My First Cupcake Tower

Like I mentioned in a previous post I have been busy preparing for my step-father's surprise 50th birthday celebration. It was held over the weekend at Iavarone's Steakhouse here in Tampa. This is the biggest event I have ever done cupcakes for. I was so incredibly nervous about the prospect of making the cupcakes for this party that I made myself sick. As soon as I woke up on Thursday I knew I was in trouble, my sinuses were so full of pressure it was making my teeth hurt (ouch!). Well many sinus and cold remedies later I successfully completed this project I took on and I was thrilled with how it all came together. Here's a timeline of how it went followed by recipes.

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday - I baked 120 cupcakes and one 6 in layer cake (5 batches of cake in all) as well as a double batch of chocolate ganache. I did the ganache today to ensure it had enough to time to cool itself and thicken up so I could whip it and pipe it on the cupcakes on Saturday. I used a scale to measure my ingredients for the first time today and let me tell you, if you don't do this I would highly recommend giving it a shot. Aside from the accuracy of it, it really does save you time in the measuring department. It's so much easier to just dump flour into a bowl until it weighs enough than to spoon it into a cup and level it...I promise. Rather than make the white chocolate raspberry cupcakes I had planned on I opted to leave the raspberry's out and just do a white chocolate cupcake with a white chocolate buttercream ( I wanted to simplify things a little) and I paired those with devil's food cupcakes with a whipped chocolate ganache. The six inch cake on top was a 3 level devil's food cake layered with fresh sweetened whipped cream and iced with the same chocolate ganache as the cupcakes.

9:30 AM Saturday morning - I took more meds and then made the white chocolate buttercream and whipped the ganache. Again my wonderful husband had to come to my rescue more than once on this particular day. First it was too feed me, I was sick, starving and up to my eyeballs in cupcakes and icing and I desperately wanted some good soup and a sandwich. I really wanted McAlister's Deli but that's in Gainesville and while he's a nice guy he's not driving 2 hours to get me soup; so I settled for Panera Bread which hit the spot. Rejuvenated by my lunch I got back to work and iced 72 of the 120. You see I only needed 72 cupcakes but one of the batches (24 cupcakes) of white chocolate cupcakes I rushed through and overfilled the cups and I didn't like their appearance (they will be in my freezer for any late night cravings that may arise!) that combined with my funny math ( I didn't think to cut a batch in half to only get 36 per flavor rather than 48) resulted in a few extra cupcakes but that's okay because I got to pick the prettiest one's for the party and wasn't stuck with any that needed to hidden in the back! I then leveled my 6 inch cakes and cut one into 2 layers to make a total of 3 layers (one cake was made with more batter and making it into a 3-layer cake was the easiest way to solve the uneven layer problem). I whipped some whipped cream layered in with the cakes and iced with the ganache. I then used a warm icing spatula to smooth the icing.

3:00 PM Saturday ( 2 hours before I am to arrive at the party to set up) - With all the cupcakes and the cake iced and packed to go I decided to start wrapping the cupcake tower. Enter hubby for the second rescue of the day. He stepped in and duck tapped the bottom level together since it was made of two pieces and needed to be tapped together for stability ( I will add another post with tower instructions)and then helped me wrap it. Then he glued all the ribbon on it for me and thank goodness because once I saw how he was doing it I realized my plan for doing it NEVER would have worked right!

3:35 PM Saturday - I finally get into the shower and start getting ready. I called my sister right before getting into the shower realizing I could really use some help at the restaurant carrying all the stuff inside and putting the pieces of this cupcake puzzle together. She agrees to meet me at 5 (not sure what made me think I could do all this by myself, but thank goodness for a good family)

4:46 PM Saturday - I glance at the clock and think oh-shit I'm to be there in 15 minutes and I haven't started loading my car. I'm ready and putzing around totally oblivious to the time, I blame this on the cold medicine. Hubby, again rescues me, and quickly loads everything into my car, starting it to get the AC running so that it wasn't so hot inside that the icing started melting. Isn't he a smart guy.

