LITTLE GEMS ARE TRENDY.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor Cupcakes have grown up. The small baked treasures have come a long way since being the featured fare in kindergarten and at birthday celebrations. The cakes that evoke childhood memories and elicit smiles are now chic, hip and sophisticated, in a wide array of flavors beyond vanilla and chocolate - and designed to appeal to grown-up grown-up adj. 1. Of, characteristic of, or intended for adults: grown-up movies; a grown-up discussion. 2. tastes. Bake shops offering a large repertoire of upscale cupcake flavors are all the rage General Public's All the Rage was released in 1984 by I.R.S. Records. Track listing
New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of ; a handful of recently released cupcake cookbooks continue to fuel the trend. The cupcake's popularity fits into the resurging interest in nostalgia foods from mom's kitchen. ``Homespun is very chic these days,'' says Nashville resident Anne Byrn, author of ``Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor'' (Workman Publishing; $13.95), which has 135 recipes. ``Cupcakes are so homey and wonderful - they are like a quick fix from home,'' says Sara Neumeier, a former food editor at Martha Stewart Living Martha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. and author of ``Cupcakes Year-Round: 50 Recipes for Every Season and Celebration'' (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $17.95). ``They give us a warm, fuzzy feeling, but now they've been made hipper,'' says West Hills resident and former bakery owner Julie Hasson, author of ``125 Best Cupcake Recipes'' (Robert Rose For the Nevada politician and judge, see Robert E. Rose. For the baseball player, see Robert Rose (baseball) Robert Rose (born December 27 1964, in Rochester, New York) is a retired American / Australian professional basketball player in the Australian National Basketball League. ; $18.95). Versatile and adored by all, they've been reinvented with creative cakes, fillings, frostings and decorations. Elements of traditional or fancy cake desserts have been adapted and transferred to the cupcake. ``Cupcake describes an individual cake that could be in any of three sizes - mini, regular or extra-large,'' says former pastry chef A pastry chef or pâtissier is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, and other baked goods. They are employed in large hotels, bistros, restaurants, and bakeries. Elinor Klivans, who has written ``Cupcakes!'' (Chronicle Books; 16.95). ``The thing most fun about a cupcake is that you get to eat the whole thing, so there is limited guilt factor involved,'' adds Hasson. At the 4-month-old Leda's Bake Shop in Sherman Oaks, owner Ledette Gambini, who left the corporate world to follow her baking passion, sells 2,000 cupcakes weekly. (Mini cupcakes, her specialty, sell for $1.50 each, and the standard-size versions go for $2.75 to $3 each.) Although she also offers cakes, scones and cookies, it's the cupcake business that's booming. She offers nine to 11 mini flavor selections a day (ranging from passion fruit and dulce de leche Dulce de leche in Spanish, dolç de llet in Catalan, or doce de leite in Portuguese ("milk candy"), is a milk-based syrup. Found as both a sauce and a caramel-like candy, it is popular in Argentina. to chocolate peanut butter, chocolate raspberry, lemon and espresso) along with standard-size vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. More than 1,000 standard-size cupcakes fly out of Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. each day, with customers choosing from eight to 10 flavors out of the more than 20 in the store's repertoire. The wait to buy cupcakes on a recent Saturday afternoon was an hour, says Charles Nelson, who opened the cupcake-only store ($3.25 each or $36 a dozen) with his wife, Candace, in April. ``As much fun as cupcakes are to eat, they are even more fun to make (at home),'' says Neumeier. ``Cupcakes are easy to prepare and taste of all flavors of the rainbow,'' says Byrn, adding that they're the perfect ending to your next dinner party or casual buffet. If you're organized and work fast, you can turn out a batch of frosted homemade cupcakes in an hour. Unlike the others, Byrn's book utilizes cake mixes in the recipes. But she makes no apologies. ``Cake mixes are terrific and convenient for busy cooks to keep on hand - and lots of Americans make cupcakes with a mix.'' You can gussy gus·sy tr.v. gus·sied, gus·sy·ing, gus·sies