Caramel Pecan Cupcakes

Guess what!

I finally found some photography classes and I couldn't be happier! I signed up for 6-2 hour classes which are held on Saturdays from 10:00-12:00 pm, beginning March 13th. I am so excited! The classes are Digital Photography I and II, Introduction to DSLR Photography, Studio Lighting, Exterior/Interior Lighting and Filter Factor. I spoke to the instructor for at least an hour and she has so much knowledge and answered all my questions. AND if I need to brush up my skills, I can repeat a class for free..NO CHARGE!

And I bought a new lens for my camera...YES! I've been looking at lenses for a while now and after some trial and error I finally decided on the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G and I should have it by my birthday! Yippee! Now all I need is another set of Softbox Continuous Lights and a Tripod and I'll be all set as far as photography equipment. Mr. Tastebuds is very hopeful that I'll be set for a long time!

But I have to get to my newest Cupcakes which were over the top delicious! I had some of the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting leftover from my last Cupcake Adventure, Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes, and it was so good I just had to use it again! So I made my favorite Vanilla Cupcakes and filled them with caramel cream which is always fun. Then topped with the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting, drizzled with caramel cream and finally topped with Candied Pecan! And don't you just love ooey gooey!





Just Plain Good Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from "Small Batch Baking" by Debby Maugans Nakos

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c flour
1/4 c buttermilk
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 c plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 5 muffin cups with baking cups and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add egg yolk and vanilla and again whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix. Add the butter and half of the buttermilk mixture. Beat with a hand-held mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are blended. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is slightly increased in volume, about 45 seconds, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pour in the remaining buttermilk mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended, 20 seconds. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl

Spoon the batter evenly into the 5 baking cups. Put a little bit of water in the rest of the empty cups in your Cupcake Tin to prevent the cupcakes from scorching. Bake the cupcakes until a tester comes out clean, about 20 to 23 minutes.

Remove from the oven and as soon as you can remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them thoroughly cool on a cooling rack.





Caramel Cream

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for “stopping” the caramelization process)
2 TBL heavy cream, room temperature

In a small stainless steel saucepan mix 1/2 c. water and sugar. Turn on heat to medium high. Cook until sugar melts and turns an amber color.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump, sputter and spit so be careful and you may want to wear long sleeves and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly. Remove from heat.

Cool until you can touch the caramel with your finger without burning.

Add 2 TBL heavy cream and whisk well. Caramel should freely drizzle so you may need to add a tsp or so more of the heavy cream.





Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting
Recipe adapted from MyRecipes

1/4 c brown sugar
4 TBL Butter
6 TBL butter, cold but not firm
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, cold and firm
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt
3 c powdered sugar

Place brown sugar and 4 TBL butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. As soon as it comes to boil remove from heat and whisk in cream, blending well. Pour into a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally to incorporate butter.

Place remaining 6 TBL butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Since the butter and cream cheese is cold, it can take some time to blend so make sure to hold onto the edge of the bowl as you beat. Beat in vanilla and salt. With the mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Continue beating and add 1/2 c. powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.

NOTE: I used a small tip in my pastry bag and although the cupcakes look loaded with frosting, I was surprised to discover that I used about half the amount of frosting I would have with one of the larger tips. So I had quite a bit of leftover frosting. But Cream Cheese Frosting will keep in the refrigerator or I've had very good luck with freezing it. When needed, just thaw, whip it with a fork and it's good to go.





To Assemble

Bake the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are cool, carve a hole in the top but not completely to the bottom. Save the "cork".

Fill the cupcake with a tsp or so of the Caramel Filling. And place the "cork" back in place.

Dip whole pecans, 1 per cupcake, in the Caramel Cream. Lay pecan on a piece of parchment to dry.

Frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with Caramel Cream. Top with a Whole Candied Pecan.







All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Project 365

I've joined Project 365, a group of people exploring photography by pledging to take one photo a day for an entire year. I am so looking forward to this project. Believe me when I say I need to learn how to use a camera.

Yep...I own three cameras! Two of which are new and I think I've used them, maybe two times each and I've never read the Owner's Manuals! Huge fail!!

If you'd like to follow along on my photo journey, I've uploaded my first week of photos on my Spend-A-Buck Farm blog or you can click on Big Black Dog's Project 365 badge in the sidebar.

If you are interested there are two groups on Flickr that you might consider joining, Project 365 Flickr Group and Project 365 Food Bloggers Group. The Groups are open to anyone with an interest in photography or even if you just want to browse!

And I already learned a little bit! See my Project 365 Badge, well I made it. Designing is not a problem for me, I've designed logos for years but not on a computer which is a whole different ball game!



All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Pink Saturday - My New Camera!

I've needed a new point and shoot camera for a long time now. But being we're in a recession budget I've waited and waited and waited. Well, I finally bought my new camera, Canon sx200, and it's hot pink!







Since I'm a food blogger my photos must show every juicy morsel! And facing another winter with diminishing natural light was just not something I was looking forward to. So along with my camera I ordered a Photo Studio Light Tent Kit which included a 30" light tent, two studio lights including bulbs with 6' light poles and two back drops..

I set up my light studio in our den which we seldom use and it's working out well so far. However all the plants now on the porch I move into the den for wintering and it does tend to get crowded but I'm sure I can work something out because the light tent now has priority!

I love my light tent! I can't tell you how nice it is to not worry about lighting any more. I prefer working with natural light but since it's getting dark now so early I have little choice. Originally I wanted a 24" tent but I could not find that size with a lighting kit, so I just went ahead and ordered the 30" tent kit. I thought the 30" tent was going to be too big but now that I've worked it for a few weeks I'm so glad I got the larger tent!







Would you look at the size of these bulbs! They're almost 8"by3" and very bright!








Thank you so much for visiting my blog for Pink Saturday and please visit Miss Beverly of How Sweet the Sound and see what the other Pinksters are up to!

And don't forget our Pink Saturday motto:

Get Pink !!!
It's not just a color, it's an attitude.




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog