Home Party Dessert Recipe
10/25/2012
Halloween Cupcakes
Basic Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 sup unsalted butter, at room temperature,
cut into small pieces
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, at room temperature
Fudge Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature,
cut into small pieces
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk, at room terperature
1 t vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Tombstone Cupcakes:
1 batch Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 batches Fudge Frosting
1 3/4 cups ground chocolate cookie crumbs
18 chocolate covered graham crackers
Hairy Spider cupcakes:
1/2 batch batter from Chocolate Cupcakes
12 ox block of semisweet chocolate
2 batches Fudge Frosting
3 cups chow mein noodles
72 small edible confetti decorations
>how to make<
(for chocolate cupcakes)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Place paper liners in all wells of one 12 cup and one 6 cup cupcake tin.
*Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.
*In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
*Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
*Beat in vanilla extract.
*Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addtion, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing.
*Add the flour mixture in 4 addition, alternately with the milk.
*Begin and end with the flour mixture, and beat briefly until smooth on low medium speed after each addition.
*Divide batter evenly among cupcake wells.
*Bake for about 22~25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs.
*Cool pans on rack for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.
(for fudge frosting)
*In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
*Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
*Add remaining 3 cups sugar and the milk and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy.
*Add vanilla extract and melted chocolate and beat until combined.
*If the frosting is too soft, add a little amount of sugar.
(for tombstone cupcakes)
*Frost each cupcake generously using an icing spatula or a spoon.
*Place chocolate cookie crumbs in a wide bowl.
*Hold each cupcake over the bowl.
*Using a spoon or your fingers, scoop up crumbs and sprinkle over the frosting to cover completely.
*You want the surface to look like dirt.
*Place chocolate covered graham crackers flat on wok surface.
*Using icing writer to write "RIP" on each one.
*Press graham cracker "tombstone" into "dirt".
-makes 18 cemetery friendly cupcakes-
(for hairy spider cupcakes)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Coat the insides of three 12 cup miniature cupcake tins with nonstick cooking spray.
*Divide batter among cupcake wells and bake for about 15~18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center shows a few moist crumbs.
*Cool pans on racks for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.
*Use a sharp knife to shave chocolate shavings off of the block of semisweet chocolate.
*Simply run the knife down one of the edges of the chocolate block and you should get shards and shaving; set aside in a medium bowl.
*Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil; set aside.
*Make sure frosting is very soft.
*Place about 1 cup of frosting in a small bowl.
*Pick up a cupcake and literally roll it around in the frosting.
**Use your finertips to push the cupcake around on the surface of the frosting.
*Remove cupcake from bowl and immediately roll the cupcake around int chocolate shavings.
*This is when the cupcake takes on a round shape.
*Keep rolling it around until it is completely covered.
*Transger to prepared jelly roll pan.
*Repeat with all the cupcakes.
*Insert 8 chow mein "legs" into each spider and also give each one 2 eyes.
*Chill until frosting firms up; bring back to room temperature before serving.
-makes 36 creepy, crawly cupcakes-
Note: These recipes were taken from "Cupcakes" by Dede Wilson.
 |  |
Basic Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 sup unsalted butter, at room temperature,
cut into small pieces
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup milk, at room temperature
Fudge Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature,
cut into small pieces
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup milk, at room terperature
1 t vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Tombstone Cupcakes:
1 batch Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 batches Fudge Frosting
1 3/4 cups ground chocolate cookie crumbs
18 chocolate covered graham crackers
Hairy Spider cupcakes:
1/2 batch batter from Chocolate Cupcakes
12 ox block of semisweet chocolate
2 batches Fudge Frosting
3 cups chow mein noodles
72 small edible confetti decorations
>how to make<
(for chocolate cupcakes)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Place paper liners in all wells of one 12 cup and one 6 cup cupcake tin.
*Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.
*In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
*Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
*Beat in vanilla extract.
*Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addtion, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing.
*Add the flour mixture in 4 addition, alternately with the milk.
*Begin and end with the flour mixture, and beat briefly until smooth on low medium speed after each addition.
*Divide batter evenly among cupcake wells.
*Bake for about 22~25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs.
*Cool pans on rack for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.
(for fudge frosting)
*In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
*Add 1 cup sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
*Add remaining 3 cups sugar and the milk and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy.
*Add vanilla extract and melted chocolate and beat until combined.
*If the frosting is too soft, add a little amount of sugar.
(for tombstone cupcakes)
*Frost each cupcake generously using an icing spatula or a spoon.
*Place chocolate cookie crumbs in a wide bowl.
*Hold each cupcake over the bowl.
*Using a spoon or your fingers, scoop up crumbs and sprinkle over the frosting to cover completely.
*You want the surface to look like dirt.
*Place chocolate covered graham crackers flat on wok surface.
*Using icing writer to write "RIP" on each one.
*Press graham cracker "tombstone" into "dirt".
-makes 18 cemetery friendly cupcakes-
(for hairy spider cupcakes)
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Coat the insides of three 12 cup miniature cupcake tins with nonstick cooking spray.
*Divide batter among cupcake wells and bake for about 15~18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center shows a few moist crumbs.
