"Topping" - baked on the bottom (I would half this in the future)
(from wholefoodsmarket.com)
zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup agave syrup (or honey)
1 lbs rhubarb sliced
1 apple cored and chopped (I used a large Gala)
1 lbs strawberries hulled and sliced
Combine orange zest and juice in saucepan w/ agave syrup, rhubarb and apples over medium heat (the aroma generated here is phenomenal!). Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in strawberries.
Crumble:
(from 500 cupcakes)
2 tbsp butter melted
4 tbsp flour, whole wheat
3 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp rolled oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
(from wholefoodsmarket.com)
zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup agave syrup (or honey)
1 lbs rhubarb sliced
1 apple cored and chopped (I used a large Gala)
1 lbs strawberries hulled and sliced
Combine orange zest and juice in saucepan w/ agave syrup, rhubarb and apples over medium heat (the aroma generated here is phenomenal!). Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in strawberries.
Crumble:
(from 500 cupcakes)
2 tbsp butter melted
4 tbsp flour, whole wheat
3 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp rolled oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Taste: ***1/2 | Presentation: ***
Cupcake:
3/4 cup butter (1/2 cup soft, 1/4 cup melted)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
strawberry rhubarb topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan w/ canola oil and dust w/ a bit of flour, tapping out excess. Drizzle 1 tsp of melted butter in the bottom of each cup and fill each cup a third of the way with the strawberry rhubarb topping.
In a medium bowl cream together the butter and sugar w/ mixer until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until smooth & pale. Spoon the batter evenly into the filled cups. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the cupcakes and bake. I baked them for 23 minutes.
Sauce (not seen in picture, this one comes with a story...)
I originally obtained this recipe from allrecipes.com/Recipe/fluffy-white-frosting to make frosting for a Koolaid Cupcake side project and it failed miserably as a frosting but succeeded as a 'melted ice cream like' topping. So I halved it this week and had the cupcake-ivores drizzle it over their upside down treats.
1/2 cup white sugar
1/6 cup water
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
In saucepan, stir together sugar, water and cream of tartar. Cook over medium head until sugar dissolves and bubbles.
In a medium bowl whip egg whites and vanilla to form soft peaks (this may be where I failed at producing the frosting). Gradually add sugar mix and whip continuously (supposed to be until stiff peaks form, ~7-10 mins, but in that time I couldn't get any peaks). I then refrigerated it over night and used it the next day to top the cakes, making sure to stir it up well before each serving.
3/4 cup butter (1/2 cup soft, 1/4 cup melted)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
strawberry rhubarb topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan w/ canola oil and dust w/ a bit of flour, tapping out excess. Drizzle 1 tsp of melted butter in the bottom of each cup and fill each cup a third of the way with the strawberry rhubarb topping.
In a medium bowl cream together the butter and sugar w/ mixer until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until smooth & pale. Spoon the batter evenly into the filled cups. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the cupcakes and bake. I baked them for 23 minutes.
Sauce (not seen in picture, this one comes with a story...)
I originally obtained this recipe from allrecipes.com/Recipe/fluffy-white-frosting to make frosting for a Koolaid Cupcake side project and it failed miserably as a frosting but succeeded as a 'melted ice cream like' topping. So I halved it this week and had the cupcake-ivores drizzle it over their upside down treats.
1/2 cup white sugar
1/6 cup water
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
In saucepan, stir together sugar, water and cream of tartar. Cook over medium head until sugar dissolves and bubbles.
In a medium bowl whip egg whites and vanilla to form soft peaks (this may be where I failed at producing the frosting). Gradually add sugar mix and whip continuously (supposed to be until stiff peaks form, ~7-10 mins, but in that time I couldn't get any peaks). I then refrigerated it over night and used it the next day to top the cakes, making sure to stir it up well before each serving.
The Panel:
The crumble bottom received the best reviews. It was noted by two of the judges that the rhubarb was slightly over powering and left more to be desired as far as strawberries and sweetness. Comments were also made that the cake was slightly dry which I would attribute to having baked them for the 23 minutest (the batter was also on the heavier side). Many compliments on the name; Diana commented that she wouldn't have bought the cupcake based on looks alone, though Peanut seemed to think it was rather creative.
My comments:
The fact that I was having a hard time taking an appetizing photo while balancing the cupcake just right (the tops domed over) contributed to my main concerns of presentation and logistics this week. Fathoms Chef recommended a cream cheese base to solidify the balancing act in the future, an idea which I quite like and hope to use on a future upside down cupcake. Peanut also made the suggestion of serving them with cream in the middle.I think the cakes could have used more strawberry rhubarb for the size of the cakes that were produced. Cool whip or ice cream could have been substituted for my homemade 'frosting'.
The crumble bottom received the best reviews. It was noted by two of the judges that the rhubarb was slightly over powering and left more to be desired as far as strawberries and sweetness. Comments were also made that the cake was slightly dry which I would attribute to having baked them for the 23 minutest (the batter was also on the heavier side). Many compliments on the name; Diana commented that she wouldn't have bought the cupcake based on looks alone, though Peanut seemed to think it was rather creative.
My comments:
The fact that I was having a hard time taking an appetizing photo while balancing the cupcake just right (the tops domed over) contributed to my main concerns of presentation and logistics this week. Fathoms Chef recommended a cream cheese base to solidify the balancing act in the future, an idea which I quite like and hope to use on a future upside down cupcake. Peanut also made the suggestion of serving them with cream in the middle.I think the cakes could have used more strawberry rhubarb for the size of the cakes that were produced. Cool whip or ice cream could have been substituted for my homemade 'frosting'.