Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake

I love fall.  If I had to pick my favourite season, fall would win hands down.  Crisp mornings, hikes through the bush and markets full of pumpkins, squash and apples.

I love fall baking too.   Spicy flavours and smells fill the kitchen.   We tend to gravitate towards  cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, as these seem to be the flavours associated to this time of year.

I don’t know if I told you this but my mom makes the BEST pumpkin pie ever.  It just happens to be my favourite flavour of pie.  But I have to say, and mom I hope you’re not listening, that this cake might just have put your pie in the running.

I can’t believe I just typed that out loud.

I’m not kidding.  This is one of the most moist cakes I have ever eaten.  It has all of the flavours of a pumpkin pie in a dense yet light cake.   With Candied Pecans sprinkled throughout.  And Brown Sugar Cream Cheese on each layer?

Pure pumpkin bliss.

What’s your favourite thing about fall?

*adapted from finecooking.com

* grease and flour two 6 x 3 inch cake pans, set oven temp to 350 degrees

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
•  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
•  1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
•  1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
•  1 tsp. ground ginger
•  3/4 tsp. kosher salt
•  1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
•  2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
•  2 large eggs, room temperature
•  1/3 cup buttermilk. room temperature

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally (butter will begin to foam a bit) until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes.  Let cool while preparing other ingredients.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt,nutmeg and cloves.  In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until well blended.   Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

3.  Bake the cakes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto racks, remove the pan bottoms or parchment, and cool completely.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 cups dark brown sugar , firmly packed
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 500 grams of cream cheese, cold

1.  Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth.  Add cold cream cheese and beat just until blended.  Cream cheese icing is easier to work with when the cream cheese is added cold.

Candied Pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup dark brown sugar

1.  Mix together the pecans, brown sugar and cream.  Spread over a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, stirring once.

Cake Assembly

1.  I usually let cake layers chill in the freezer for at least an hour before cutting.  Then, using a serrated knife, cut both cakes into layers.  You’ll have one extra layer to freeze for later or nibble on whilst you decorate.

2.  Place a layer on your cake plate, then spread a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.  Sprinkle some chopped candied pecans on top of the icing.  Repeat with the next layer.  Add the final layer and frost the entire cake.

3.  Once the whole cake is frosted, chill for a few hours before serving.  Sprinkle and decorate with the remaining pecans.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Love

I have to tell you right off that I think I may have discovered the best chocolate frosting ever this week-end….

***squeal!!***

Like, if I could marry a frosting this would be the one.

If I could bathe in a frosting this would be the one.

Don`t judge me… this stuff is so darn chocolatey and rich and delicious.  Ruffled on top of a moist dark chocolate cake.   With a fresh and sweet strawberries on top?

You know you want it….

I thought I would give this recipe a whirl because my usual chocolate frosting just isn’t fudgey and chocolatey enough for me sometimes.  This is melted Belgian chocolate and cocoa whipped together with icing sugar and butter.

You had me at melted Belgian chocolate…..

I swirled some on top of my cupcakes and used some to make little tiny trifle cups.  These are just plastic wine cups that I layered with a cupcake, some icing and some diced berries.  Perfect to bring out to the patio after dinner.

Make it.  Then e-mail me right away and tell me that without a doubt this is the best chocolate and cupcake combo you have ever had.  Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

*adapted from What The Fruitcake?

Makes 24 cupcakes

3/4 cup strong hot coffee

3/4 cup dark cocoa

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp mayonnaise, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners

1.  Whisk together coffee and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.  Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in another small bowl and set aside.  Measure out buttermilk and mix with vanilla extract and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and salt.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly and scraping the side of the bowl before adding the next egg.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined.  Add 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix until combined.  Repeat, ending with the last of the flour mixture.  Add the cocoa and coffee mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.  Fold in mayonnaise.

