Buttercream Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

and Mini Red Heart Shaped Sprinkles.

I love these sprinkles, we use them a lot at the bakery both in red and pink.

I have a few more orders to make before I leave for Vegas, including a Caramac Caramel Cupcake batch!

I found the Caramac bars at my local sweet shop Fizziwiggs's, I couldn't help but nab these Bakewell Tart and Lemon Meringue Lollies for myself.

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Buttercream Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes

Brilliant Williams Sonoma Cake Pans

I am off to Las Vegas in less then two weeks and I'm crazy excited. 

I have never been to America before, although everyone keeps telling me Vegas doesn't really count as America. 

One of the best things about Las Vegas, in my opinion is that there is a Williams Sonoma there!!!  When I first found Williams Sonoma online I jumped for joy, I was gutted when I realised they don't ship to the U.K.

Neadless to say I have informed Baby Love that Williams Sonoma is non negotiable, I'm taking less shoes and an extra suitcase in preparation for the colossal quantities of baking pans and supplies I will be purchasing.  Which reminds me I must check the luggage allowance...

Anyway here are a few of my favourite Williams Sonoma baking pans.

Williams Sonoma Oreo Cookie Cake Pan

I nearly cried when I found this Oreo cookie cake pan and realised I couldn't have it, I cannot tell you how excited I am to get my hands on one of these, possibly more excited than I am about Las Vegas itself.

Williams Sonoma Giant Donut Cake Pan

'Taking the all-American doughnut to a delicious new level of decadence, our whimsical cake pan is a guaranteed recipe for smiles. The set of two family-friendly pans inspires creativity in bakers – and doughnut lovers – of all ages'.

You bake two donut halves and fit them together to make a donut shaped cake.  I love the cake in this picture, rich fudgy frosting and brightly coloured sprinkles just like a real donut.

Williams Sonoma Chocolate Bar Brownie Pan

I'm not sure how well this brownie pan will work, I can't see my normal brownie recipe coming out perfectly imprinted with the word chocolate to be honest but it doesn't make me want it any less.

I also love their all of their Bundt pans and may come home with ten!

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Brilliant Williams Sonoma Cake Pans

Maya Hansen Cupcake Inspired Corsets

Maya Hansen

I love these stunning photographs of corset designer Maya Hansen's Spring/Summer 2010 cupcake inspired range.  Yes I said cupcake inspired!!!!

The designer says the line was inspired by “British cupcakes, Birds, Spring time, Vanilla & Chocolate, Mint and Cherry, Milkshakes, Cream and banana, Sweets, Ice creams, Marshmallows, and Marie Antoinette.”

The corsets feature cotton brocades, and satin pieces with antique laces in contrast, pleated trimmings decorating the corsets and very feminine and sophisticated lines.

I think both the corsetry and the photography is stunning and Maya Hansen is a genius.  Designing a line of corsets inspired by cake! Genius!

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Maya Hansen Cupcake Inspired Corsets

New Buttercream Bakery Triple Chocolate Bliss Cupcake

This is a brand new addition to the Buttercream Bakery Menu.  The Triple Chocolate Bliss is a dense chocolate cupcake packed full of milk chocolate chunks.  Each cupcake is iced with a fat swirl of chocolate buttercream, dipped in chocolate ganache and finished with two red sugar hearts.

Mmmmm chocolate.....

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New Buttercream Bakery Triple Chocolate Bliss Cupcake

Buttercream Bakery Candy Jar Cupcakes

This is a batch of Chocolate Candy Jar Cupcakes I made for a friend. 

I decided to use pastel pink and green for the icing, I have always loved pastel green cupcakes and that candy necklace one was calling to me.

I also used pink sugared butterflies, dolly mixtures and pastel coloured candy Lego pieces.

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Buttercream Bakery Candy Jar Cupcakes

Parisian Strawberry Tart Recipe - Part Two - Filling & Assembling

This is the second part of my Parisian Strawberry Tart recipe.  The filling is from Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets, the original recipe is Fresh Strawberry and Marshmallow Tart but I decided to omit the Marshmallows this time, so it is just Fresh Strawberry Tart.

The tart is scrumptious and definitely one I will make again.  The pastry cream is lovely but not the best I have ever tried, I may use my favourite pastry cream recipe next time.  That being said this tart was very very well received.

Pastry Cream

1 1/4 cups (300g) whole milk

1 moist, plump vanilla pod, split and scraped, or 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

3 tablespoons (30g) cornstarch

1 stick plus 3 tbsp (9 1/2 ounces / 160g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.

