Courtesy: Georgetown CupcakeThe cronut may be the current flavor of the month when it comes to sweet treats, but cupcakes are one dessert that we'll always crave. They rarely disappoint and, hello, they're individually wrapped! With summer winding down, we're squeezing in as many backyard bashes as we can. And of course, we'll be bringing along cupcakes!
Plenty of cupcakeries have popped over the last few years, but one of our favorite shops is Georgetown Cupcake. We tapped founders Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne for their favorite summer recipes and we can't wait to bring these two treats to weekend parties.
First up, a twist on a classic treat: the banana split! These little goodies are guaranteed to impress partygoers:
Georgetown Cupcake Summer "Banana Split" Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup fresh bananas, mashed (2 to 3 bananas)
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup water
For the frosting:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
1 cup hot fudge
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (or your favorite ice cream topping)
1/4 cup crumbled toffee (or your favorite ice cream topping)
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts (or your favorite ice cream topping)
12 maraschino cherries
For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a standard cupcake pan with twelve paper baking cups.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs slowly, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
5. Add the bananas and honey, and mix slowly until well incorporated.
6. Add one third of the dry ingredients, followed by one third of the water, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Add the last third of the dry ingredients, followed by the last third of the water, and mix thoroughly.
7. Using a standard-size ice-cream scoop, scoop batter into the cupcake pan until cups are two-thirds full, and bake for 16 to 18 minutes (start checking after 15 minutes), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
8. For the frosting: Mix together the butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until light and airy. Transfer to a plastic piping bag (or freezer bag) fitting with a plain round tip.
9. Using an apple corer, core out the center of each banana cupcake and fill with hot fudge. (You can squeeze the hot fudge from a squeeze bottle.)
10. Frost cupcakes with Georgetown Cupcake's "signature swirl" and top with a drizzle of hot fudge, rainbow sprinkles, crumbled toffee, toasted hazelnuts (or your other favorite ice cream toppings), and a maraschino cherry on top. Enjoy!
And if you're more a traditionalist when it comes to baking, the Georgetown crew also shared their recipe for red velvet cupcakes, which is featured in their cookbook: The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes & Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake.
Georgetown Cupcake Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons no-taste red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
For the vanilla cream cheese frosting:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces cream cheese
Directions:
For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 paper baking cups.
2. Sift together the flour and salt, and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
5. Using a whisk, whisk together the red food coloring, vanilla and cocoa powder. Slowly add this to the mixer bowl, mixing slowly until well incorporated.
6. Add a third of the flour, followed by a third of the milk, and mix. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last third of the flour, followed by the last third of the milk, and mix until incorporated.
7. In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the apple cider vinegar. You will see the baking soda and vinegar fizz up! Mix thoroughly and add this reaction to the batter. Mix until just incorporated.
8. Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into a cupcake pan so each well is 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer filled with the paddle attachment; beat until well combined. Be sure to beat on high speed at the very end for at least 2 minutes to ensure that the frosting is light and fluffy.
2. Transfer frosting into a plastic piping bag fitted with a round metal tip. Frost each cupcake with a swirl of frosting.
Yum! Who's ready to get baking?
For more cupcake fun from Katherine and Sophie, tune in to E! News tonight at 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.