Here Comes the Bride, All Dressed in...Red?!?

Yup, you read that right. For the bride in this case is of the non-conventional variety. She and her partner decided to tie the knot after several years of "living in sin" (oh, the horror!) with 2 kids at their sides during the nuptials and a 3rd proverbial bun in the oven tucked under that gorgeous red throw she was wearing!



In my spare time, I handle PR for a wonderful parents' association for English-speaking families here in Paris called MESSAGE. We organize all sorts of great family-fun events, provide many support services like breastfeeding help and pre-natal classes, and overall serve as an extended family for throngs of expats who find themselves far from home. I've made many terrific friends over the years through this organization - people from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe, with all sorts of traditional and non-traditional family lifestyles. One of my greatest pleasures has been the opportunity to steer the organization via serving on its Executive Board, and that is how I came to know the afore-mentioned bride. Though she was married over the summer, we were unable to coordinate cupcakes for her actual wedding day and so the ones you see here were fashioned for her and her betrothed belatedly.



She is Dutch and her husband is French (And a fireman too! Woo hoo!). The only guidelines she gave me for these were that they be orange - you can read the history of the Dutch passion for orange here - and could they include "E's" for both her and the mister's first initials are "E" as well as pay tribute to their nationalities in the form of flags? Oh, and maybe have some sort of liquor in them too (I told you she was non-conventional!).

What did I come with? Two varieties of cupcakes : one that is wildly Cointreauversial (I was inspired by the lovely Dita von Teese who the hubby and I saw live last week; what a performance!) and one that is oh so de-lovley and delicious: the Orange Zinger cupcake! The chocolate ones that you see here with the Dutch and French "flags" are made from dark chocolate cupcakes, lovingly drizzled with a Cointreau glaze and topped with a milk chocolate and Cointreau buttercream. The heart flags are marzipan printed with words of love like "Cherish, Adore and True Love" and hand-painted with food coloring. The Cointreauversial Cupcake will be joining the Little Miss Cupcake line-up soon along with a few other Adult-Only varieties.



The Orange Zinger Cupcakes are orange cupcakes filled with an orange spice cream and topped with a white chocolate ganache frosting. They are decorated with home-made marzipan and marshmallow fondant. Here's the recipe; the cupcakes are great on their own plain if you want to add a little zing to your breakfast plate.



Orange Zinger Cupcakes
Makes approximately 14 cupcakes

For the Orange Cupcakes:
4 ozs. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup hot water
¼ cup Pulco or other concentrated orange syrup
zest of one orange

Pre-heat oven to 350/180 degrees. Grease 1 12-cup cupcake tin and 2 cups of second tin or insert cupcake liners.

Sift baking powder, salt and flour in medium-sized bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and blend well. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, blending well after each addition. End with a flour addition.

Add hot water and mix well. Add zest and Pulco last and mix.

Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full. Fill unused cup molds halfway full with water. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Once cool, remove cupcakes from tin and continue to cool on a wire rack.

For Orange Spice Cream Filling
(adapted from a recipe from I Heart Cuppycakes, originally from Dorie Greenspan's Book, Baking: From My Home to Yours)

1/2 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 large eggs, preferably at room temp
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium sized orange)
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoons cornstarch
3 ozs. (1/2 cup+2 tbs) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces, at room temp

Combine sugar and orange zest in a heatproof bowl. Rub the sugar and zest between your fingertips for a few minutes, until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange is strong. Whisk in the eggs, then whisk in the juice and cornstarch.

Bring water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Set the bowl over the saucepan and stir with a whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the orange cream until it reaches 180 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling – you’ll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180 degrees F, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. When it starts to leave “tracks” the cream is almost done.

As soon as it reaches 180 degrees F, remove the cream from the heat and strain the cream; discard the rest. Let it cool until it reaches 140 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Add ginger and cinnamon. Whisk to incorporate. Add the butter a few pieces at a time until butter is incorporated and continue whisking for another 3 minutes until mixture is thick and creamy.



Pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface and refrigerate the cream for at least 4 hours, or overnight. (The cream can be packed airtight and frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.)


For White Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

4.5 ounces white chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp butter, room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Break up chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. In a small casserole, heat cream until just about boiling. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined. Next add the butter and vanilla and stir until combined.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Using a whisk or electric hand-beater, sift in powdered sugar one cup at a time beating after each addition. Continue adding sugar and beating until mixture is of good spreading consistency.

Optional : I added a few drops of orange coloring to make the color really pop.

