White Chocolate Cranberry Clove Cupcakes

I know, you are all probably thinking I am a total phony because I told you I was making cupcakes once a week…and here it is…weeks into my blog, and not a single posting on a cupcake in the making. Do you forgive me?

I think we have established that I absolutely love cupcakes. I’m not sure if its because it just reminds me of my childhood when the other kids would bring them in for birthdays in class or if I just like cake. I think it’s a little of both.

When I think of what kind of cupcake to make, I consider a few things. 1. Who I am making this for. 2. What kind of time do I have, and should I invest in this task. 3. If it’s for me, I think of what I am craving at the moment and 4. What time of year it is, and what would be appropriate to make. I know…I am very serious about this stuff!

I will admit, my original push to make my very own website was when I was forwarded a cooking website from my sister. Through my various clicks, I came across a few cupcake sites. One was the cupcake bake shop, and the other was http://www.iheartcuppycakes.com/ . I engrossed myself in these sites for 3 hours, pondering the many cupcakes they came up with. Not only was I impressed, but I was inspired to try something new, and that was, I was going to start my own cooking website. I by no means, consider myself a phenomenal writer, and further, I do not consider myself a photographer. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate both of these things, but I understand that I need more practice.

So while I am inspired by these fellow [cupcake] bloggers, I realize in the cup cake world, I still have much to learn. You see, I consider myself a traditionalist on many levels. Cupcakes, are no different. I get something in my mind of what it should be, i.e. texture, flavor etc, and I get scared to jump ship from my traditional chocolate, vanilla world. Why, because its what I know.. it’s what I LOVE.

Last Saturday, I decided to take the plunge from my chocolate/vanilla world. I got this recipe from the cupcake bakeshop, and while I’m not really a fan of white chocolate per se (I’m more of a DARKER the chocolate the better kind of girl), I tried this recipe anyway. I didn’t deviate much from it only because I really wanted to experience the recipe for what it was in hopes I could deviate from it in the future.

So common…..lets take the plunge…

White Chocolate Cranberry Clove Cupcakes

Makes 24 Regular Sized Cupcakes (I halved this and made Minis, I had 24 minis)
375 degree oven

Recipe:
7 ounces white chocolate
2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries







1. In a double boiler, add chocolate, and butter. Heat until the butter and chocolate are melted. Stir frequently and be careful not to burn the white chocolate.



This is my double boiler set up. Just put a bowl over a pot of simmering water.

2. Remove from heat and add sugar, mix. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool.
3. Add vanilla and mix for about 3 minutes until the butter is no longer floating





4. Add eggs, one at a time.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Add it slowly to the batter and mix until just combined. I sifted directly into the batter.





6. Chop cranberries, add a little of the flour mixture with these so they don’t drop to the bottom of the cake cups. Stir these into the batter. (Or you can layer a few in each cup if you want)





7. Fill cup cake liners 2/3 full.




Put in oven at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 350 degrees for another 15 minutes. (or until a cake tester comes out clean).
Cranberry, Clove, White Chocolate Buttercream8 ounces white chocolate
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temp
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1. In a double boiler, heat chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and let cool for about a couple minutes
2. Meanwhile, with a mixer, beat room temperature butter until creamy. Then add white chocolate.
3. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and clove. Beat until fluffy and consistency of pipable frosting. (you can add more sugar if needed) Fold in Cranberry chunks (I omitted the cranberry from the frosting because I ran out)





Stay tuned, Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean buttercream, and pumpkin cupcakes with mascarpone cream with nutmeg and clove will be posted SOON!

Pin It