Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes With Vanilla Bean Frosting

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I have discovered the secret to world peace.

Ok, maybe not world peace, but at least momentary joy and happiness.  I have been toying with the idea of a chocolate filled vanilla cupcake for a while.  As it happens I have a soft spot for cream filled cupcakes, considering one is now my logo, and it made sense that I try to make a reverse version.

The results were far better than I could have hoped.  The vanilla bean, aside from tasting fantastic, gave the finished cake and frosting some interest.  Yes, white is pretty but it can be a bit dull.  When I fed these cupcakes to my crack team of taste-testers they had no idea of the chocolaty goodness lurking inside.  You have never seen so many delighted smiles.

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Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Author: Kelly Jaggers

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep time:  30 mins

Cook time:  22 mins

Total time:  52 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For the Cupcakes:
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• For the Filling:
• 1 teaspoon water, hot
• 3½ ounces marshmallow fluff
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• For the Frosting:
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk or cream

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
   
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well blended.
   
3. In a small bowl cream together the butter and sugar until well combined and lighter in color. Add the eggs and whisk until completely incorporated into the butter mixture. Whisk in the buttermilk.
   
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk until just combined and no large lumps remain. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently in the center.
   
5. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for five minutes then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
   
6. In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients for the filling and whisk until completely mixed. Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium sized star tip.
   
7. Once the cakes are cooled completely take a small paring knife and poke it into the center of the cupcake in a cross pattern about 1 inch deep. Take the pastry bag and place the tip into the cross and pipe in about one tablespoon of filling, or until the filling just starts to come out of the hole. Clean off the tops of the cupcakes before frosting.
   
8. In a medium bowl combine the butter and vanilla bean paste. Add the powdered sugar and ¾ of the milk. Whisk to combine. If the frosting seems stiff add the remaining milk. Frost the cupcakes as desired.

Enjoy!

© 2010 – 2012, Evil Shenanigans – Baking & Cooking Blog. All rights reserved.

(Source : www.evilshenanigans.com)

Cooking Tips : 

Learn To Make Better Meals With These Helpful Tips

Food is one of life if humans want to survive. But there's more to food than just having food in order to live. It is better to cook something delicious than to eat something wonderful. Here are a couple tips to bring your cooking expertise to a whole new level.

Partially frozen meat is easier to slice it into thin strips. This technique is especially well for the meat slicing styles typically used with Asian cuisine. However, to make sure that the meat cooks evenly, so it cooks evenly.

Never prepare the entire amount after seasoning it. Cook a bit of it first.

You do not want to deal with the stress of trying to make something that you enjoy. This will help to make cooking less stressful.

Have you ever thrown away food that is old and felt sorry for tossing moldy fruit away? Do not cut the moldy parts and eat the rest. You should never eat or keep a piece of fruit that has begun to rot. Mold grows inward to places that you can't even see and it can make you ill.

Use fresh ingredients whenever possible, as they bring out the flavor in a dish, and they may cost less over the long run.

Have you had trouble trying to figure out the grilling time of your meat? Use a good meat thermometer to tell when it is cooked properly.

Plan on preparing a large pot of stock so you can freeze and store it. Good homemade chicken stock is a wonderful base in soups, stews, stews and other dishes.

When you will be cooking a pumpkin, you will need to place the pumpkin upright then slice it in half right down the middle. Place the two halves on separate baking sheets with the cut side facing down.

If the recipe calls for water, you could easily use chicken broth, juice, or juice when suitable. Instead of using milk, try sour cream, buttermilk or sour cream. Using different liquids can add nutritional content to certain dishes and give a standby dish a new flavor.

If you are serving a salad with a meal where you have guests, keep the dressing on the side, keep it on the side. Some people enjoy lots of dressing than others; let guests pour their own dressing.Make sure you have a selection to choose from as well.

When you are planning to make quite a detailed meal, you can eliminate a lot of the stress by doing any prep work the day before. Get all of the ingredients that you will need, and chop or measure anything you can in advance. You can reduce a lot of recipes to a matter of mixing everything put together and putting heat to it if you do good advance preparation.

Add lots of salt to the water for cooking pasta. This process will allow the pasta while it is boiling. Salting after boiling your pasta will not give the same effect.

