Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

I love custard. I've used my simple recipe in Cream Puffs, Fruit Tarts, Banana Cream Pie and now Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes, and it seriously has never failed me. It's simple, easy and always uber creamy and delicious.

I made these for a friend who just turned 21 and originally intended on making a 'White Russian' Cupcake filled with Vodka cream and topped with Kahlua Buttercream. Good thing I tested a little of the Vodka cream first because blehhh. I'm sure Vodka fanatics would have loved it, but I think that for me, Vodka in cream didn't taste too great. So I used the rest of the non-Vodka cream to fill these little things. I topped the cupcakes with some luscious chocolate ganache and there you have it! A mini Boston Cream Pie cupcake! I believe my friend's words were, "Wow these are the best cupcakes I have ever tasted." Even though he hasn't tasted that many at all, I'll still gladly take that as a compliment.

Creamy custard and butter smooth ganache:

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Original cupcake recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

For Amy Sedaris' Vanilla Cupcakes:

3/4 stick/ 6 tbsn. unsalted butter

3/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 + 1/8 cup milk

For the custard:

1 small boxes of french vanilla pudding

1 cup of whole milk ONLY, no substitutions!

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the whipped ganache frosting:

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream

How to make a filled cupcake:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake tin with liners and set aside. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, making sure it is well incorporated. Beat in vanilla, add flour in three batches, alternating with milk. DO NOT over beat. Divide batter among cupcake tins and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the custard, whip everything together until pudding has become thick, about 8 - 10 minutes. Once the cupcakes are cool, use the cone method to remove the tops, then fill it in with custard and replace tops.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the heavy cream on medium high until it comes up to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes then stir until completely melted and glossy. To pipe the ganache, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up. When you are able to spoon the ganache and and it can hold its texture it is ready to pipe.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Salted Caramel & Black Magic Cake, a match made in heaven.

When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. I mean how could I not when the author basically named them 'the best cupcakes she's ever tasted'? Good thing I did, cause I feel exactly the same. I was inspired by the flavor combination but used my own favorite chocolate cake and a traditional swiss meringue buttercream as the one in the recipe seemed like it was a lot more complicated then need be.

Black Magic Cake has officially become my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe. Do you know why I love black magic cake? For one, the ingredients are easy. The recipe requires no butter and no melting of chocolate. And if you don't have buttermilk? No problem, just use the substitution. Secondly, I am always delighted with the result. Perfectly domed cupcakes that are moist with a tender crumb.

My go to frosting? Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Don't be afraid folks, it's not as hard as they say! It's really quite simple and the results have never failed to please me either, as well as anyone whose tried it! I usually despise, hate, am appalled by most frostings. I actually used to NOT like cupcakes?!?! Can you believe that? Most of the time they are way too sweet but swiss meringue buttercream came to my rescue. It's easy and customizable beyond belief, as seen here, here and here. It's the perfect amount of sweetness that doesn't make your teeth ache after you eat it, plus it pipes like a dream with its utterly perfect consistency. And this caramel version? My absolute FAVORITE. Using salted butter cut down the sweetness even more, but paired with caramel?!?!??! Oh geez, too good to be true.

This recipe is a bit time consuming as there are lots of steps, but it really was worth it, I think this could be one of my favorite cupcakes I've made so far! But if needed, I'm sure you could easily replace the Black Magic Cake with a box mix and instead of making the caramel, use canned dulce de leche or caramel sundae topping. But please, please, please whatever you do, don't skimp on the frosting. It-is-WORTH-it. I promise.

The caramel shards were for pure decoration but they are definitely edible. I tried attempting Tartelette's "Bubble" Caramel but failed. Caramel? Yes. Bubbles? No. I don't know what I did wrong but the shards were still pretty despite being bubble-less. Oh well, next time.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Yields: 12 - 14 cupcakes

Inspired by this recipe but I made significant changes.

Original "bubble" caramel recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

1 halved recipe of Black Magic Cake

For the caramel:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsn. water

1/4 cup heavy cream

pinch of sea salt

For the buttercream:

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 sticks of salted butter (12 tbsn.), cut into 12 pieces

Caramel, to your taste

For the "bubble" caramel (for decoration/ optional):

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsn. water

1 tbsn. corn syrup

rubbing alcohol (in a spray bottle)

Bake cupcakes according to directions, let cool completely. To make the caramel, add the sugar to a saucepan and pour the water over it. With the heat on low, stir sugar until it is nearly dissolved. DO NOT let it boil, if it get too hot, remove it from the heat for a few seconds. Once mostly dissolved, raise heat to medium high and bring to a boil, cover immediately and boil for 2 minutes. Uncover and continue swirling mixture until it becomes dark amber BUT not burnt! Take off heat and IMMEDIATELY, but slowly pour in cream, stirring with a whisk (I waited a few minutes and it completely hardened and I had to start over). Whisk until combined, set aside.

