Tres Leches Cupcakes

Last weekend I embarked on a cupcake baking adventure...I decided to make Tres Leches Cupcakes. I really like the traditional tres leches cake and was excited to try the cupcake version. I used the recipe from Food Network and it sounded very good and the final product tasted fantastic, but didn't look great. I think it had something to do with my oven not heating properly because they did not rise much. They instead spread out all over. I ended up having to trim the tops before I ice them. All and all It was a very yummy cupcake but I wish it looked better.



# 1/4 cup shortening
# 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
# 1 cup sugar
# 3 eggs, separated
# 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# 1 cup all-purpose flour
# 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 3/4 cup buttermilk
# 1/2 cup evaporated milk
# 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
# 1/2 cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed; add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating until all the yellow disappears. Add the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.

Fill standard paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire rack that has been placed over a baking sheet to cool.

While cupcakes are still warm, stir together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and the coconut milk. Using a meat injector needle, inject each cupcake in several different spots with about 1/2 to 3/4-ounce of the mixture. Or, poke several holes in the top of each of the cupcakes with a 1/4-inch wooden skewer. Pour the milk mixture over each cupcake while they are still warm, filling each hole. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight before icing.

Whipped cream Frosting

2 cups of whipped cream
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Beat the cream and sugar until the stiff peaks appear.

Vanilla Cupcakes

My daughter Olivia who is almost 4 have been asking for cupcakes. She is a big fan of pink so naturally the cupcakes had to be pink as well. I've used vanilla cupcake recipe from Amy Sedaris's book " I like you: The hospitality under the influence" The book is hilarious and has great recipes. I'm quoting the recipe exactly because I think you will appreciate Amy's sense of humor.


Judging by the picture, cupcakes and PINK frosting were a huge hit!

# 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
# 1 1/2 cups sugar
# 2 eggs
# 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
# 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
# 1/4 teaspoon salt
# 2 1/2 cups flour
# 1 1/4 cups milk

Turn oven on to 375 degrees F.

Put butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth. Pour in sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. I like to crack the eggs on the side of the bowl while it is moving, which can be really stupid. I like to take chances. Yes, I have had to throw away my batter because I lost eggshells in the mix. Yes, it was a waste of food and yes, I know how expensive butter is, but what can I say? I'm a daredevil. Mix well. Add: vanilla, baking powder, salt, flour, and milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes; I get 18 because I'm doing something wrong, although my cupcakes were voted second best in the city by New York Magazine.

I've used the cream cheese frosting with some red food coloring as Olivia requested that frosting be pink.

Cream Cheese Frosting

* 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
* 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 4 cups powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

The tale of a cupcake...

My husband is obsessed with Hostess Cupcakes... He is not into sweets at all but has few choice desserts he enjoys, supermarket cupcakes being one of them. As any self respected baker and a little bit of a cupcake snob I absolutely hate that he buys those every time he grocery shops. This was an experiment to see if any chocolate cupcake will do, or is his obsession Hostess Cupcake specific? I've decided to try Ina Garten's chocolate cupcake recipe, they are moist and delicious and most importantly covered in chocolate ganache that I spiked with Grand Marnier (orange) liquor. George LOVED IT!!!



Here is the recipe:

* 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup sugar
* 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup (recommended: Hershey's)
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup all-purpose flour

For the ganache:


* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
* 1 Tabelspoon of Grand Marnier

Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cupcakes will be tough.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let the cupcakes cool thoroughly in the pan.

For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

Dip the top of each cupcake in the ganache.