Here we go challenge #2!!!! I feel so bad that it took me this long to get around to it, challenge accepted month has been getting ahead of me. I have just been very distracted this week and let it get away from me and I'm sorry to all of my readers for that.
For this week's challenge I would like to give a special shout out to my friend Sasha for giving it to me. When I initially posted about challenge accepted month on the Facebook page instead of giving me an actual item like a baked Alaska or what not, she gave me parameters: something raspberry/chocolate/espresso. And here we are, the challenge has been completed and from those parameters I bring you: raspberry cupcakes with espresso buttercream frosting and chocolate shavings!!
For the cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups cake flour (or self rising)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 Tbl vanilla extract
1 cup, 2 sticks, plus 2 Tbl unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 6oz containers of fresh raspberries, one to be pureed the other chopped
Red food coloring
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
Line cupcake pans with foils and set aside
In a food processor, mini or full sized, pour in one of the containers of raspberries and turn on until properly pureed. Coarsely chop up the other container, pour both into a small bowl and set aside for now.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (both flours, baking powder, and salt).
In a large bowl whip the butter until it is light and fluffy with your hand mixer. Gradually add in the sugar and mix on medium-high speed until well combined. Add in the eggs individually, mixing between each addition.
Now it's time to mix it all together! Add in the flour in three parts alternating with the milk and vanilla extract, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix thoroughly between each addition.
Once everything has been combined together gently fold in the raspberries so that they are roughly evenly distributed throughout the batter. Add in a few drops of red food coloring to give the cupcakes a nice pinkish color. This is optional, the raspberries do color the cupcakes a bit but I think the food coloring definitely helps with the presentation.
Carefully spoon, or your preferred method, into the foils about 2/3 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 cupcakes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, remove and allow to cool fully before frosting.
While the cupcakes are baking, this is a good time to prepare the frosting!
For the frosting:
1 cup, 2 sticks, unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp espresso powder (I used instant espresso)
In a small bowl combine the vanilla extract and the instant espresso until the espresso is disolved completely. This should happen pretty quickly if you give if a quick swirl with a spoon.
In a medium or large bowl cream together the butter with your hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Gradually add in the confectioners sugar, mixing while you do so. Don't forget to scrape down the sides every now and then so you don't miss any sugar.
Finally add in the vanilla and espresso mixture and mix until the flavors have been incorporated. Using either a piping bag, sandwich bag, or your preferred method frost each of the cupcakes once they have cooled and been removed from the cupcake pans.
For the chocolate shaving you will need your favorite kind of chocolate and a cheese grater. Over a plate or bowl grate the chocolate so you have a decent amount of chocolate flecks. Using either a spoon or your hands give each cupcake a dusting of chocolate shavings.
Et voi la! Chalenge #2 has been accepted and crushed!! Raspberry cupcakes with espresso frosting and chocolate shavings!!!!! I hope you enjoyed this week's challenge and tune in later this week for chalenge #3!!!!!!
You can find the full blog here:
http://bakingadventuresonline.blogspot.com/
