Honeyspongecupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• For the almond bees: Fill a piping bag with a very small round tip with the chocolate. Pipe 2 eyes side by side on the rounder end of each almond, followed by 3 crosswise stripes starting in the middle of the almond down to the narrower end. Attach 2 sliced almonds (like wings) to the top chocolate stripe (the one closest to the eyes). Repeat to make 18 almond bees total. Allow to dry.
• For the sugar cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and both sugars in another medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture and continue beating just until the dough comes together, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the dough in half, pat into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Generously flour a clean work surface. Gently roll out the chilled dough to about 3/8-inch thick. Cut 24 cookies using a 2 1/4-inch hexagon cookie cutter, working quickly so that the dough stays chilled. (If the dough has become too soft, transfer to the refrigerator on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill again for 30 minutes.) Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Lightly dust off any excess flour with a dry pastry brush. Refrigerate the formed cookies for at least 30 minutes. (Excess dough can be gathered together, pressed into a disc, chilled and rerolled.)
• Bake the cookies until the bottoms are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If not using right away, cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• For the decorative cookie border: To create the honeycomb shapes on your sugar cookies, roll the yellow fondant out and cut out 24 hexagon shapes with a 2 1/4-inch hexagon cutter.
• Place a 1 1/4-inch hexagon cutter in the center of your existing fondant hexagon shape and press. Remove the center piece.
• Thinly frost the cookies with some buttercream. Place a cut-out hexagon fondant border on each cookie.
• Mix the clear and yellow sanding sugars together, and then fill the inner space of the cookies with the mixed sugar. Flip the cookies over to shake out any excess sanding sugar. Reserve the remaining sugar mixture for the cupcakes.
• To assemble the cupcakes: Frost the vanilla mini cupcakes with some buttercream using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Sprinkle with some of the sanding sugar mixture. Garnish 12 of the mini cupcakes with 1 almond bee. Reserve the additional 6 bees to garnish the honeycomb cookie cupcakes.
• Frost the standard-size frangipane cupcakes with some buttercream using a mini offset spatula.
• Dip the outside edges of the frosted cupcakes into the mixed sanding sugar and place the hexagon sugar cookies on top.
• To build the honeycomb structure: Place 14 of the standard-size cupcakes in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern. Stack 7 more cupcakes, making a second tier in the honeycomb pattern, saving 3 cupcakes to put on the top tier.
• Scatter 20 mini cupcakes (including 8 with the almond bees) around the base of the honeycomb structure. Garnish the structure with the remaining 4 mini cupcakes with almond bees. Then arrange the remaining 6 bees on the tops of the hexagon cookies.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin or two 24-cup mini-muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.
• While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients. Then add all the milk and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.
• Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes (10 to 12 minutes for minis). Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tin. Cool on the rack completely. Decorate as desired.
• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water.
• Add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and egg whites to the mixing bowl, and whisk together by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar completely dissolves. Transfer to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until cool and the whites hold stiff peaks, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Toss in a couple of chunks of butter at a time, making sure the pieces are incorporated before adding more. After all the butter is added, continue whisking on medium-high speed. The mixture will deflate and appear curdled. Continue whisking until the buttercream comes back together to form a smooth and spreadable consistency. Slowly drizzle in the optional flavoring while beating until smooth and light. (If the frosting is very soft or begins to break, refrigerate until set but still spreadable and then beat until light before using.)
• Chocolate:
• Remove the buttercream from the stand mixer into a large bowl and, in three batches, fold in 6 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate.
• Citrus:
• Stir in the zest of half a lemon or orange.
• Boozy:
• Stir in 2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur and 1 tablespoon vodka.
• Pulse 4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons each almond paste, sugar and cake flour, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in a food processor until very smooth. Scrape out into a small baking dish and spread into an even layer. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Scoop 12 slightly heaping tablespoonfuls and roll into balls. Return to the freezer until firm again, about 30 minutes. Make batter for Go-To Vanilla Cupcakes (recipe above) and fill the bottom of each liner with a heaping tablespoonful of batter. Place 1 ball of frangipane in the center of each and divide the remaining batter among the liners to top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Whisk the egg, applesauce, oil and honey. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in walnuts. , Pour into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.
• In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the honey, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.
• Whip the heavy cream in a chilled bowl using an electric mixer until stiff enough to hold a peak. Sweeten with confectioners' sugar if desired. Spoon on top of cupcakes and top each one with sliced strawberries right before serving.

Steps:

• In bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
• With electric mixer, beat egg yolks; gradually blend in sugar and almond powder.
• Cream mixture until smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Add honey (and almond extract).
• Mix together milk, baking soda and cooled melted butter; add to egg yolk mixture.
• Gradually add sifted flour mixture.
• When batter is thoroughly blended, quickly but gently fold in egg whites.
• Steaming: Before mixing, bring water in steamer to boil.
• Grease bottom only of 9" round flat-bottom, high-sided bowl (or tube pan, bundt pan or cupcake tins).
• Pour batter into bowl.
• Steam for 1 hour.
• Best served steaming hot, cake can always be resteamed without suffering.

Steps:

• For the coconut cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Whisk 1/4 cup water, the cream of coconut, coconut extract, vanilla extract, egg whites and egg in a large bowl until combined.
• Mix the flour, shredded coconut, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat on low speed until the mixture forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add half the cream of coconut mixture. Beat on low speed until the flour mixture is moistened, about 15 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining cream of coconut mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
• For the mango filling: Whisk 1/4 cup juice, egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth in a small bowl. Boil the remaining 1 cup juice, granulated sugar and salt over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Slowly add half the hot liquid to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the filling thickens and boils, stirring constantly. Strain the filling through a fine mesh sieve. Cool the filling before assembling the cupcakes. Yield: about 1 1/4 cups.
• For the orange cream cheese icing: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, to desired consistency. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Yield: 3 cups.
• For the garnish: Generously sprinkle the pineapple with sugar. Use a blow torch to caramelize the pineapple, or broil in the oven on low for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so the sugar does not burn. Cool the pineapple before assembling the cupcakes.
• Cook the sweetened flaked coconut in a dry saute pan over low heat, stirring often, until the coconut browns slightly and smells fragrant. Cool the coconut before assembling the cupcakes.
• To assemble: Dig a small hole inside each of the cupcakes using a teaspoon. Fill each hole with the mango filing. Top with the orange cream cheese icing. Garnish with the caramelized pineapple and toasted coconut.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with baking cups. With an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 1/2 tablespoons of boiling water and the vanilla. Sift together the cake flour and salt. Fold into the yolks until just mixed.
• Whip the egg whites until foamy. Slowly incorporate the remaining sugar and whip until the whites hold stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the whites into the yolks, then gently fold in the rest.
• Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full, and bake until the cupcakes are lightly browned and spring back when pressed lightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Steps:

• Place eggs, sugar and honey in a bowl set over a basin of gently simmering water.
• Allow mixture to heat till 40°C/104°F.
• Beat with hand-held mixer till creamy and thick.
• Continue beating at low speed for about 2 minutes.
• Remove big air bubbles so that there will not be any holes in the cake.
• Sift cake flour and gently fold into the egg mixture. Try not to deflate the batter.
• Slowly add melted butter.
• Mix well, again try not to deflate the batter, and pour into greased/lined muffin cups till 3/4 full.
• Bake at 180°C/350°F for about 20 minutes.
• NOTE: Honey caramelizes faster, thus the cupcakes darken quickly.
• However, do not remove from oven too soon, make sure that they have finish baking.
• Finished cupcakes should feel springy (spring back when lightly pressed).
• May use toothpick test too.