To Make The Pastry Cream:

Bring the milk and vanilla pod to a boil in a small saucepan over a medium heat.  Cover the pan and turn off the heat, set aside for 10 minutes.  Or, if your using vanilla extract, just bring the milk to the boil and proceed with the recipe, adding the extract before you add the butter to the hot pastry cream.

Working in a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together until thick and pale.  Whisking all the while, very slowly drizzle a quarter of the hot milk onto the yolks.  Then still whisking, pour the rest of the liquid in a steady stream over the tempered yolks.  Remove the vanilla pod and discard or save for another use (vanilla sugar!!!).

Put the pan over a medium heat and, whisking vigorously and without stopping, bring the mixture to the boil.  Keep the mixture at the boil, whisking energetically, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and scrape the pastry cream into a clean bowl.  Allow the pastry cream to cool on the counter for about 3 minutes.

Cut half the butter (80g) into 5 or 6 chunks and stir the chunks into the hot pastry cream, continuing to stir until the butter is melted and incorporated.  At this point, the pastry cream needs to be thoroughly chilled.  You can either set the bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water and, to ensure even cooling, stir the cream from time to time, or refrigerate the cream, in which case you should press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal.

When the pastry cream is cold, scrape it into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Put the remaining 80g of butter in a small bowl and, using a rubber spatula, work the butter until it is soft and creamy.  With the mixer on a high speed, gradually beat the softened butter into the pastry cream.  Keep whipping until the pastry cream is light, smooth and satiny.  The pastry cream can be used now or chilled until needed.

The cream can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days of frozen for 1 month. 

To Assemble The Tart

1 x  Baked Sweet Tart Shell  (see part 1)

 Pastry Cream   (above)

4 cups (600g) fresh strawberries, hulled

2 tsps icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

Red Currant Jelly

Fill your baked tart shell with enough pastry cream to come about 1/4 inch from the top of the crust.  Smooth the surface of the cream using and offset spatula.

Put 3/4 cup (115g) of the strawberries in a small bowl with the confectioners' sugar and, using a fork, coarsely crush the berries.  Allow the berries to sit for 3 minutes, then turn them into a sieve and shake the sieve over the sink several times to get rid of as much liquid as possible.  Spoon the crushed berries over the pastry cream, leaving a slim border bare.

Cut the remaining strawberries in half and arrange in concentric circles over the top of the tart.  For the final touch warm some red currant jelly on the stove top or in a microwave oven and, using a pastry feather or brush, paint each strawberry with a little jelly.  Serve the tart of chill it until needed.

Keeping:

The tart should be served cool, and it can be kept in the refrigerator, lightly covered for about 8 hours.

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Parisian Strawberry Tart Recipe - Part Two - Filling & Assembling

Parisian Strawberry Tart - Part One Paris Sweets Pâte Sucrée Recipe

This is a brilliant recipe from a fantastic book, I love Dorie Greenspan and Paris Sweets is one of my favourite cookbooks.   I am going to post this recipe in two parts, this post, part one I will give you the fantastic sweet tart dough recipe I used.  This pastry is a little difficult to work with but well worth the effort, it is absolutely delicious and would be scrumptious no matter what filling you choose. 

My tarts are filled with pastry cream, sweetened crushed strawberries and topped with halved strawberries and strawberry jam.  The strawberry tart filling is also from Dorie Greenspan's Paris Sweets and is adapted from the Ladurée Tarte aux Fraises a la Guimauve Fraiche Recipe.

Sweet Tart Dough / Pâte Sucrée

Recipe From Dorie Greenspan's - Paris Sweets

Makes enough for three 9-inch (24cm) crusts

'This is a really classic sweet tart dough, the one pastry chefs learn as apprentices.  It is really a cookie dough and is perfect with any sweet tart, whether the filling is fruit, ganache, or custard.  With dough like this the texture is always better if you make a large batch, so it is best not to cut the proportions; rather, make the full recipe and freeze the dough you don't need at the moment.' 

2 1/2 sticks (290g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (150g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 cup ground almonds, lightly packed

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups (490g) all-purpose-flour

To Make The Dough

Place the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade ans process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until creamy.  Add the confectioners' sugar and process to blend well.

Add the ground almonds, salt and vanilla and continue to process until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary.  Lightly stir the eggs together with a fork and with the machine running, add them to the processor bowl.  Process for a few seconds to blend.

Finally add the flour and pulse until the mixture just comes together.  Do not over beat.