5:01 PM - In route to restaurant, one minute late and suddenly realize I'm not positive where the restaurant is. I can picture it and I think I know where it is but again the cold medicine gets the best of me and I have a total brain fart. I quickly call my sister who gives me directions and she informs me she will be there 20 minutes later than expected.

~5:10 PM - yes, I was that close to it and couldn't remember where the damn restaurant was. I arrive at the restaurant where a very kind valet boy helped me carry up my many boxes of cupcakes and supplies. And I felt so bad, I had no cash and therefore didn't tip him, but I did say thank-you! I jump right into putting all the pieces together. I had to put the cupcakes into the foil wrappers, add the pics to the tops of them, add the cake topper and candles and pipe the whipped cream around the little cake. My sister, the one who was coming to help, arrived just as I finished, but that was okay because it all came together really easy and my mom's friend who planned the party was there with her sister and they helped with the foil wrappers.

5:30 PM Saturday - Cupcake tower complete, I am sitting in a chair sipping water, no alcohol for me tonight, I feel to crappy. Guests start to arrive around 5:45, most notice the tower immediately and I was thrilled with their comments. They loved the concept of the photo pics. I used pictures from throughout my step-dads life to make the pics. I cut just his head from the pictures for the cupcake pics and then the pictures in their entirety were placed in frames and spread throughout the room for everyone to enjoy. Great conversation pieces! Well here it is...not the best picture, I wish I had taken more but I received many compliments. I'm glad that it was well received and I watched as people at the cupcakes and they were finishing them so that's a good sign! I even had someone approach me about doing a cake for the Steeplechase!!

Now I can breath a huge sigh of relief and take some more cold medicine and go to bed...

Oh but first the recipes... I must actually in some sick way thrive under stressful situations because I choose to use a recipe I had never tried before for these cupcakes and thankfully they were fantastic (I would have been so screwed if they turned out crappy). The white chocolate and raspberry cupcakes I posted about previously even without the raspberry jam in the middle I still found a little heavy, good - just a little heavier then I wanted since I was pairing it with such a rich icing.

White Chocolate Whisper Cake
By Rose Levy Beranbaum found in The Cake Bible (if you like to bake and don't have this book, you should).

6 oz. White Chocolate Fine Quality (I used Ghiradelli)
4 1/2 large egg whites
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup + 3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
9 tbsp. unsalted butter - must be softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a double-broiler melt the white chocolate over hot (not simmering) water, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, lightly combine the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk and the vanilla. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and min on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cups milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrap down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrap down the sides. Add the white chocolate and beat to incorporate. Scoop the batter into your prepared pans. I baked the cupcakes for ~18 minutes, removing them once a toothpick inserted came out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.

White Chocolate Buttercream
By Betty Crocker

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. white chocolate melted and cooled
2 to 3 tbsp. milk

Mix all ingredients except milk in medium bowl. Add milk and whip until creamy.

NOTES: For the cake, The Cake Bible also lists weights for ingredients, which for the eggs was 4 oz. It only took me 4 eggs rather than 4 1/2 to get 4 liquid oz. Proving one, that not all eggs are equal and two, that weighing is more accurate. On the icing, 1/3 cup is a strange butter measurement, it works out 5 1/3 tbsp. Have you tried to cut 5 1/3 tbsp. from a stick of butter...hard to know if you got it right. Next time I would probably just stick with my usual 1/2 cup butter to ~4 cups powdered sugar and then just add maybe another 1/2 oz of chocolate or to taste. I'm not sure why I didn't do it like that to begin with, perhaps because I was freaking out about the whole thing and I was hopped up on cold meds. but it worked and that's all that matters in the end.


Devil's Food Cupcakes

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups + 2 tbsp. sugar
3/4 cocoa powder ( I use Hershey's)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cups water
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. With a standing mixer, beat your butter at medium speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium high and add the sugar, beating until it is light and smooth. Add the cocoa and the vanilla and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the eggs one at a time beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the side of the bowl.

Combine the water and milk in a pan and heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and cover so liquid doesn't evaporate. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixing until just combined. Carefully pour the hot liquid into the bowl mixing until just combines. Remove bowl from mixture, scrape down sides and the bottom of the bowl and using a spatula finish combining the batter until smooth. Scoop into prepared cupcake pans. Bake for ~18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely.

