Who You Callin' Cupcake - Michelle Garcia [22]
BBQ PORK CUPCAKE
I was recently visited by a girl who had the idea for a cupcake similar to this one. We spoke about it for a while, but what she didn’t know is that we were already making this in the next room on the same day! Instead of apple pie on the fourth of July, we offered BBQ cupcakes. I store these in the fridge and microwave them for a few seconds when people order them so the butter melts a little and the cake softens. It really is awesome!
Cupcakes
1 recipe Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
2 cups shredded BBQ pork (see note)
2 cups fresh corn
Put It All Together
2 cups shredded BBQ pork (see note)
Maple Butter
¼ cup maple syrup
2 cups butter, softened
HOW TO MAKE IT
Cupcakes Prepare the Vanilla Bean Cupcake batter according to the recipe directions. Fold the pork into the batter, then fold in the corn. Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe directions.
Maple Butter In lieu of frosting on these cupcakes, we put a swirl of whipped maple butter on top. Whip your favorite maple syrup into the butter with a standing mixer with a paddle attachment.
Put It All Together Top each cupcake with a swirl of whipped maple butter. Press a tablespoon or so of the pork into the top of each cupcake.
NOTE: There are two ways you can go about getting pork: You can make your own BBQ sauce and pork, or you can buy them. There are plenty of natural foods stores around us that sell amazing BBQ pork, and since I’m not a deli, I buy mine. You just need to choose the best quality around and you’ll be fine.
THANKSGIVING
I made this cupcake sort of as a joke. As a baker, I never get real holidays. I always have to spend them at the bakery and take time off (maybe) in January. I made this cupcake for myself so I could remember what Thanksgiving tasted like. However, we sold a few and they quickly developed a following. Soon it was nominated to be best cupcake in Chicago of 2008! Who would have known?
Cupcakes
1 pound sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons raw sugar
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter or soy margarine
(to keep it vegan)
1 recipe Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Cranberry Relish
3 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
Frosting
1 recipe French Meringue (page 32)
HOW TO MAKE IT
Cupcakes Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until they’re soft. Allow them to cool and then chop or purée them in a food processor (but you don’t want this to be puréed like baby food—there should be chunks left, like sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner). Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour and butter together with your fingers until the mixture is mealy in texture, but with some pea-sized pieces left. Bake the sugar mixture on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes to make streusel. Let the streusel cool and then break it up with your fingers. Prepare the Vanilla Bean Cupcake batter according to the recipe directions, then fold in the sweet potato purée. Once the cupcake batter is in the cupcake tray, top each cup with the streusel so they have a nice, sweet crunch on top when they bake. Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe directions.
Cranberry Relish Place the cranberries, sugar, and orange zest into a stock pot over low heat. Cook the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries have popped and started to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Frosting Prepare the French meringue according to the recipe directions.
Put It All Together With your index finger, poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes and fill them with the cranberry relish. Top each cupcake with a big dollop of French meringue and toast it with a crème brûlée torch.
MOUNTAIN DEW
A while back I was asked to make a giant replica of a Mountain Dew can out of cake. I thought it would be pretty cool if the cake matched the flavor, so I came up with these