*Cool pans on racks for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.
*Use a sharp knife to shave chocolate shavings off of the block of semisweet chocolate.
*Simply run the knife down one of the edges of the chocolate block and you should get shards and shaving; set aside in a medium bowl.
*Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil; set aside.
*Make sure frosting is very soft.
*Place about 1 cup of frosting in a small bowl.
*Pick up a cupcake and literally roll it around in the frosting.
**Use your finertips to push the cupcake around on the surface of the frosting.
*Remove cupcake from bowl and immediately roll the cupcake around int chocolate shavings.
*This is when the cupcake takes on a round shape.
*Keep rolling it around until it is completely covered.
*Transger to prepared jelly roll pan.
*Repeat with all the cupcakes.
*Insert 8 chow mein "legs" into each spider and also give each one 2 eyes.
*Chill until frosting firms up; bring back to room temperature before serving.
-makes 36 creepy, crawly cupcakes-
Note: These recipes were taken from "Cupcakes" by Dede Wilson.
Labels: Halloween chocolate cupcake recipe, Halloween cupcake recipe
10/10/2012
Chocolate Pecan Torte with Raspberry Buttercream
For Cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 T vanilla
1/4 t salt
12 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
3 1/2 sups pecan halves, very finely ground
raspberries
For Buttercream:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened slightly
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup pureed fresh rasbperries
3 T raspberry preserves
For Glaze:
3 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
6 T unsalted butter
3 T safflower oil
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 T sugar
>how to make<
(for cake)
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Butter four 9" round cake pans.
*Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment.
*Using electric mixer, cream 3/4 cup butter until light.
*Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
*Beat in eggs one at a time.
*Add vanilla and salt.
*Using rubber spatula, stir in chocolate, then peacns.
*Divide batter among prepared pans.
*Bake until tester inserted in center comes out fudgy but not wet, about 22 minutes.
*Cool in pans on rasks 5 minutes.
*Run knife around edge of cakes.
*Invert onto racks.
*Discard parchment.
*Cool layers completely.
(for buttercream)
*Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
*Mix in yolks, then pureed berries and preserves.
*Cover tightly and refrigerate until set.
*Soften buttercream at room temperature until spreadable.
(for glaze)
*Heat chocolate, water, butter and oil in top of double boiler over gently simmering water until chocolate melts.
*Remove from heat.
*Add cocoa powder and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves and glaze is smooth.
*Let cool until glaze is thickened slightly but still pourable.
(for assembling)
*Arrange one cake layer bottom side up on platter.
*Slide strips of waxed paper under cake.
*Spread 2/3 cup raspberry buttercream over layer.
*Repeat with remaining layers and buttercream, ending with cake bottom side up.
*Pat layers to even.
*Cover and refrigerate torte for at least 6 hours.
*Cut edges of cake with serrated knife to even if necessary.
*Pour glaze over cake; smooth over sides and top.
*Discard waxed paper.
*Arrange raspberries around top edge of torte.
*Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
-serves 14 to 16-
Note: This recipe was adapted from "Cooking with Bon Appetit: Cakes".
For Cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
8 eggs
2 T vanilla
1/4 t salt
12 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted
3 1/2 sups pecan halves, very finely ground
raspberries
For Buttercream:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened slightly
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup pureed fresh rasbperries
3 T raspberry preserves
For Glaze:
3 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
6 T unsalted butter
3 T safflower oil
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 T sugar
>how to make<
(for cake)
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Butter four 9" round cake pans.
*Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment.
*Using electric mixer, cream 3/4 cup butter until light.
*Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
*Beat in eggs one at a time.
*Add vanilla and salt.
*Using rubber spatula, stir in chocolate, then peacns.
*Divide batter among prepared pans.
*Bake until tester inserted in center comes out fudgy but not wet, about 22 minutes.
*Cool in pans on rasks 5 minutes.
*Run knife around edge of cakes.
*Invert onto racks.
*Discard parchment.
*Cool layers completely.
(for buttercream)
*Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
*Mix in yolks, then pureed berries and preserves.
*Cover tightly and refrigerate until set.
*Soften buttercream at room temperature until spreadable.
(for glaze)
*Heat chocolate, water, butter and oil in top of double boiler over gently simmering water until chocolate melts.
*Remove from heat.
*Add cocoa powder and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves and glaze is smooth.
*Let cool until glaze is thickened slightly but still pourable.
(for assembling)
*Arrange one cake layer bottom side up on platter.
*Slide strips of waxed paper under cake.
*Spread 2/3 cup raspberry buttercream over layer.
*Repeat with remaining layers and buttercream, ending with cake bottom side up.
*Pat layers to even.
*Cover and refrigerate torte for at least 6 hours.
*Cut edges of cake with serrated knife to even if necessary.
*Pour glaze over cake; smooth over sides and top.
*Discard waxed paper.
*Arrange raspberries around top edge of torte.
*Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
-serves 14 to 16-
Note: This recipe was adapted from "Cooking with Bon Appetit: Cakes".
Labels: chocolate cake recipe, chocolate layer cake, Chocolate Torte recipe