To make the buttercream, put the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water making sure the bottom does not actually touch the water. Stir the egg whites until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and place into the mixer stand. Beat until it becomes white and doubles in size. Add the vanilla on low speed, then add the butter, one piece at a time, making sure it is well mixed after each addition. Do not worry if it looks curdled, it will take some time for it to come together. Continue beating for 5 - 10 minutes until everything comes together. Add the caramel until the taste suits you. Frost your cupcakes, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!

To make the caramel shards, combine all of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring them to a boil. Bring the mixture to 300 F. While the caramel is reaching the desired temperature, take a sheet of parchment paper and crinkle it lightly with your hands, then flatten it out a bit (this will help form the bubbles). Spray rubbing alcohol on the parchment paper right before the caramel reaches is temperature, don't do it ahead of time or else the alcohol will dry. When caramel is ready, pour over the parchment paper and watch the bubble form. Spread if necessary by lifting the sheet but watch out, because mixture is hot. Let cool completely before breaking into shards. This is more for decoration than eating, but you can eat it.

Spooktacular Cupcakes

These are some cupcakes I made for an upcoming event for my club at school, The Flying Samaritans. It's an amazing club and I'm so proud to be a part of it! It was only a matter of time until I made some cupcakes for them. We are gonna be selling these to help fundraise for our club, I hope people will like them!

Furry Swamp Monsters!

Blood Bones!

Brains!

Spiderwebs!

Mummies!

I didn't have much time so I used boxed cake mixes. But I did make my own Swiss meringue buttercream! I used Martha's recipe but let me warn you, this recipe makes SO much frosting. I made 36 cupcakes and I still think that I had enough frosting left over to frost another 36! Even though the recipe said it was only for 28! Make sure to cut the recipe in half if you aren't making a ginormous amount of cupcakes!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Yield: enough for 40 - 50 + cupcakes

Original recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups sugar

10 large egg whites

8 sticks/ 4 cups of unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers, it should feel completely smooth. Transfer the bowl back to the standing mixer and using the whisk attachment, whisk on high speed until mixture has cooled and forms stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes. Add the butter, a little at a time and beat after each addition. DO NOT WORRY if it starts to look like it curdled, keep mixing and it should eventually become smooth again. Beat in vanilla and just mix until combined. Enjoy!

To make the furry swamp monsters:

I used a smaller star tip and just piped small stars around the whole cupcake surface until it was covered. I used M&Ms for the eyes and edible ink pens for the irises.

To make the blood bones:

I used a 2D closed star tip to frost on the frosting. To make the bones I used red candy melts, melted them, then put them into a ziplock bag with the tip cut off to pipe out bone shapes. After they hardened, I added them to the cupcakes.

To make the brains:

I used a medium sized circular tip, first divided the cupcake through the center then swirled the tip around to fill each hemisphere of the brain.

To make the spiderwebs:

I used an offset spatula to spread some dark grey frosting in a thin layer across the top of the cupcake as a base. Then I used a small circular tip filled with white frosting to pipe concentric circles on the top of the cupcake. Then I used a toothpick to drag the frosting from the center out to the edge of the cupcake.

To make the mummies:

I used a rectangular basketweave tip to pipe lines in random ways across the top of the cupcake. I used M&Ms for eyes and used edible ink pens to make the irises.

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I'm really obsessed with hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I've put them in brownies, in cheesecakes, you name it. Surprisingly, I haven't tried them in cupcakes... until now. Can we bask in the beauty of these things?! Let's allow a good 5 seconds of pure unadulterated viewing. Ok, now that that is over with... how could these not be good? If you love chocolate (check!) and if you love hazelnuts (check!), then this is for you!!

Nutella and dark chocolate wafers waiting to be stuffed into cake:

Filling them turned out easier than I had thought:

All stuffed, filled and ready to be bathed in yummy ganache:

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes

Yields: about 24 cupcakes

Original recipe from 6 Bittersweets, which can be found here.

Printable Recipe

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup boiling water

6 tbsn. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup yogurt, not too thick

1/3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsn. hazelnut extract

1/2 tsp. molasses

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 + 1/8 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

For the chocolate hazelnut ganache:

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 ox. semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 tbsn. light corn syrup

1 tsp. hazelnut extract

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted then chopped fine

Ferrero Rocher (for decoration)

Nutella (for filling)
Hazelnut wafer cookies, cut into small chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, whisk the boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in the yogurt, molasses, vanilla and hazelnut extracts. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes and beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the egg mixture in batches alternately with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition. Fill each wrapper about 1/2 way since they will rise a lot. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

If desired, cut a cone into the cupcake and fill the hole with a tsp. of Nutella. If using, place a couple of chopped hazelnut wafer cookies into the center then place the top back on and push slightly to secure.

