve the cupcakes with milk. :)