all the rage…

What makes something suddenly become a fad, the new “in” thing, all the rage?  Especially when it’s something that’s been around forever?  And when I say “forever” – I’m talking about more than 200 years.  And what I’m talking about are cupcakes!

According to the source of all modern knowledge… Wikipedia… “The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796 when a recipe notation of “a cake to be baked in small cups” was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simms. The earliest documentation of the term cupcake was in “Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats” in 1828 in Eliza Leslie’s Receipts cookbook.”

This particular fad began in earnest on April 13, 2005, when Sprinkles’ Cupcakes opened its first store on Little Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, and from then on, cupcakes have been king.  Now there are cupcake stores popping up on every other corner and there are even TV shows devoted to the little cupcake, Cupcake Wars, and D.C. Cupcakes to name just two.

But I’ll tell you what, cupcakes have always been popular (for 17 years now) at Les Petites Gourmettes, and that’s no fad.  Why? Because they bake quicker than a cake, they are the perfect serving size, and kids have always loved them!  So if it seems as though I’ve been posting a bunch of cupcake recipes lately, I have been, just trying to give the people what they want. Hope you enjoy it!

I give the students take-home boxes each day so they not only don’t waste food, but so they can share their creations with their families. These cupcakes are so light, lovely, and sophisticated that the kids couldn’t wait to share them with their moms.  And it is usually their moms they think of first. (Yes to that!)  So much so, that I overheard one student say yesterday, as they almost walked out the door without their take-home box, “Oh my mom would kill me if I forgot it!” Too cute.

Chocolate-Strawberry Cupcakes

Cupcakes
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons  baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken before measuring
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee
Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
1 1/2 cups hulled and diced strawberries, plus 24 strawberry slices for garnish
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, each stick cut into eight 1-tablespoon-size slices, at room temperature

Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place cupcake liners into muffin tins.  In the bowl of a standing mixer use the paddle on the lowest speed to mix together the sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.

Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla.  Mix on medium until well-combined, about 3 minutes.  Carefully pour in the hot coffee and beat on the lowest speed to combine well.

Pour the very thin batter into a liquid measuring cup (with a spout) and fill each lined muffin cup 2/3 full.  Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes in the muffin tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Buttercream: Puree the diced strawberries in a food processor.  Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.  Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl).  Whisk constantly by hand until the sugar has dissolved completely.  You can test by rubbing a couple of drops between your fingertips, it should feel smooth, not grainy.  With hot pads, carefully remove the bowl from the saucepan and wipe the bottom of the bowl with a towel to dry.

Attach the bowl to the mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, begin to beat on low speed and gradually increase to high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, glossy, and completely cool. Test for coolness by touching the bottom of the mixing bowl, it will take at least 10 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium, and mix until the buttercream comes together about 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove the whisk, switch to the clean paddle, and beat at medium speed for 2 more minutes.  Gradually add the strawberry puree, and mix to combine.

Transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and frost cupcakes. Garnish with strawberry slices and serve.

Makes about 24 cupcakes