Funfetti Cupcake Cones

As a kid, whenever birthday treats were necessitated at school my mom would make cupcake cones. Easy single servings of cake baked in ice cream cones and frosted to look like the real frozen treat. Yesterday I busted out a batch for my roommate's kid themed birthday party and oh how sweet it was to relive the memories of devouring the yummy treat. I used the yellow cake recipe I wrote for a final project in culinary school and a whipped cream cheese frosting to top it off. The finished results were a hit.

Moist Yellow Cake

Makes two 8x2 inch cakes or 36 cake cones or 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

            3 C         cake flour

            1 Tbsp    baking powder

            1/2 tsp   salt

            1 C         unsalted butter, room temperature

            2 C         granulated sugar

            5 lg        eggs

            2 tsp      vanilla extract

            1 1/4 C  buttermilk
            1/3 C     Confetti Sprinkles (optional)
            36          Flat bottomed ice cream cones

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 °.  Butter and line with parchment paper two 8x2 inch pans -or- set up cones in a high walled baking dish. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

3. Cut up the butter into 1-inch pieces and place them in the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters.  Beat for 3 minutes on MEDIUM-HIGH speed until the butter is light and creamy in color.  Stop and scrape the bowl.  Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.

4. Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.  Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.  Add the eggs one at a time.

5. Reduce the mixer speed.  Stir vanilla into the buttermilk.  Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.  Mix just until incorporated.  Scrape the side of the bowl, pour in confetti and mix for 15 seconds longer.


For Cake:

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a knife.  Lift up the pan with the batter, and let it drop onto the counter top to burst and air bubbles, allowing the batter to settle.

7. Center the pans onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on top and comes away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For Cake Cones:

6. Spoon batter into cones, about 2/3 full.

7. Bake cones for 15-18 minutes.

8. Let the cake cool in the pans. 

Storage; Double wrap the cake in plastic wrap.  It will keep in the refigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.


Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from here

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 3/4 C       Confectioners Sugar
• 1/8 tsp        Salt
• 1 tsp           Vanilla extract
• 1 C             Heavy whipping cream

1. In a chilled metal bowl whip cream on high until stiff peaks form. If using a stand mixer scrape out into a separate bowl. Otherwise cover that bowl and refrigerate.

2. Beat cream cheese for 2 minutes until smooth, be sure to scrape down sides of bowl at least once mid mix. 

3. Add sugar in 3 doses. Mixing to incorporate between each. 

4. Add vanilla ans salt and mix once again to make sure all is smooth. Scraping down bowl  a few times will limit the number of lumps.

5. Fold in whipped cream until all is mixed well.

6. Chill again for at least an hour if you're going to pipe with frosting. Otherwise frost and you're set to go.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote...Er, Pie too

I find the prices for rhubarb on the east coast absurd. It grows like weeds in Minnesota and usually you can get a ton of it for free. However, I was craving some rhubarb compote this week so I folded and bought a bunch yesterday then quickly set to work making a batch of strawberry rhubarb compote. You can use this recipes for pie filling so I've added a few notes at the bottom to help take it there. But I served it w. pancakes last night, had it mixed with yogurt this morning and full intend on incorporating it into every meal until it is gone.

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

(makes approx a lot of nummy-ness)

2 lb          Rhubarb

1 Liter     Strawberries, rinsed

3/4-1C     Sugar (depending on your sweetness preferences) you can use splenda or a mix too

Juice of 1/2 grapefruit

2-4T        Triplesec

Trim and chop rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks. Combine with sugar, grapefruit juice and triplesec and let macerate for 10-15 minutes. Hull and chop strawberries while you wait then mix into the rhubarb combo. Pour into heave sauce pan and place on stove. Bring it to a boil and let is pop and caramelize for 2-3 minutes then reduce to simmer, uncovered. Let mixture simmer until it has reduced by at least 1/4 but no more than 1/3. Remove from heat and let it cool. It will set up in the cooling process and become a little more gooey. Devour w. ice cream, in oatmeal, on pork, on top of a bagel or simply in a spoon and to the lips. 

If you decide you want to take this to pie level you will need:

Pie Dough (this one is pretty basic)

3 T     Cornstarch

1        Egg

1T     Milk

Prepare the compote as usual with these three changes:

     set aside 1 Cup of macerated rhubarb mixture

     stir in cornstarch when the mixture is boiling

     only let it simmer for 3o minutes

Preheat oven to 350

Roll out one ball of pie dough and fit into 9" pie dish, leaving extra dough hanging over the edge. Brush with egg wash and poke holes with fork, cover with saran and place in freezer for 20-30 minute to prevent shrinkage. Once it is chilled fill with COOLED compote and the 1 cup of macerated rhubarb. You may have too much filling, simply set the extra aside for later. 

Roll out top crust. Brush edges with egg wash and place top crust on. Cut a few small vents into the top crust. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. 

Place on baking sheet and into the oven for 35 minutes or until crust is brown. Remove and LET COOL. Otherwise you'll have a syrupy mess on your hands. Serve with quality vanilla ice cream. 

Moroccan Halibut + Southwest Salad

It is getting hot in Philly already and for some strange reason that makes me hungry for fish. Halibut was fresh and on sale so that decided that. I started with a recipe from epicurious.com and, as usual, improvised.

Moroccan Halibut

2           5-10 oz piece of Halibut
some    Cayanne
some    Smoked Paprika
some    Cinnamon
some    Garlic Powder

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Place on a plate skin side down sprinkle with kosher or sea salt. Then proceed to sprinkle an even coat of all four spices on the fish.

Melt 1 Tb of butter - or generously coat- in a saute pan. Heat until the butter just begins to brown. Place fish spice side down and let it sear. Cook on both side approx 4-5 minutes until the flesh is slightly opaque.

Southwest Salad
4          Ripe tomatoes, seeded and sliced
1          Yellow bell pepper
1/3 C   Thinly sliced sweet onion -or- green onion
1/3 C   Vegetarian refried beans
4 C      Spinach, chopped
1/3 C   Feta

Dressing:
3 T       Braggs Aminos Acid
1/2       Lime
1/2 t     Cumin
1/2 t     Garlic Powder
some    Smoked Paprika

Mix salad ingredients. Mix dressing ingredients. Mix it all together! I was using what I had but I think next time I'll probably add some corn and black beans too.