3.  Divide equally into prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for 16-18 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to cool thoroughly on wire racks before frosting.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

•                                         1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
•                                         2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•                                         3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
•                                         1/4 teaspoon salt
•                                         1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used Callebaut Bittersweet)

 1.   Combine cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.   Beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture.

This icing can be stored in the fridge for about a week.  Bring to room temperature and beat until smooth again.

Spring Cupcakes and a Symbol of Hope

I always eagerly await the first signs of spring.  Bright and cheerful bursts of tulips and daffodils are a welcome sight after a cold, bland winter.   They invigorate us and announce to us that spring has sprung!

Thank you for arriving spring I am so ready for you!  I’m ready for open windows, bed sheets on the clothesline, sitting in the sun and drinks on the patio!

I thought these cupcakes would be the perfect fit for our Easter table.  Beautiful sunny yellows amid pops of white, blue and pink colours.

It’s doesn’t hurt when your pops of colour are candy coated and full of milk chocolate either.  Another wonderful sign of spring. Easter chocolate.

Remember here when I made lime cupcakes with Tequila frosting?  These are identical, just substitute the lime for lemon.  Omit the step of brushing on the Tequila.   Swirl on a generous amount of Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream (below).  These  are keeper lemon cupcakes.  Really moist with a good hit of lemon followed by, you guessed it, the creamiest lemony Swiss Meringue icing.

Did you know April is also Daffodil Month for the Canadian and American Cancer Society? Daffodils are a symbol of hope for those living with cancer.  Unfortunately everyone has a cancer story.  All of the monies raised from the Daffodil Campaign go to life saving cancer research.

I hope this spring leaves you feeling rejuvenated.  I hope spring has sprung where you live!  Happy Easter everyone.

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 3/4 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup lemon curd or lemon pie filling (or more to taste)

1. Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2. In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined. Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees). The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well. Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3. Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment. Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled. Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time. Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick. It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify. Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and lemon curd and beat until combined. Use immediately.

White Modelling Chocolate

Want to know the best thing about this cupcake?

Besides the fact that it’s elegant and gorgeous looking, it’s entirely chocolate.  Cake, icing,  branches and flower.  The cake and icing don’t matter here (even though I believe cake and icing ALWAYS matter, just read on for a minute here…).    Today’s post is about the chocolate flower on top.

I’ve made the dark modelling chocolate before.  It’s one of the posts I receive the most mail about.  Remember here?  So I thought I would leave the recipe for the white as well.   I don’t think the white hardens as firm as the dark (still quite firm though), but it tastes just as yummy!

The best part about modelling chocolate?   No “glue” required and flowers firm up fairly quickly.  This flower takes just a little chocolate and some coloured lustre dust for accents.  Remember though, it is chocolate so it doesn’t tolerate heat!

I promise this will be a two-part post with a tutorial for the flowers to follow.  My hubby, who is also my photographer, is also a snowplow driver and we have been hit with a lot of snow today.  Needless to say I’m on my own, so I’ll have to wait until he’s here to finish up the tutorial.

I just love a dogwood flower.  It’s such an elegant flower.  Wouldn’t these be great for a wedding?  Shower perhaps?  Garden party?

Check out the Hungry Happenings site for fantastic information about working with chocolate.  While you’re there, check out some of the yummy creations!  This is where I get my recipe for modelling chocolate from.

*from Hungry Happenings 

• 16 oz good quality Belgian White Chocolate
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup (more if needed)

1.  Melt chocolate over a double boiler.  Let chocolate cool to 91 degrees F, stirring often.  Pour in the corn syrup and mix well.   If the mixture is crumbly, add a little more corn syrup.  I do not knead mine at this stage as recommended, I put it in a sealable plastic bag and let it sit at room temperature for atleast 24 hours.  It will be quite hard when you start to knead it.  To soften it up a bit, pop it in the microwave for only a few seconds.

2.  Keep leftovers wrapped in plastic and sealed in an airtight container at room temperature.  Leave chocolate creations at room temperature to firm up and then store in an air tight container (at room temp).

