Virginia's Kitchen by GINNIE MANUEL

A Little Bit of Lovin’ in Your Oven Cupcakes are the Right Size for a Sweet Tooth
 

If you thought cupcakes were just for children’s birthday parties and bake sales, it’s time to revisit this delectable treat. Ever since the Magnolia Bakery in New York’s Greenwich Village started garnering a lot of buzz, cupcakes have become a bona fide adult indulgence.
 
Nostalgia surely plays a role, as almost everyone has fond memories of home-baked cupcakes from childhood. But another reason they are so popular is that they offer just the right amount of cake and icing for the dessert lover to enjoy without guilt—sort of like portion control for the sweet-tooth set!
 
The following recipes are sure to delight your inner child, as well as the real children in your household. They make perfect sense for Valentine’s Day (decorated with candy hearts, of course), and they’ll also be welcome for any other grown-up gathering.
 
 
Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes
 
Check almost any food guide to New York City, and you’ll find rhapsodic reviews of the rich, buttery cupcakes served up by this Greenwich Village institution (although Billy’s Bakery is giving it a run for its money). I got this recipe from a chef friend who claims it is almost as good as visiting the bakery.
 
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups self-rising flour
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Icing:
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar, divided
¼ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
In large bowl, with mixer on medium, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine both flours in a 4-cup measure; combine the milk and vanilla in a 2-cup measure. With mixer on low, add flour to butter mixture in 4 parts, alternating with milk mixture.
 
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers and spoon batter into cups about three-quarters full. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks before icing.
 
For the icing, place butter, 2 cups of the sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl, and with mixer on medium, beat until creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, ½ cup at a time, until icing reaches good spreading consistency. Add food color to attain a pastel tint if desired. Spread liberally on cooled cupcakes. Makes 2 dozen.

Lemon Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
 
The combination of lemon and chocolate might seem discordant, but in this recipe developed by dessert doyen Nick Malgieri, it does work, creating a singular delight.
 
2½ cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
4 egg whites
1½ cups buttermilk
 
Frosting:
6 ounces premium milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup sour cream
 
 
Sift together first 3 ingredients into a 4-cup measure; set aside. In medium bowl, with mixer on medium, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest and extract. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites and buttermilk. With mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and egg white mixture, starting and ending with flour. Beat at medium-low speed for 3 minutes.
 
Line 18 3-inch muffin tins with paper cupcake liners, and pour in the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack before removing to cool completely.
 
For the frosting, place the chocolate in the top part of a double boiler and slowly melt over hot water. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. Spread over cupcakes and chill. Makes 1½ dozen.
 
 
Black Bottom Cupcakes
 
What makes these morsels so appealing, aside from their satisfying flavor and texture, is that they are very portable since they require no frosting.
 
Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
 
Cupcakes:
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup water
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
For the filling, in medium bowl with mixer on medium, beat the first 4 ingredients until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
 
For the cupcakes, sift together the first 5 ingredients into a medium bowl. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla, and mix well by hand.
 
Line 24 3-inch muffin tins with paper liners, and fill each one about halfway with cake batter. Drop about 2 teaspoons of cream cheese filling over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cake part tests done. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from tins. Chill for several hours before serving. (Cupcakes may also be frozen and served directly from the freezer.) Makes 2 dozen.

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