Mix it up with Mani - Mani Niall

A Coupla Cupcakes

In the last few years, cupcakes have gone upscale. A bakery in Beverly Hills, California, (named Sprinkles, appropriately) reports selling over 1,000 per day. The Cupcake Cafe in Manhattan has been wowing folks for years with the artful rosebuds, butterflies and lilies hand piped on each cake. In fact, cupcakes are so hot Chronicle Books has a new title out devoted solely to the subject.

You don’t have to be a pastry chef to make delicious and delectable, surpassingly different cupcakes right in your home. You simply need a few secrets and you’re ready to go.

For the chocolate, two things make this cupcake stand out. I use oil instead of butter to keep this cake moist. This recipe was handed down to me from Melissa McLane and I have used it for cakes many times. It works great for cupcakes. The other secret is to pipe a dollop of frosting into the center of each cupcake.

The lemon cake recipe is pretty straightforward, with the unspoken addition of raspberries. (Unspoken because they should be a puckery surprise when anyone bites into the center). The lemon glaze adds just that extra zing of lemon, if desired. They are plenty lemony without it, but the glaze doubles in its’ ability to keep the cupcakes moist.

To help you plan for parties and celebrations, these recipes make lots, at least 2 to 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes each, more if using small muffin tins. Both cupcakes keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Recipes

Secret Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes
The secret to these cupcakes-- raspberries baked inside! Both the cake and frosting are tart, sweet and lemony. The burst of color and tartness from the raspberry is welcome and delicious. But if I named them Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, there wouldn’t be any surprise.

Chocolate Cupcakes with “Just Like Mom’s “ Frosting
Yummy, moist, very sweet and chocolatey, screaming for a glass sof cold milk. The oil keeps this cake moist, not dry, even after refrigeration. As always, choose your cocoa powder wisely. I prefer the darker types, not “Dutched” or alkalized. This batter appears VERY liquid, yet will bake up just fine.