One of the best cooking tips you can find is to use your own thing. You do not follow a recipe exactly. That type of cooking finesse make a real chef!

It is important to maintain a wooden cutting board. A wood cutting board can warp or split by too much exposure to moisture, heat and dryness. Do not submerge the board to clean it, instead, clean it using a sponge and warm water. You can do some restoration to a damaged board by regularly oiling it with a product specifically for cutting boards to maintain yours.Make sure that your board is completely dried before using.

Try not to overcook or over cook your cake. The cooking times suggested in recipes are good guidelines for an inexperienced baker, because many factors, such as high altitudes, can have an effect on how long it actually takes a cake to cook. A better way is to test the cake by inserting a cake is finished is by sticking a toothpick into the center of the cake.If it comes out clean, it's done; if batter is on it, it's time to eat!

You can make a simple dish by using fresh herbs. Dried herbs and spices can work beautifully in complex recipes that have a plethora of flavors. Fresh herbs have a better flavor.

The very high temperature in a microwave causes oil to separate from other food ingredients. Baking will keep all its parts cohesive.

You can also add bouillon cubes to the water that you are using. This will give your food while adding more flavor.

Fruit is especially delicious cooked on the grill. Slice peaches, melons and peaches and then thread them onto a skewer. Place the fruit directly on a grill that has been cleaned until grill marks. Serve these grilled slices of fruit with some ice cream for instance.

Those of you who like making fish dishes should consider trying to catch your own.

Make some flavored butter to add a new twist to staples like dinner rolls or ears of corn. Next, blend your butter with garlic, sauces or herbs to create a burst of new flavors.Some great things to try are honey, honey, barbecue sauce and chipotles.

Put the juiciest ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom, juicier ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom and lighter ingredients like lettuce and croutons on top.

When preparing mashed potatoes, mix the potatoes using hot, but never boiling. This will give your potatoes that light and airy texture that you desire. Nobody looks forward to mashed potatoes full of lumps.

Make sure you use the right type of potato for your dish. There are three different classifications of potatoes, all-purpose, mealy, and all-purpose. Russet is the most popular mealy potatoes. Waxy potatoes are good for steaming or boiling because their shape well when heated. The most common types of waxy potatoes are the regular red and white potatoes.

When you approach cooking in the right way and with the right knowledge, it can prove to be as much fun as consuming the great dishes you create. Follow these tips, and then add a little of your own flare. Your friends and family will enjoy your new hobby as much as you do.

Icecream Cone Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS :

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® party rainbow chip cake mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
24 Flat-bottom ice cream cones
1 to 2 containers Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy frosting (any flavor)

Step 1 : 

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

Step 2 :

Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (two-thirds full). Place ice cream cone upside down on batter in each cup.

Step 3 :

Bake 16 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean (cones may tilt on batter). Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove paper baking cups. Generously frost cake with frosting, and decorate as desired. Store loosely covered.

EXPERT TIPS

After frosting, enjoy a downpour! Sprinkle frosted cone cakes with any of the following: breakfast cereal, animal crackers, dried fruit, candy sprinkles, crushed hard candies, graham cracker crumbs, granola, mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

Vary the flavor of your cake cones by using other varieties of Betty Crocker® cake mix. You could also try different flavors of flat-bottom cones.

Help steady Ice Cream Cone Cakes on a serving plate by putting a small amount of frosting on the cone bottom; lightly press cone onto plate.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

1 Cone Cake Calories250 ( Calories from Fat90), Total Fat10g (Saturated Fat2g, Trans Fat1 1/2g ), Cholesterol25mg Sodium210mg Total Carbohydrate37g (Dietary Fiber0g   Sugars24g ), Protein1g ; % Daily Value*: Vitamin A0%; Vitamin C0%; Calcium4%; Iron2%; Exchanges:1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices:2 1/2 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Cooking Tips :

Be A Better Cook With These Useful Tips!

It is common sense that all human beings need to eat if they want to survive. But eating can lead to boredom in the kitchen. Cooking a delicious meal for others can be even more rewarding than just eating one. Read these tips to find how to improve your cooking to a higher level.

