We call them cupcakes, in Britain they call them fairy cakes and in Australia they call them patty cakes. The name's not always the same and neither is the motivation that's behind baking them. Just in time for the holidays, one mother shares her purpose for baking, and is even sharing her secrets to making the tasty treats.
From baking to decorating to eating and more, Amanda Beers is a cupcake expert with some secrets galore!
Amanda opened up Sweet Charley B's Cupcakery with a few recipes and a lot of heart.
The store is dedicated to her little girl, Charley, a Christmas baby who died of a strep infection when she was just 6 years old.
"She got sick on Saturday, and it was all over on Monday," said Amanda.
Sweet Charley B's is a way to keep her memory alive. Now, she's ready to share what makes her cupcakes so special.
"The secret to my chocolate cupcake is coffee. There's coffee in our batter," Amanda said. "It makes it nice and soft. Chocolate peppermint is our biggest, best, most favorite."
The key to a good cupcake is great frosting! Only use real butter…no substitutes.
Mix in an eighth of a cup of heavy cream, a teaspoon of peppermint extract and four cups of powdered sugar.
The secret behind the candy cane frosting: stripe the inside of the icing bag with red food coloring. When you put the frosting in, a candy cane pattern comes out.
The secret to eating one: turn it into a cupcake sandwich.
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As for the one secret Amanda is not willing to give up: calorie count!
"I think that that's information better left unsaid," Amanda admitted.
Another baking secret: cocoa belongs in a cup, not a cupcake. Only use blocks of bittersweet chocolate, not cocoa powder in your recipes. Sweet Charley B's Cupcakery is in Olympia, Washington. A portion of all the proceeds go to Charley's fund to benefit local schools there.
Recipes below or click here for printable version:
CARAMEL APPLE CUPCAKE
Cook Time: 1 hr. 15 minutes
MAKES 2 DOZEN CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
- 35 caramels
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 24 wooden craft sticks
Directions:
CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKE
Cook Time: 1 hr. 15 minutes ·
MAKES 2 DOZEN CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
- 1 1/4 cups champagne or other sparkling white wine at room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Directions: