Almond Cupcakes with Blackberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Have you ever started making a recipe, only to learn you are out of one of the ingredients? You would think that after making many late night trips to the store, mid-recipe, I would learn to check for all of the ingredients I need before I start baking. However, when I started making these cupcakes, they didn't call for any unusual ingredients, so I was caught off guard when I discovered I was out of all-purpose flour! Normally I am good at coming up with substitutes for missing ingredients, but flour is essential in cupcake recipes.

I did another thorough investigation of my pantry, hoping I wouldn't have to venture out to the grocery store. In the back of the bottom shelf, I was pleased to discover a semi-old, half-used bag of bread flour. I can't remember what I had used bread flour for (I usually stick to all-purpose flour for all of my baking), but the combination of wanting to use up the flour and my desire to not have to go to the store initiated a new baking adventure. I decided I would use bread flour in my cupcakes.

My thoughts...would my cupcakes rise into small mountains, not rise at all, take longer to bake, have overcooked centers? After doing a little research on bread flour, I learned that it has higher protein content than all purpose flour. What does this mean for baking? Technically, bread flour should give your final product more "structure" and coarser crumbs than all-purpose flour. My taste test verdict - these could possible be the  best white cupcakes I have ever tasted! If you have any leftover bread flour sitting in your pantry, waiting to be used, give these cupcakes a try. I think they will be equally delicious no matter what type of flour you use!

ALMOND CUPCAKES
printable recipe
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 cup bread flour or all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar until combined.

Add eggs and almond extract.

Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined.

Fill lined cupcake pan with batter.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

BLACKBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 ounces cream cheese
3 tbsp. butter
3 cups powdered sugar
10 blackberries

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Mix in blackberries until smooth. Add powdered sugar until desired sweetness is achieved.

Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with sprinkles and chocolate chip.

Yields 12 frosted cupcakes.

Recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Ice Cream

I told you about the new ice cream maker that I bought on Black Friday, so you are probably wondering if I have tried it out. The verdict...I LOVE IT! It is so easy to use and makes the perfect ice cream. I have to say I was skeptical as to whether I could make ice cream that had a good taste and texture. However, now I have put trust in my ice cream maker that I will get a delicious batch every time. Per my usual tendencies, I couldn't settle on making just one flavor, I had to try two different flavors in the first go-round. After looking for the two perfect and most appetizing ice cream recipes on the internet (haha, like I will never be able to make ice cream again), I decided on a Fresh Blackberry Ice Cream and Brown Butter Pecan ice cream. A little sweet and salty duo! The flavors were so much better than any store bought ice cream - I am in love with my new ice cream maker. It was worth every penny, and if you like ice cream even remotely as much as I do, I suggest buying one.

BLACKBERRY ICE CREAM

1½ cups half-and-half
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1½ cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1½ cups strained blackberries purée (blend fresh or thawed frozen berries)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place blackberries in a blender. I bought four small packages, and probably used a total of 4 cups to get 1.5 cups of purée. After the berries are blended, pour the mixture through a strainer to get out the seeds. Use a spoon to help press the mixture through a strainer.

Whisk together the egg yolks with half of the sugar.

Warm the half-and-half, pinch of salt and about half of the sugar in a medium saucepan. 

Slowly pour the warm liquid into the egg yolks, whisk constantly, then once mixed, pour back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  

Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top. Pour the saucepan ingredients through the strainer into the cream.

Mix in the raspberry purée and lemon juice, then stir until cool.

Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze according to ice cream makers instructions.

Makes 1.5 Quarts

Recipe from A Whisk and A Spoon
Happy Baking!