Years and years ago I took a cake decorating class with a friend. I was 7 months pregnant at the time, so I’m really not sure what possessed me to waddle into this class. Somewhere along the way I decided that having kids meant I was going to need to make fun birthday cakes every year. So I had to learn sometime.
I learned some easy decorating tips in that first 4 week class, but most of what I have learned about cakes and frosting has been by trial and error. Frosting is really pretty forgiving. If you mess up, you can just scrape it off and start over.
That’s probably part of the reason I gave up my home-based cake business. The perfectionist in me was taking hours upon hours to finish cakes or cupcakes for my clients. I have found that baking for my internet friends is much more relaxing. Plus, these baked goods stay in my kitchen. There is no added stress of hoping the finished product did not get dropped on the car ride to their house.
Ingredients
- For the Sparkling Cranberries
- 3/4 cup sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- For the Cupcakes
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- For the White Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- For the Cranberry Frosting
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Stir together the water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the syrup into a bowl and cool for about 10 minutes. Add the cranberries and stir to coat. Refrigerate the cranberries and syrup overnight, stirring a couple times to coat with syrup.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the extracts and sour cream and mix until well combined.
- Add 1 of the egg whites and mix until combined. Add the remaining 2 egg whites and mix again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often, if needed.
- Combine the flour and baking powder. Add half the flour mixture and half the milk and mix until integrated. Add the rest of the flour and milk and mix until combined.
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the cupcakes and allow them to cool 2-3 minutes in the pan, then remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- To finish the cranberries, remove them from the syrup and roll them in the remaining sugar. Add a little bit of sugar at a time, as it will get clumps. Set the cranberries aside to dry for an hour or so.
- Combine the cranberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the cranberries begin to pop. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Place the cranberries in a food processor and puree. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Beat the butter, shortening, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups sugar and mix until smooth. Add 1/4 cup cranberry puree and mix until well combined. Add the remaining sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Place the white chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir and heat for another 20-30 seconds. Stir and let sit for a few minutes. Stir until melted and creamy. Set aside to cool and thicken.
- Use a cupcake corer to remove the centers of the cupcakes. Spoon the thickened white chocolate into the centers. Frost the cupcakes with the cranberry frosting using a piping bag and large piping tip. Top each cupcake with a few sugared cranberries. Makes 12 cupcakes. Store on the counter in a sealed container for 2-3 days.
Notes
Excerpted and slightly Adapted from Simply Beautiful Homemade Cakes: Extraordinary Recipes and Easy Decorating Techniques by Lindsay Conchar. Copyright © 2016. Reprinted with permission from Page Street Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
Thanks done share recipes to : https://insidebrucrewlife.com/2016/11/sparkling-cranberry-white-chocolate-cupcakes/