Click the play button on the video window to the see the storyThere is no more in-demand dessert than cupcakes. And there’s no better authority on creative, memorable recipes than Martha Stewart.
In her new book Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, a New York Times best-seller, Martha offers 175 ideas and recipes for cupcakes, frostings, fillings, toppings, and embellishments that can be mixed and matched to make treats for any day or special days.
Martha says, when it comes to cupcakes, you are limited only by your imagination. So, she’s presented home-bakers with inspiration for dreaming up their own perfect dessert – with recipes for cupcakes like the peanut butter and jelly cupcake, the Boston cream pie cupcake, lady bug cupcakes and treats that capture the season, like By the Sea Cupcakes decorated with star fish and sand dollars and ice cream cone cupcakes. Vibrant color photos accompany every recipe.
The book also contains templates and clip art for decorative paper flags and other toppers, an equipment glossary, step-by-step instructions for basic and more advanced decorating techniques, plus ideas for presenting and packaging the cupcakes.
From "Martha Stewart's Cupcakes"
Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes You will likely make these cupcakes again and again, varying the frosting (say, dark chocolate, page 302) and sprinkles (sparkly, multicolored, or otherwise) to suit your whim or fancy.
Two types of flour contribute to the cupcakes' singular texture: Cake flour makes for a delicate crumb, while all- purpose flour keeps them from being too tender.
Makes 36
3 cups cake flour (not self- rising)
1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
(2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Fluffy Vanilla Frosting (page 302)
Round candy sprinkles (nonpareils), for decorating (optional)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium- high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium.
Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.
Beat in vanilla.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full.
Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and, if desired, decorate with sprinkles before serving.
Dark Chocolate FrostingThis deep, dark, satiny frosting (thanks to the addition of melted semisweet chocolate) is a favorite of Martha Stewart Living food editors, since it has just the right consistency for spreading or piping into beautiful swirls. It also has a wonderful sheen.
Makes about 5 cups
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch- process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
21/4 cups (41/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/2 pounds best- quality semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (see page 323)
Combine cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.
With an electric mixer on medium- high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low.
Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Beat in the cocoa mixture.
If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month, in an airtight container.
Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.
Reprinted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes from the Editors of Martha Stewart Living. Copyright (c) 2009. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.