Slang To dress or decorate elaborately; adorn or embellish: gussied herself up in sequins and feathers. them up and make them incredibly sophisticated. ``It is just as easy to make (cupcakes) from scratch - a minute or two difference,'' says Klivans. And cupcakes from scratch taste much better, adds Hasson. Avoid canned frostings. ``They don't taste good,'' says Klivans, noting that icings in assorted styles and flavors are a breeze to prepare. Cupcakes baked at home can range from those made fast with one-bowl vanilla or chocolate cake batters and creamed butter icings to fancier creations such as buttermilk buttermilk residual fluid after removal of fat from milk in butter manufacture; a protein-rich supplement fed to pigs. , mocha Mocha (mō`kə), town (1990 est. pop. 2,000), S Yemen, a port on the Red Sea. It was noted for the export of the coffee to which it gave its name but declined as a trading port in the late 19th cent. with the rise of Hodeida and Aden. , chai, coconut, jam, zucchini or blueberry blueberry, plant of the large genus Vaccinium, widely distributed shrubs (occasionally small trees) of the family Ericaceae (heath family), usually found on acid soil. They are often confused with the related huckleberry. cupcakes filled with lemon or passion fruit curd curd the proteinaceous part of milk precipitated by rennin. Usually contains some fat when whole milk is used. , chocolate ganache ga·nache n. A rich icing made of chocolate and cream heated and stirred together, used also as a filling, as for cakes or pastry. [French.] , vanilla custard, fruits, peanut butter, marshmallow creme Marshmallow creme is a uniquely American food item. It is a very sweet, spreadable, marshmallow-like confection and is popular amongst young children. Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter are the fillings of a sandwich, the Fluffernutter. or molten chocolate - and topped with cream cheese frostings, caramel icings, Chantilly creams, glazes, etc. Besides cupcakes, some of the books include other desserts suited to cupcake pans - mini strawberry trifles, peach cobblers, cheesecakes, frozen ice cream cupcakes and more. And then there are things you can create or build with cupcakes, including a bouquet, a wreath, a wedding cake and a purse. Natalie Haughton, (818) 713-3692 natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com RASPBERRY VANILLA CUPCAKES (On the cover) 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup raspberry preserves Lemon Cream In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating until smooth. Scoop batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Remove paper liners from cupcakes. Slice cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread bottoms with raspberry preserves, replacing tops. Top filled cupcakes with Lemon Cream and garnish with raspsberries. Serve immediately. Makes 12 cupcakes. LEMON CREAM: In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together 2/3 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest just until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/2 cup store-bought OR homemade lemon curd into whipped cream mixture. Spread or dollop over cooled cupcakes just before serving. Makes about 2 cups. From ``125 Best Cupcake Recipes,'' by Julie Hasson. ICE CREAM CONES 24 wafer ice cream cones with flat bottoms 1 recipe uncooked Fudgie Brownie Cupcakes batter (recipe follows) 1 1/2 recipes Stabilized Whipped Cream OR Strawberry Stabilized Cream (recipe follows) Sprinkles, jimmies OR nonpareils For other uses, see Nonpareil. Nonpareils are a decorative confection of tiny sugar balls, traditionally an opaque white but now available in myriad colors. Their origin is uncertain, but they may have evolved out of the pharmaceutical use of sugar, as they were a miniature Place 12 wafer cones on each of 2 sturdy baking sheets. Fill each cone a half-inch from top with Fudgie Brownie Cupcakes batter. