This week's cupcake was actually inspired by a cupcake I indulged in while in Conway, NH for the Chocolate Festival a couple weekends ago and is based on the Almond Joy chocolate treat manufactured by Hershey's. The cake is almond, coated in a coconut buttercream frosting, topped with four whole almonds and a dollop of chocolate.
Almond Cupcake
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup milk
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s).
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar until fluffy (~3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl combine the milk and almond extract. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds alternating with the milk/almond, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, until combined. Pour the batter into the pan(s). This batch yielded 12 regular sized and 5 mini cupcakes baked for 15 and 10 minutes respectively.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 oz cream cheese
2 cups powder/confectioner sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp coconut milk
Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together until well combined. Add vanilla and coconut milk, mixing thoroughly.Once the cupcakes cooled, I frosted them and topped each with 3 whole salted almonds (added a nice contrast to the sweet), I then added a dollop of the following to each:
Chocolate Topping
1 cup dark chocolate
2 tbsp butter
Melt chocolate over a double broiler, stir in butter. Use immediately before it hardens.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup milk
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s).
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar until fluffy (~3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl combine the milk and almond extract. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds alternating with the milk/almond, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, until combined. Pour the batter into the pan(s). This batch yielded 12 regular sized and 5 mini cupcakes baked for 15 and 10 minutes respectively.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 oz cream cheese
2 cups powder/confectioner sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp coconut milk
Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together until well combined. Add vanilla and coconut milk, mixing thoroughly.Once the cupcakes cooled, I frosted them and topped each with 3 whole salted almonds (added a nice contrast to the sweet), I then added a dollop of the following to each:
Chocolate Topping
1 cup dark chocolate
2 tbsp butter
Melt chocolate over a double broiler, stir in butter. Use immediately before it hardens.
The Panel
Several comments were made that this treat tasted just like the candy bar which is a result I am very pleased with. Unanimous comments were made that the chocolate topping was too hard to bite into causing the (delicious) frosting to ooze out the sides when biting into the cake minimizing overall flavour enjoyment. Mixed mention regarding the moisture level of the cakes and the coconut came to be a take it or leave it element, depending on the individual; Kupcake withdrew from the panel this week because of the coconut inclusion while Eat Freak and Shannah (substitute) would have liked more. Textures were good overall and presentation was well received. Sugar Princess made an intriguing suggestion of incorporation cheese somehow, Peanut proposed including adding the chocolate and almonds into the cake, and JRock mentioned that they would be great as a mini presented in pairs, like the chocolate bar.
JRock: "Love love love the frosting. Bursting with coconut!" would be great as a mini sold in pairs, like the chocolate bar!
My comments:
Generally pleased with the flavour combination and presentation, though I felt it was slightly on the sloppy side. Disappointed with the consistency of the chocolate as it would require a simple fix that I could have carried out. The addition of emollient is recommended. There was also mention that the almond extract lingered slightly which could be corrected by reducing the amount in the batter to 3/4 teaspoon at least.
Several comments were made that this treat tasted just like the candy bar which is a result I am very pleased with. Unanimous comments were made that the chocolate topping was too hard to bite into causing the (delicious) frosting to ooze out the sides when biting into the cake minimizing overall flavour enjoyment. Mixed mention regarding the moisture level of the cakes and the coconut came to be a take it or leave it element, depending on the individual; Kupcake withdrew from the panel this week because of the coconut inclusion while Eat Freak and Shannah (substitute) would have liked more. Textures were good overall and presentation was well received. Sugar Princess made an intriguing suggestion of incorporation cheese somehow, Peanut proposed including adding the chocolate and almonds into the cake, and JRock mentioned that they would be great as a mini presented in pairs, like the chocolate bar.
JRock: "Love love love the frosting. Bursting with coconut!" would be great as a mini sold in pairs, like the chocolate bar!
My comments:
Generally pleased with the flavour combination and presentation, though I felt it was slightly on the sloppy side. Disappointed with the consistency of the chocolate as it would require a simple fix that I could have carried out. The addition of emollient is recommended. There was also mention that the almond extract lingered slightly which could be corrected by reducing the amount in the batter to 3/4 teaspoon at least.