It’s not the beginning of a new chapter; this is the beginning of a new book! That is how I usually start my new year. Change is my daily bread; everyday has been filled with surprises. Though it’s challenging to start from point zero it so far has come with bags full of passion, excitement, profoundness and has also opened the window for much wider channels. Adding dash of salt and pepper I have enjoyed so far.
So, on a spur of a moment one day, I decided to give a new look to blog. Least did I know how much it would drive me nuts for technically challenged person in the field of informatics. Few great food blogger friends came as a rescue; they detailed and helped me to sail through it. For months literally I have been working on this, add in great holiday trip to my second home; Finland, work trip to Santiago, foodie trip with few food blogger friends and my most favourite work research. Also procrastination, I claim myself as a queen of it, but finally here is the day for me to present to you look of my first page. Super excited I’m, hope to give you more of visual treats, great food and some of my travel stories, which I have been longing to share for years!
Baking being my forte couldn’t think of any other option other than a cupcake, also I had to submit these cupcake for photography-cupcake assignment for Blogger buzz. After vigorous searching, I zeroed down on these cupcake for three main reasons, its chocolate and raspberry together (I started my first post with same combination), had to get over the fear of buttercream failure and third it’s pink (Believe, I don’t need to reason out why?). Have to admit the texture of this butter cream is unbelievably silky, smooth and cupcake is moist. Isn’t this a great combination? So why wait, whip them up and enjoy the delicacy.
These cupcakes are adapted and halved from Sweetapolita dark chocolate raspberry buttercream.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - 85 gram
- Sugar - 150 gram
- Cocoa powder - 30 gram
- Baking soda - 3/4 teaspoon
- Baking powder - 3/4 teaspoon
- Cornstarch - 3/4 teaspoon
- Salt - A pinch
- Buttermilk - 80 ml
- Hot brewed coffee - 60 mL
- Vegetable oil - 50 ml
- Egg - 2 (room temperature)
- Vanilla extract - 2 tspn
- Egg whites - 75 gram
- Sugar - 250 gram
- Butter - 170 gram (cut them in cubes, it should not be cold but cool)
- Vanilla extract - 1 tspn
- Raspberry puree - Made from 100 gram of fresh, clean and towel dried raspberries
- Pink food colour - Few drops
- Dark chocolate chopped - 60 gram
- 1/3 cup (76 g) Unsalted butter - 35 gram ( Butter should be at room temperature)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C and line the cupcake tray with any of your favourite cupcake liners.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
- Mix sugar to the sifted dry powder
- In a bowl combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, egg and vanilla.
- Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and beat them on medium speed until well combined
- Fill 2/3 of the cupcake tins (Batter will be runny)
- Bake for 15 - 18 minutes in the middle rack until toothpick comes out clean
- Place them on a wire rack until it cool down
- Clean the whipping bowl with lemon juice to remove any grease left behind.
- Add sugar to egg whites and let them simmer over a pot of water, make sure not to boil the water,as it will curdle the eggs.
- Gently keep whisking the egg.
- Use candy thermometer to measure the temperature, constantly whisk until temperature reaches 70 C, if you don't have a candy thermometer keep whisking until the sugar gets completely dissolved in egg whites and mixture is hot.
- Take the bowl out of simmering water and start to whip until the meringue is thick, glossy. At this point bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch. This took around 10 to 15 minutes.
- when bowl temperature reached normal temperature slowly start adding butter cubes, one at a time
- and start to whip with mixer on low speed until well incorporated. Keep whipping until a silky smooth texture is obtained. Don't add butter if the bowl feels warm.
- Incase if the mixture curdles keep whipping it returns to smooth texture. If mixture gets too runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and continue whipping until it comes together.
- Add vanilla and raspberry puree to taste and continue to whip on low speed until well combined.
- Add or the fresh raspberries in small increments, and blend until combined.
- Add small amount of pink food colouring, if desired and gently fold them until colours gets uniform
- Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a pot of simmering water.
- Melt chocolate and butter and mix until smooth.
- Make sure that water doesn't get into your bowl of chocolate and butter, it will curdle.
- Fill a large pastry bag with buttercream with pipping tip of your choice. Fill the bag up to 2/3 full and start pipping the buttercream in a circular motion. Always go from out to in. Start from outside rim of the cupcake and move inwards inward.
- Drizzle the top of the cupcake with Dark Chocolate Glaze
- Top with a fresh raspberry
- _Cupcake tasted good on the same day but it was fantastic after it was a day older!
- It keeps well unto a weeks time in air tight container. If refrigerated, make sure to serve them at room temperature, to feel the silky texture of butter cream. Happy baking!_
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These adorable looking beauties look and sound so delicious… I love Swiss Meringue!!!
The new site looks great! Congratulations!
The cupcakes look gorgeous and tasty – great styling and photos – such a lovely way to celebrate your new blog!
New blog styling looks really fresh – but also liked the old style! Will get back here for some recipes soon.
Congrats Ananda for your domain…your blog looks as prettier as ever! Love those dreamy images of cupcakes bathed in sunlight..lovely. Best wishes and hugs.
Congragulations and I remembe ryou mentioning the header when we wer ein paris. Love the pics and i am in love with the frosting which i will try when i make a cupcake
Love the new refreshing look of the site….very appealing and easy to navigate….Congrats on own domain….love the clicks….damm gorgeous….
the photos are lovely!
This cupcake is absolutely gorgeous! I love the fruit and chocolate combo.
Congratulations for your domain, Ananda.. Your site looks so beautiful. Love the pics
I love Swiss Meringue and its such a light and fluffy frosting that suits every cake. beautiful shots and tempting cup cakes!!!
New beginnings cup cakes. Love it. Love your new look site too, it’s beautiful. Congrats. I’m enjoying reading your posts.
Hello, I believe your blog could be having
browser compatibility problems. Whenever I take a look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in I.E., it has some overlapping issues.
I merely wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other than that, fantastic website!