Cupcake Christmas Tree Food

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THE BEST VANILLA CUPCAKES



The Best Vanilla Cupcakes image

These vanilla cupcakes taste as delicious as they look (which is often not the case when it comes to vanilla cupcakes!). Mixing flour with cornstarch gives the cake a light and airy texture that stays perfectly moist with a bit of added vegetable oil. Each cupcake is topped with a swirl of creamy, fluffy vanilla buttercream that's super easy to make.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h25m

Yield 18 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste or extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

  • For the cupcakes: Position two racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners.
  • Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Add the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until completely combined and smooth. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
  • Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin tins. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, rotating the tins halfway through baking time, 18 to 20 minutes.
  • Cool the cupcakes in the tins on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and cool on the rack completely.
  • For the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until completely smooth. With the motor running, add the heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag or large resealable plastic bag fitted with a large star tip. Decoratively pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

BASIC VANILLA CUPCAKES



Basic Vanilla Cupcakes image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 12 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk

Steps:

  • Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until just combined.
  • Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to the rack to cool completely.
  • Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high, add the vanilla and beat until creamy, 3 minutes. Beat in the milk until fluffy, about 1 minute.
  • Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate as desired.

PULL-APART POOL CUPCAKE CAKE



Pull-Apart Pool Cupcake Cake image

It's everybody into the pool for this fun summer dessert that requires little more than box cake mix, frosting and colorful supermarket candy.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 4h30m

Yield 24 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 14

One 15.25-ounce box vanilla cake mix (plus required ingredients)
Three 16-ounce tubs vanilla frosting
Blue food coloring, as needed
6 ounces blue candy-coated chocolates, such as M & M's
14 ounces white candy-coated chocolates, such as M & M's
One 3-ounce package blue sweetened powdered gelatin (1/4 cup)
1 striped sour candy belt
11 graham cracker bears
2 candy necklaces
1 small jawbreaker
2 gummy ring candies, such as Lifesavers Gummies
1 chocolate chew candy, such as Tootsie Roll
1 white flat taffy candy strip, such as Airheads
1 green flat taffy candy strip, such as Airheads

Steps:

  • For the cupcakes: Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Prepare the cupcakes according to the package directions. Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.
  • In a clean mixer bowl, combine 1 1/2 tubs of the frosting and about 1/4 teaspoon blue food coloring. Beat until smooth and no streaks remain, adding more color if needed to make a light blue frosting.
  • Dollop a tiny bit of blue frosting on the bottom of the liner of one of the cupcakes (this will help anchor it to the serving tray), then dollop a generous amount on top of the cupcake. Anchor the cupcake to a serving tray large enough to hold all 24 cupcakes. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, arranging them in a 4-by-6 cupcake grid with the edges touching.
  • Using an offset spatula, smooth the blue frosting across the tops of the cupcakes, adding more as necessary, so it appears as 1 layer and the individual cupcakes are no longer visible. Smooth the remaining blue frosting on the sides to cover the cupcakes but not the liners.
  • Put the remaining 1 1/2 tubs white frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the outline of a rectangle in white (about 5 by 7 inches) closer to one short edge of the cupcake grid to make the pool. Pipe around the outline of the rectangle all the way to the edges of the cupcake grid with white, leaving the inside of the pool blue. Smooth the white frosting with an offset spatula.
  • For the decorations: Arrange a row of blue candy-coated chocolates on the white frosting around the perimeter of the pool, then arrange another row of blue candy-coated chocolates around the outer perimeter of the cupcake grid. Fill in between the 2 blue rows with rows of white candy-coated chocolates to make the pool deck. Chill the cake 30 minutes to set the frosting inside the pool.
  • Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the blue gelatin until dissolved. Combine a mixture of water and ice in a measuring cup to make 1/2 cup. Stir into the dissolved gelatin until the ice melts. Chill the gelatin mixture while the cake chills. After 30 minutes, pour the gelatin into the pool. Chill until completely set, about 2 hours.
  • Cut 2 strips of sour candy belt, each slightly larger than a graham bear, to make beach towels. Lay 1 bear on each towel and arrange them to relax by the pool. Add a drink umbrella over each to shade them from the sun.
  • Cut the candy necklaces open where they tie to make 2 long strips. Cut 2 strips the same size as the length of the pool and arrange them over the gelatin for lanes. Gently pull out and discard the strings, keeping the candies in straight lines. Arrange 3 bears around a jawbreaker in the pool to play a game of volleyball. Stick a bear in each gummy ring candy for floaties and add to the pool.
  • Cut the chocolate chew into 4 pieces crosswise to make legs for the diving board. Cut a 1 1/2-inch piece from the white taffy and attach it to the legs to make a diving board. Set at the deep end of the pool and press a bear at the end, ready to dive in.
  • Cut the green taffy into a rectangle a little larger than a bear. With the back of a paring knife, score lines in the taffy to resemble the puffy parts of a blow-up raft. Stick a bear on the raft and add him to the pool. Stick the remaining bears in the pool to hang out.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE



Charlotte Russe image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     dessert

Time 55m

Yield 12 cakes

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon plus pinch salt
1 cup sugar, divided
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup cream sherry, such as Harvey's or Dry Sack
1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
Pinch cream of tartar
1/4 cup raspberry jam or preserves
2 tablespoons apple juice or water
1 recipe Whipped Cream, recipe follows
12 strawberries

Steps:

  • In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla. Whip to soft, fluffy peaks, about 2 minutes.
  • FOR THE CAKE: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 12-slot muffin tin with large paper or foil cupcakes liners.
  • Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together--three times. Form a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, sherry, and apple juice concentrate. On low speed, mix together, just until blended.
  • In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinches of salt and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy, and barely able to hold peaks, about 2 minutes. While sprinkling in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, whisk until the egg whites have the consistency of shaving cream.
  • Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Fold in the remainder of the whites. Fill the cups of the muffin tin no more than 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for 16 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.
  • Cut 12 (2 1/4-inch) circles and 12 (2 by 8 1/2-inch) bands out of glossy card stock. Wrap the bands around the circles to form cups and secure with tape or decorative ribbon. Do not tape any part of the circle. It must remain free to move.
  • FOR THE FILLING: Mix the preserves and apple juice until smooth. Split the cakes into 2 layers. Spread 1 teaspoon of the preserves in between layers. Place the cakes in the paper holders so that the cake top is even with the paper rim.
  • Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a star tip, with whipped cream. Pipe it to rise 1-inch above the paper rims. Top each with a strawberry.

COCONUT CUPCAKES



Coconut Cupcakes image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     dessert

Time 2h5m

Yield 18 to 20 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 16

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
  • Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
  • Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

GO-TO VANILLA CUPCAKES



Go-To Vanilla Cupcakes image

Golden memories: Smelling sweetly of butter, sugar and vanilla, these classic little cakes bring you right back to when you were a kid and Mom baked you birthday cupcakes.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     dessert

Time 1h10m

Yield 12 cupcakes (or about 48 mini cupcakes)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Your favorite frosting, for topping

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin or two 24-cup mini-muffin tins with cupcake liners.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
  • In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the melted butter and then the vanilla.
  • While mixing slowly, add half of the flour mixture. Then add all the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture; take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared muffin tin.
  • Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through baking time, 18 to 20 minutes for standard cupcakes or 10 to 12 minutes for minis. Cool the cupcakes in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on the rack completely. Frost and decorate as desired.

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