For assembly, cut a small inverted cone out of the top of each cupcake and set aside. Spoon about 2 tbsp. cream filling into each cupcake. Cut off most of the cone/part that fits inside of the cupcake and replace cap on cupcake, eat scraps.



Once filled, frost cupcakes with an offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Eat, enjoy!

I Vant to Suck Your Blood (Orange Cupcakes)

As a child, I LOVED to watch scary movies. Anything with vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc. The only problem was that I also happen to be a major scaredy cat and so was terribly spooked by these ghouls and goblins, especially at bedtime. Many nights would find me in the kitchen with my mom putting off the long, lone walk to my bedroom while she would wash the dishes and clean up before coming to tuck me in. Most nights, after yelling after me, "Miss C (ironically my mom's nickname for me since childhood has been "Miss C" or "Little Miss C"), go to bed!!!" At which point, I would take off in a wild sprint, blazing down the hall, flying up the stairs and bound into my bed, pulling my sheets up to my chin -- so that no vampire could get his fangs into me!



One of my favorite shows in elementary school was an ABC soap opera called Dark Shadows which featured a main character named Barnabas Collins who just happened to be a vampire. As soon as the bus dropped me off from school, I would rush in and tune into the continuing episodes of the clan at Collinswood and from what I recall, this show was really campy. A classic example of '70's bad programming. While researching the show for this post, I actually learned that one of my favorite leading men,Johnny Depp, was a big fan as a child too and will be teaming up later this year once again with Tim Burton for a big screen version.

A close, close friend (not a vampire, at least that I know of) is visiting Paris this week from NYC. She was incredibly considerate and kind to schlep over two mini muffin pans for me. Minis coming soon to my menu! I baked up my first batch of Easter minis yesterday - one variety is my entry for this month's Iron Cupcake : Soda Pop challenge. The flavor combination comes from a classic bistro "cocktail" for kids called "un Indien," which is made from mixing Orangina with sirop de grenadine. These are Orangina cupcakes filled with a creme de grenadine and topped with blood orange buttercream.



The others pictured in the Easter minis assortment are vanilla minis with vanilla bean buttercream (green candy egg on top), chocolate chip minis with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting (orange egg), and white chocolate minis with a rose petal buttercream (yellow egg).



Here's the recipe for the "Indien"/Blood Orange Cupcakes. You should be okay eating them once the sun has gone down, just remember not to invite any strangers into your home to share them with you! ;)



Recipe for Indien/Blood Orange Cupcake
Yields @16 regular size cupcakes or @ 48 minis

4 ozs. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fleur d'oranger
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk /lait fermente
1/2 cup Orangina

1) Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease or place cupcake liners into cupcake tins.
2) Cream together sugar and butter until smooth. Add egg, fleur d'oranger, baking soda, salt and mix until well-combined. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk in 3 batches, mix well until smooth. Add in Orangina and mix to combine.
3) Fill cupcake pans about 2/3 full.
4) Bake for 17-20 minutes for regular size, 10-12 minuts for minis, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from tin and let cool on wire rack.

Creme de Grenadine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp sirop de grenadine

Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold in sirop de grenadine until well-combined without over-mixing. It should have the consistency of a thick yogurt. If too thin, add in extra sugar 1 tbsp. at a time.

Cut a cone shape in the tops off of each cupcake and remove. Spoon the creme de grenadine into each. Place the cupcake cones back on the cupcakes.

Blood Orange Buttercream
4 ozs. unsalted butter
4-6 cups powdered sugar
2 blood oranges

Beat butter and 4 cups sugar until creamy and soft. Add in the zest and juice of the blood oranges and continue beating until frosting is of good spreading consistency. If too thin, progressively add more sugar.

And here's what I need to tell you about Iron Cupcake -- Voting will begin no later than Wednesday, April 29 at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, and will be open through Monday, May 4 at 12 noon. This is the April ETSY PRIZE-PACK I am competing for:

* A creation by FRUITFLYPIE
* a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES
* a sweet surprise from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery
* PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, JESSIE STEELE APRONS, TASTE OF HOME books, and a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers.

Just Call Me "Cuhp-cake, Leetull Meess"

On Friday, I delivered some cupcakes to a gal who is leaving her full-time gig to dedicate herself 100% to her blog. I say bravo! And what a blog it is! My Little Paris where you can "discover the hidden side of Paris," is filled with all sorts of tips, insider advice and reviews of the best Paris has to offer in deco, culture, food, "little luxuries," shopping, etc. (though it is in French).

