When I walk into Barnes & Noble, I make a beeline to the bargain priced cookbooks. I have purchased a few bargain cookbooks but my favorite is Cupcakes and Muffins by Owen Weldon. I have made one recipe in this cookbook multiple times that I would like to share because they are simple, delicious and turn out each time I make them. This recipe is so good I feel like it should be a secret family recipe so welcome to the family.
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
- 2 sticks of softened butter
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 c. flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients for the coconut meringue:
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 c. coconut flakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Line one 12 count muffin pan and one 6 count muffin pan with paper cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, beating each well into the mixture. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the milk and vanilla. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture, also alternating the milk mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners, filling the liners half full.
Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.
Next, slowly add the sugar. This mixture should become glossy white. Fold in the coconut with a spoon. Spoon meringue mixture over the baked cupcakes. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, once the meringue becomes golden. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack for complete cooling.
This recipe is based on Owen Weldon's Cupcakes and Muffins Coconut Meringue Cupcakes.
It's time to get fancy up in here with some creme brûlée. I picked up four ramekins at World Market for $1.25 each but you can also buy a set at Kohls, Target, Wal-Mart or online if you don't mind waiting for them to ship but I'm not patient enough for that. The recipe I used didn't require a torch but they are available for $20 online. I also didn't use a vanilla bean and used pure vanilla extract instead.
Ingredients for creme:
- 1 1/2 c. milk
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients for topping:
- 3 TBSP. brown sugar
- 3 TBSP. white sugar
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| Ingredients for creme |
Preheat oven to 325 F. Arrange four to six ramekins in a 9 x 13 cake pan. Set aside. Combine milk and heavy whipping cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. I stirred this so it wouldn't stick to the bottom of the pan. In a mixing bowl, mix sugar, salt, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla.
Once well combined, slowly add this mixture to the hot milk mixture. Next, strain the mixture into a large bowl ( I used a large measuring cup to make it easier to pour into the individual dishes).
Divide the mixture evenly among your ramekins and pour boiling water into the cake pan, using just enough so the water comes halfway up the ramekins.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the custards have set. Insert a knife into the center and it should come out clean. Remove ramekins from the cake pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Next, place them into the refrigerator for an hour or two. Once completely cooled, set the oven to broil. Mix together the brown sugar and white sugar. Sprinkle several layers of the sugar mixture over the creme until mixture is used.
Broil for about 2 to 4 minutes, allowing the sugar to melt and become crispy.
This recipe is based on Baking Bites' Classic Creme Brûlée.
Every good cake decorator should know how to use fondant so it's time I learned. I have cake decorated for years and have never used any. I looked on Pinterest for good fondant recipes and found lots of recommendations for marshmallow fondant. Using marshmallows was a popular and easy option for making fondant. Although the fondant remained sticky and didn't dry out as well as I had hoped, it was easy to roll out and form shapes and definitely cheaper than store bought.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of marshmallows
- 1 lb. powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. Crisco
- 2-4 Tbsp. Water
In a large microwaveable bowl, microwaving about 30 seconds at a time, melt the 16 oz. bag of marshmallows for 2 minutes. After each 30 second interval, stir the marshmallows. Pay close attention when microwaving to prevent the marshmallows from overflowing and making a mess. Grease a large mixing bowl and pour in half a pound of powdered sugar. Next, add the melted marshmallows and the half cup of Crisco. You can use a spoon to mix, but I greased my hands with some Crisco and kneaded the mixture. As you add the rest of the powdered sugar, start adding a little of the water at a time to get a smooth mixture. Store in a Ziplock baggie. If the fondant is hard for the next use, mix in a little Crisco and knead into the fondant.
* I would recommend using rubber gloves when mixing colors into the fondant and a nonstick mat to roll fondant.
This recipe is based on Little Delights Cakes Marshallow fondant.
