Friday, January 15, 2010

MSC: Coconut Cupcakes

cupcakecoconut

I haven't updated in ages, but I really don't want to get kicked out of MSC. It's just been so busy since the holidays that I kind of let everything slip. Maybe I just need a new camera for some inspiration... I used a ganache glaze instead of 7 minute frosting. I wasn't trying to be lazy or anything, but I had just enough leftover from cupcakes I made earlier for a birthday party and that little container of ganache in the fridge was just begging to be used.

cupcakechocolatejamie

These were the cupcakes I stole the ganache from. The ganache on this cupcake was actually whipped, but I heated it up again for the coconut cupcakes so it went back to glaze form. Sorry for the blurry picture, but I took this on my blackberry because I was in a rush to deliver them. The flower on top is made with royal icing and tinted with 'no taste' red gel colour. As usual, I went with the always reliable and crowd favourite Hershey's perfectly chocolate chocolate cake recipe. The leftovers were brought to work and I think it's safe to say that everyone enjoyed them!

The coconut cupcakes on the other hand weren't really a favourite of mine so I left them at home, but I'm starting to feel that as long as something is sweet or has chocolate in it, people will just eat it anyway. It's actually kind of sad because the standards for good tasting food seem to be getting lower as processed food becomes more available and easy. From the reactions I was getting when I brought in cookies to work, it's almost as if people have never had a cookie made with butter before!

Thanks to Jennifer of Cinema Cupcakes for choosing coconut cupcakes!

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (natural)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

Royal Icing
Whimsical Bakehouse

You'll have no worries about pasteurization with this easy recipe. Royal icing is ideal as the glue to assemble your gingerbread house or for decorating cookies with the flood method or sanding sugar. Meringue powder can be found at baking supply stores and some grocery stores.

In a large bowl of a clean electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip to stiff peaks:
1/4 cup meringue powder
1/2 cup cold water

Add and mix at low speed with a paddle attachment, until combined:
1 lb confectioner's sugar

Continue mixing at high speed for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the icing is stiff.

Add and mix on low speed until combined:
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth while you are working with or coloring the icing, or immediately place it in an airtight container or pastry cone; otherwise, a hard crust will quickly form as it dries.

Yield: 4 cups

Chocolate Ganache
From Savoury, Sweet, Life (with an excellent tutorial)

8 ounces of chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
*optional 3 tbl. of flavored liqueor

Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze. The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set. Typically I stick mine in the refrigerator so it is slightly cold before whipping. For piping or frosting, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up. When you are able to spoon the ganache and it can hold its texture, it is ready for piping

31 comments:

  1. So happy to see a post from you! The cupcakes look yummy, love the pink flower.

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  2. both cupcakes look delicious :) the one with the flower is cuter though :)

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  3. The cupcakes look beautiful! Love the little flower made from royal icing, I'll have to try that sometime!

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  4. That's one of my personal fave chocolate cake recipes (the only better one being Barefoot Contessa's Beatty's Chocolate Cake). I bet the coconut tasted good with the chocolate - I'm not a coconut fan (which is why I opted to bake a different cupcake altogether). Those are some very pretty cupcakes, that's for sure!

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  5. Nice to see you.. Happy New Year! Lovely gorgeous, delicious cupcakes there!!

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  6. ha! I have so much inspiration and no oven! can't wait to move out of this place.
    I love the first cupcake most as I am addicted to coconut 24/7.

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  7. Great to have you back blogging! Your photos are beautiful as usual - I didn't notice the blurring. These cupcakes look so very good - love the cute flower :)

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  8. The chocolate cupcakes look and sound a million times better than the coconut cupcakes did!

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  9. I know I could could use a new camera for inspiration. Heh. The cupcakes look great, I don't think I've seen whipped ganache before.

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  10. I'm with you on the processed foods thing. I brought in some slice and bake sandies and I swear, it was as if people had never had anything other than the boxed kinds in the aisles.

    BUT to be fair, until I found my passion for baking, I was in that same boat. But never again my friend! Your ganache cuppies look great. It reaffirms that I should have dunked them in chocolate. *snaps*

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  11. Gorgeous cupcakes! I would reach for the one with the pink flower, for sure.

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  12. Beautiful swirl on that cupcake.

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  13. We loved this recipe and icing very much, but I can see that the guys would like a chocolate version as well, so will give this one a try next time! The little pink flower on top is so precious! The coconut flakes lovely as well...Mark's favorite candy bar is Mounds, so think I should try this for sure.

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  14. Yum..the cupcakes look so good! I love a good pretty cupcake!

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  15. The chocolate ganache on these was a great idea. I have to say this recipe wasn't my favorite. Looking forward to making s'more cupcakes next month. Nice job!!

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  16. yes, you're right. People will eat anything sweet or chocolatey if you put it in front of them!

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  17. everything on your blog is soo cutee! these cupcakes especially the ones with the little pink flower. im just starting my own baking blog and trying to get myself out theree. come check me out just leave a comment or anything that goes for everyone! :)
    keeeppp up the baking! :)

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  18. How can a person not love coconut? The swirly one is beautiful, like I said, you keep getting better and better.

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  19. Gorgeous cupcakes! I really love the little flower on top. The coconut cupcakes were a huge hit at my house - definitely one of my favorites ever!

    The Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake/frosting is a good one for sure. I use it all the time!

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  20. Love the pretty flower!

    See you next month!

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  21. What a great looking chocolate swirl.

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  22. That ganache cupcake is exquisite! I love how you've broken out of the box with these... quite wonderful! Chocolate and coconut... need to make those!

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  23. What's MSC?? And lovely cupcakes. I want one please :)

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  24. Your coconut cupcake looks fantastic. I like the chocolate ganache idea...and if you had leftovers, use it up I say! :) - mary

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  25. i luv that choc cake recipe. i have slightly altered it to suit me and my tastes and i get so many cake orders of the chocolate sort and they all want this recipe. The little cupcakes with the ganache ate very lovely and dainty! so simple and cute.
    And really nice use of your leftovers!! nice one!!

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  26. Although I'm not in MSC, I made the coconut cupcakes this week after seeing how gorgeous Tracey's were (plus she raved about them). Your cupcakes are stunning, especially the flower one. I completely agree with your read on why people can't get over how good baked goods are: everything they make at home has to be out of a mix.

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  27. Yeah, I thought the same thing about the holidays being over. I have more time but I can't seem to get motivated.

    Both cupcakes look good. Bummer about Martha's though I'm not surprised. She's been hit or miss for me, too.
    ~ingrid

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  28. Both of these look awesome! The coconut one looks like a donut mmm. Too bad you didn't like it much though. Yea I've found that in general people are just happy to have some homemade baked goods, which are almost always better than anything store bought. Not that many people seem to bake anymore!

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  29. You are an awesome baker - very pretty cupcakes

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