This has been my biggest cupcake order yet (with the exception of my own wedding) and it was so much fun! I met Yuki through my wedding photographer, Julie. I guess Yuki mentioned to Julie that she wanted cupcakes at her wedding and Julie immediately thought of me after I did mine. Thanks Julie!
Yuki and Sam were married on September 18 at The Brazilian Room in Berkeley. This venue is such a beautiful spot to get married with it's panoramic views and dense pine trees. It really gives a feel of being out in the forest - pretty neat since you're a quick drive to downtown San Francisco. The setting inspired the couple's theme of forresty-leafy beauty and I decided that chocolate leaves as cupcake toppers would be perfect. I am going to do a separate post on how to make chocolate leaves because it's a bit complicated.
For the flavors, Yuki absolutely knew she wanted red velvet and then we brainstormed on the 2nd option and landed on raspberry. For the raspberry, I just used my Vanilla Mayo Cake recipe and filled them with raspberry preserves. I topped them with basic buttercream but substituted raspberry extract for vanilla extract.
For the Red Velvet cupcakes, I used Martha Stewart's recipe which is fantastic. My only complaint was that the red coloring was a bit subtle. I do like that they don't have a TON of food color chemicals in them. The super-red red velvet cake has always freaked me out a bit since it uses a whole bottle of red food coloring. The secret is using red gel-paste color (found anywhere that sells cake decorating supplies) instead of the food coloring you get at the grocery store. Personally, I think people love red velvet mostly because of the cream-cheese frosting. YUM! It's difficult to fine a dessert that doesn't taste amazing when topped with that stuff. Martha's recipe is the best I've made by far!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes about 24 cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp red gel-paste food color
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together sifted cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together sugar and oil on medium-high speed until well combined. Next add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Mix in food color and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each.
Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will fizz and foam up) and add to the batter. Mix on medium speed for 10 seconds.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until tester comes out clean. Let cool completely on wire racks before frosting with cream-cheese frosting.
Cream-Cheese Frosting
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes 4 cups
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
12 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp vanilla
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy on medium-high speed (2-3 minutes). Reduce speed to low. Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
The bride and groom have spent countless hours playing scrabble, so the bride crafted up this awesome cake topper with the first initial of their last name. A big congratulations to Sam and Yuki and best wishes for a happy and fabulous future.
For the Red Velvet cupcakes, I used Martha Stewart's recipe which is fantastic. My only complaint was that the red coloring was a bit subtle. I do like that they don't have a TON of food color chemicals in them. The super-red red velvet cake has always freaked me out a bit since it uses a whole bottle of red food coloring. The secret is using red gel-paste color (found anywhere that sells cake decorating supplies) instead of the food coloring you get at the grocery store. Personally, I think people love red velvet mostly because of the cream-cheese frosting. YUM! It's difficult to fine a dessert that doesn't taste amazing when topped with that stuff. Martha's recipe is the best I've made by far!
Red Velvet Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes about 24 cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp red gel-paste food color
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together sifted cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together sugar and oil on medium-high speed until well combined. Next add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Mix in food color and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each.
Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will fizz and foam up) and add to the batter. Mix on medium speed for 10 seconds.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until tester comes out clean. Let cool completely on wire racks before frosting with cream-cheese frosting.
Cream-Cheese Frosting
from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes 4 cups
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
12 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 lb (4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp vanilla
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy on medium-high speed (2-3 minutes). Reduce speed to low. Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
The bride and groom have spent countless hours playing scrabble, so the bride crafted up this awesome cake topper with the first initial of their last name. A big congratulations to Sam and Yuki and best wishes for a happy and fabulous future.
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Wow, they are so beautiful. The bride and groom must have been so pleased!
ReplyDelete*kisses* HH
p.s. you can never go wrong with a martha stewart recipe!
you did SUCH an amazing job!!! I love learning baking tips from you -- can't wait to see how you made the chocolate leaves. Also, I'm so happy you're back to blogging; the new computer sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteThat's US! We've been blogged! I can't thank you enough for the amazing presentation and delicious goodness of your cupcakes and cake. Although my fave was the red velvet everyone went crazy for the raspberry filling.
ReplyDeleteYou're the best!