Matinee Idol Cupcakes Food

CREAM-FILLED BLACKOUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Add the oil, melted butter, water, beaten egg and vanilla and mix on low to combine. Scrape the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula and then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Scrape and fold the batter a few times. Divide the batter into the 12 liners and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out with moist crumbs, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Before frosting the cupcakes, cover them lightly with plastic wrap and chill them for 1 hour to make handling easier.
• For the fudge frosting and filling: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high until very smooth and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the cocoa, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and salt and blend on low until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add in 1 tablespoon of steaming hot water. Scrape the bowl, then raise the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low and mix for 1 to 2 minutes to smooth out the frosting and reduce air bubbles.
• Transfer 1/3 cup of the fudge frosting to a small bowl and stir in the marshmallow creme.
• Use a paring knife or apple corer to remove a 1-inch wide "plug" of cake in the middle of the bottom of each cupcake, cutting about halfway through.
• Place the cream filling into a small resealable plastic bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the filling into the holes cut out of the cupcakes; use the plugs or scraps of the cake you removed to plug the holes back up.
• Frost the filled cupcakes with the remaining frosting and top with mini chocolate chips if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

BLENDER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prep a standard muffin tin with paper liners or mist with oil spray. Set aside.
• Puree the beans and 1 cup water in a high-powdered blender. Add the cake mix and dates to blender and combine until smooth, 1 minute.
• Stir in the nuts by hand, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins about three quarters of the way high and bake for about 18 to 24 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (See Cook's Note.) Let cool completely.
• To finish: Top each cupcake with 1 to 2 tablespoons frosting.

PANSY FLOWER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream.
• To pipe the flower: Place the grape-tinted frosting in a pastry bag with a #104 rose tip. Point the bag down at a 45 degree angle, with the skinny end of the rose tip aimed towards the center of the flower. Squeeze and release while making 5 tear shapes in a circle to form a flower. Repeat piping on top with 4 more tear shapes in a tight circle.
• Place the egg yolk-tinted frosting in a pastry bag with a #2 small round tip. Hold the bag straight up, and pipe a small dot into the center of the flower.
• To pipe the leaf: Place the avocado-tinted frosting in a pastry bag with a #70 leaf tip. Point the bag down at a 45 degree angle with the tip lightly touching the surface of the cupcake. Squeeze hard to build up the base and simultaneously lift the tip slightly. Relax the pressure as you pull the tip toward you, drawing the leaf to a point. Stop squeezing and lift the tip away. Pipe a second leaf on the other side of the flower.
• Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

ORGANIC CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the paper baking cups into the cupcake molds.
• Melt the chocolate in adding it to a small glass bowl set over a simmering saucepan of water and stirring until it melts. Stir in the milk to thin it out a bit.
• Follow the package instructions and prepare the vanilla cake mix. Blend the cake mix with 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, and 1/2 cup oil. Pour 1/2 the mix in a separate bowl. Mix the melted chocolate into one of the bowls and stir for a couple of minutes, until you have reached a nice dark colored mix.
• In each cupcake mold, use 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 chocolate mix, bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Serve with a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.

LEMONY SUNSHINE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with 16 foil cupcake liners; set aside.
• Place shortbread cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl; stir until well combined; set aside.
• In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix just until combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add vegetable oil, water, and the box of lemon pudding. Mix until combined. Add cake mix and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Batter will be on the thick side.
• Place a slightly heaping tablespoon of shortbread cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use your fingers or the bottom of a small glass to firmly pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining shortbread cookie crumb mixture for topping.
• Use a 1/4 cup spring loaded ice cream scoop and place a level scoop full of batter into each muffin cup.
• Load the lemon curd into a small sandwich size resealable bag, removing the air from the bag before sealing. Squeeze the curd to 1 corner of the bag and use scissors to snip a 1/4- inch piece from corner of bag; set aside.
• With a damp finger or the end of a wooden spoon dipped in water, make a shallow indentation into the center of each cupcake. Pipe 3/4 to 1 teaspoon lemon curd into each indentation. Sprinkle tops of cupcakes evenly with remaining shortbread cookie crumbs.
• Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until edges of cupcakes are lightly golden brown.
• Serve cupcakes warm from the oven or at room temperature.
• A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.