Holiday Holly Chocolate Cupcakes Food

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together the buttermilk, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.
• Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Scrape down the bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Increase the speed to medium and beat for a full minute.
• Fill the prepared cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 18 minutes.
• For the frosting: Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a medium saucepan. Remove from the simmering water and let it cool until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, drizzle in the melted chocolate and beat until completely blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Decoratively pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

HOLIDAY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes:
• Bake according to package instructions for cupcakes, adding 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to batter and substituting white cranberry juice for water.
• For the Peppermint White Hot Chocolate "CUP" cakes:
• Fill a zip top bag with icing. Snip a small corner of the bag and pipe icing onto each cupcake to look like whipped cream on top of the "cup".
• To add peppermint "handle" for the "cup":
• Poke a small hole in the side of each cupcake using a chopstick or tooth pick and fill the hole with royal icing. Insert one end of the "U" shape candy cane piece into hole and the other end into the icing to make your "cup" cake. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.
• For the Snowman Cupcakes:
• Using a butter knife or spatula, lightly frost the cupcakes.
• Flatten a large marshmallow on waxed paper with the palm of your hand. Cut a second marshmallow in half horizontally, then stack the first half flat on the first marshmallow to form a torso then the second on it's side for a head. Thread a pretzel stick or toothpick through the bottom to secure marshmallows and stick into cupcake top.
• Use royal icing to attach cake decorating dots as eyes and buttons. Add a wedge cut from an orange slice candy for a nose.
• For the Reindeer Cupcakes:
• Using a butter knife or spatula, lightly frost each cupcake.
• Break the pretzels in half, and insert into the top of each cupcake for antlers. Use blue candy covered chocolates to make eyes. Cut fruit by the foot to make a mouth and place the red gumdrop in the center for the nose.
• With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes until stiff and glossy. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pastry bag to pipe onto cookies or cakes.;

HOLLY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with silicone baking mats and have rolling pin at hand.
• Add egg whites to medium bowl and whisk in sugar until frothy, about 1 minute.
• Sift in flour, then add vanilla and stir with fork. Add butter and food coloring to combine. Cover and refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make stencils: Trace holly leaf cookie cutter (for leaves) onto heavy piece of paper and carefully cut out shape, keeping stencil intact.
• Working with 1 at a time, lay stencils on baking mat and spoon Tbsp of mixture into center. Spread very thinly using offset spatula, then carefully remove stencil. Repeat 5 more times per cookie sheet.
• Bake until just starting to turn golden at edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately remove from oven. Carefully drape cookies over rolling pin and allow to cool before transferring to wire rack. Repeat with remaining cookie batter.
• Line small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush cranberries with corn syrup and roll in granulated sugar. Transfer to prepared sheet until dry, at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
• Using electric mixer, mix together sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and beat on low speed 1 minute until combined and fully incorporated.
• Add eggs and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in milk and vanilla (batter may look curdled). Add flour and mix until just combined.
• Spoon scant 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until wooden pick inserted in centers of comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
• To decorate: Transfer buttercream to piping bag fitted with star tip; pipe buttercream in spiral to cover tops of cupcakes. Add candied cranberries to centers as berries, then place tuiles to resemble leaves.

EASY CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES (W/ HOLLY SPRINKLES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two cupcake pans with liners (you will need 18-19 total). Spray lightly with baking spray.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
• Add the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix with hand beaters or the stand mixer on medium-low until well combined.
• Add the boiling water to the batter (I use the microwave to heat mine until boiling). Mix carefully until well combined. The batter should be smooth and thin.
• Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tins, about 3 tablespoons of batter in each liner. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl with hand beaters or in a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on high for 5 minutes, scraping occasionally.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tbsp of cream. Beat on medium-high for 5 minutes, scraping occasionally.
• Check the texture. You are looking for light, fluffy buttercream that can still hold it's shape. Add additional cream half a tablespoon at a time to loosen the frosting if needed. If it's too thin, add additional powdered sugar to thicken.
• Reduce the speed to low for 1-2 minutes or stir gently with a rubber spatula, pressing the frosting along the sides of the bowl to remove large air bubbles.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, place the vanilla buttercream in a large piping bag fitted with a 1M or 1B piping tip.
• To pipe a rosette, hold your piping bag straight above the center of the cupcake, barely off the surface. Squeeze with even, medium pressure to form a star in the middle. Without releasing, move your hand in a circular motion to start forming the rosette. Continue with even pressure all the way to the edge of the cupcake. Release the pressure and pull away to finish the rosette. Note: See the post for a how-to video link.
• If the end of the rosette is ragged, use a toothpick to smooth it out slightly. Then use your hands or tweezers to carefully apply your sprinkles of choice on the end of the rosette.
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