Monday, February 21, 2011

Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
Makes 24
FOR THE CUPCAKES
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup milk
FOR THE ICING
8 ounces cream cheese (not whipped)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in top and bottom thirds. Line twenty-four muffin cups (1-cup capacity) with paper or foil liners, and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add orange zest. Beat in flour mixture and milk in three alternating batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture. After each addition, beat until just combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as necessary.
Fill prepared muffin cups with about 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans once, until cupcakes are just golden brown and spring back to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in tins, about 5 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks. Repeat with any remaining batter. Let cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar in a small bowl until just smooth. Add milk and vanilla; beat frosting until combined. Use immediately


Daniel's Birthday Cake

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  I made chocolate cream cheese frosting for this cake!  Yummy!

kosher salt

Sharp Cheddar Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
HEAT oven to 375°F.
PREPARE Macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce.
LAYER the meat mixture, macaroni and mozzarella cheese in a casserole dish.  Repeat layers and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.