After a hectic week off and a reshuffling of judges, Kizmet cupcakes is back in action this week with a treat inspired by the always reliable April Fools Day. When I stumbled on the cake recipe, I couldn't wait to try it and I thought the topping would provide a fun compliment while allowing me a little more practice with decorating. It LOOKS like a bed of spaghetti with a meatball and sauce sitting atop a cup of cake. It IS, however, a sweet tomato cake frosted with a vanilla butter cream, topped with a chocolate cake ball and drizzled with a strawberry jam icing.
Tomato Cupcakes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1- 10.75oz can cream of tomato soup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s).
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar until fluffy (~3 minutes). In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds alternating with the cream of tomato soup, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, until combined. Pour the batter into the pan(s). This batch yielded 12 regular sized and 6 mini cupcakes baked for 15 and 10 minutes respectively.
Buttercream Icing (from Wilton.com)
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
1 tbsp milk
In medium bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
The chocolate cake balls were produced from left over chocolate cake and the strawberry sauce was a combination of strawberry freezer jam and orange frosting in a tube from Wilton.
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1- 10.75oz can cream of tomato soup
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s).
In a large bowl combine butter and sugar until fluffy (~3 minutes). In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter/sugar mixture in thirds alternating with the cream of tomato soup, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, until combined. Pour the batter into the pan(s). This batch yielded 12 regular sized and 6 mini cupcakes baked for 15 and 10 minutes respectively.
Buttercream Icing (from Wilton.com)
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
1 tbsp milk
In medium bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
The chocolate cake balls were produced from left over chocolate cake and the strawberry sauce was a combination of strawberry freezer jam and orange frosting in a tube from Wilton.
The Panel
"Fun", "Very cute", "Awesome presentation" and "Slightly off putting" were some of the comments made concerning this week's tricky treat. The judges were pleasantly surprised by the palatability and consistency of the moist spice cake and mostly felt that all the flavours jived well together. The spices came through well and the taste was not unlike that of a carrot cake; a distinct essence of tomato was not obvious. The buttercream frosting and jam topping were well received, though the frosting was slightly gritty. Mixed feelings were expressed for the chocolate meatballs: some said they were "bland", "dry" and "heavy", while others described them as "yummy" and "a great counterpoint", with one suggestion made to provide smaller sized 'meatballs'. All Sugar Princess could recommend was a glass of milk :)
Kupcake:"I started singing 'On top of spaghetti...'. It was so incredibly delicious...moved to my #1 favorite."
JRock:"cake balls: could just eat those like oyster crackers"
My comments:
This recipe definitely had a carrot cake feel to it, for which reason I personally feel that a cream cheese frosting would have been far better suited. I was especially please with the presentation this week, having had much fun creating them. The cakes, large and small, seemed slightly under cooked when all was said and done, contributed by the use of the soup which added to the moisture level of the cakes. I attribute the grainy texture of the frosting, noted by some, to the rubbish Target brand confectioners sugar I purchased. Otherwise, an all around, well constructed treat.
"Fun", "Very cute", "Awesome presentation" and "Slightly off putting" were some of the comments made concerning this week's tricky treat. The judges were pleasantly surprised by the palatability and consistency of the moist spice cake and mostly felt that all the flavours jived well together. The spices came through well and the taste was not unlike that of a carrot cake; a distinct essence of tomato was not obvious. The buttercream frosting and jam topping were well received, though the frosting was slightly gritty. Mixed feelings were expressed for the chocolate meatballs: some said they were "bland", "dry" and "heavy", while others described them as "yummy" and "a great counterpoint", with one suggestion made to provide smaller sized 'meatballs'. All Sugar Princess could recommend was a glass of milk :)
Kupcake:"I started singing 'On top of spaghetti...'. It was so incredibly delicious...moved to my #1 favorite."
JRock:"cake balls: could just eat those like oyster crackers"
My comments:
This recipe definitely had a carrot cake feel to it, for which reason I personally feel that a cream cheese frosting would have been far better suited. I was especially please with the presentation this week, having had much fun creating them. The cakes, large and small, seemed slightly under cooked when all was said and done, contributed by the use of the soup which added to the moisture level of the cakes. I attribute the grainy texture of the frosting, noted by some, to the rubbish Target brand confectioners sugar I purchased. Otherwise, an all around, well constructed treat.