Pirates and Beer

Happy Halloween, Scallywags!

I won the wrappers and skull & crossbones decorations at the Iron Cupcake Challenge on Monday, so yesterday I made my Pumpkin Latte cupcakes and brought them to share with my Craft friends. Everyone was too full to swab the decks or walk the plank!

Iron Cupcake Challenge is an event that I started attending in August, when two friends sent me an article from Daily Candy, and suggested that I compete. Every month, there is a new ingredient that you have to incorporate, and August was Pepper. With over 25 entries, I was shocked to get third place for my Ginger Lemon Cupcakes with White Pepper Frosting. That encouraged me to compete again, and in September (Squash) I made Apple Butternut Squash Cupcakes with Curry Frosting. That time I did not place, but Chelsea, the founder of the contest and business owner of Kingdom Cake, asked four of us if we would consider running the future contests. We agreed and this month it was our turn to host.

Since it was the 1-year anniversary of the monthly contest, we decided to do something celebratory and seasonally appropriate: BEER/Oktoberfest. It was a lot of fun, and we had about 21 bakers show up, as well as a slew of tasters (Bakers get in for free, Tasters pay $5 and get a free tea from our hosts, Leland Tea Company). Since everyone tries every cupcake and is required to rate every cupcake, it's fair game as to who wins.

Jude gave me her recipe for Guinness Gingerbread, which everyone loves. I used it to make 48 mini cupcakes, which I topped with Cream Cheese Guinness Frosting.

I came in 4th place, but since the 2nd place winner didn't stick around for the results, I ended up getting 3rd. It was nice to get the recognition, but we decided that going forward no committee member would be able to win anything but "Most Creative", which is just a certificate, not a prize. It is amazing what stuff people come up with, and very inspirational.

It was nice to have some friends show up, too - my friend Lisa's neighbor Lisa won 2nd Place AND Most Creative with her delicious Root Beer Float cupcakes.

Anyway, it was great fun and I am looking forward to next month, in which the theme will be "Thanksgiving".

Until next time, I'll catch ye landlubbers later - I am off to celebrate this day in proper pirate fashion! Aaaaaargh!

Pumpkin Cakes Two Ways

'Tis the season for all things pumpkin. I have been at work in my kitchen baking all kinds of things, and I thought I would share a great pumpkin cake recipe with you.

First of all, I saw a recipe in the More From Magnolia cookbook (from the legendary Magnolia Bakery in NYC) for Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese icing. I thought that this sounded like a perfect kickoff to the fall season, so I made them - see photo above. Delicious, super-moist, easy to make - although more of a cake than a bar. It gave me the idea to make Pumpkin Cupcakes using this recipe and modifying it slightly, and then tweaking the frosting. They came out great and are my new favorite Pumpkin Cupcake recipe.

If you want to make the bars exactly as is, eliminate the chocolate chips and add 1/2 C. toasted pecans to the batter. Bake in a greased and floured 13" X 9" baking pan for 25-30 minutes. Use a basic cream cheese frosting recipe, and sprinkle another 1/2 C. of toasted pecans on top.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 1/4 C. canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 1/4 C. sugar
• 3/4 C. vegetable oil (preferably canola)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 C. mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 C. regular chocolate chips, for decorating (or you can use a few minis)

Preheat oven to 350.

Line mini muffin pans with paper liners (makes about 48).

In a small bowl, sift the dry ingredients and set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Fill paper liners about 1/2 way and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 C.) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 box confectioners sugar
• 1/2 C. Chocolate Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix (I used Ghirardelli)

Cream together cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer fitted with the panel attachment.

Slowly add confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.

Slowly add Chocolate Mocha Mix until the color is a very light tan (to taste)

Frost cupcakes, topping with a chocolate chip.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

I am back in San Francisco, where Fall is in full swing, and I love anything and everything Pumpkin. This recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes from Martha Stewart is easy, moist, and delicious. Add your favorite cream cheese frosting (I do 1 stick unsalted butter creamed with 1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, add 1 box powdered sugar and 1 T. vanilla bean paste, mix until glossy using a stand mixer). For a more festive touch, I piped on a dollop of pumpkin flavored cream cheese from Noah's Bagels. In order to make it look a little bit less like pumpkin poo, next time I will pipe it using a star tip.

Be sure to buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. As with most recipes, it says it makes 18 but it really makes 24-30.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 C. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. coarse salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground allspice
1 C. packed light brown sugar
1 C. granulated sugar
1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree


- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whish together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs.
- Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
- Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway.
- Bake about 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack, let cool completely, then frost.