DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

YEILD 30 cupcakes PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare 12-muffing pan with paper liners.
In bowl of electric mixer, measure and blend well:	2 cups sugar 1¾  cups flour ¾ cup cocoa 1½ tsp baking powder 1½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt
In a batter bowl, whisk together:	2 eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup sunflower oil 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer.
Add:	1 cup  boiling water
Stir the boiling water into the batter just until blended. The batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill liners about ¾ full. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. After one or two minutes, carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

COCONUT LEMON CREAM SNOW CAKE

COCONUT LEMON CREAM SNOW CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch (1.5 L) round pans, grease and line with parchment paper.
CAKE
On a baking sheet, toast until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside	1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
In large bowl beat together until light:	1 cup butter 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
Beat in one at a time	3 eggs
Beat in	1 tsp vanilla
In a separate bowl, whisk together:	2 ¾ all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt
Stir into butter mixture alternately with	¾ cup coconut milk
Fold in toasted coconut. Scrape into prepared pans, and bake until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool on racks for 15 minutes; remove from pans. Peel off paper; let cool completely.
LEMON CREAM
In a bowl whisk together:	4 egg yolks ½ cup granulated sugar mixed with ¼ cup cornstarch 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind ½ cup lemon juice
In a saucepan, heat over medium heat until bubbles form around the edge	1 ¾ cups milk
Gradually whisk half into egg mixture. Whisk back into pan; bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until bubbling and thickened about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk in	3 tbsp unsalted butter
On a baking sheet, toast until golden, 3 to 5 minutes, set aside	1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
BUTTER CREAM
In bowl of stand mixer, whisk	4 egg whites with 1 cup granulated sugar
Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water ; cook, whisking until warm and sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Using whisk attachment, beat at medium high speed until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes.
Beat in, 2 tbsp at a time, until satiny (mixture will curdle initially).	1¼ cups unsalted butter, cubed
Beat in	½ tsp vanilla pinch of salt
Assembly: Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one layer, cut side up, on cake plate. Spread with one-third of lemon cream; repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Set aside. Spread one-third of the butter cream over top and side of cake to mask in crumbs; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Spread remaining icing over top and side. Press 1 cup desiccated coconut onto top and side.
FoodNotes: You can make the custard and the cake two days ahead and assemble the final product at your leisure. Just don’t throw away the egg whites – you’ll need them for the buttercream!

CARROT CAKE

CARROT CAKE

Grease and flour 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan; set aside. PREHEAT oven to 350°F (180°C)
In a large bowl, whisk together	2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda ¾ tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg
In a separate bowl, beat together	¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup packed  brown sugar 3 eggs ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Stir in	2 cups grated carrot 1 cup drained crushed canned pineapple ½ cup chopped pecans
Turn batter into pan. Bake in centre of oven for 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack
FoodNotes: A fully baked cake will spring back when touched in the center. The cake also draws away from the side of the pan, and a cake tester (a toothpick of skewer works well) inserted in the center comes out clean. When cakes emerge from the oven, their structure is set, but the set is still fragile. Let cakes stand in pans on rack for time specified in each recipe, usually 15 to 20 minutes.

Icing:
1 1pkg pkgcream cheese, softened
1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) butter, softened
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) vanilla
1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) icing sugar

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

YIELD:
In bowl of electric mixer, beat at medium speed until creamy: Reduce speed to low, add and beat until combined.	½ cup shortening ½ cup butter 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Increase speed to high and beat until mixture becomes fluffy.
Slowly add until desired consistency is reached	2 to 4 Tbsp heavy cream
FoodNotes: 1.      Add the cream 1 Tbsp at a time beating well after each addition. If too much cream is added and the frosting becomes too thin to hold shape, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 Tbsp at a time.

WHOLE WHEAT ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

WHOLE WHEAT ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

Source: Company’s Coming: Muffins & More

PREHEAT OVEN to 400°F. Line 12-muffin pan with paper or parchment liners.
Measure into a batter bowl:	1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp allspice
Stir thoroughly and make a well in the center.
In a smaller bowl –  Beat until frothy: Mix in:	1 egg ¼ cup cooking oil ½ cup granulated sugar 1 cup grated zucchini, unpeeled ½ cup milk
Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir only to moisten. Batter will be lumpy. Measure batter evenly in 12-muffin pan. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.
FoodNotes: 1.      Add ½ cup of sunflower, pumpkin and dried cranberries, OR sprinkle mixture over top of muffins before baking. 2.      Add ½ cup of raisins or currants to batter.

SPICED APPLE MUFFINS

SPICED APPLE MUFFINS

SOURCE adapted from Company’s Coming
BY: Sabrina Englehart

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 16 (2½-inch) muffin cups with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine well together, and set aside:	2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup bran flakes ⅔ cups packed brown sugar 3 tsp [1tbsp] baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ - 1 tsp cinnamon ¼  - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
In a medium bowl , beat: Stir in:	2 eggs  ⅔ cup milk ¼ cup sunflower seed oil 1 cup (2 small) grated, peeled apples
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir quickly to moisten. Batter will be lumpy. Spoon into muffin pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center is clean upon removal.
FoodNotes: 1.       Pour water into the empty cups in the muffin pan to prevent scorching.

RHUBARB STRUDEL MUFFINS

RHUBARB STRUDEL MUFFINS

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper baking cups.
Prepare the streusel – thoroughly combine with and then cut in: Lastly, stir in:	¼ cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp cold butter ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Prepare:	1½ cups ¼-inch diced rhubarb
In a batter bowl, combine:	·         2 cups all-purpose flour ·         ¾ cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar) ·         2½  tsp baking powder ·         1 tsp ground cinnamon ·         ½  tsp baking soda ·         ½ tsp salt
Stir the dry ingredients together until well blended; then, stir in the rhubarb.
In a separate bowl, whisk together until smoothly blended:	·           ·         1 cup sour cream ·         ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly ·         2 large eggs ·         1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Gently fold the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not over-mix. The batter will be thick. Spoon the batter into muffin cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups. Generously spoon the streusel or sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the batter in the pans. Bake at 400°F until they’re golden brown for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer immediately to a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm.
FoodNotes: 1.       May substitute cinnamon sugar topping for streusel. Mix together 3 Tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. 2.       May substitute 1 cup buttermilk for 1 cup yogurt. 3.       May substitute ½ cup sunflower oil for ½ cup melted butter. 4.       Muffins will keep for one day; reheat in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes to refresh.