Gather the dough into a ball and divide into three pieces.  Gently press each piece into a disc and wrap each disk in cling film.  Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or for up to 2 days, before rolling and baking.

The dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to a month.

To Roll Tart Crust:

For each tart butter the tart pan and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  If you are making more than one tart work with one piece of dough at a time.

The easiest way to work with butter rich sweet tart dough is to roll it out between to sheets of cling film or plastic wrap.   Lay a sheet of clingfilm over your counter place the pastry on top and cover with another sheet of cling film.  Turn the dough often so you can roll it out on both sides.

If the dough becomes to soft to work with, just slip it, still in between its plastic sheets into the fridge for a few minutes.

Remove one sheet of plastic wrap and centre the dough (exposed side down) over the tart pan.

Press the dough against the bottom of the pan and against the sides., remove the top sheet of film and roll your rolling pin across the rim of the pan to cut off the excess.  If the dough cracks or splits while your working, don't worry - you can patch them up with leftover dough.  Be careful not to stretch the dough in the pan (what you stretch now will shrink later).  Chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

To Bake Tart Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C)

Line the crust with a circle of parchment paper or foil and fill with dried beans or rice.

Bake the crust for 20 - 25 minutes, or until very lightly coloured.  if the crust needs to be fully baked (it does for this strawberry tart recipe), remove the parchment and beans and bake the crust for another 3 - 5 minutes, or until golden.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Keeping:

Wrapped airtight, the dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for a month.  Frozen discs of dough take 45 - 60 minutes at room temp. to reach a good rolling out consistency.

I will post Part 2 a.s.a.p.

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Parisian Strawberry Tart - Part One Paris Sweets Pâte Sucrée Recipe

Buttercream Bakery Chocolate Fudge Brownie Batch

I'm crazy about our Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cupcakes, they taste just like a brownie, gooey, chewy, dense and incredibly chocolaty.   The tops of the cupcakes are just like the top of a brownie and we add choc chunks, fudge pieces or nuts depending on our customers tastes.

This batch were all Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie Cupcakes.

Milk Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie

White Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie

Caramel Molten Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie

Oreo Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie

Choca Mocha Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownie

Choca Mocha Chocolate Fudge Brownie

 Oreo Chocolate Fudge Brownie

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Buttercream Bakery Chocolate Fudge Brownie Batch

A Girl Can't Live On Cupcakes Alone - Jamie Oliver Tapas Mini Meatballs Recipe

Jamie is, as far as I'm concerned the king of dinner, I love his recipes and probably use at least on a week.  These delicious Tapas meatballs are from his latest book Jamie Does..., they are amazing and definitely worthy of being my first ever savoury post.

Baby Love told me five or six times over dinner how much he loved these and I think I may replace my normal meatball recipe with this one.  I loved them as a Tapas dish with crusty warm bread but they would be great with pasta too.

The tomato sauce is perfect!

Mini meatballs - Jamie Does...

Serves 4 as a tapas dish

(makes 12 small meatballs)

olive oil

a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled,

1 finely chopped,

1 finely sliced

250g minced beef or pork,

the best quality you can

afford (or a mixture)

1 large egg yolk, preferably

free-range or organic

25g fine breadcrumbs

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

1 small dried chilli

2 large ripe tomatoes

1 lemon

Spanish extra virgin olive oil

Heat a lug of olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Finely slice the parsley stalks

and add them to the pan with half your finely chopped onion. Fry the onion gently

for a few minutes, and once it starts to soften, add the chopped garlic. Fry for a few

more minutes, until the onion is completely softened, then put it into a large mixing

bowl and leave to cool completely.

Once your onion has cooled, add the minced meat, egg yolk and breadcrumbs to the

bowl. Roughly chop most of your parsley leaves and add to the bowl. Season well

with salt and pepper, then crumble in the dried chilli and use your clean hands to

really get in there and scrunch everything up until well mixed. Roll the mixture into

about 12 bite-sized balls, lay them on an oiled baking tray, cover with cling film and

pop into the fridge to firm up for half an hour.

Although putting them into the fridge helps them hold their shape, I'll often skip this

step and take my chances. They may break up a little, but it's not the end of the world

and they'll still taste delicious.

When the meatballs are ready get them out of the fridge. Prick the tomato a few times

with a small sharp knife, then drop it into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave

for 30 seconds or so, then use tongs to fish it out. Once it’s cool enough to handle, peel

and discard the skin, squeeze out the seeds and finely chop the flesh. Put a pan on

a high heat and add a lug of good olive oil. Add the meatballs and move them around

for about 8 minutes, or until they are brown all over. Add the remaining chopped onion

and the sliced garlic to the pan, fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chopped

tomato and lemon. Shaking and stirring, simmer for around 5 minutes, or until

everything looks beautiful and the onions are soft and cooked through. Halve your

lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the pan. Very finely chop a teaspoon's

worth of lemon from the remaining half and add it to the pan.

