Happy Birthday Cup Cakes

I had my 30th Birthday last year, to which Marek spoiled me rotten with an amazing surprise beach holiday!

How do I compete with that, I ask you?!!?

This year is his 30th (yes, I am a cradle robber! hehe! ok, it's only one year but it's funny to say "I am a cradle robber). Unfortunately it's not in the cards for me to spoil him with such a gift at the moment (although there is something planned....sssshhh, I can't tell you in case he's reading this). In the meantime I have baked him 4 dozen cup cakes! I'm such an awesome partner right! :)

As you can see I've made a couple varieties. I made Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, and Devil's Food Cupcakes. Both extremely delicious and irresistible!
Marek is not a fan of the typical super sweet icing sugar icing so I made a cream cheese icing instead, which actually I also find so much better. Creamier and more sofisticated (oooh lala!), hands down!

Vanilla cupcake (for strawberry shorcake)

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites from large eggs
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla  in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 2 minutes.  Scrape bowl.  Add egg whites and mix at high speed until fluffy and smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
3. Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full of batter.  Do not overfill.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove from pan, and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Devil's Food cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly while mixing.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl every minute.
3. Pour batter into cupcake liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes in pans then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Cupcake recipes, courtesy of www.cupcakerecipes.com .

Taste My Plate tips for moist and fluffy cupcakes:

• Ingredients must always be at room temperature
• Sift flour
• Separate eggs, and whip egg whites to be added at the very end of stirring ingredients together.

Cream cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup cream cheese

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients together with an electric mixer.
(Bare in mind the above measurements are approximate. I mixed mine bit by bit until I got the flavour and consistency that I wanted)

For chocolate cream cheese icing reduce icing sugar to 1 1/2 cup and add about 1 cup cocoa powder. Of course the amount of icing sugar or the amount of cocoa powder added can depend or your sweetness and chocolaty preferences but make sure to add enough that the icing is thick enough to spread.

For the Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes slice a few strawberries and place a 3 slices fanned out onto each cupcake.

I was told these cupcakes are nice because they're not too sweet, they're moist and fluffy, and just right to go with an afternoon cup of tea!

Marek was sure pleased with these! He took them to work where they were gobbled up within 15 minutes! 

My baking skills are coming together!! :))