Is it biscuit weather yet? Are we getting close? And in case you are wondering if I am planning on cooking up some biscuits, not at all. By my anticipation of “biscuit weather” I mean all of the wonderful cool season food. Steaming bowls of hearty soups, roasted up beets and other delectable roots and any other warm and inviting comfort foods. It’s also the time when lots of social gathering are going on and last minute dinner parties are held.

 

Over the last few weeks I thought about this kind of recipe to make. Should I use a French style of buttercream or a Swiss style? How much cardamom can one cupcake take, to list a few ponders? These cupcakes can take it with the cardamom and the Swiss style buttercream, liquefied before my eyes. Why does this happen? Hopefully I won’t need to learn a few chemistry equations to properly achieve a nice consistency. For now, I went with a basic French style buttercream, it’s quick and delicious. If you can find coffee concentrate, it is divine.

 

 

Cardamom-Spiced Cupcake Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmed

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

 

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

 

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup buttermilk

¼ cup sour cream

 

preparing the batter:

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices together, set aside.

2. Whip sugar and eggs together until light, approx. 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the oil and buttermilk until smooth.

4. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture until smooth.

5. Incorporate sour creaam.

 

filling & baking the cups:

1. Place 2-#50 scoops batter in each cupcake cups.

2. Bake in a 350°F oven for 18 minutes.

3. Cupcakes are done when a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

 

 

Coffee Buttercream Recipe

 

1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups vegetable shortening

 

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

1 Tablespoon coffee concentrate -or- extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon sea salt

 

1. Cream butter, vegetable oil and sea salt together until smooth.

2. Beat in sugar, adding more to taste a tablespoon at a time.

3. Whisk in extracts.

4. Chill buttercream for 20 minutes before filling a pastry bag.

 

assembling the cupcakes:

Pipe a swirl of frosting using a large star pastry tip and adorn with coffee bean for each cupcake. Chill finished cupcakes until ready to serve. Allow frosting to soften for 10 minutes before serving. Makes approximately 15 servings.

*For better frosting ribbons, I prefer to use an Ateco #849 tip. This specific pastry tip has a rounded end that helps create deep ribbons in the frosting.

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