Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Cupcakes (Altitude Adjusted) with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

I haven't been posting much lately. September has been a crazy month. I've been out of town three times in the last month. I hate airports =(

The recipe below is the result of about two and a half months of experimenting. I've been tinkering with this since July. The last batch I made was on September 18. I'm finally satisfied with the results. I'll probably try it as a cake this coming weekend and use it for my final project for my final cake decorating class. (Don't tell the instructor that I'm not using her doctored cake mix recipe.)

It is my favorite cupcake recipe at the moment. Cake recipes with buttermilk always give me the most trouble but I was able to make it work. The texture is not quite as pudding-like as the original recipe but it makes beautiful slightly domed cupcakes. Top it with swiss meringue buttercream and it is cupcake heaven.

Barefoot Contessa Chocolate Cupcake (Adjusted for Altitude)

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cups dutch cocoa powder (Valrhona, Guittard Cocoa Rouge or Droste)
2 teaspoons baking soda
scant teaspoon baking powder
scant teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
½ cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. Fill each well halfway with batter. Makes approximately 36 cupcakes.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.


Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Cupcakes

Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes (The recipe says 28 cupcakes but I was able to frost all 36 cupcakes with extra. Maybe I'm a little stingy with my frosting.)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 10 large egg whites
• 4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Original recipe - creates a moist, pudding-like cake with sunken centers.

Adjusted recipe but too much flour - It has great flavor and the texture was not bad but not as moist as the original recipe. The crackled tops indicate too much flour.

Perfected recipe - This is the recipe posted. The crowns are perfect and the cake is moist.

Frosting the Cupcakes - I experimented with two different tips. The huge 16" bag on the left holds a ton of frosting. I am also using a 12" disposal bag. I like to use cups to hold my bags when I fill them. These Rockies souveneir cups are perfect.

Tips: Wilton 1M (Open Star (it's bent so it looks more like a closed star)), Wilton 2D (Drop Flower), and Ateco 847 (Closed Star). For the cupcakes, I used the Wilton 2D and the Ateco 847.

This was frosted with an Ateco 847. The large closed star tip produced large soft serve swirls.

My favorite tip for frosting cupcakes is the Wilton 2D. It produces nice ruffled swirls.

Ingredient/Equipment Notes:

Cocoa: I like the darker dutch processed cocoa for this cupcake. I tried the recipe with Valrhona, Guittard Cocoa Rouge, and Droste. I think they all worked really well. Use your favorite premium dutch cocoa.

Buttermilk: I tried both reduced fat and full fat cultured buttermilk and it did not make a difference.

Eggs: This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe. She likes to bake using extra large instead of the typical large egg. I'm not sure when she made the switch but I read her notes in one of her cookbooks.

Coffee: I brew Lion Coffee's Toasted Coconut coffee but I'm sure any brand will do. I just happen to drink Lion brand at home.

Cupcake pans: Buy the heaviest pans you can afford. I usually use heavy aluminum for my cakes but since I line my cupcake pans, I bought the cheaper heavy nonstick at Sur la Table.

Cupcake liners: I like cute cupcake liners and have a whole collection of them but most of the time (and especially for dark cupcakes), I reach for the plain unbleached grease-proof liners.

Half or 2/3 full? I used to fill my cupcake tins 2/3 full but found that I get much better results filling them half full.

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High Altitude Red Velvet (and Aqua Velvet) Cupcakes

Red velvet are the most problematic cakes for me. I can't get them just right at this altitude. I think it's a combination of leavening issues, flour structure issues, and weird chemical reactions of the acidic ingredients (vinegar, buttermilk and even natural cocoa powder) with the baking soda. I've been experimenting with a high altitude red velvet cupcake recipe and although I am not completely satisfied, it works (sort of) and tastes delicious. The cupcakes need additional experimenting but the cream cheese frosting is perfect.

I made a batch using my adjusted recipe from last year and then I made a batch subbing all purpose flour for cake flour. I had to remind myself why I wanted to make cake flour work at high altitude. The crumb is much better. The recipe below will still result in subtly sunken middles, but the trade off in texture is worth it. I'll experiment with mixing cake and all purpose flours next time. I cannot look at another red (or aqua) velvet cupcake at the moment.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

2 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons sifted cake flour
scant 1 teaspoon baking powder*
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring (I used Wilton brand. It is cheaper than buying regular food coloring)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups baker's sugar (use slightly less than 1 1/2 cups)
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
scant teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. (I did half regular white cupcake liners and halt nut cups. For the nut cups, make a small snip on the edge of the cup to make it easier to remove the cupcake from the cup.)

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Using my Kitchenaid it took about a minute. First start off slow and increase speed.

