Well at least Mama’s Version. Ha! My daughter Lexie and I have been watching Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. I am always critiquing the cupcakes or agreeing with certain styles. I am constantly playing along, deciding what I would do if in that situation. My daughter and I have a lot of fun guessing which ones will win. Lexie says, “Mom you should go on cupcake wars!” I say no, with my health I wouldn’t have the stamina. Then she says, “How about we do our own cupcake wars just for fun?” I was intrigued, so we chose the “Holiday Theme”. On cupcake wars, the contestants are given a theme and are required to come up with 3 versions of cupcakes for that theme. We created 3 different cupcakes. I couldn’t decided on frosting for the chocolate cupcake so it has a mousse topping and a ganache topping.
Winter Wonderland…
Mama’s Eggnog Cupcake with Eggnog Frosting
Candy Cane Lane…
Gingerbread Cupcake with Browned Butter
Buttercream Frosting
Christmas Joy…
Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache
or Chocolate Mousse
Winter Wonderland…
(Mama’s Eggnog Cupcake with Eggnog Frosting)
Ingredients
2 cups Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup butter or dairy free margarine
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. rum extract or 1 Tbsp. Rum
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup eggnog, (store bought)
Eggnog Frosting
1/4 cup shortening (Spectrum is best)
1/4 cup butter or dairy free margarine
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. rum extract or 1 Tbsp. rum
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pinch of nutmeg
1-2 Tbsp. milk (as needed to achieve desired frosting consistency.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °. Put desired cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum and nutmeg. Mix and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar, vanilla and rum. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each one is well combined.
With mixer running on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and eggnog until completely combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Turn mixer on medium speed and beat for 1 minute.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched. Remove from pan as soon as possible to cooling rack.
Eggnog Frosting Directions
Cream shortening and butter until smooth. Add rum and vanilla and nutmeg. With mixer on low speed slowly add in powdered sugar until all is added. Add 1-2 Tbsp of milk needed to make it a thick but not too thick consistency. Place in pastry/icing bag. Pipe a design on the top of cooled cupcake. Sprinkle with White or green crystal sugar, or desired topping. (see picture)
Candy Cane Lane…
(Gingerbread Cupcake with
Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting)
Ingredients
2 cups Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend Flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
10 Tbsp. butter or dairy free margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup milk (dairy, nut, rice, soy)
Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
3/4 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. milk as needed
30 miniature candy canes
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °. Put desired cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, cocoa, salt, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar and molasses. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating each addition in well. Alternate adding flour and milk until all ingredients are mixed in. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined about 1 minute.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cake bounces back when touched. Remove from pan to cooling rack as soon as possible.
Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter. Stir frequently until butter becomes a nice caramel brown color. Set aside until cooled. If necessary you can put into fridge for about 15 minutes, but be careful not to allow it to leave it in so long that it sets up.
Pour cooled browned butter into mixing bowl. Add 3 cups powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low speed until sugar is mixed into the butter. Mix on high speed until well combined and creamy. Add milk as necessary to get to a good piping consistency.
Fill pastry/icing bag with frosting. Pipe frosting onto tops of cupcakes. Insert two candy canes into cupcake with the crook facing each other forming what would look like a heart shape.
Christmas Joy…
( Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache
or Chocolate Mousse)
Ingredients
2 cups Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa
3/4 cup butter or dairy free butter, room temp.
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (dairy, rice, nut, soy)
1 cup chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °. Put desired cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum and cocoa. Mix and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl. Alternate adding flour and milk until all ingredients are combined. Mix for about 1 minute until well combined.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched.
Ganache Topping
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream
Ganache Directions
Using double boiler, melt chocolate. When chocolate is melted add cream and mix well and stir constantly until well combined and shiny.
Dip the top of cooled cupcakes into the ganache, covering the entire top. Sprinkle with desired sprinkles.
Mousse Topping
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. plain gelatin powder1.5 or 3 bars of semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup butter
Mousse Directions
Pour cream into mixing bowl and add sugar. Mix, using the wire whisk attachment, until the cream turns to thick whipping cream. Remove 1/4 cup of cream and add to bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp. plain gelatin onto the cream. Mix and set aside. Meanwhile, place whipping cream, bowl and all into refrigerator.
Meanwhile, using double boiler or microwave at 50% power, melt chocolate squares with butter. Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
Bring out the whipping cream bowl and attach it to mixer, again with wire whisk. With mixer on low speed, slowly pour in chocolate mixture. Mix well to combine. If you have time allow mousse to set up in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes before piping onto cupcakes. Or pipe onto cupcakes and place cupcakes in freezer for 10-15 minutes to set up.
Lexie and I wish you a very Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy our signature cupcakes for the season!