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 12 minutes, until a skewer inserted into center of brownie comes out clean. Remove cones from oven and cool. Fit a large pastry bag with a large No. 16 star tip. Prepare Stabilized Whipped Cream and fill pastry bag with it. Starting just inside the outer edge of a cupcake, begin piping a swirl of icing. Continue piping in a circular motion, making the swirl narrower each time around, until you have piped a 2-inch high rosette Rosette D’Albert’s pliable, versatile, talented, acknowledged bedmate. [Fr. Lit.: Mademoiselle de Maupin. Magill I, 542–543] See : Courtesanship (language) Rosette - A concurrent object-oriented language from MCC. . Repeat with remaining cones. Scatter sprinkles over icing. Makes 24 cupcakes. FUDGIE BROWNIE CUPCAKES: Melt 4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate and 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter in top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 cup sugar and 2 large eggs. Sift together 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Whisk flour mixture into chocolate mixture until just combined. Bake batter in cones as directed. Makes enough for 24 cupcakes. STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM: Sprinkle 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin gelatin or animal jelly, foodstuff obtained from connective tissue (found in hoofs, bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage) of vertebrate animals by the action of boiling water or dilute acid. over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small heatproof heat·proof adj. Unaffected by heat. Used especially of plastic, glass, or ceramic utensils that may be used directly over a flame or in an oven. mixing bowl. Let stand about 10 minutes, until gelatin has softened and absorbed all water. Place bowl over a small saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir gelatin constantly until dissolved, about 6 minutes. Place 2 cups heavy whipping cream Noun 1. heavy whipping cream - cream with a fat content of 48% or more double creme cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat , chilled, 3 to 4 teaspoons powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a chilled mixing bowl. Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat on medium speed until just creamy and frothy froth·y adj. froth·i·er, froth·i·est 1. Made of, covered with, or resembling froth; foamy. 2. Playfully frivolous in character or content: a frothy French farce. . Whisk 1/4 cup of half-beaten cream into liquid gelatin (that has been cooled a bit). Continue beating cream while adding gelatin mixture in a stream. Beat until cream holds a soft peak. Makes about 3 3/4 cups. STRAWBERRY STABILIZED CREAM: Follow directions for Stabilized Whipped Cream, adding 1/3 cup seedless Seed´less a. 1. Without seed or seeds. Adj. 1. seedless - lacking seeds; "seedless grapefruit" seedy - full of seeds; "as seedy as a fig" seedless adj → strawberry jelly to the gelatin mixture instead of 1/4 cup half-beaten cream. Proceed as directed. From ``Cupcakes Year-Round: 50 Recipes for Every Season and Celebration,'' by Sara Neumeier. BLACK FOREST CHERRY CUPCAKES 8 cups cherries, pitted 1/2 cup kirsch kirsch n. A colorless brandy made from the fermented juice of cherries. [French, short for German Kirschwasser; see kirschwasser. , plus 1 tablespoon for the Chantilly Cream 1 recipe Chantilly Cream (recipe follows) 1 recipe baked Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes (recipe follows) 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for sifting (optional) Place cherries and 1/2 cup kirsch in a medium saucepan. Bring kirsch to a boil and let simmer over medium heat until cherries begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool. Fold remaining 1 tablespoon kirsch into Chantilly Cream. Using a paring knife, cut a cone from the top of each baked Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcake and set aside. Brush inside of each cupcake with a little of cherry syrup from the cooked cherries. Fill each cupcake with a couple of softened cherries and top each one with a dollop of Chantilly Cream. If desired, drizzle a little more cherry syrup over whipped cream. Place reserved cupcakes cones on top of the whipped cream to form lids. Sift powdered sugar over cupcakes. Makes 24 cupcakes. CHANTILLY CREAM: Combine 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled, 3 to 4 teaspoons powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until cream holds a soft peak. Makes 3 3/4 cups, enough to top 24 cupcakes. From ``Cupcakes Year-Round: 50 Recipes for Every Season and Celebration,'' by Sara Neumeier. Cupcake tips A sprinkling of cupcake tips from the experts. --Bake cupcakes in paper or foil liners, unless a recipe specifies otherwise. Liners come in a regular 2 1/2-inch size, a 1 5/8-inch mini size and a 3 1/2-inch extra-large size. --Don't ever butter a cupcake liner, but when making dense or very moist cupcakes, spray with no-stick canola oil cooking spray for easy removal, recommends Elinor Klivans. When