French Vanilla Cupcakes with Maraschino Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Pretty soon Valentine’s Day will be upon us.  I know that there are some who think it’s so over rated, but I can’t help but feel excited about what kind of card or flowers my sweet Valentine has picked out for me.

I am ‘that’ mom who puts heart-shaped things in the kids lunches, even though they are well into junior grades and almost into highschool.

So I wanted to have a few posts dedicated to some Valentines treats because I have so many cute things rolling around in my brain.  This is the first post, my French Vanilla Cupcakes with Maraschino Swiss Meringue Buttercream. 

 

I am always on a quest for a good vanilla cupcake.   You know which kind really tastes the best?  The cake mix kind.  They have such wonderful vanilla flavour and are so light and fluffy.  I have yet to find this in a scratch version.   Not that there is anything wrong with a box version!  To me, well, for some reason it just feels like cheating.

Do not despair…I am not one to give up….on cake.

I really love the way these turned out.  Wouldn’t you love to have one of these waiting for you on Valentine’s Day?

Perhaps waiting on your desk, or in your lunch?  Sitting outside your door?

Just a little surprise that says “you’re sweet!”

The toppers are just some cherries made out of fondant and coated with cake glitter.  I did happen to have real cherries in the fridge that I stole the stems off of.

I’m not going to include the Vanilla Cake recipe because it needs some work!  Use your favourite Vanilla Cupcake recipe and top with the Maraschino Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe below).

Maraschino Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup pureed maraschino cherries (I also included a few tsp of the syrup)

*just an update…if you find the cherry icing doesn’t have a strong enough cherry flavour, add a few drops of cherry oil which can be found at most baking supply stores.

1. Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2. In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined. Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees). The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well. Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3. Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment. Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled. Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time. Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick. It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify. Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and cherry puree (to taste) and beat until combined.   Use immediately.

Small Batch Chocolate Vanilla Bean Latte Cupcakes

Remember a while ago when I said I would post a recipe for small batch cupcakes?

Please forgive me but I forgot….

And, I forgot that I forgot until this week-end when I decided to make them again for this post…

See, I am constantly searching on Pinterest looking for cake stands and baking inspiration.  Man there are some creative people out there!  There are ruffle shirts and scarves, ruffle cakes, ruffle dresses and gowns, you name it!

I decided that if you can make a ruffle flower out of a t-shirt in less than 10 minutes, surely I could follow the same instructions and make one out of fondant!

I think it turned out pretty cute and overall was really easy.  Like no brainer kind of easy.  So I needed a small batch of cupcakes just to show you how it turned out.  The instructions I followed are here from A Bit of Sunshine.  What a cute site!

I used it to garnish a Chocolate Cupcake with some Vanilla Bean Latte Swiss Meringue Buttercream.   I have yet to find a Swiss Meringue Buttercream that I don’t like.  It’s smooth and creamy and full of flavour.  It’s that simple.  The cupcakes are surprisingly moist for such a small batch and had gorgeous rounded tops!  Perfect, when you just need a nibble of something sweet.

Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes

*from Small Batch Baking, from Debby Maugans Nakos

yield 4 standard size cupcakes

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp buttermilk, room temp
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line four muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Combine the buttermilk, egg and vanilla in a small bowl, and whisk to mix. Gradually pour the melted butter into the buttermilk mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium-size mixing bowl, and then whisk to blend well. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared liners and until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, 16 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6. Frost with Vanilla Bean Latte Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Vanilla Bean Latte Swiss Meringue Buttercream

*note: this will make approx 2 1/2 cups of frosting.  You will have extra!

