Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Fourth of July! I had the best of intentions to make my red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing and dye the icing red white and blue. However, first I was out of cocoa powder, then the icing did not turn out for whatever reason. Probably because I used fat free cream cheese which has a different consistency than the low fat version I used here. Thus, I turned to my jam-filled cupcakes recipe and searched the web for a chocolate frosting recipe without cocoa powder. This one fit the bill, adapted well to substitution, and is fantastic! They're in the fridge right now waiting to go to a bbq. Hopefully, they'll be able to sit out for a bit but either way the taste is definitely worth it.



8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 c whipping cream (I used FF 1/2 and 1/2)
1/4 c confectioner's sugar
1 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips and cream in double boiler. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until thickened.

Frosts 12-15 cupcakes

Martha Stewart Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've been on a red velvet kick of late. (See the layer cake I made a couple months ago here). Thus, when realized that I needed a treat for a birthday in my office in a hurry, this red velvet cupcake recipe by Martha Stewart fit the bill. I lightened it up a bit using apple sauce, but otherwise followed this recipe.



Cupcake Ingredients
2.5 cups cake flour, sifted
2 TBS cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 c sugar
1 c apple sauce
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
3/4 to 1 oz red food coloring (I poured until the desired color was achieved but used < 1 oz)
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 tsp baking soda
2 tsp white vinegar

Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using buttermilk substitute (1 cup milk + 1 TBS vinegar), make it now and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and apple sauce until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in food coloring and vanilla.

Mix flour and milk into sugar mixture, alternating flour, milk, flour, milk, flour whisking well after each addition.

Stir vinegar and baking soda together. Be prepared for it to foam. Quickly add to batter.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4ths full. Bake 20 minutes until springy and cooked through.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 24 regular cupcakes.

Frosting

1 c butter, softened
12 oz cream cheese (I used light)
1 lb confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, then vanilla. Mix until smooth.

It is not entirely necessary to refrigerate this frosting, but it may speed things up a bit.



Aren't they pretty?

Jam-filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

This recipe appeared in the November 2009 BBC GoodFood. I lightened it a bit, left out certain add-ins, and gave them the same treatment my vanilla cupcakes received in the previous post. You must have an electric food scale for this one.


Cupcakes
140g light muscovado sugar (brown sugar)
100g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, 2 egg whites
125 ml vegetable oil
3 tbs milk

1/4 c cherry or raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare muffin pan by spraying with cooking spray or using muffin cups.

Whisk together dry and wet ingredients separately. Then stir the two together.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack.



Using a paring knife, cut a 1x1" wedge out of each cupcake. Fill with 1 tsp preserves and then replace removed cake. Frost, if desired.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
2 tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy.

Gradually add in sugar/cocoa mixture and milk mixture.

Whip until light and fluffy.

This icing will cover about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Makes 10-12.

Jam-Filled Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

This recipe appeared in Everyday Food. I lightened it a bit (but not much).


Cupcakes
1/2 c butter, softened
1.5 c all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 egg, 2 egg whites room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c milk
1/4 c preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan by spraying or using cupcake papers.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.

With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture alternating with milk.

Pour batter into prepared pan. (This recipe is supposed to yield 12 cupcakes, but I only got 11).

Bake for 20 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.



Once cool, use a paring knife to cut a 1x1" crater out of the muffin. Fill hole with 1 tsp preserves and replace with top. Frost, if desired.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 c cocoa powder
2 tbs milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy.

Gradually add in sugar/cocoa mixture and milk mixture.

Whip until light and fluffy.

This icing will cover about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Makes 10-12.