The delivery started off poorly when I couldn't get a sitter to watch my 15 month-old. So I packed her up...and my cupcakes in boxes...and away we went. Having done the corporate world for over a decade, I had to laugh at myself entering an office building in my usual casual baking attire: jeans, UGGs and tattered sweater, with baby and stroller in tow. But she is a charmer, always smiling and babbling at everyone (she kills them with "bye bye"), and soon we had everyone we encountered cooing and calling after us. I arrive at the company reception, where I am immediately struck by the overwhelming heat in the office. My thoughts run to buttercream going bad and my cupcakes ending up in puddles at the bottom of their boxes.

Me: Yes, we are here to drop off some cupcakes for the going-away party.
Receptionist: Some what?
(BTW, I should add here that this conversation is taking place in French. Though there is no translation for the word "cupcake." And this is the abbreviated exchange; in all we spent about 20 minutes on the back and forth!)
Me: Cupcakes...for the going-away party.
Receptionist: And, you are?
Me: Little Miss Cupcake. Monsieur Q. ordered cupcakes.
Receptionist: Who are you? What company? Monsieur Q. is not here today...
Me: Yes, I know, he told me he would be out. Little Miss Cupcake. He asked I just drop off the cupcakes for the going-away party.
Receptionist: Well, maybe I should call Monsieur S. Do you know that name?
Me: No. Monsieur Q just said to drop them off.
Receptionist calling Monsieur S.: Yes there is a....(turning to me)what did you say your name is again?
Me: Little Miss Cupcake.
Receptionist to Monsieur S: Well, she is dropping something off. You are expecting her? No, no, they are small boxes. Not at all what you are expecting. (Hangs up).
Receptionist to me again: Maybe I should call F. and tell her she has a delivery? Oh no, but what if it is a surprise and I ruin it. I know, I will call her assistant. What is the name of your company again?

(At this point in the exchange, my daughter is getting restless and whiny, I am nearly sweating to death in all the layers I had bundled on for the cold outside, and who knows what shape the cupcakes are in).

Me: Little Miss Cupcake.
Receptionist on phone again: Yes, I have a girl here. She is with her baby. She has something for the going-away party. Can you come up?....I don't know. Monsieur Q was in contact with her but he is not here. Monsieur S. is expecting something but not her....Okay, just come up. I'll ask her the name again. (Turns to me and before she can get the words out of her mouth....)
Me: My name is "Leetull Meess Cuhp-cake." (This is said in my best 'French person talking in English' accent).
Receptionist: Ah, zee cuhp-cakes! Why didn't you say so? Yes, yes, you can just leave them here and we will take them to the conference room!
(DOH!)
Me: Great, oh and can you make sure they are put somewhere cool? It's a bit hot in here..
Receptionist: Yes, like 30 degrees today in here (equivalent of almost 90 degrees F!). Now I wonder, should we take them directly to the kitchen where they could go in the refrigerator or should we ask Mr. Q's assistant to come get them????

And with that, my daughter and I bid a final adieu to the frenetic corporate world to once again seek refuge, calm and quiet in our cozy Parisian "workplace" : my kitchen. :)

PS -- these cupcakes feature my first time working with marshmallow fondant (the stars) which was not as hard as I thought, just messy, especially since you can't find Crisco here which facilitates the kneeding process. Many thanks to Flickr user rsvpscakes who instructed me on how to make it.

White Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream Icing

Recently, I purchased some delicious orange chocolate Halloween candies at our local chocolatier/ patissier. They were creamy, luscious and tangy -- a real satisfying taste combination. And the fact that they were shaped as witches, goblins and ghosts made them an excellent holiday treat. I wanted to see if I could replicate this taste sensation in a cupcake.

There is a new white chocolate bar on the market here made by Nestle to be used specifically in baking, and boy, is it delicious. I started with some of these and melted them down to be added to a traditional vanilla cupcake recipe (though reduced the amount of sugar usually added to compensate for all the sugar in the chocolate bars). For extra white chocolate ka-pow!, I placed one square on top of each cupcake before baking. These finished up settling in the bottom half of the cupcake after baking, and made for a nice added surprise when eaten.

For the buttercream, I used my regular mixture of butter, powdered sugar and crème liquide and into this grated the zest of 2 fresh clementines. I finished it by adding the juice of 3 freshly squeezed clementines and some orange food coloring to really dial up the color.

My son proclaimed these "Yum-my!" I think they turned out pretty good and did justice to the candy that inspired the lot. Next time, I may try adding an extra egg or two; these cupcakes were moist and light the day they were baked and the day after, but became a little more dense and spongey the longer they sat.