Tuesday, September 20, 2011

More Cupcakes - Amaretto

And, you can be so creative with cupcake flavors.  How about Amaretto cupcakes?  Red velvet, pumpkin spice for fall, chocolate with chocolate mint frosting or how about peanut butter icing?  You know how I love my Aunt Ilene's PB frosting.

Almond Cupcakes
Adapted from The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Ingredients
Makes 12 (or possibly 14) cupcakes
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
1/3 cup, ground, unblanched sliced almonds, toasted and finely ground
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons softened butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one 12-cup muffin tin (or one 12 cup muffin tin and two cups of an additional muffin tin, if you insist on using all the batter) with paper lines, and lightly grease the top of the tin.
In a medium bowl lightly combine the eggs, ¼ of the sour cream and the extracts. In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1¤½ minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides. Spoon the batter into the paper liners – each cup should be 2/3 full.
Bake 25 minutes or until a wire cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, before gently transferring them to a rack to cool. Allow to cool completely before frosting with amaretto frosting.
Amaretto Frosting
Adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook
Ingredients
1/2 cup I1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs amaretto
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of the sugar and then the milk, vanilla, and amaretto. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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