Epic Thursday!!! One Morning, Four Flavors of Cupcakes

Hello, all! Today, I went to war. "Cupcake war," that is. In a span of four hours, I made four different flavors of cupcakes, one of which you have seen in my previous posts (banana chocolate chip with peanut butter frosting), and the ones that are completely new. It's been a grueling morning, but very rewarding. I would do it again. 

Without further ado, I give you my recipes for: 1) lemon cupcakes with toasted coconut, 2) s'mores cupcakes, and 3) strawberry cupcakes with avocado buttercream frosting. Prepare your mixers for an all-out bake-out!

 1) Lemon cupcakes with toasted shredded coconut

(Makes six cupcakes)

Cupcake Ingredients:

3/4-1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbls unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tbl lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add in the egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and continue to blend until incorporated.

3. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.

4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill cupcake liners with batter three-fourths of the way up.

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:

4 tbls cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbls unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp lemon zest

3/4 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup flour

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Blend well.

3. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and flour, mixing until the frosting comes together and is smooth.

Toasted coconut:

about 1 cup of shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread the shredded coconut in a small baking tray lined with parchment paper.

2. Toast the coconut for about 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Let cool before assembling.

3. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, and press the cupcake, frosting side down, onto the toasted coconut.

2. S'mores cupcakes

(makes six cupcakes)

For the crust:

7 graham cracker squares, crushed

3 tbls melted butter

Add the melted butter to the crushed graham crackers, and mix until moist. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners and press a tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each liner to create a crust.

Cupcake Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

2 tbls cocoa powder

4 tbls unsalted butter, room temperature

3/8 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk (I used soy milk)

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder together.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk.

3. Slowly mix in the flour mixture, stirring until just incorporated.

4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Fill each cupcake liner three-fourths of the way up.

5. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

For the chocolate ganache filling:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or milk

Heat the whipping cream or milk on "High" in the microwave for one minute. Pour the hot cream into a bowl with the chocolate chips and let the mixture sit for 30 seconds to one minute. Then stir the mixture until smooth. Let it cool before assembling the cupcake.

Marshmallow Frosting:

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1 tbl unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup flour

1. Cream the butter and marshmallow creme together. Add in the vanilla extract.

2. Slowly add the powdered sugar and flour, beating until smooth.

To assemble:

1. Cut out a hole in the center of the cupcake, making sure not to cut all of the way to the crust. Spoon a tablespoon of the chocolate ganache into the cupcake. Pipe the marshmallow frosting onto the cupcake and garnish with a piece of graham cracker.

3. Strawberry cupcakes with avocado buttercream frosting

(makes six cupcakes)

Ingredients:

about 5-7 small to medium-sized strawberries, chopped finely

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 cup milk (I used soy milk)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbls unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and strawberries.

3. Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients until just incorporated.

4. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill each liner about three-fourths of the way up.

5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake's center comes out clean. Let them cool before frosting.

For avocado frosting:

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1 tbl unsalted butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup flour

1. Cream the avocado and butter until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and salt.

2. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and flour until smooth.

3. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. If not planning to eat right away, refrigerate the cupcakes. Let them come to room temperature before eating them.

Well, folks. That is the end of my cupcake rampage today. Stay awesome, and I shall see you later!