Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
—Cake—
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120mL)
- 1 cup buttermilk (236mL)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup strong hot coffee (355mL)
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (177mL)
- 1 tbs vanilla extract (13mL)
- 3 cup all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2 2/3 cup granulated sugar (533g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (4.8g)
- 1 tbs baking soda (14.3g)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (5.7g)
- 1 1/2 lb confectioner's sugar 680g
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature (338g)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (60mL)
- 1/4 cup Cocoa powder (25g)
- 1 tsp vanilla optional (5mL)
- 1 tsp espresso optional (5mL)
- 1/4 tsp salt (1.5g)
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate (45g)
Preparation:
- Butter and flour 3 eight inch cake pans. I highly recommend using cake strips for a more even bake.
- Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients the dry ingredients.
- Whisk to combine then mix on low for about a minute.
- Distribute batter evenly to the three pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350F (176C) or until a toothpick inserted
in the center comes out clean. I recommend rotating the pans halfway through the bake.
- Allow time to cool for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool fully.
Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces (113 grams) high quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with foil or parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Do NOT use glass or ceramic baking pans for this recipe, they will not allow the brownies to cook through the center.
- Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Microwave for 1 minute, then
stir. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth but not scorched.
Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar on medium-high speed until light and thick and
ribbony, about 3 to 5 minutes or more depending on your mixer. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the cooled chocolate butter mixture. Gently fold in the flour and salt until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 35 to 40
minutes. Do not overbake the brownies as they will continue to bake once they’re out of the oven.
- Let cool completely to room temperature before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled for an even fudgier texture.
Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup M&M's
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salted peanuts
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, cream peanut butter, butter and sugars. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add baking soda and vanilla. Add oats, M&M's, butterscotch chips and peanuts; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in
flour (the dough will be crumbly).
- Shape by 1/4 cupfuls into balls. Place on greased baking sheets, about 9 cookies on each sheet. Gently flatten
cookies. Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks.
Macarons
Ingredients:
- 2 oz (57 g) almond flour
- 4 oz (113 g) powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 oz (57 g) egg whites aged overnight in the fridge and brought to room temperature
- 1/4 tsp (1/4 tsp) cream of tartar
- 1 oz (28 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 drop gel food coloring
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 300ºF and line a 1/2 baking sheet with the macaron template and parchment paper or use a silicone
macaron mat with built in template.
- Sift together the powdered sugar, salt, and almond flour, twice if not blended.
- Pulse the mixture in a food processor 8-10 times to make the almond flour mixture even finer and texture and to
blend the ingredients together.
- Whip the egg whites on low to frothy consistency and slowly add the sugar in thirds while mixing on low.
- Once the egg whites turn white and you can see some lines forming in the surface from the whisk, add cream of tartar,
whipping on medium until soft glossy peaks form.
- Add the vanilla (and food coloring if desired) to the meringue during the soft peak stage. Then continue whipping on
medium-high until you get stiff but shiny peaks that start gathering and bunching on the inside of the whisk.
- Add 1/3 of your almond mixture to the meringue. Fold your spatula under the batter and around the edges and then cut
through the center until almond flour is mixed in. Continue with the rest of the almond flour and folding until homogenous.
- Gently press the spatula on top of the batter while you turn the bowl to take out some fo the air from the meringue. Continue
folding around the outside edge until the batter forms a ribbon and moves like lava.
- Your meringue is ready when it forms a ribbon off the spatula and the batter that settles almost dissolves all the way back
into the rest of the batter but still leave a bit of a line.
- Place parchment paper onto your sheet pan. Pipe small rounds about 1" in diameter.
- Drop the pan onto the table 5-6 times from about 5" above the table to release bubbles. Use a toothpick to remove big pockets
of air trapped under the surface. Use a very small amount of water on your fingertip to smooth any rough spots.
- Whisk to combine then mix on low for about a minute.
- Allow them to dry, uncovered until a crust forms on the surface. About 15-60 minutes or until a dry film develops over the
surface of the cookie. For humid areas put a space heater nearby to help dry the cookies faster.
- Bake at 300ºF for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Smaller cookies will bake in 10 minutes, larger cookies will
need to bake longer. If not quite baked, bake for an additional 1 minute. Cooled cookies should pull away from the parchment paper
without sticking. If they do stick, they were not baked enough.
- Let cool fully before removing from the parchment and filling with buttercream. Cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up
to 5 days. Shells can be frozen for 6 months in an airtight container.
- For buttercream, place egg white, powdered sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high for 5 minutes. Then add in softened butter
and vanilla and whip until light and creamy.
Floral & Light Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- Vanilla cupcakes
- 8 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups unsalted butter cut into pieces, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Pink, yellow, and lavender gel food coloring
- Mint leaves
- Sugar pearls
- White non pareils
Preparation:
- Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the
sugar is completely dissolved. You don’t want the eggs to scramble.
- Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high until peaks form and the eggs cool down, about 5 minutes.
Add the chunks of butter, one piece at a time. Add the powdered sugar and extracts, and beat until combined.
- Divide into three bowls. Color as desired. Transfer to piping bags fitted with a coupler and Wilton tips #4B, #2D (Take a wooden spoon
and use the end to open it up a little), and #104.
- To make the roses use the #2D tip. Start in the middle, and in one stroke, wrap the frosting around until the cupcake is covered. Add a
mint leaf.
- To make the zinnias use the #104 tip. Point the tip with the loop at the bottom. Use and up and down motion to create the petals. Fill in
the middle using the same motion. Dot with sugar pearls.
- To make the hydrangea, use the #4B tip. Pipe the frosting straight onto the cupcake starting on the outside edge and lift up, until the
cupcake is covered. I added layers by piping in between and adding a little height. Sprinkle with white non-pareils.
Fluffy White Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. For the Vanilla Cupcakes, beat all ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed just to moisten. Beat on medium speed
2 minutes. Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
- Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool
completely on wire rack.
- For the Whipped Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, beat butter and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar,
beating well after each addition. Beat in milk until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cupcakes with Frosting.
Organic Strawberry & Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 c. cake flour
- 2/3 c. sliced freeze dried strawberries - pureed into powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher sea salt
- 2/3 c. full-fat sour cream - or whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 2/3 c. diced strawberries - about 1/8-inch in size
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard size cupcake pan with liners, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add
the egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, mix to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, powdered strawberries, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually
alternate adding the dry ingredients along with the sour cream and milk. After all of the ingredients have been added, beat on medium for 15 seconds. Gently
fold in diced strawberries.
- Using a large cookie scoop (#20 or 3.5 tablespoons), fill each of the liners with the batter. Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the
centers are set. You can use a toothpick or cake tester to ensure that they are done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before
transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, to make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer and the whisk
attachment), beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered strawberries and turn the mixing speed on low. Gradually add the powdered
sugar along with the raspberry puree, white chocolate, whole milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn mixing speed up to high and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy.
Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes before using.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large piping tip, pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with a fresh strawberry, if desired.
Gourmet Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (reduce if at a high altitude)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at cool room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at cool room temperature
- 1 Batch of Best Chocolate American Buttercream
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes,
scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the oil and beat for another minute, or until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, and the vanilla one at a time, beating very well
between additions until combined.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Batter will be fairly thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cavities, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Don't overfill, you may need to bake up to 15 cupcakes if using a pan with
smaller cavities. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are springy to the touch. Let cool for 20 minutes in tin before
turning out onto a cooling rack.
- For frosting the cupcakes, Use an offset spatula to frost each cupcake. Alternatively, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the frosting
onto the cupcakes. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature
before serving.