Thursday 13 February 2014

Beer and Pretzel Cupcakes





 





They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The way to my Valentines heart is through beer and pretzels.



Beer and Pretzel Cupcakes
slightly adapted from Bakers Royal
Makes 12

For the Cupcakes:
1 cup cake flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup salt
115g unsalted butter, melted warm
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Guinness Stout

For the Ganache:
1/3 cream
30g unsalted butter
a drop of vegetable oil (about 1/8 teaspoon)
200g dark chocolate, chopped

For the Toppings:
Assorted pretzels (I used sticks, twists and chocolate coated)
50g dark chocolate, melted
50g caramel, warmed (Your favourite brand. I used Bonne Maman)

Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper liners.

Put the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and stir on low speed until combined and no lumps remain. Add the butter, eggs and vanilla and beat on medium for one minute. Add 1/4 cup of the beer and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining 1/4 cup of beer. Beat for a further 30 seconds and divide the batter evenly between the paper liners. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Ganache:
Put the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl and set aside.

Put the cream, butter and oil into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir to combine and leave to cool for about 2 hours or until it's a piping consistency.

Assemble the Cupcakes:
Put the frosting into a disposable plastic piping bag. Snip a 1cm hole in the tip and pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Arrange pretzels on top and drizzle with melted chocolate and caramel.


16 comments:

  1. Great mix of savory and sweet Jen!

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  2. WOW! What a gorgeous, perfect cupcake!! My husband would be ALL over these!

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  3. Your cupcakes are sooooooooooooo looking good!! & I'm sure my Valentine would love this too :)

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    1. Thanks Gabrielle. All the boys I know don't feel at all prissy eating a cupcake that includes beer and pretzels.

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  4. Hi, I am a regular reader of your blog. I have a small doubt regarding cupcakes. Whenever I bake cupcakes, they come out perfect out of the oven. But after sometime, they start sweating and I end up having sticky tops on all my cupcakes. I live in India and so it is hot through the year. I am even losing interest in baking cupcakes because of this. Can u please tell me a solution to this problem

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    1. Hey Ramya, I'm sorry to hear you haven't had a lot of success with your cupcake making. Baking is a science and it only takes something small for things to go wrong. Also, baked goods and humidity aren't the best of friends, so you're probably up against it a little, but here are a few suggestions. Try a few different recipes. You may find some re more suited to your environment than others. Some recipes are better than others and have more chance of success. Make sure you follow the recipe exactly. Like I said, baking is a science so proportions and proper measuring are paramount. Make sure you bake your cupcakes all the way through. They should bounce back when lightly pressed in the middle. Store them in an airtight container. Here's a really good link with some great tips to help you hone your cupcake making skills.Top 10 Tips For Better Cupcakes . I hope you find this helpful and good luck.

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  5. Amazing! Those are some serious cupcakes! I'd say you will have one happy guy with these! You are so talented!

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    1. You're a sweetheart Jessica.. and I'm not just saying that because it's Valentine's Day.

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  6. Hi, thanks for visiting Square Meals (Hidden Hearts Cake). Truly appreciate your sweet comment. You have an awesome blog too :-)

    Aparna

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  7. Good gracious, I'm behind on all of your gorgeous posts! These are just lovely!!

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    1. Thanks Maria. There were a big hit with the boys... all of them.

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  8. I love chocolate pretzel! With guiness beer? In cupcakes? WOW!

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