Step 3: Divide the baer evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and set them on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cupcakes directly to the rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Step 4: If decorating the cupcakes with chocolate frosting, use a small icing spatula or a buer knife, or a pastry bag fied with a plain or star tip (see page 15), top the cupcakes with the frosting, then decorate them with sprinkles (if using). If glazing the cupcakes, spoon the chocolate glaze over the cupcakes, then decorate them with sprinkles (if using).
¾ cups cake flour tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
cup ( sticks)
unsalted buer,
at room temperature¾ cups sugar
large eggs plus
large egg yolks teaspoons vanilla extract cup sour creamChocolate Frosting
(page ) or Rich Chocolate Glaze (page )
Sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
MAKES 24 CUPCAKES
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Chocoate-Banan Cra Pie Cupcaks
Banana cupcakes filled with vanilla cream and topped with chocolate glaze? Yes, please! For the best taste and texture, make sure your bananas are nice and ripe—they should be spoy brown and a lile so to the touch.
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 cups of two standard muffin pans with paper or foil liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the buer and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well aer each addition. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and bananas and beat until combined.
Turn off the mixer. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Pour in the buermilk and mix on low speed just until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed just until blended. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and give the baer a final stir with the spatula.
Divide the baer evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cupcakes directly to the rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
BANANA CUPCAKES cups all-purpose flour teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt
½ cup ( stick) unsalted buer, at room temperature
¼ cups sugar
large eggs
teaspoon vanilla extract ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about cup)
½ cup buermilk
Vanilla Custard (page )Rich Chocolate Glaze (page )
Chunk of dark chocolate, for decorating (optional)
MAKES 18 CUPCAKES
Continud o page 32
31
Using a paring knife, cut a 1½-inch-diameter round about 1 inch deep in the center of each cupcake, then remove the rounds and set them aside. Fill each hollow with about 1 teaspoon of vanilla custard. Cut the rounds that you removed from the cupcakes in half horizontally; reserve the tops and discard—
or eat!—the rest. Return the tops to the cupcakes, covering the filling, then gently press down on each to fit it into the hole.
Spoon the chocolate glaze over the cupcakes. If decorating with chocolate, use a vegetable peeler to shave the chunk of chocolate over the cupcakes, leing the shavings fall onto the glaze. Place the cupcakes on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 10 minutes.
Cool cupcaksThese cream-filled treats taste yummy straight from the refrigerator—no need to let them warm up before munching.
32
Follow the recipe for Chocolate-Banana Cream PieCupcakes, swapping Vanilla Cupcakes (page 36; omit the frosting and sprinkles) for the Banana Cupcakes.
Chocoate Écai Cupcaks
Continud fro page 31
Carro Cake Cupcaks
Carrots and cinnamon are a great combo for baking, especially in cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting, the classic and totally scrumptious match for carrot cake. You can use the small holes of a box grater (the kind used for cheese) to finely grate the carrots.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, buermilk, and vanilla until well combined. Add the carrots and whisk until evenly moistened. Add the flour mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the baer is well blended.