Award-winning Pastry Chef Emily Lucheti from San Francisco's Farallon Restaurant shared with us her secrets for holiday cupcakes.
Holiday Cupcakes
Created by Emily Luchetti
For The California Milk Advisory Board
California Milk Advisory Board An instrumentality of the Department of Food and Agriculture, State of California www.RealCaliforniaMilk.com
About Emily Lucheti:
Emily Luchetti is a well-known and respected baking expert and author of four dessert cookbooks, including her latest, Classic Stars, and is currently the pastry chef at San Francisco's Farallon Restaurant. She has received numerous awards and recognition from organizations and publications, including the James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef Award. Emily recently appeared on "The Martha Stewart Show" and has been featured in national newspapers and magazines, including Food & Wine, BonAppétit, Martha Stewart Living, Newsweekand People. She is also the co-host for the PBS series "The Holiday Table."
For truly delicious cupcakes you need to start with high-quality ingredients, and the best cupcakes are made with real California butter. The rich, natural taste of butter gives cupcakes the ideal flavor and texture.
Cupcakes
Makes 12
- Ingredients:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted
California butter, softened
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup California milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
12 tablespoons marshmallow
fluff (for filling)
Whipped cream
Ground cinnamon
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour insides of 12 muffin cups or insert paper liners.
In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Mixture will curdle slightly. With electric mixer on low speed, add one-third of cocoa and flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture, mixing until combined.
Add half of milk mixture and mix well. Mixing well between each addition, add another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining milk mixture and then the remaining dry ingredients. Evenly divide batter between cupcake molds. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans. Cool completely before frosting. Scoop a hole out of the center of each cupcake about ¾-inch deep and 1½ inches wide. Fill each hole with 1 tablespoon of marshmallow fluff. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Just before serving, place a large dollop of whipped cream on top of each cupcake. Dust with ground cinnamon and serve immediately.
Frosting Tips
- Store butter in the coldest part of the refrigerator tightly rapped or in a covered dish. Keep it away from highly aromatic foods so it does not absorb undesirable flavors.
- Fill liners or cupcake pans about two-thirds full for large, mouthwatering cupcakes.
- Dip the knife or spatula in hot water before frosting for a smoother look.
- If you are not using cupcake liners, grease the inside of the pan before filling with batter. After the cupcakes are baked and cooled, run a paring knife around the inside edge of each cupcake and gently pry it out.
- Butter can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
- When storing, wrap the original package with aluminum foil.
- If you don't have a piping bag, fill a plastic sandwich bag with frosting and snip off a small piece of the bottom corner.
California Milk Advisory Board
400 Oyster Point Blvd. Suite 211
So. San Francisco, CA 94080
www.realcaliforniamilk.com
