I'm Back in the Saddle Again...

Wow! I have been away for a while. The past few weeks have been mad crazy and unfortunately Made By Stephie had to be put on the back burner for a while. But - I am sooooo happy to be back to the blogging world! If you are wondering where I have been for the past few weeks head over to my photography blog and check out all of the fun stuff I have been up to Just click right...HERE!

Now to Matty Monday!!

Matty made these wonderfully delicious cupcakes...

This week, one of my co-workers (shot-out to Chelsea!) was on a blueberry kick,
having purchased a large quantity of in-season blueberries, while she was back
home in Arkansas. So hearing about the berries made crave them somthin’ bad, so
behold this week’s recipe:

This is a great go-to cupcake, perfect amount of light sweetness, almost like a
muffin… This one’s not for the sweet tooth, uses tons of sugar though. The
whipped topping is a perfect addition and super easy!

Till next time!
Matty

Here is the Recipe!

For the cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
2 cups fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish
Whipped cream

For the whipped cream

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Martha Stewart's Cupcakes by the Editors of Martha Stewart Living


Method

Make the cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line standard or mini muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.

3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each. Fold in blueberries by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until pale golden, about 25 minutes for standard and 15 for mini.

5. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

Make the whipped cream

1. Whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until combined. If not using immediately, whipped cream can be refrigerated, covered tightly, up to 3 hours in an airtight container.

2. To finish, dollop cupcakes with whipped cream, and garnish with berries. Serve immediately.

Matty Monday - Sort of...

Matty is taking this Monday off for a much needed vacay! So - in honor of the upcoming holiday I decided to round up a few really cool cupcakes!

I found these beauties at One Ordinary Day:

These yummy fruit topped ice cream creations came from Annie's Eats

And - the ever lovely Bakerella made these. The story behind them is really awesome!

Head over and check out all of these Patriotic treats!

Matty Monday - Week 6 - Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Irish Cream Frosting Cupcakes

Hey!

This week I made the Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Irish Cream Frosting Cupcakes!

Technically these are the Saint Patrick’s Day cupcakes, but the Bailey’s Irish cream frosting sounded too good to wait till next march 17th! Instead of crystallized four leafed covers, we opted for more practical (but cute) tartan paper cups. Hope you enjoy them!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
Baileys Irish Cream Icing

Makes 28 cupcakes

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line pan with baking cups. Wisk together flour, banking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on high-medium, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scrap bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake, about 25 minutes rotating halfway through, until cake tester comes out clean and golden brown. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, and then turn out cupcakes onto racks and cool completely.

Bailey's Irish Cream Icing

Ingredients
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1lb confectioners sugar sifted
3 tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream liquor (you may substitute milk if desired)

Instructions
1. Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla and Baileys Irish cream. Gradually add sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Tint icing a pale green color.
2. Using decorator tip 1M, pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. Top with shamrock icing decoration and sprinkles.

This recipe ices 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

Matty Monday - Week 5 - Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes!

Hello!

This week we made the Chocolate Salted Caramel cupcakes, the recipe calls for mini cupcakes, but I don’t have that pan yet, so the regular size would have to do.

Making your own caramel may sound intimating, but was easy and is the best caramel I’ve ever had! WOW!

Double bonus, when you scoop out the center of the cupcake for the caramel, you get a bite size snack, which we consumed immediately.

This cupcake is very chocolaty so if you need a chocolate fix this is it, have a glass of milk nearby!

This recipe is somewhat straight forward compared to the other recipes, surprisingly, but created the most dirty dishes!

Here's the recipe!

Cupcake
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

To finish, use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons warm Salted Caramel Filling into each hollowed-out cupcake. You will notice the caramel will sink into the cupcake a little, just fill it up a bit more. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.

Use a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip (I used Wilton #1M) and pipe Dark Chocolate Frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Garnish each cupcake with a pinch of sea salt. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in airtight containers - do NOT refrigerate. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Filling
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

Directions

Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan and stop stirring.

Cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed. Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reaches 360°F. Remove rom heat and slowly pour in cream; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt.

