Friday, August 20, 2010

So...do you wanna eat a cupcake?

Then we can be even and you, too, can gain 4 1/2 pounds from eating two of them.

That's what friends are for.

And...

You're welcome.

This is going to be long because I have a lot of pictures so I'm hardly going to write any extra words.

Sorry.

I just don't want you to get readers cramp from too much blah, blah, blah.

OK. Ready?

For the cupcake part...just make your favorite vanilla cupcake but instead of using vanilla extract use the beans from two vanilla pods. Or just use vanilla. I don't know if the beans are technically important but I like the little flecks of it in there.

Fill the cupcake pans a little fuller than usual. Use the paper cupcake liner thing-ys (yes, that is the correct term) but to make them easier to get out and clean up after I usually spray the whole top of the cupcake tin with pam before I put the papers in. This is a great tip to try if you don't already do it. Those baked on drips really come off quickly. My recipe only makes 12 cupcakes so the quantity of icing and simple syrup is based on 12 cupcakes. If you use a boxed mix (24 cupcakes) double everything.


While the cupcakes are baking let's make the simple syrup.

In a saucepan boil together 1 cup of water and 3/4 cup of granulated white sugar. Boil for 3 or 4 minutes until it is thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Set this aside for now. You can use that fake lemon stuff if you don't have real but don't tell Martha Stewart I said it was OK. I will deny it if you do!


Moving on to the frosting now.

Don't forget your cupcakes, though. Be sure they aren't burning.

My Grandmother always made this frosting and called it Wallpaper Paste Icing. It's a weird recipe but the frosting is really light and creamy and yummy.

So to make it here's what you need:

6 tablespoons of flour
1 cup ofmilk
1 cup of granulated "real" sugar
1 cup of room temperature butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

The first think you do is whisk the flour and the milk together. This is not going to look very tasty at this point but don't worry.


Keep stirring this with your whisk over medium heat very carefully. Don't leave it alone because it will burn. Whisk, whisk, whisk. I'm sorry if your arm is getting tired but whisk, whisk, whisk. Don't forget to check your cupcakes. Whisk, whisk, whisk.


It is going to get really, really thick. Like super thick pudding. When you are whisking you will be able to see the bottom of the pan because it will be so thick it will pull away. When that happens, whisk it about 30 seconds more. It will be super thick and not look very icing like at this point. Don't burn your cupcakes!


Dump the floury stuff mess into a wire strainer that you have placed over a bowl.




Smoosh the floury stuff mess through the strainer with the back of a spatula. It's going to be weird. Keep scraping the flour stuff mess off the bottom of the strainer with a table knife. When you're all done smooshing you will have a bowl full of smooth, floury thick white stuff. Put it in the refrigerator. Cupcakes?

Can you multi-task?

Because I have to skip around now because we are waiting for the smooth, flour thick white stuff to get cold before we can finish our icing.

In the meantime, throw the 1 cup of of room temperature butter and the 1 cup of granulated sugar in the mixing bowl. Mix the heck out of it. Keep scraping down the sides. Mix, mix, mix. Scrape down the sides. Mix, mix, mix. Mix this for 5 or 6 minutes. You have to wait for the smooth, floury thick white stuff to get cold anyway. Mix, mix mix. Since you've been mixing a long time now your cupcakes should be out of the oven and cooling.


Now dump the cold smooth, floury thick white stuff into the mixture with the beat-to-heck butter and granulated sugar.


Mix, mix, mix. On high. For a long time. Like 6 - 8 minutes long. Scrape the side of the bowl down. Mix, mix, mix. It might look curdled for a little bit but that's OK. Just keep mix, mix, mixing. Dump the 2 teaspoons of vanilla in there.


And after you mix, mix, mix just a little bit more you will have this bowl of fluffy, not-too-sweet, really delicious icing. Oh man. Where is a spoon when you need it?


And now we are ready to assemble our cupcakes in a jar. Your jars should have been washed and dried. I didn't say this earlier but you probably already knew this. And make sure the jars are empty. Don't put the cupcakes in there with a few left-over pickles. But you know this stuff already. Right?

Peel the papers off the cooled cupcakes.

Get out some preserves or lemon curd. I'm using apricot jam here but you can use strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, lemon curd, lime curd...anything at all you like.

So.

In the bottom of the glass jar drop a little spoon of the icing. You can use a piping tip but when I took these pictures my kitchen was really hot and the frosting wasn't quite stiff enough.

Then drop in a little spoonful of whatever preserves you like.


Now dip the bottom of your cupcake quickly into your cooled sugar syrup.



And then gently put it into the jar. The cupcake should be facing up, just like when you bake it.


Drizzle a little of the sugar syrup over the top of the cupcake.


Spread another small spoonful of preserves over the top of the cupcake.



And lastly pipe in more icing to the top of the jar. I try to spread it to the whole edge of the glass all the way around.