• 1 cup unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 vanilla bean split with seeds scraped out
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp of instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 tsp water

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, vanilla seeds, a pinch of salt and espresso and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

Spiced Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Nutmeg Frosting and A Lesson

The Holiday Season is fast approaching and SweetRevelations has been busy busy!  I’m really excited to share that we will be featured in a new Magazine called Elegant Impressions.  It’s based out of New York, the launch date is January 2012 and word has it our Chocolate Roses are on the front cover!!   What an amazing way for us to start the new year.  Blogging has opened so many doors for us in 2011 and I can only wait with anticipation for what 2012 has to offer!

All that aside, I learned a valuable lesson this morning!  I always bake my goodies really early in the morning and I do all of my prep the night before.  I always (as I’m sure many bakers do) leave out extra butter and extra eggs, just in case.   Phew!  Good thing because this morning I woke up super early to pop some gingerbread cupcakes in the oven.  A huge surprise when I opened the oven door and my cakes had fallen really badly.  Like not presentable badly.  It was a new recipe and I didn’t have time to make it again.  So, thank goodness for the extra eggs and butter at room temperature, I did a quick mix of some Apple Spiced Cupcakes and I was good to go.  This is a new recipe that I tried from My Cake School and they are really yummy eaten without icing too!

Topped off with some Cinnamon Nutmeg Swiss Meringue Buttercream, royal icing decorations and some fondant (recipe here)  snowman these are pretty darn cute.   The royal icing tree’s are made out of many different snowflakes I made a few nights before.  So simple to make, but so delicate, make double what you need as they will break!

I do BELIEVE in the magic of the season…don’t you?

What a great display for the dessert table during the holidays.  Many thanks to The Celebration Shoppe for being so speedy in sending me the BELIEVE Cupcake Printables.  I love them.

Spiced Apple Cupcakes

*My Cake School Recipe

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2c. canola oil
• 2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 c. applesauce
• 3 c.  bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 c. grated apple
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line muffin tins.

1.   In a small bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Add oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.  Then, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Mix in the apples, nuts and lemon.

2.  Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 22 minutes or until cake tester inserted comes out clean.  Immediately cool on wire racks.

5.  Pipe with Cinnamon Nutmeg Swiss Meringue Buttercream and garnish with a snowflake!

Cinnamon Nutmeg Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 cups of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• pinch of salt
• cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium speed until whites have increased in volume, are thick and glossy and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and cinnamon and nutmeg (to taste) and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

Royal Icing for Snowflakes

*there are many templates for snowflakes on-line

• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 7 tbsp warm water
• 4 tbsp meringue powder

1.  Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form.  Icing should be thick but still easy to pipe.  I used a Wilton #3  round tip and piped them on to parchment paper.  They need at least 24 hours to dry.  Dust with pearl dust if desired.

Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes and a Special Birthday

See this little angel?

This is my oldest child when she was a year and a half.  Look at those big blue eyes staring so innocently at me.  Time goes by too fast when you’re a parent.  I remember cuddling at bedtime with this little girl and reading her favourite stories over and over and over…..  She turns 13 today and I wanted the day to be special for her.  You only officially become a teenager once!

At lunch I took her out to have her hair done and for a bite to eat.  Just me and her.  It was awesome to spend time with her like that.  When we came home all of her friends and family were waiting to surprise her.

We always write the kids a poem for their birthday.  They moan and groan when it comes out, but you can tell that they love reading the things we have written about them.  We poke fun at some of their idiosyncrasies and tell them how proud we are of some of their accomplishments.  She’s a good girl with a big heart and I’m proud of the lady she is becoming.

She wanted Criminal Minds cupcakes for her birthday because she loves that show.  I had these cute paper toppers made by Angie over at Etsy.  So cute once glued on to popsicle sticks!  Then I made some other toppers out of Marshmallow Fondant.   The cakes are Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes.  I iced them with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and I used Chocolate Ganache as a ripple in the icing.   I also made a few with Dulce de Leche rippled through the icing.

I could quite simply just eat a bowl of icing and not think twice about it.  Amazing.

Sorry about the bad photos, but the light was terrible in that room!

It is very difficult to make crime scene cupcakes look pretty!  Thank goodness the taste makes up for it!