Use immediately; if caramel begins to harden reheat gently until pourable.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:

Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.

With electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture.

Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month in an air tight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.


P.S. I’m pretty sure Martha has the photographs so carefully controlled and/or later retouched, that the home kitchen could never produce the same coloration as the photos from the cupcake cookbook, just fyi, don’t be discouraged when your frosting and caramel is not a dark and luxurious as hers, etc…

see you next week!

Matty

Matty Monday Week 4!! Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Forsting!

Hello all!

This week I made the Roasted Banana Cupcakes, mostly because all I had to buy was the Bananas! Roasting the bananas was easy and fun! They are great, very dense little cakes, though the richness of the icing may be a little to much on this one...


Makes 12

Cupcakes:

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for
garnish (optional)
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Icing:

* 1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Icing:

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes

See ya next week!

Matty

Matty Monday - Week 3!! Mocha Cupcakes!

Hello all!

This week we tried the Mocha Cupcakes! Phillip, my roommate, as been going on and on about coffee flavored things since I don’t have a coffee maker, I think he’s going though withdraws. Well to make the process more painful and drawn-out we made the Mocha Cupcakes to ease his coffee tooth…

Those little devils need a lot of leg work, including going to a cafe for the required freshly brewed espresso. We did the wrong recipe for the frosting, forgetting their was a coffee version….but all in all very good, very coffee tasting, with a sugary foam (frosting) top.

Mocha Cupcakes, page 74, Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
3/4 cup freshly brewed espresso
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (not instant coffee)

For the frosting:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tablespoons pure coffee extract

Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Whisk together cake flour and cocoa. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth and light. Add the brown sugar and eggs; beat until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the vanilla, baking soda, and salt; beat to combine thoroughly.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of sour cream, and beating until just combined after each. Mix together brewed espresso and espresso powder; add to batter, and beat until smooth.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 22 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely be¬fore removing cupcakes.

Make the Frosting:

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, without stirring, until syrup reaches 230°F (110°C).

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230°F (110°C), remove from the heat. With mixer on medium-low speed, pour syrup down side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium-high; whisk until mixture is completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl) and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 7 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons coffee extract, whisking to combine. Use immediately.


See ya next week!

Matty

Matty Monday - Week 2!! Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes!

Hi Made By Stephie readers!! I'm back for another edition of Matty Monday! Thanks for all of the nice comments you left last week - I am so glad you liked the Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes!

This week we decided to do a cupcake that was a little bit easier but just as yummy.

Here are the details:

Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Makes 30

Ingredients:
42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt


1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

Hope you enjoy them! See ya next week!

Matty

The First Edition of MATTY MONDAY - Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes!!!!

My bestie Matt, a fabulous interior designer in Los Angeles, is going to be doing a guest post here on Mondays! I am sooooo excited that he is going to be taking on Martha Stewart and her cupcake recipes!!! Enough from me - here's Matty!

Hi Everybody!

I'm Matt...

And I'm excited to be here at Made By Stephie!!

Ever since Stephie made those delicious looking Jam Tea Cake Cupcakes from the Martha Stewart’s Cupcake book I have been awaiting for the next cupcake post. Skip ahead to now and no new cupcakes have graced the blog, can’t blame her of course, she’s had beautiful and clever things for ya’ll week after week So when Stephie asked if I could contribute something, I (after long contemplation) choose to take up the cupcake torch, or perhaps, the cupcake whisk. With my friend Phillip, we choose to start with the Boston Cream Pie cupcakes, which we hoped to be easy, yet not too easy. Now, I live in an apartment, never needing to bake, and the first thing we discovered was I had no baking supplies, at least not the kind needed for cupcakes.

Many store trips later…

The cupcakes themselves went really well and we were proud of ourselves, same too the chocolate ganache spread, we ran into trouble with the pastry cream. In the picture of the cupcake, the cream is a perfect shade of white, ours never did that, staying a yellow color. It still tasted great, just the wrong color! All in all a good first attempt, but you should see the pile of dishes! I wonder how many medium sized heat proof bowls Martha thinks we have?

Go HERE for the recipe!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes, page 114, Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

Till next time!
Matthew

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