And, voila!, three varieties of cupcakes...raspberry, lemon curd and apricot.


If you are giving a cupcake for a gift, you can put a little label on the top, tie a ribbon around it twisted around a plastic spoon.

But...

I had to take this basket somewhere so I didn't have time to show you that, but you can figure it out, I'm sure.


And look how cute they are?

Geez.

I'm exhausted.

How do food bloggers do this?

I could have written 10 normal strange posts in the time it took to do this one.

But that's OK.

Because what are friends for?

I'm just trying to be nice sharing my recipe here, really.

I'm not trying to make YOU gain 4 1/2 pounds, too.

Geez. What kind of a person do you think I am? I was only kidding when I wrote that earlier.

Sigh...

PS. If you have any ???'s, e-mail me and I will try and clarify. I tried first baking the cupcake in the jar but it looked all icky in there and you can't get preserves or sugar syrup underneath. The sugar syrup is to keep the cupcake really moist. And I'm not sure why but it is really fun to eat these out of the jar. It feels like your own personal celebration or something!

post signature

46 comments:

ain't for city gals said...

Thanks for sharing Jenny...but jeez looks like a lot of work...and the four pounds is something to think about too....just lost my eight..two more to go!

RoeH said...

I linked this post to my daughter in DC. Her girls would love making cupcakes that end up in a bottle. Fun!

ImagiMeri said...

Awwwwwwwwe geez Jenny, you just loaded 10 lbs on my over-sized butt just by reading this post. Man, those cupcake thingy's look and sound amazing. Don't you ever, ever, (please) bring any of those to my house (I'd like four please), I mean it, if you do I'll just have to be really mad at you (I love you) and never talk to you again (I will hug you and never leave your side).

Love ya'
Meri

Pondside said...

My hips got bigger just reading this. I can only imagine what would happen if I actually assembled one of these and let the calories free-range in my kitchen!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

I've never seen icing made that way. Can I make it without a mixer? I think my arm would get tired.

Stacy said...

I stand corrected.....it wasn't water weight.

Looks yummy, though, and if every two=4.5 pounds.....it's the perfect gift for all those annoyingly skinny people who never seem to gain an ounce. A six-pack should be about right for them. :)

Pat Wahler said...

That looks positively yummy! How about sending one my way?

Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

They are precious, and I can see how it would be so fun, to eat your own, out of the jar!

Sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry about that 4 1/2 pound thing though. -le sigh- And I know that you felt that you just HAD to eat some, to make sure they were fine. But!

Please prepare to *hate* me now! >,-)

I make dessert all the time, for family dinner on sun. and I never can eat a bite of it. 'Cause I can't eat gluten, and I won't eat butter or Sat/Fat.

See how easy it is to be good?

All you need it to have had 3 nearly clogged heart arteries and have become gluten intolerant!!!!! ,-)

-pause-

-pause-

-pause-

-ducking, running & hiding-

Jocelyn said...

Oh thank you soooo much for sharing this with us!!! I so love baking and I can't wait to try these out!!!!

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Those look very yummy and so cute! What a great way to take cupcakes to a party or a picnic. Love the basket with all the jars in it. I would be glad to gain 4 1/2 pounds with you.

Cheryl said...

Hon, so many thoughts, so little time. Nothin' says lovin' than somethin' from the oven as long as it's not burnt. If anyone tries this at home and manages to burn 'em, all I can say is you warned 'em.

I told ya I thought each one COULD contain 7825 calories. This proves me right.

I forgot to tell you that the best way to lose weight is to move out for awhile. Since Mr. Jenny is losing pounds, they're floating around your house looking for a target to attack. Living with him is a liability during your weight-loss campaign. Move out and watch those pounds disappear. His weight loss is sabotaging yours.

Trust me on this one. I've seen it before. Things could get ugly. Just sayin...

La said...

Jenny ~ Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I think these will be on the table when my aunt visits in a couple weeks. They look delicious and fun!

Happy Friday! La

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

THANK YOU! I am going to give these as a going away gift to my neighbors who are moving next week. I think the kids will LOVE 'em and the parents will love them more.

Thanks Jenny for taking all that time!!

Anonymous said...

Yummy!

But, that is the weirdest icing recipe I've ever seen. But, I trust you, so I'm going to try it.

And the name!!??

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

sweet,
I would love cupcakes...
yummy post.

Nancy's Notes said...

I love cupcakes and these look divine! I can't wait to try them, thanks for sharing!

Nancy

Busy Bee Suz said...

I love this recipe Jenny!!!
You are the coolest food blogger ever. Sorry you are now tired from it. :)
Have a great weekend!!!

Theresa said...

Yummy, love this and will try it! I do so love me a cupcake and these sound delicious! How about you make us all some so we can try them, hehe!

Have a blessed day my friend! HUGS!

Unknown said...