Bake pie and tart crusts a longer time than you would think they should be baked. They should be a light golden brown instead of pale blonde. The darker color results when the sugar from the pie crust has started to caramelize and this will give a sweet and crisper flavor.

This helps to boost the flavor when it is done.

You should not cook the dish entirely after it has been seasoned. Cook a bit of meat first.

Have you felt sorry for tossing moldy fruit and felt guilty about it? You may wonder if it's okay to salvage them by trimming away the rotten part. There is no way to salvage fruit is unhealthful. Mold goes a lot deeper than you can't even see and it can make you ill.

Use fresh ingredients whenever possible, as they make the food more flavorful, and can be real money-savers too.

Garlic is among the multitude of tasty ingredients whose flavor with a drawback: garlic can transfer to your hands and fingers. Try rubbing your hands on stainless steel sink after you work with the garlic or other potent ingredients.This will cleanse your hands and prevent the smells from transferring to the food item that you handle.

This will prevent them from burning when they are cooking. Use two parallel skewers instead of one skewer to keep food intact.

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When serving a salad at a social gathering, always offer the dressing on the side rather than pouring it directly on the salad. Let people put on their salad. Make sure you have a selection of dressings to choose from as well.

Do not use wine for cooking that you do not tasted. You can find wines that are made for cooking purposes.

Try drying your own dried tomatoes. You can use Roma tomatoes cut lengthwise, or by cutting Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Dried tomatoes may also be put in a jar containing fresh herbs and olive oil. The jars can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Always clean your cooking with utensils that are spotlessly clean. Any leftover food post-washing can ruin whatever you intend to cook. This can be costly because it might allow for bacteria being spread.

Allow your cooked food to sit a little while before it is served. A lot of people aren't aware that it is important to allow the meal to rest. It can be quite tempting to serve meat as soon as you take it off the grill. If you serve immediately off the grill, you'll miss out on the meat's full flavor. Always allow your meat sit for a little while.

Use salt liberally in your pasta water used to cook pasta. The salt will infuse the pasta along with the water. Salting cooked pasta after cooking will not have the same effect.

When preparing to barbecue, get your grill ready before you start. The charcoal will need to burn about 30 minutes before it is used for cooking.The heat should be moderate and covered in ash. This is the best grilling your food.

A meat thermometer should be used to check that the meats properly. All kinds of meat have a certain internal temperature in order for safe consumption. If your meats are not cooked to the proper temperature, any bacteria present can grow and could possibly make you very sick if not killed during the cooking process.

There are several types of potatoes, and they are not always adequate substitutes for each other when cooking.

A great way to cook is with brine. Soak your poultry in the brine water for at least an hour prior to cooking to enhance the flavor.

Fruit is especially delicious cooked on the grill. You can skewer a selection of fruits such as peaches, melons or peaches and place them on a prod or skewer. Place them on a grill that has been cleaned until you see grill marks are visible. Serve the grilled slices of fruit with pound cake or ice cream.

Dark, leafy greens are super healthy, but it can be time-consuming to prepare them. It can be tedious work to eliminate the stems. Make it easy by folding the leaf lengthwise in half and breaking the stem.You will otherwise need to cut the stem from the folded leaf using a knife.

Shake things up if your family is tired of the same frozen sweet corn on the table at dinner each night. Add coconut to sweet corn to provide a very exotic flavor.

Put the juiciest ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom, juicier ingredients like tomatoes on the bottom and lighter ingredients like lettuce and croutons on top.

When making mashed potatoes, mix the potatoes using hot, non-boiling water prior to mashing them. This will make your mashed potatoes that light and fluffier. Nobody wants to eat mashed potatoes!

You should always purchase fish and meat that are bone-in.

Sometimes we may over salt something we are cooking, but it's still salvageable. Add some raw potato chunks to your recipe, and then allow it to simmer for around 15 minutes. These potato chunks will take in the extra salt you added. If it is a tomato sauce, you can put in additional tomatoes for the purpose of diluting the excessive salt.

Learning to cook while having fun at the same time is almost as rewarding as eating what you prepare. By following these tips you can add a variety of new recipes to your cooking. As you put them into practice, think up ways to make them suit your own tastes. Improving your culinary prowess will cause others to beg for your home-cooked snacks at every get-together.