Thursday, April 8, 2010

Baby's First Birthday Cupcakes


I haven't made any new recipes lately to post but I think this one definitely qualifies!


Whipped Cream Frosting
(Makes 1 frosting for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar salt and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

3. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 2 cups sugar and unsalted butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove cake from pans. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool completely on wire rack.

Both recipes make enough for 24 cupcakes. I just baked them at 400 for around 15-20 minutes instead. I used fat free cream cheese this time and I think it made the icing runnier than usual but it still tasted great! Noah enjoyed his very much at his West Virginia birthday dinner.