*sighs* I want some! But I can't bake to save my life....Jenny come bake me some! purrty please? I'll gladly take those 4 1/2 lbs off of you!

Vanessa said...

Oh yummy! I think those would be so fun to do for a child's bday party! Thank you for sending them our way!
Vanessa
http://southerninmheart.blogspot.com

Terry said...

Those look fabulous but holy cow that's just way too much work for me! LOL

Amy said...

I am so giving these to all the people who are skinnier than me. I will probably eat a few myself, so I figure I need to even up the odds. And wow, they sound delicious!

Jeanie said...

I'm pretty sure I can find the kitchen and I know all those mixy, swishy, measury things are in there. Oh wait, first I have to go to the grocery store to get all the stuff and then go back because I know I would forget the jars, even if I had a list.
When I try these I think it will be a process, not an event, but, yes, it will be a celebration if I ever get them done.

Holly said...

What a fun way to start my day...with you!!!
Love this post and all your mixings and stirrings!!! How many cupcakes does this make, if you're constantly dipping your spoon into the batter...washing in between of course!!

Bonnie@Creative Decorating said...

NOW I understand why you gain 4 1/2 pounds from them!!! Yum Yum!! I am saving this link because I am definitely going to make these at Christmas time to give away!!

Hope you are having a wonderful day and will have a great weekend!!

Susan Anderson said...

Definitely the most pleasurable and palatable prescription for pastry with preserves I've personally perused. I may even try it out!

=)

PS. Which is entirely out of character, I might add...

Lorrie said...

OOh, these sound VERY, VERY good. My mom used to make that icing and I love it. It's creamy and not too sweet and freezes well, too.

I like little desserts and I'm thinking that this idea might be fun in those really small preserving jars. Hmmmm. Maybe I'll throw my list out the window and get into the kitchen.

Marlene said...

Wow - you're more than just a pretty face and a great writer, aren't you?! I'm totally impressed!!!

Oh, and I gained 4.5 pounds just from looking at this....thanks. I needed another 4.5 pounds to prepare me for the coming winter. Yeah. That's it.

Amy said...

Jenny - this post makes me want to eat just the icing. Thanks a lot...

LOL

I might try these sometime, but not until I lose at least 30 lbs. I've lost 11.5 so far....

Or maybe I'll eat some cupcakes and just start over!! HA!

Tina said...

With all that mixing and stirring and whisking and scraping, I'm pretty sure you'd LOSE 4.5 pounds...So maybe the trick is to just eat one cupcake per batch...which would involve making two batches (are you with me, mathematically on this?) and then you'd have plenty of cupcakes to send to all your admirers :-) Just an idea...
P.S Wow. What a lot of work, not just the cupcakes but the post, too. Thanks.

Jo said...

that 4 1/2 pounds was from eating 2 cup cakes wasn't it??? now that i'm hitting the gym, maybe i will only gain 4 .... and technically that just adds a week or three extra workouts, so ... yeah ... i think i want to gain the weight! lol

Unknown said...

absolutely darling! what a cute little gift idea. thanks for sharing, now if only you were sharing the actual cupcake!

Sue said...

Okay, that frosting is the strangest stuff I've ever seen and I can certainly see where the 4 1/2 pounds came from. I have decided that it just might be worth it! Lemon curd would be so good...or strawberry jam...or, oh...anything yummy. It is hard to do food posts, you actually have to cook...imagine that! That is why I can only post food a couple times a week...how do those every day food people eat all that food?

Crafty Housewife said...

Wow, those look fabulous! I am thinking the apple butter I made last night would be really good with that too!

Millie said...

That is so cool!

Holly Lefevre said...

Oh Jenny - what a fun and decadent idea. I have a crappy metabolism so I would gain 8 1/2 pounds because that is what friends are really for! HA! You know this tickles me pink! Off to exercise!

Terra said...

Those really look amazing..... Not thinking I have the skills though

Catherine Holman said...

What a neat idea! Thanks!

Lourie said...

Did you figure the points? I bet it is scary! They look so delicious.

Unknown said...

it is a fun idea and I like it a lot....I love cupcakes however they are made. They may even be worth four and a half pounds. I dont know....I guess I have to think about that one!

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

These are the best idea, Matlock. Of course, they can't be made in my house......because I'd eat them...all of them....

Ms. A said...

I NEVER have to go to this much effort, for pounds. Think I'll stick to butterfingers. All I have to do is peel back the wrapper.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Delightful delicious post, Jenny!

Slamdunk said...

Ha, I am walking to the fridge now to scope for something to eat--for some reason I am hungry after reading your great recipe post.

Moore Minutes said...

Jenny!! This is awesome. :D And of course I'm still loving the jars...too cute. I hope you know I'm making these tomorrow now! lol, I'm making my list and getting my sugar fix. ;) It sounds so unique and delicious.

Life in Rehab said...

Bwahahahahahahahaha! Best cupcake in a jar tutorial EVER!