4. Beat in eggs, one at a time and then beat in vanilla and red gel color. Remove from stand mixer.

5. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Using a spatula, fold until incorporated. Add half of the buttermilk and fold until incorporated. Fold in last half of flour mixture and then last half of buttermilk. (The reason why I use a rubber spatula instead of finishing with the Kitchenaid is because I do not want to overmix the batter. It is too easy for my to overmix in the stand mixer. I sometimes walk off to do something and then momentarily forget that the mixer is still running. It is a habit because I do a lot of bread dough.)

6. In the mixing cup used to measure the buttermilk, add baking soda and vinegar. Add the vinegar mixure to the batter and mix well.

7. Fill muffin cups half full. Bake in a single layer in middle rack for about 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door.

8. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting from the Barefoot Contessa:

• 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until light and fluffy. This can take a few minutes.

High altitude and tips for success:

1. Use slightly less leavening (baking soda and baking powder).
2. Increase flour by a few tablespoons.
3. Use extra large eggs when recipe calls for large eggs. The lecithin in the eggs help. The Barefoot Contessa said in her most recent book that her baking improved when she started using extra large eggs. I now buy only extra large eggs.
4. Use slightly less sugar.
5. Fill only half the cup. These cupcakes gets so much rise. I have to bake the ones in the nut cups in muffin tins. I once tried baking them on a baking sheet. I also filled them 2/3 full and they overflowed and there was no lip of the muffin tins to catch the overflow. They went straight down the sides of the nut cups. They were not pretty.

*I tried a recipe that only used baking soda as the leavening. The cupcakes sunk in the middle. When I used baking powder in addition to the soda, the cupcakes started to sink but as they heated up, they started to rise. Baking soda rises when wet. Double-acting baking powder rises when added to liquid and rises again when heated. I also read somewhere that in order to get domed instead of flat cupcakes I should heat the oven to 400 degrees, put the tins in and lower the temp to 350 degrees. I'll try it next time.

I used two different liners. I used nut cups and regular white liners. I also have red liners that I found in the asian section of Cost Plus. Both are very pretty. I don't like those pastel Reynold's baking cups. I buy cupcake liners whenever I find cute ones. I would love those fancy wrappers but they are too expensive to be practical. I am cheap.

I don't believe in piping frosting.

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Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes

Candy table at Lisa's shower. The cupcakes are on the tiered stand. There are a ton more pretzel rods and fortune cookies below the table.

I took the picture after we already packed up the cupcakes. I was too tired to even lift the cupcake cover to take a better picture.

This was for our friend's baby shower. After tea at the Brown Palace, one of the other shower hosts came over and we made cupcakes. First we doubled the recipe and only got 26 cupcakes. We made a third batch. We decorated them with coconut and dragees.

I was so exhausted by Saturday night. I spent most of Friday night prepping and baking. I woke up early on Saturday morning to mix up the four batches of cinnamon rolls. The bf actually made the bacon and eggs to eat with the fresh bread for breakfast. I was so out of it, I shook my bottle of starbucks frap after the bf opened the bottle for me. Half of the contents of the bottle went flying. I am a little out of it. I do things and I forget that it. I think it is the side effects of my chicken pox vaccine. I feel a little sick, my arm (near the injection site) is sore, I itch all over, and my mind is all muddled.

After mixing the dough, we went to pick up a few more items at Target. Then off to tea and back for more baking. My legs were really tired. My feet hurt. I think I cut off the circulation to my feet. They were cold. The bf said that I was moaning the entire night. I asked what kind of moaning. I don't recall moaning. He made the sound for me. It sounded as if I was moaning in pain. Ouch! I do recall grabbing a pillow and sticking it under my feet to elevate them. I used to do this whenever my feet and legs ached.


Coconut Cupcakes
from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
makes 12-16

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
.5 teaspoon baking powder
.25 teaspoon baking soda
.25 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
.75 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
.75 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
.75 teaspoon pure almond extract
.5 cup buttermilk
1 7-ounce package flaked sweetened coconut, divided (I used unsweetened coconut from the bulk bin of The Sunflower Market. I find the flakes are thinner and longer. The sweetened coconut has flatter and shorter flakes that fold over. The unsweetened coconut is drier and looks nicer on the frosting.)
Cream cheese icing (recipe to follow)

Line muffin cups with paper baking cups, and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer speed to low, and add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium high 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat again briefly.

Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in only 1 1/3 cups of the coconut.

Use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup almost full with batter. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 22 to 28 minutes on the center rack, until the cupcake tops are golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.


If you bake 2 pans at once, switch them out (put the bottom pan on the top and the top on the bottom) halfway through cooking so they brown evenly.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, and then top them with cream cheese icing. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you want to freeze these, store them unfrosted in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. To serve unfrosted cupcakes that have been frozen, allow to thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving, then ice and serve them. Makes about 16 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Icing

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
.5 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
.25 teaspoon pure almond extract
2.5 cups sifted powdered sugar
Remaining coconut

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and almond extract until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in as much of the remaining sugar as needed to reach a comfortable spreading consistency.

Spread each cooled cupcake with the cream cheese icing and then top with the remaining coconut and decorate with dragees.

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