Light and Moist Vanilla Cupcakes



Cream Cheese icing tops these cupcakes
There are so many delicious cupcake recipes available so it is hard try them all. I found a great recipe that made a delicious light and fluffy cupcake. The recipe from Natasha's Kitchen was easy to follow and quick to put together.

I used baking cups I bought at Ikea, however, they are shorter than the usual cupcake cups so please take this into consideration if you plan to purchase them too. Their good point is that they bake the cupcakes nicely and are easy to clean up for reuse.

Silicone baking cups from Ikea

Recipe (makes about 8 - 12 cupcakes depending on size)

135 grams flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (room temperature)
120 grams sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
60 grams vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter milk

1. In a bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients.
2. In another bowl, mix the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer until yellow and fluffy. Add in the other wet ingredients and dry ingredients alternatively and continue mixing.
3. Pour into the baking cups and bake about 15 - 20 minutes (depending on size).
4. Cool before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
250 grams powdered sugar
50 grams room temperature butter
125 grams cream cheese (room temperature)

1. In a bowl, mix the butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer. When well mixed add the cream cheese and continue to mix. Add food coloring as you like.
2. You can put the icing into a pastry bag to pipe on the cupcakes.


Kathy
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Creamy Chocolate Tart



 
Top the tart with your favorite nuts
I really like this recipe since the  tart has a deep chocolate flavor and a creamy texture. I've topped it with walnuts but pecans would match very well also.
I usually make chocolate recipes in the winter when the weather is cold since chocolate is much easier to handle in cooler temperatures. I provide a recipe for a crust below, however, if you need to save time you can buy a frozen pie crust. I am not promising that taste will be the same though ;)

The recipe below fits a 18 cm pie tart.

Pie Dough
175 grams flour
90 grams cold butter
25 grams almond flour
70 grams powdered sugar
pinch of salt
35 grams egg
1. Sift the flour, powdered sugar, almond powder and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cut the butter into small cubes and mix into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter. (You can also use a food processor for making the pie crust). Lastly, mix in the egg.
3. Lightly knead together on a flat board to blend all the ingredients well. Flatten into a large circle and cover in plastic wrap. Put in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before using. This dough becomes soft quickly so you should work with it quickly.
4. Roll out the dough on a flat board to and fit over the tart ring. Cut off the excess dough with a knife. Neatly fit the dough inside of the ring. Cover with baking paper and fill with baking beans.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes then remove the beans and baking paper and bake for another 7 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Cover the dough with baking paper and baking beans
before baking
Chocolate Filling
200 grams fresh cream
225 grams dark chocolate
30 grams brown sugar
3 eggs (room temperature)
3 tablespoons flour (sifted)
1. In a bowl, put the chocolate over a pot of simmering hot water and melt. Remove from the heat when melted.
2. Put the cream into a saucepan and heat until lightly boiling.
3. Add the cream in portions to the melted chocolate and mix together with a small whisk. Stir gently so the chocolate does not separate.
4. Next add the eggs in portions to the chocolate and mix together using the whisk. Lastly, add the sifted flour in portions.
5. Pour the chocolate filling into the baked pie crust and top with nuts. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool before serving.


I used a rectangle tart pan for this one
Nice design
Kathy
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