Milk Chocolate Ganache
By: Rose Levy Beranbaum found in The Cake Bible

12 oz. milk chocolate (34% chocolate mass such as Lindt)
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
3/4 tsp. vanilla

In the bowl of a food processor with metal blades, break chocolate into pieces . Process until the chocolate is very finely ground. In a small pan, bring the cream to a boil. With the motor running, immediately poor it through the feed tube onto the chocolate mixture. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the vanilla and pulse a few more times to incorporate it. All the mixture to cool for several hours until it reaches frosting consistency.

NOTES: On the cake, again because I must like stress, I tried something different with one of the batches. Rather than add the cocoa powder to the butter and sugar mixture I added it to the hot liquid. I found no noticeable difference between the two batches and neither was easier than the other so whatever your preference I guess? On the icing, because I was originally planning on making a dark ganache using semi-sweet chocolate I didn't have as much bittersweet chocolate as I needed to make the double-batch necessary for all the cake. So I used 24 oz. milk chocolate (Lindt), 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate and 10 oz. semi-sweet chocolate. I allowed the ganache to chill overnight in the refrigerator and then in the morning I brought it to room temperature and whipped it with my mixer. It lightened it both in color and texture but it was still a little thick to pipe so I added whipping cream a little at a time until of the consistency I was looking for (sorry no measurements, just eyed it).

Another political rant

so when I started this blog it was not meant to be of a political nature...but in light of all the ridiculousness occurring in the political world today I can't help myself....(deep breath)

I'm so sick and tired of the all the freakin' bickering. Obama thinks by continuing on with the debate on Friday it's going to show the people he can multitask....great! We already know Palin's got that down, with 5 kids and a husband she could probably teach a masters class in multi-tasking. And then Obama says the American people want to hear what the future President would do....ummm I'm one of those America citizens and IMO standing on stage and bickering about what you'd do differently than your opponent is going to solve nothing. If you REALLY want to show the people what you'd do then get your ass to Washington and help fix the problem instead of spending the next few days preparing for the debate all the while chillin in Clearwater enjoying the beautiful fall weather that just rolled in. I don't care who solves it I just want it fixed...and fixed right, not given a little neosporin and a cute scooby-doo band-aid to make us all feel better but really fixed. If it takes more time then you have left in your current session...TOO BAD. Call the wife boys and tell her to put your dinner in the microwave cause you're going to be working late tonight (better yet, just have her freeze it, it'll keep for 3 months, maybe that'll be enough time for ya'll to fix what you've allowed to get all screwed up)

(taking 10 deep breaths...ahh now I can move on to my laundry :)!)

After a much needed weekend away with the girls (and the 4 days needed to recover) it's time to get back to baking. I've taken on the task of making cupcakes for my step-dad's upcoming surprise birthday party to be held at a local steakhouse. It's gonna be 72 cupcakes and a 6 inch cutting cake. I'm also building a cupcake tower which I've never done. It became immediately apparent that I'm a much better baker than I am a builder. After searching through pictures on Flickr to decide on the style of the stand, trying to map it out on graph paper, and then making 4 trips to Jo Ann's to purchase supplies I still couldn't figure out how big each level had to be. So with only a week left until the big event my hubby finally came to my rescue; in one hour late Friday night he did what I hadn't been able to accomplish in 3 weeks (and I think 15 of those minutes were spent laughing at me and explaining my layout options...yeah he even gave me options...I can't come up with one complete design and he has options???!!!)


With the cupcake tower ready to be wrapped and ribboned (I will post pics & instructions on how I did it when it's finished so that perhaps I can save another math challenged soul from the frustrations I experienced) I moved on to finally decide what combo. of cupcakes to place on the tower. I know, I know...nothing like waiting until the last minute. I've been thinking about this project non-stop but somehow have been unable to make any real decisions. I'm a procrastinator by nature and seem to operate a little more efficiently under the wire?? Any who, I've known I want to do black and white cupcakes but what flavor????? Well I've settled on a white chocolate and raspberry cupcake for the white and a chocolate hazelnut cupcake for the black. Each cupcake will also be topped with a photo pic (depicting one of 5 images of the birthday boy from throughout his life). The cake on top will probably be a chocolate raspberry combining flavors from both versions of cupcake (this way I can cover all my bases and my brain can settle down over whether I've made the best choice).