Move everything to a serving dish, season with salt and pepper, drizzle over some

extra virgin olive oil and scatter over the rest of the parsley leaves.

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A Girl Can't Live On Cupcakes Alone - Jamie Oliver Tapas Mini Meatballs Recipe

Buttercream Bakery Banksy Cupcakes

The Banksy Cupcake is my best seller and over the last year or so has fast become my signature cupcake. 

 If you have visited my blog before you have probably seen my Banksy Girl with Red Balloon cupcake at some point (I included it in my first ever blog post).

  It is so difficult to be unique as a cake designer, so much has been done before, as far as I know, no one but me has done Banksy, I think I would cry if I ever saw another one.

Banksy is a world famous street artist whose works can be found all over,  his artworks are often satirical pieces of art on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics. His street art combines graffiti writing with a distinctive stencilling technique.  

 Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti. Art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.

This is my new Banksy Panda, by specific request.

I was both excited and apprehensive about this batch, Girl with Red Balloon is super easy but Panda, I knew would be as difficult as Rat was.

This was the last Banksy set I did, Girl with Red Balloon and Rat.

Here are some pictures of the original Banksy works.

Girl with Red Balloon

Panda

And a bigger picture of the Panda above....

After a bit of practise I managed to get the Pandas down to ten minutes each which wasn't too bad.

I think Panda might be my favourite ever Banksy Cupcake.

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Buttercream Bakery Banksy Cupcakes

How Pink Can You Make A Cupcake?

Buttercream Bakery Pretty In Pink Cupcakes

I can in fact make a cupcake pretty darn pink indeed.

When a customer calls to ask, 'how pink can you make a cupcake'?

 My first thoughts are, God I love my job.

This is, I think, as pink as a cupcake can get.  Pink frosting, pink sprinkles and pink cake.

These are Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes with pink food colouring added to the batter,

I think they are super cute.

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How Pink Can You Make A Cupcake?

Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

I love Red Velvet Cake and it is one of our top selling flavours.  If you have never made Red Velvet Cake before this is the recipe to try.  These cupcakes are not only strikingly beautiful but also unbelievably delicious.

We normally make our Red Velvet cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting but I decided to go with Magnolia and try their creamy frosting.  The Creamy Vanilla Frosting Recipe was totally new to me and adding a flour mixture to butter and sugar did not seem like the most delicious idea in the world.  I was sceptical to say the least.  That being said this frosting is amazing!

Undeniably creamy and luscious, I honestly can't describe the deliciousness that is this frosting, I think it tastes like the most delicious whipped cream.  As I type this I'm realising the similarities between this recipe and cream patisserie, it is all starting to make sense.

These are bound to be a huge hit with everyone, I can't recommend them highly enough.

Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cake

3 ⅓ cups cake flour (not self-rising)

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 ¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons red food coloring

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and lightly flour three muffin tins. Place cupcake papers in the tins.

To make the cake: In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.

In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overheat.

In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake each tray for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Magnolia Bakery Creamy Vanilla Frosting

 

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

In a medium-size saucepan, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth. Place over medium heat and, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture becomes very thick and begins to bubble, 10-15 minutes. Cover with waxed paper placed directly on the surface and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, on the medium high speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 3 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating continuously for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat well.

Add the cooled milk mixture, and continue to beat on the medium high speed for 5 minutes, until very smooth and noticeably whiter in color. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes (no less and no longer—set a timer!). Use immediately.

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Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

My Cookbook Addiction

I am completely obsessed with cookbooks.  I buy them constantly and if a new one is out you can be sure I already have it.  My cookbook collection is now massive and since I now have a new addiction to antique cookbooks I doubt it will be shrinking any time soon.

This little lot is in the kitchen....

It is almost as if I have some uncontrollable need to have in my possession, every recipe known to man.

This next little lot has now been shunned to the spare room at Baby Love's request.  I miss them terribly but there is no space in my little old kitchen.

Maybe I need a library?

You would have thought that was it but here are the most recent purchases...

Eddie Spence is a God! This book is amazing and I can't wait till I have time to tackle some of the projects.

If you have noticed a gap in my collection please let me know, I haven't bought a cookbook yet today.

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My Cookbook Addiction