baking extra-large or big-top cupcakes, spray the top of the pan so the batter doesn't stick. --Use shiny rather than dark pans for baking. Some experts use nonstick non·stick adj. Permitting easy removal of adherent food particles: a frying pan with a nonstick surface. nonstick Adjective pans to keep cleanup to a minimum. You can also bake cupcakes in specialty cupcake-style pans in flower, star and heart shapes. --Fill standard-size cupcake liners 2/3 (1/4 cup batter) to 3/4 (1/3 cup batter) full, depending on recipe instructions. ``To streamline the cupcake-making process, use an ice cream scoop (in different sizes) with a spring action lever to fill the cups,'' advises Anne Byrn, noting that the scoop has changed her cupcake baking forever. --Recipes with 1 cup flour make about 12 to 18 cupcakes, notes Klivans. Figure that the batter from an 18.5-ounce box of cake mix will make 20 to 24 standard 2 1/2-inch cupcakes, 36 mini 2-inch cupcakes and 12 jumbo or extra-large 3- to 4-inch cupcakes, notes Byrn. --Preheat the oven 10 to 15 minutes prior to baking. --Watch cupcakes carefully to avoid overbaking. Invest in an oven thermometer and check to make sure your oven is baking at the correct temperature. --If you're having a party, bake a bunch of different flavored mini cupcakes so people can have tastes of each. If recipes don't specify mini baking times, note that minis will take more than half of the baking time recommended for standard size cupcakes. Figure around 16 minutes for minis and 20 to 25 minutes for standard size cupcakes. --Use the toothpick toothpick, n a wood sliver used to cleanse the interdental space. toothpick, balsa wood, n a triangular wedge of balsa wood used to clean the teeth interproximally and stimulate the interdental gingival tissues. in the center test for doneness. In most cases, if the toothpick comes out clean, it's done and if cake sticks, bake a little longer. --Cool cupcakes in pan 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out on rack to cool completely. --Use a small offset spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. (it has a flat rounded blade designed for even spreading) for frosting frosting the slight graying of the haircoat around the face, particularly muzzle, in dogs with aging and as a regular feature of some breeds such as the Belgian shepherd dog. cupcakes as the crooked handle gives you extra leverage. --Decorate cupcakes with sprinkles, M&Ms, chopped nuts, toffee, peppermint peppermint: see mint. peppermint Strongly aromatic perennial herb (Mentha piperita, mint family), source of a widely used flavouring. Native to Europe and Asia, it has been naturalized in North America. candies, jelly beans, chopped or shaved (with a vegetable peeler) light, dark or white chocolate, cookie crumbs, gumdrops, sifted cocoa powder, fresh fruits, edible fresh flowers, candied can·died adj. Permeated, covered, encrusted, or cooked with sugar: candied sweet potatoes. candied Adjective coated with or cooked in sugar: flower petals, or whatever else strikes your fancy. Also pipe on frosting designs if desired or use a knife to create swirls in buttercream frostings. Plastic stencils with small designs can also be used (sift powdered sugar or cocoa powder over stencil stencil, cutout device of oiled or shellacked tough and resistant paper, thin metal, or other material used in applying paint, dye, or ink to reproduce its design or lettering upon a surface. openings and remove stencil carefully). --If traveling with cupcakes (some travel better than others; i.e. frostings and glazes that harden) during the summer, be sure to chill them first and transport in individual cupcake containers or disposable pans with plastic lids (available in 9x13, single serving or other sizes). --Cupcakes are best consumed the day they are baked. --You may freeze most cupcakes, unfrosted, for up to three months. - N.H. CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Cupcakes Quick, easy and - who knew? - chic Photo by Mark T. Shapiro from ``125 Best Cupcakes Recipes'' (Robert Rose) (2 -- color) ICE CREAM CONES (3 -- color) BLACK FOREST CHERRY CUPCAKES Photo by Jonelle Weaver from ``Cupcakes Year-Round: 50 Recipes for Every Season and Celebration'' (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) (4 -- color) no caption (cupcake) Photo by Susan Goldman from ``Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor,'' Workman Publishing Box: Cupcake tips (see text) |
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