Deep-Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

*from Food and Drink

• 4 ounces (120 g) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate or chips
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°

1. Line 18 standard muffin cups with papers . Over low heat, melt chocolate and butter together in a large saucepan, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, then eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla.
2. Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture along with chocolate and nuts.  Divide among cups. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or just until cupcake centre is raised and feels slightly firm when touched. Do not over-bake. Cool
   completely on rack.

Chocolate Ganache

*this makes enough to frost all of the cupcakes.  I only made 1/2 of this recipe to use as a ripple in the icing.

• 1 cup chopped-into-bits semi-sweet chocolate or chips, about 175 g (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate and whipping cream over very low heat in a small saucepan.  When almost smooth, remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature and dip or frost cupcakes.  Icing will set in an hour at room temperature.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

5 large egg whites

1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, very soft

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with a few inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 140 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch.

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

A Retirement Party and Nautical Cupcakes

My dad is officially retiring at the end of the month.  And it’s his birthday on Tuesday too.  We had a surprise gathering and picnic lunch for him today.  All the kids and grandkids arrived at the party wearing matching t-shirts with the name of his boat on them…”Knot Done.”  So named because he is retiring and turning 65 and there are lots of things he still wants to do with his life.  Genius.

You can say a lot of things about my dad but you could never say he wasn’t a hard worker and a dedicated employee.   He is the true definition of giving 200% to a task.  I know he is very well-respected by his colleagues.  He is a problem solver.  He is a leader.  He is a teacher.  His kids think he’s pretty awesome too!

This picture is an oldie.  Taken from an old employer.

My dad does woodworking as a hobby too.  He’s meticulous and accurate and he’s taught me a thing or two about working in the shop!  Even as an adult I get very excited when dad and I are working on a project together.  I cherish those times that he’s teaching me something.

For a good part of my life, dad has had a boat.  He comes from Nova Scotia so being on the water is second nature to him.    I decided to use a nautical theme for his retirement/birthday party cupcakes.

Thank you dad for teaching me the value of hard work and dedication.   You are one of the most influential people in my life.  I hope you enjoyed your party!

These are Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  The fondant is Homemade Marshmallow Fondant that I made here.  I did add some Gum-Tex to the fondant before working with it because I wanted the decorations to dry harder than they normally do.  Fondant is so easy to work with and colour.  You just need the imagination!  Give yourself lots of time however, as I made these a week in advance so they would have lots of time to set up.

Vanilla Bean Cupcake recipe to come shortly!!

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Apple Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Well fall is definitely upon us!  I was at the market this morning and was instantly drawn to crates and crates of local apples.  This is one of my favourite seasons to be baking, and apples are by far one of my favourite fruits!

I also bought a huge jar of homemade apple butter and decided to use it to flavour the icing.   Anyone who has been following SweetRevelations knows how much I adore my yummy Swiss Meringue Buttercream icing!

The cakes were really good.  I love any cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice combo.  And the icing was pretty yummy too!  Great apple flavour that screams fall and Thanksgiving dinners.  I thought the cakes were so good that I left some un-iced (the horror!) and packed them in the freezer for lunch treats.

The Pastry Case is where I found this yummy recipe and I have no doubt that the cakes would taste awesome with the Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream that she has on her site.  Or, you could make the Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream that I made here (delish).

Apple Spice Cupcakes

from The Pastry Case

yield: 30 cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons light molasses
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup full fat sour cream
• 3 tart baking apples, peeled and shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

1.  Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula then beat in the molasses. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition.

2.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices to blend.

3.  Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. After each addition, beat on low-speed just to combine the ingredients. Stir in the shredded apples and vanilla.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes until the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Apple Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 2 cups unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup of apple butter or more to taste

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with two inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites and the sugar just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 150 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes!).

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add vanilla flavouring, a pinch of salt and apple butter and beat until combined.  Use immediately.