Yesterday, rather than do laundry and iron my man's work shirts I choose to make some sample cupcakes so that I could place them on the unfinished cupcake stand to be sure it would look like I pictured (yep, I still can't fully visualize it, I need to physically see it). I decided to try out the white chocolate raspberry version. I made a white chocolate and raspberry cupcake and then iced it with a white chocolate butter cream. I first made a white chocolate ganache but I must have done something wrong as when I was adding the melted chocolate to the slightly beaten whipped cream it curdled...the more I beat the more it curdled and it never would have been thick enough to pipe onto cupcakes like a whipped chocolate ganache so I dumped that and started over. I started with a basic butter cream recipe and then added the melted white chocolate. The end result was visually what I was looking for. Taste wise....it's very sweet and IMO needed more raspberry flavor to balance out the white chocolate, I'm partial to chocolate chocolate so I always find myself saying "it's good but not as good as devil's food". But they were pretty, displayed nicely and did taste good so I'm sticking with them short of a few minor changes I will make. So here's the recipes I used...my changes are listed in pink



White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes
by Shelly Kaldunski in Cupcakes


yields 12 cupcakes



1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbls. unsalted butter - room temp
1 large egg - room temp
1/2 cup whole milk ( I used 2%)
3 oz. white chocolate chopped

1 cup raspberries (I used raspberry jam pushed through a strainer to remove seeds- read below)

White Chocolate Butter cream adapted from Betty Crocker



1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. white baking chips, melted and cooled
2-3 tbls. milk




Beat butter and sugar until combined. Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add melted chocolate and mix to incorporate.



Sift flour, baking powder and salt into bowl and set aside. On medium-high speed of electric mixer beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the white chocolate and beat on low speed until combined. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Remove from pan. (cooled cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temp before finishing). Place Raspberry's in a bowl and use a fork to crush them lightly. Spoon the crushed berry's on top of the cooled cupcakes, dividing them evenly. Frost the cupcakes with butter cream, garnish with white chocolate curls. Serve right away.


Here's what I did differently...


Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter into prepared muffin cups, add a rounded teaspoon of raspberry jam to each cup and then top with remaining batter. Bake as directed, cool completely and then ice with white chocolate butter cream.


What I'd do differently next time...


Rather than use a prepared jam that contains sugar I'd like to make my own raspberry puree. I felt like the white chocolate and the sweetened jam was just too sweet for my tastes. I think I'll melt the chocolate before adding it to the cupcake batter to be sure it's spread equally through out rather than one cupcake have a few more pieces than the next. And, I also think I'll use a little more chocolate and cut back on the sugar in the icing...add a little more whipped cream to lighten it.

Please do something...

I just had to write a letter...it is an opinion piece.

