9.02.2009

im so excited i could punch myself

starting friday i have the joy of taking a real, solid, week-long vacation/re-boot/take care of all the depressed and ailing women in my family time.
while aspects of it i expect will be difficult, i cant even express how excited i am that most of my main girls are actually IN southampton when i happen to be and that they are (judging by the email responses) as thrilled as i am to kick back in the poolhouse the way we have since we were mere tots with nothing to do but talk about where we've been, where we are, where we want to go and whatever else makes us laugh.
i plan to make a big salad and bring lots of wine and as many cupcakes as i can crank out of the old southampton oven.




recipes for my two favorite flavors below:

Ginger-Lemon Cupcakes
Cupcake ingredients:
3/4 cup (175 ml) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
2-1/2 cups (625 ml) cake flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) ground ginger
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) milk
Frosting ingredients:
1/4 cup (50 ml) butter
1/4 cup (50 ml) Realemon lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
3 cups (750 ml) icing sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped candied ginger
Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F Line muffin pan with paper liners. Cream butter gradually beat in sugar til fluffy. Stir in egg yolks and vanilla til smooth. Blend flour with ginger, baking powder salt. Add to butter mixture in three, alternate with milk, beat until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry using clean beaters, fold into the batter. Divide batter in prepd baking cups. Bake 30 mins or til cupcakes spring back
Frosting: Beat butter with lemon juice add icing sugar until smooth. Ice cupcakes and sprinkle with ginger

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
8 Tbsp (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
8 Tbsp butter, room temperature (1 stick, 4 ounces)
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Fresh mint for garnish
Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line tin with cupcake papers. add inch of water to medium saucepan place a metal bowl over it, bringing water to a simmer. Add butter (cut into chunks), chocolate, cocoa to the bowl. As butter and chocolate melt, whisk until ingredients are smooth. Remove from heat and cool. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, powder. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add salt, sugar, mint extract and beat til combined. Slowly add chocolate butter mixture and beat til combined. Add half of sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in sour cream. Mix in remaining flour mixture. Spoon batter evenly into lined muffin cups. Place in oven in middle rack. Bake 20 minutes, until tops spring back.
Frosting: beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk and mint extract. Slowly add in powdered sugar, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy.

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