Samantha Schwartz - Quick & Easy Cupcake Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, large
• teaspoon baking soda
• cups flour, all-purpose
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cups white sugar
• teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F in advance. Line a muffin pan with foil liners or paper. Sift flour together with the cocoa, baking soda, baking powder & salt; set aside.
2. Cream the butter together with sugar in a large bowl until light & fluffy and then add in the eggs; dont forget to beat well after each addition. Add in the vanilla; give everything a good stir and then add in the flour mixture alternately with milk; beat well. Fill each muffin cup approximately full with the mixture.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let cool at room temperature for couple of minutes. When cool, frost the cupcake with your favorite frosting. Serve & enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• cup light-brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoon milk
• cup +2 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 cup flour, all-purpose
• teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg yolk, large
• cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cup + 2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 egg, large
• cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoon sour cream
• teaspoon salt

For Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:

• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• vanillas seeds
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature ( cup salted & cup unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Chocolate Sauce & Toppings:

• 12 maraschino cherries with stems
• cup heavy cream
• cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet
• cup mixed nuts, chopped such as cashews, peanuts, walnuts or almonds

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F in advance. Whisk the granulated sugar together with brown sugar in a large, heat proof mixing bowl (dont worry about the lumps, if any) then whisk in the baking soda, cocoa powder & salt.
2. Transfer boiling water carefully into the cocoa mixture & whisk immediately for 15 to 20 seconds until well blended. Let cool for couple of minutes.
3. Blend in the canola oil for couple of seconds, until well combined using an electric hand mixer and on low speed. Slowly add in the eggs to the cocoa mixture; blend for couple of more seconds, until just combined, on low speed.
4. Add vanilla extract & egg yolks; blend until just combined. Add in the flour; blend again until just combined. Transfer the sour cream & milk; blend for a minute on low speed again.
5. Line 12 muffin cups with paper & evenly divide the batter among the cups; filling each muffin cup approximately 2/3 full. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for couple of minutes in the muffin tin & then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
6. Once cool, pipe each cupcake with the Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting & drizzle with the chocolate sauce & finally sprinkle some nuts over the top. Add a small amount of more frosting & top your cupcake with a maraschino cherry.

For Chocolate Sauce:

1. Put the chocolate chips in a medium heat proof bowl. Over moderate heat in a small saucepan; bring the cream to a boil & then carefully transfer the hot cream on top of the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Let cool slightly at room temperature.

For Buttercream Frosting:

1. Whip the vanilla bean seeds with butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer attached with a paddle on medium-high speed for couple of minutes, until very fluffy & nearly white, scrapping down the bottom & sides of the bowl frequently.
2. Blend in the vanilla extract. Add in a cup of powdered sugar & then add in the heavy cream; mix on low speed again until well combined.
3. Add in the leftover powdered sugar & blend on low speed again until combined & then increase the speed to medium; beat for 5 to 6 minutes, until very light & fluffy, scraping down the bottom & sides of the bowl frequently.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons espresso powder
• 1 Classic Yellow Cake Batter recipe
• 5 egg whites, large
• cups sugar
• 1 cup plus some more semisweet chocolate, chopped finely

Directions

1. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners & preheat your oven to 350 F in advance. Mix the espresso powder with 2 teaspoons of hot water in a small bowl. Stir chocolate and espresso into the batter; evenly divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, rotating halfway, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for couple of minutes & then transfer the cupcakes to racks to completely cool.
2. Place a large bowl on top of a pot with barely simmering water. Add egg whites together with cream of tartar & sugar; whisk constantly for couple of minutes, until the sugar is dissolved completely and the mixture is warm & frothy. Remove the bowl from the pot and, beat on medium for couple of minutes, until soft peaks form, using an electric mixer. Increase the speed settings to high & beat for couple of more minutes, until the whites form medium-stiff & glossy peaks.