Senator Martinez

While I appreciated your reply to my earlier email regarding Bill 1738 – The Protect our Children Act (Mr. Nelson didn’t even respond) I found the template letter response insufficient. I’m not too sure what "referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary" means but my good friend who has participated in this country’s political process more than I have explained it to me like this “basically means it will spin around "in committee" forever until someone decides it’s ready to be made into a "bill". Basically, do nothing until someone makes us do it!!!” I realize sir that in this economy funding is sparse. I also, however, realize that our children are our future and if we do not do something to stop this growing trend of peddling child pornography via the internet the problem will continue to fester much like an infected wound until it has infected every city and small town across this great nation. Just over $2000.00 per American citizen is what is being proposed to bail us (I use the term “us” loosely because it seems like the only ones being helped are the company’s who made poor business choices) out of this financial crisis. It would only cost roughly $1.00 per American citizen ($320 million over 5 years) to pass this bill in its financial entirety. How about half that, can we get that…aren’t our children worth it? It seems that we feel the future of Iraqi and Afghani children are worth fighting for; how about our own children. The war on terror is not just one that needs to be fought over seas in other countries. Per the definition of terror (use of terror, especially as a means of coercion), a person who prays on children so that they can commit horrible crimes against them is one of the worst forms of terrorist and it’s happening right now, in our country as I type this. I know your session will be coming to an end soon, but I urge you…no I beg you to do something, anything. Can you not mention it, open it for discussion, bring it up over coffee with some of your peers???? Again I know ya’ll have a lot on your plate but I also know that being tired is not an excuse to call it a day and not finish an important job(such as protecting our children). After my husband has worked a 14 hour shift (putting in OT to make up for the increased cost of food and fuel) when he drags himself in the door tired and hungry, he puts all that aside so that he can spend a few before bed-time minutes with our daughter. To give her a hug and a kiss and to let her know she is safe and loved. Please sir, I beg you to help us keep our children safe and to push through the appropriate funding to fight off the monster that is lurking and waiting to strike again, and again, and again.

I do hope this letter reaches you and doesn’t find it’s way to file 13 (AKA:the trash) or left to some staffer to decide it’s importance.

Thank you,

Nicole Daniels

p.s. It’s my understanding the white, female vote is being considered the “swing vote” in this election. I am a registered independent, please help me swing towards your party.

Rock My World Rocky Road Cookies

The last time I made cookies the hubby made a request for the next batch. He is lactose intolerant and can't enjoy ice cream so he asked for a rocky road cookie! I've made rocky road cupcakes but never cookies and I thought it would be easy enough so I made him some as a thank you for all his hard work tearing apart the kitchen to give me my beloved shelf. I started with my chocolate chip cookie recipe and then decided to substitute roasted and salted almonds for the walnuts. I cut back on the amount of chocolate chips and then added marshmallows. I was a little afraid that the marshmallows would just melt causing the cookies to spread into one big mess on the pan. To try and avoid this I cut the marshmallows into little chip sized pieces. The result was wonderful. The marshmallows didn't melt causing a big mess, they actually held their shape. They were roasted on the outside but maintained the soft, chewy goodness on the inside that makes smores so delicious. Both hubby and I agreed that they needed more almonds. When you'd get a bite with all three (chocolate, marshmallow and almond) it was like heaven but without that added crunch from the almond something was missing so next time I will add another 1/2 cups almonds.

Recipe:

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cups brown sugar (50 % dark, 50% light)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs at room temp.

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp.

1 cup roasted and salted almonds (chopped)

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup cut up marshmallow pieces

Mix dry ingredients in bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until well incorporated but don't cream as much as you would for a cake or your cookies will flatten to much. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg and scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add dry ingredients a little at a time mixing just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips, almonds and marshmallows and mix to combine.

Using a small cookie scoop drop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-11 minutes until just starting to brown. Marshmallows on top will look roasted. Cool on wire rack or newspaper. Store in air-tight container in the fridge.

The loss of a mentor

Minnafay Reynolds, my grandmother, passed this morning. As a little girl I spent several summers with her standing on a chair in the kitchen learning to make cookies. She instilled in me a love of baking and the memories I have of our time spent together in the kitchen will be treasured. Of the many things she shared with me one of my favorites is her recipe for a happy home. Shortly after I was married she shared this with me and I have had it hanging in my kitchen since. It served her well, as it has me and I hope that in my sharing it you too will find it of use in your own homes...

Faye Reynold's Recipe for a Happy Home

1 Husband
1 Wife
Children
1 Bible for each child
1 Home
Generous portions of prayer
3 Cups love firmly packed
1 package work
1 package playing together
1 Portion patience
1 Portion understanding
1 Portion forgiveness
1 Cup kisses
1 Small paddle

Mix together thoroughly and sprinkle with awareness. Bake in a moderate oven of everyday life, using as fuel all the grudges and past unpleasantness. Cool, turn the platter of cheerfulness. Garnish with tears and laughter in large helpings. Serve God, Country and Community.

Faye will be greatly missed by all those who knew her...