Oh My Cupcakes + Christmas Cupcake Recipe

Baking is something that seems natural to do during the holidays. I know that my family loves to bake, my friends love sharing their baked goods and for generations back the tradition has been growing. One item that has increased in popularity over the years is cupcakes. Perhaps you have had one or two yourself.

Cupcakes are small individual cakes that are often covered with icing and decorated. The customary round cakes have been around since the 1700s. It was also during that time that better ovens, metal cake shapes and pans, as well as refined honey were available. While simple cupcakes may have in the past and still exist today cupcakes have become a fad of their own with each cupcake being a bit more fancy.

The early day of cupcakes these individual cakes were often known as number cakes. Now that seems a bit odd until you start looking at the ingredients:

•  1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups flour
• four eggs
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 spoon of soda

Today's cupcakes have certainly changed quite a bit from those early days. Calling for more ingredients, quantity amounts, shapes, and variety of ways to decorate but all are considered cupcakes. All cupcakes bake quicker than a regular cake due to their size. In the beginning this was a necessity to spare burning but even today cupcakes are desired by many. 

The first cupcake flavors of chocolate and vanilla are still classical favorites. Other flavors a bit more fancy such as raspberry meringue and expresso fudge are also found menus where cupcakes are sold. If you do a simple search you will find all types of cupcakes in a variety of shapes, flavors, and decorations. So if you have time go out enjoy a cupcake. 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 6 tsp. baking powder

* 1 1/2 tsp. salt

* 2 1/2 cups sugar

* 1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks)

* 1 tsp. vanilla extract

* 1 tsp. almond extract

* 1 1/2 cups milk

* 9 egg whites

Icing

* 1/2 cup salted butter, softened (1 stick)

* 8 ozs. cream cheese (regular, room temperature)

* 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

* 1/2 tsp. almond extract

* 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

* Pomegranate seeds, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cream sugar, butter, vanilla and almond extracts, milk, and egg whites. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until the batter is fully incorporated, making sure to scrape down your bowl for any leftover dry ingredients.

Line a standard 12 (1-cup) cupcake pan with cupcake liners and pour batter three-quarters full. Bake cupcakes for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Meanwhile, prepare icing: Cream butter and cream cheese with vanilla and almond extracts until well incorporated and smooth, making sure to whip out any lumps created from the butter or cheese. Slowly incorporate confectioners’ sugar, adding 1 cup of sugar at a time. (I like to use the medium-fast speed on my KitchenAid standing mixer so that all of the ingredients are incorporated smoothly and evenly.)

Remove cupcakes from oven and transfer to a rack, cooling completely. When cool, ice cupcakes and sprinkle with pomegranates seeds for a ruby red Christmas touch.

retweet post 

shared on facebook