Cinnamon White Chocolate Chip Cupcake FAIL
Posted by Bake & Destroy on October 6th, 2008. Filed under: Frostings & Fillings, cupcake recipes, failures.
Last week end Tony and I snatched up a jar of cashew macadamia nut butter from Trader Joe’s. I thought it would make a delicious frosting and we spent the day going back and forth about what kind of cupcake such a rich frosting flavor would be best suited for. Tony made the safe and smart suggestion of “just chocolate” but always the overachiever, I thought I’d make something reminiscent of a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. I’ve made chocolate chip cookie cupcakes before, the batter is more of a dough and the cupcakes turn out chewy and thick. Using the same principles, I turned a basic cookie recipe into what I thought would be a great cupcake recipe.
Actually, as you can see from the photo- they did turn out to be pretty bitchin’ little cupcakes until I left the room for a second. Then I hear Tony go, “Uh oh. These don’t look so great.” And behold- every last one has imploded. I understand now that in my efforts to not overcook these guys I actually underbaked them, something I do purposefully with my cake-cakes because they finish baking in the pan. Cookie dough is a strange bird, though, and the weight of the crunchy top was too much for the gooey center.
So there I sat, with a bowl full of delicious cashew macadamia nut buttercream and nowhere to put it.
I turned to old reliable buttermilk chocolate to save the day, and topped the whole thing with chocolate covered sunflower seeds. The ruined cupcakes turned out to be pretty good cookies, so I took them to work and dubbed them “accidental cookies.”
My co-workers suggested various fillings, as they looked like little pie shells and everyone was happy. Then tonight I wrecked some apple cupcakes. I’m starting to think I’ve lost my touch.
If you’d like to make bizarre little cookie-pie crust-cupcakes you’ll need:
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cps packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
Then you:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Sift the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together brown sugar and butter until well combined. Add vanilla, beating well. Add egg, beating well. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add white chocolate chips and stir.
Scoop batter into pan and bake 18-23 minutes or until the cupcakes are puffed and golden. (They might look undercooked.) Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely and frost.
If you happen to find cashew macadamia nut butter in your local Trader Joe’s… or any kind of nut butter (huh huh) you can make super easy frosting with:
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup cashew macadamia nut butter
• 2 Tbs milk
Just beat together the sugar, butter and salt until creamy. Add nut butter, beating well. Add milk and beat until smooth and creamy.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:44 am
You are NOT losing your touch, you’re way too cool for that!
Good luck with reality TV! See? I knew you’d get famous sooner or later!
October 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Yesterday I had a major baking fail day as well – with my basic, comforting chocolate chip cookies, no less. First off I couldn’t find decent chocolate and was stuck with Ghiradelli. Then I was too impatient for the cookies and didn’t freeze the dough beforehand, which messes with the texture. And finally, I forgot the egg. ~takes a bow~
They weren’t too bad, really, but even my husband noticed I was a little off my game.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Under-baked or not they sound and pretty much look delish. Even with the minor roof collapse.
Please be on TV. That would be super fun.
October 7th, 2008 at 4:34 am
My brain said, “where did she get vegan white chocolate?”. Sorry for the failure, I ruined 12 dozen the other day, if that helps.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
You (and Melisser) should have a baking Q&A for us novices! Or a regular advice column. Or something. I for one would like to know why I am incapable of splitting a cake into layers without it dissolving…but that might be beyond your powers to answer.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Do you mean splitting a recipe or actually cutting an already baked cake in half?
October 9th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I mean splitting a baked cake in half. I am so bad at it that I usually just bake two thinner cakes and stack them. True story.
October 9th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
haha well baking 2 thinner cakes certainly is easier. But I’ve been able to split a cake with a decent success rate. First it obviously has to be completely cooled. Make sure you’re using a sharp serrated knife like for cutting a loaf of bread. Depending on the cake though, even if it’s fully cooled it might be too delicate to go sawing through. What I do is wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes to an hour so it can firm up. It makes the cutting so much easier and the cake thaws out just fine =)
October 10th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Congratulations on the possible tv deal–you’re a natural for it and I can’t wait to read about you in In Touch Weekly.
As for the recipe I don’t know if I’d consider that a failure. Isn’t this how things are invented?
October 11th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I made these cupcakes yesterday. The first batch collapsed, the second didn’t, but either way, they are tasty. The frosting is wonderful but definitely works better with a chocolate cake….
October 18th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Your cupcake pictures look fantastic…Myself and the members of recipebuddys.com are looking for dessert recipes…maybe you can post some of your recipes on the site… I am sure the members would be very greatful…thanks
Andy
http://www.recipebuddys.com