Cookbooks

If there is one frosting recipe a home baker should always have on hand, this is it. This all-purpose buttercream has an ultra-silky, stable texture that spreads beautifully over cakes and cupcakes, and can be piped into perfect peaks and patterns. Swiss meringue buttercream is also less sweet than other types of frosting, with a wonderful buttery taste. It can be varied with different extracts, juices, zests, and other flavoring agents, and tinted any shade. Don’t worry if the mixture appears to separate, or “curdle,” after you’ve added the butter; simply continue beating on medium-high speed, and it will become smooth again.

Stripes of sweet crimson jam give otherwise ordinary-looking cupcakes a striking finish. The cupcakes are tender (thanks to yogurt in the batter) but slice easily into even layers. Serve these cheerful treats at an afternoon tea, or box them up for gift giving.

Dramatic peaks of coffee-flavored seven-minute frosting and a single coffee bean crown mocha cupcakes; the coffee variation of Swiss meringue buttercream (page 305) and chocolate-covered espresso beans would be delicious substitutions.

Cupcakes disguised as baby chicks are equally appropriate for a birthday party or an Easter celebration. To decorate them, the cupcakes are first inverted, then coated with generous layers of frosting and toasted coconut; features made of candy and almonds complete the disguise. Frosting anchors each cupcake onto a shallow dish to make it easier to keep the dessert in place while you finish it. If you don’t have vanilla beans, increase the amount of pure vanilla extract by one tablespoon.

This fruit-flavored buttercream is made using the same technique as Swiss meringue buttercream, so you can refer to the step-by-step photos on page 305 as you proceed.

Although you might think these cakes have a German pedigree, they’re actually named for German’s chocolate, a sweet baking chocolate developed in the nineteenth century for an American company called Baker’s Chocolate. Modern versions call for semisweet chocolate instead, which gives the cupcakes a well-rounded flavor, perfectly complemented by the traditional sticky-sweet coconut-pecan filling and frosting.

Bake an unexpected alternative batch of treats using abundant seasonal zucchini from the farmstand or local market. Like their carrot counterparts, these are finished with cream-cheese frosting. For a more wholesome snack, forgo the frosting and lightly dust cupcakes with confectioners’ sugar instead.

This is another variation of Swiss meringue buttercream, only you cream the butter before incorporating it into the beaten egg-white mixture; caramel is added at the end, resulting in a buttercream that is at once rich and ethereal.

It’s no secret that nearly everyone at Martha Stewart Living—especially Martha—loves meringue, and these billowy puffs, with their distinctive peaks and berries-and-cream filling, illustrate why. The cupcakes need to bake for about three hours, so plan accordingly. And avoid making meringues on a humid day, as they will never become crisp.

The summery combination of blueberries and whipped cream tops berry-filled cupcakes. The muffin-like cakes, which can also be served for breakfast or brunch, are delightful as standard or mini cupcakes.

Indulge a child’s natural curiosity for the insect world with cupcakes smartly fashioned into beetles and butterflies.

The lovely white shade of this frosting belies the bright mint flavor, achieved by first steeping fresh mint in milk when making the custard base, and then adding extract at the end.

These tropical cupcakes, scaled-down versions of the most well-known upside-down cake, have a retro appeal thanks to the flambéed fruit filling.

Baking a batch of these ultra-moist cupcakes is a great way to use overripe bananas; keep a bunch in your freezer (unpeeled) and thaw when you’re ready to use. You can substitute walnuts for pecans, or leave the nuts out entirely. Caramel buttercream makes a satisfyingly sweet topping; cream-cheese frosting (page 303) and chocolate–sour cream frosting (page 311) are also good choices. Left unfrosted, the cupcakes can be enjoyed any time of day.

Sometimes everyday snacks can do double duty as decorative touches, such as the pretzel sticks and twists in these delightful dog, butterfly, apple, and owl cupcakes. You’ll need one recipe Swiss meringue buttercream (page 304) for two dozen cupcakes. See Sources, page 342, for where to find the candies used below. Refrigerate decorated cupcakes for thirty minutes; serve at room temperature the same day.

Before adding the maple syrup to the beaten eggs, it should be heated to 240 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can test by adding a drop of syrup to cold water; it should immediately form a soft ball. Be sure to buy only pure maple syrup, not a brand labeled “pancake syrup” or “maple-flavored syrup,” which is actually corn syrup flavored with maple extract. Pure maple syrup is graded according to color and flavor; grade B has a robust flavor that works well in baking and other recipes.