100 Cupcakes - 100 Posts

Welcome to the One Cupcakes a Pop: 100 Cupcakes for 100 Post party. The event was held Saturday, January 24th 2009. Guests began to arrive around 9pm for an evening of food & fellowship...cupcakes & wine. 

Thankfully our long white desks from Ikea adjust easily to the role of chic buffet tables with little effort. The issue was not finding space for all of the cupcakes but finding platters for all of them to rest on. The two jeweled cake stands above were given to me by my god mother this christmas. Their babbles are like chandelier earrings for sweets, perfect for an evening focused on both food and femininity. Also in the foreground you can see a stand with a pile of tiny dessert plates. Nanny Murphy found those this christmas as well! What would I do without you girls? 

So where shall we start, the plates or the players? Let us start with a recipe! The cakes below are Banana Chip Cupcakes with White Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Banana Chip Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup mashed banana, about 3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt 

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. 

2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. 

4. Beat the vanilla, almond and the eggs into the butter mixture.

5. Add in the mashed banana and yogurt into the wet ingredients. 

6. Mix in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating between each one.

7. Stir in the mini chips with a wooden spoon. 

8. Fill each muffin cup until they're 2/3 of the way full.

9. Bake the cupcakes for 30 minutes or until a slightly golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean! 

10. Let them cool on a wire rack before frosting. 

The frosting recipes comes from Kraft. You can find it here. I used 9 oz white chocolate instead of 6 oz and a little less powdered sugar.

The guest were a dynamic mixtures of Parisian pals, theatre friends and new acquaintances I've had the pleasure of meeting this year. Above is a Amanda sandwich flanked by Carrie and Lee. 

 I promise none of Marissa's bodily fluids touched any of the cupcakes until they were on her plate and in her mouth. We're a germ free household despite this image.

The plate above featured mini versions of both the banana cake and red velvet cupcakes. The little ballet figures were treasures I found at New York Cake & Baking earlier this year. For under $2.00 a pack, I'd say they're adorable and affordable decorations. 

Ashleigh (above) is responsible for many of the lovely photographs taken through out the evening. Ashleigh was also responsible for many of the wine pairings. She brought a Beringer that was so delicious, people were nearly licking my countertops for leftover drops. She visited the Beringer vineyard in Napa. Basically she's a rockstar. Speaking of which, Ashleigh's mother is a writer and a follower of Food & Femininity. I'm honored by the Hill's interest in my baked goods! 

Here's my roomie Bethany grabbing some treats. 

I should mention what a help lady Carrie was to be through out the day. From an early morning farmer's market run, through hours of moral support, to an aesthetic perspective on how the furniture/buffet should be organized...Carrie Goldberg was there. Thanks darling. She also was helpful in forcing me to simplify my menu. I believe the Olive-Oil Lavender Cupcakes were her favorite. 

Greek Yogurt Cupcakes from Big City, Little Kitchen 

• 3 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tb baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups Greek yogurt, 0% Trader Joe's 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 muffin tins.

2. Sift together first four ingredients into a medium-sized bowl; set aside. 

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. 

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then vanilla. 

5. Reduce speed to low and mix in half of the flour mixture just until combined, then the yogurt, and end with the rest of the flour mixture. Do not overmix. 

6. Pour batter into cupcake tins. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until inserted cake tester comes out clean. 

7. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then remove to baking rack to cool completely.

Yogurt Frosting ( by Big City, Little Kitchen)

• 1 stick (8 tb) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Make frosting: in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat yogurt and butter on medium speed until well-combined, 1 to 2 minutes; add lemon juice. Mix in confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup or so at a time, beating between additions to ensure smoothness.

I added orange zest and red currants to the top of my cupcakes from a bit more flavor along with a dash of vanilla. 

Olive-Oil Lavender Cupcakes: 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 cup sugar 

zest of one lemon 

2 tablespoons lavender 

1/2 cup 0% Greek yogurt 

3 large eggs 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Like a muffin an with cupcake liners. 

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, lavender and salt. 

3.  In a large bowl, rub the sugar and the lemon zest together until fragrant.

4. Whisk the yogurt, eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture. 

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 

6. Using a spatula, fold in the oil. 

7. Spoon the batter into lines muffin cups. 

8. Bake cupcakes from 20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when you touch them gently with your finger. 

I served these babies with just a little fresh whipped cream, seasoned with orange zest. 

Everyone received a bakery box with my sticker on it (above) so that they could take treats to their loved ones. I was left with barely any left overs! Thank the lord.

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  I will add the chocolate balsamic recipe to the site when I get home tonight. Enjoy!