Cannoli Cupcakes and Strawberries & Champagne Cupcakes for Ali’s Bridal Shower

Saturday, June 4th was my dear friend, Ali’s, Bridal Shower.  As a present for the bride-to-be, I offered to put together cupcake party favors for all 40 guests.

Please note a few things:

I’ve never baked for this many people before.

I’ve never worked with champagne.

I do not like origami.

I love wine.

The Cake Research:

I wanted a cannoli cupcakes and strawberry champagne cupcakes, but couldn’t find the exact recipes I wanted so I mixed and matched a few things I found online.   My research proved that there are not a lot of “cannoli” cupcake recipes out there or even cannoli frosting recipes.   I also couldn’t find a strawberries and champagne recipe so I ripped off a raspberry cake recipe (then altered it).

In the end, I made a chocolate cake (from Paula Dean – love love) which incorporated sour cream and a cup of coffee with a ricotta cream cheese frosting as my cannoli cupcake and a strawberry champagne cupcake with a berry (I used raspberry extract in both the cake and the frosting – you can’t tell the difference in berry flavors) champagne buttercream.  I made 22 of each flavor and used the remaining batters to make mini cupcakes as little tasters. YUM.

The Packaging:

I searched iparty, party needs and amazon for boxes.  I knew I wanted individual boxes for regular sized cupcakes that showcased the full decorations.  I found exactly what I wanted on amazon and ordered them a week in advance.  Let me tell you — these boxes were adorable, but putting together 40 of them made me hurt a little. It was like origami on steroids.  Let’s just say, I staggered the construction over three nights and a full bottle of white wine.

This picture only show 1/4 of the boxes constructed AND about 1/6 of the wine consumed.

Though I didn’t find the exact boxes I wanted at the party stores, I did find the colorful tulip papers (I just think these look pretty and make the cupcake easier to eat), matching mini liners, wedding type ribbon (as well as pipping tips, a new pipping tip box, pearl dust, new duster brushes and some other cupcake paraphernalia. I’m like a kid in a candy store at these places!).

Everyone at the party was delighted by the cupcake packaging AND taste!  Best of all Ali and her Mom, Debbie loved them.   Hoooraah for Bridal Showers!

Here’s how they turned out:

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled

3 large eggs

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add oil, coffee, and eggs. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream and vanilla.

3. Use an ice cream scooper to place the batter evenly into prepared cupcake liners (I prefer tulip papers, but it doesn’t matter), filling each 2/3 full. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until the spring back to the touch.

Ricotta Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

16-ounces cream cheese (2 bars), at room temperature

1 cup ricotta cheese, drained (overnight if possible)

1/2 stick butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1. Combine butter and cream cheese  with an electric mixer.
2. Add in ricotta, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Assembly:

Melt chocolate and place in zip lock bag.  Cut off a small bit of the corner and pipe out small hearts on wax paper on a cookie sheet.  Set these aside in the fridge to set.  Once the cupcakes are cooled and the chocolate is set, frost cupcakes with the ricotta cream cheese frosting (I used an open star tip, but you can use whatever you want).   Top with mini chocolate chips and two chocolate hearts.

Strawberry & Champagne Cupcake Recipe:

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract

1/2 cup2 pureed fresh strawberries

3 tablespoons Champagne

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a regular-size cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.  Add the oil to the mixture. Add the eggs, milk, raspberry extract, and pureed strawberries and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the bowl and then mix on medium speed for until smooth (couple of minutes).
3. Fold in champagne.  Fill a glass and toast yourself – you’re almost done.
4. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until baked through, about 20 minutes. Do not open the oven during this time. Cool cupcakes completely after baking.

Champagne Butter Cream:

1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

6 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons Champagne (I couldn’t find champagne extract!)

1. Whip the butter until creamed. Add the powdered sugar and champagne and mix until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Assembly:

Slice clean, dry strawberries in to small spears.  Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with a 4B or some other open star decorating tip.  Top with strawberries and pearl sprinkles.