Cupcake

Ethereal mascarpone frosting blankets sponge cake in this adaptation of a famous Italian dessert. Extra yolks in the batter make the cake sturdy enough to hold a generous dose of coffee-liqueur syrup without becoming too soggy. Freshly brewed coffee or espresso would be a natural accompaniment, as would little glasses of marsala, a fortified Italian wine used in the soaking syrup.

Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven—or, in this case—the Black Forest region of Germany, where the original layer cake was created (and cherries are abundant). These miniature versions of the classic German dessert are saturated with cherry liqueur, layered with sweet pastry cream and preserved cherries, and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache.

Malted milk powder gives these chocolate cupcakes a nostalgic flavor reminiscent of a soda-fountain favorite. So as not to overpower the taste of malt, use a mild-tasting Dutch-process cocoa powder, such as Droste.

Capped with “kisses” of seven-minute frosting and dusted with cinnamon-sugar, these cupcakes are a play on the cookie of the same name, also finished with cinnamon-sugar. The crackled cookies are thought to be of German origin, and their whimsical name a mispronunciation of schneckennudeln (crinkly noodles).

Roasting the fruit before folding it into the batter gives these cupcakes a pronounced banana flavor and keeps them very moist. Honey, often paired with bananas, is added to the frosting.

Tender lemon buttermilk cake, tart lemon curd, and a lightly browned peak of seven-minute frosting combine in cupcakes inspired by Martha’s mile-high lemon meringue pie—one of her signature desserts.

A harbinger of spring, rhubarb flavors these deliciously sweet-tart cupcakes. Ruby-red stalks are diced, then mixed into the cupcake batter as well as a vanilla-flecked syrup that tops a puff of whipped cream. Save any extra rhubarb topping to serve with ice cream.

Candied orange slices top fragrant vanilla-orange cupcakes; a circle of tiny piped buttercream dots frames each slice. Feel free to garnish with other candied citrus, such as lemons or blood oranges.

Chopped fresh strawberries are folded into the cupcake batter, and thin slices are added as a garnish for a pretty-in-pink treat. Strawberry buttercream (made with jam) ups the fruit-flavor ante, but sweetened whipped cream (page 316) is an easy and delicious alternative.

Food historians may differ about the origin of red velvet cake, but one thing is certain: The cupcakes have gained widespread popularity in recent years. Many believe the name comes from the naturally reddish hue of cocoa powder, which is enhanced by a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Today, most versions rely on food color (although some bakers use beet juice) to achieve a vivid shade. Gel-paste food color is much more concentrated than the supermarket liquid variety; if you substitute the liquid, you may need to add an entire bottle (1.5 ounces) to achieve the desired shade. Cream-cheese frosting is the classic choice.

Salted caramels, including chocolate varieties, have become quite popular in recent years; a touch of salt draws out caramel’s buttery taste and highlights the sweetness. This cupcake, created with the candy’s popularity in mind, serves as an excellent incentive to try your hand at making caramel at home. The soft caramel centers hide under a piped peak of satiny chocolate frosting. Fleur de sel, a type of sea salt prized for its distinctive flavor, is available at specialty stores; if you can’t find it, you may substitute another sea salt, such as Maldon.

Calling all coconut lovers: These cupcakes get intense flavor from ground sweetened coconut and coconut milk in the batter, billowy seven-minute frosting spiked with coconut extract, and a garnish of unsweetened coconut flakes (available at natural-food stores). Be sure to buy only unsweetened coconut milk, not the sweeter varieties (such as Coco Lopez) used to make mixed drinks.

The old campfire classic takes on a new identity as a charming cupcake. Graham flour, available at health-food stores and specialty markets, flavors the cupcake base, which is topped with chocolate glaze and piled high with piped sticky marshmallow frosting, browned to mimic the effects of toasting over a fire.

You will likely make these cupcakes again and again, varying the frosting (say, dark chocolate, page 302) and sprinkles (sparkly, multicolored, or otherwise) to suit your whim or fancy. Two types of flour contribute to the cupcakes’ singular texture: Cake flour makes for a delicate crumb, while all-purpose flour keeps them from being too tender.

Fanciful peaks in a spectrum of shades crown cupcakes with a motif inspired by a vintage Russian cookbook. You could also opt to use just one color of frosting, or leave it untinted. White cupcakes, made with egg whites only (instead of whole eggs), are very light and delicate. For a stronger vanilla flavor, scrape the seeds of one vanilla bean (halved lengthwise) into the milk in step one, and omit vanilla extract.

A well-loved American layer cake is scaled down to cupcake form. Golden raisins give these cakes added texture, but you can omit them. You can also add one cup walnuts or pecans; toast them as directed on page 323, let cool, then finely chop before stirring into the batter at the end, after the flour mixture. Unfrosted carrot cupcakes make delicious snacks.

Kids of all ages are bound to adore white cupcakes studded with chocolate morsels. Whipped egg whites folded into the batter produce a light and airy crumb. Tossing the chocolate chips with a bit of flour helps ensure they will be distributed throughout, rather than sink to the bottoms as they bake. The chocolate frosting is so rich and satiny, you’ll want to pair it with other cupcakes in this book, especially yellow buttermilk (page 26) and devil’s food (page 34).

This recipe is used to make the brownie hearts on page 213; some of the batter is baked in muffin tins, the rest in an 8-inch pan for cutting into heart-shaped toppers.

We serve a lot of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. People love the moist cake with the creamy frosting—and, from our informal polling, our customers prefer their carrot cake without raisins or nuts and with lots of cream cheese frosting!

This Rocky Road Cupcake has a surprising marshmallow center that provides a yin-and-yang contrast to the dense chocolate icing. For a more daring, sweet-and-salty version, try using chopped Smokehouse almonds instead of the traditional toasted ones, or top the cupcakes with chopped salted peanuts. Once you’re comfortable with the technique of filling a cupcake, you can use other fillings, such as chocolate mousse, Nutella, fruit curd, or a favorite custard, to create other flavors.

This is another great example of turning the flavors you like from a raditional dessert into a more modern form. Imagine the elements of tiramisù—ladyfingers, ricotta pastry cream, cinnamon, and coffee liqueur—and figure out the components of a cupcake that will best match up with those flavors. Then, voilà!, you have a new kind of cupcake. We assemble this cupcake without alcohol, but feel free to substitute Kahlúa or another coffee liqueur for the espresso (or in addition to the espresso) to give this dessert an extra punch.

These cupcakes have a lighter consistency than the other cakes in this chapter. Whereas the other cakes could almost double as bread, there’s no mistaking these as cake. Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and the “Sassy” Cinnamon variation on the Vanilla Icing (page 136) are scrumptious toppings. Use the cream cheese combination for a brunch dessert or the sweeter cinnamon icing to dress them up for an autumn evening. The brown sugar and mix of spices in the batter augment the woodsy sweetness of the pecans. For a slight variation, peel and dice a sweet apple and add it to the batter before baking.

PARSNIPS HAVE A DEEPER, MORE SOULFUL FLAVOR than carrots, and this hearty root vegetable takes center stage in our version of a carrot cake. Sweet and spiced with ginger and cloves, this moist cake makes a great birthday cake or anytime cake.

Southerners love a good red velvet cake the way they love good, juicy gossip. That’s because there’s inherent drama in a towering white cake that, beneath swaths of innocent cream cheese frosting, possesses a shockingly crimson interior. Of course, they also love red velvet cake for its twangy buttermilk and cocoa–infused flavor and exceptionally smooth, supple crumb.