For the ganache, heat the cream on the stove until it boils. Pour over the chocolate and stir to melt, adding the corn syrup and hazelnut extract. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts. Once it has cooled and thickened slightly, use a spoon to spread over the tops of the cupcakes. Top with half of a Ferrero Rocher and enjoy!

The final result, topped with a real Ferrero Rocher chocolate:

YUMMM! Can ya see the filling?!?! Can ya, can ya??!?!

Yes, It Truly Is Magic.

Romeo & Juliet.

Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head.

Cookies & Milk. 

Peanut Butter & Chocolate. 

Some things are just meant to be together...

These cupcakes were... wow. The chocolate cake was incredibly moist, as I like it and perfectly chocolaty, as I like it. And paired with this peanut butter buttercream? What a hit out of the ball park and into another universe! 

Black Magic Cake

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Recipe from Milk and Honey Cafe, which can be found here.

2 cup sugar

1 3/4 cups of flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk  or "sour" milk (1 tbsn. white vinegar + milk to make 1 cup)

1 cup strong coffee or 2 tsp. instant coffee + 1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until well combined. Pour into the prepared pans about 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. 

Peanut Buttercream Frosting

Yields: enough to generally frost 12 cupcakes

Recipe from The Boastful Baker, which can be found here.

1/4 cup margarine, softened

2 tbsn. shortening

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tbsn. molasses

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 - 2 tbsn. soy milk

Cream together the margaring and shortening at medium speed until smooth. Add the peanut butter, molasses and vanilla, beat until smooth about 2 - 3 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar (mixture will be very stiff). Slowly add the soy milk, beating continuously until frosting is pale tan and very fluffy. If it is too thick or too thin, add more soy milk or powdered sugar until the right consistency is achieved. 

A Perfectly Caffeinated Cupcake.

Coffee & Donuts. A classic combination. Made maybe a little less classic in this rendition: the cupcake version! Do you know why I love baking cupcakes? Because they are so incredibly versatile. I can make almost any flavor and decorate it in any way I want; it's a place where I can let my imagination run wild (and boy does it tend to stray away from me sometimes). I made these for my dad's company picnic and I thought they would cater to their taste buds well. 

These babies were everything I expected them to be. While mixing the batter, the smell of the coffee batter was just ridiculously yummy. They didn't rise much so I suggest filling them pretty well up. The cake was moist and definitely coffee flavored. Just the smell coming from them was enough to wake you to your senses. Now the frosting? Delicious, especially when paired with the cupcake and donut hole. It's decadence on decadence but I thought it would be a fun idea for a room full of work-oriented people. 

Coffee & Donut Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Original recipe from justJENN, which can be found here. 

Printable Recipe

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar 

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cup flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

1/8 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

12 plain donut holes (for decoration)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk and coffee and set aside. Alternately add the flour and coffee mixture into the butter mixture in two batches until well combined. Pour into the prepared pans about 3/4 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Creamy, coffee-infused batter:

Donut holes waiting to be glazed and glamorized:

Yayy for sprinkles on donuts:

Coffee Frosting

Printable Recipe

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 tbsn.  brewed coffee

1 tbsn. milk (as needed)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, coffee and vanilla until well combined. Add the milk, a little at at time until the right consistency is reached. Beat for another 2 - 3 minutes until smooth. Spread the frosting on the top of the cooled cupcakes, then place a donut hole on top, drizzle some frosting on the donut hole, sprinkle with jimmies and enjoy!

These fully deserved a complete photoshoot:

The Fashionable Cupcake.

These are just about the cutest things to happen since I don't even know what! Fashion and cupcakes make an unbelievable match and I'm seriously wondering why I hadn't thought of this before... 

Louis Vuitton

Chanel

Betsey Johnson

All images from Highsnobiety, which can be found here.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

All I can say is moist lemon cake + gooey, sweet lemon curd + sticky, creamy meringue frosting equals one good combination. I was hired to bake these for a bridal shower so hopefully everything went well (crosses fingers)! These lemon-y cupcakes are perfect for Summer, all toasty just like I will be soon in the summer heat!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Lemon curd recipe from here.

Printable Recipe

For the cake:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsn. lemon juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup lemon curd

For the meringue frosting:

2 large egg white

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the lemon curd:

zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/2 stick of butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high until creamy and fluffy. Add the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until combined. Add the egg, beat well. Alternately add the flour mixture and lemon juice. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. 

For the meringue, put the sugar, cream of tartar, and egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should not be touching the water) and allow the sugar to melt into the eggs. Once warmed, add the vanilla and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 3 - 5 minutes, set aside.

For the curd, put the zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and the zest is broken down. Put the lemon, sugar and butter into a mixer and cream. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix to combine. Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat on low until the mixture reaches 175 degrees or just below a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the curd to cool down. Once cool, cut out the tops of the cupcakes in a circular fashion, fill the holes, and re-place the tops on. Pipe on the meringue and toast in the oven or with a blowtorch. Enjoy!