Green & Gold Timbers Cupcakes

“When I go make sure I’m wearing green & gold”

I first made these cupcakes pre-blog when the Timbers got to the Western Conference Final back in 2013. This year we’ve defied the odds and are ending the season in the MLS Cup Final on Sunday. For a team with such deep-rooted soccer history with the most passionate fan base in all of North America (I’m talking about you, Timbers Army), this is a big deal.

The Timbers have been around for 40 years, but only became a professional MLS team 5 years ago and this will be the team’s first appearance in the cup final.

This year the team has overcome injuries, an up-and-down season and a ridiculous 11 round penalty shootout to get to the final where they’ll face the Columbus Crew in Columbus, Ohio.

To celebrate, these slightly chocolatey chocolate chip cupcakes with green & gold frosting are making their second appearance in my kitchen.

In order to get the green & gold swirl frosting, I put green frosting in one small piping bag, gold frosting in another, then placed both of them in a larger piping bag and piped them out together. Feel free to pipe one colour on top of the other if you’d prefer that.

Go Timbers!

Green & Gold Timbers Cupcakes: 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes: 

• 2 eggs
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder

Frosting: 

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Cupcakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium size bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add butter and sugar, then mix until light and fluffy.
3. Add milk and flour, stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips and cocoa powder and stir through the mixture. Beat until light and creamy.
4. Divide mixture between cupcake liners (depending on how full you fill them, between 12 and fifteen liners). Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch, stick a toothpick in the middle to make sure they’re cooked through. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool fully before frosting.

Frosting: 

1. Combine butter and powdered sugar. Add cream and vanilla and combine.
2. Divide frosting in half and colour one half yellow and one half green (I used gel food colouring).
3. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

Magdalenas

We’re getting all Spanish on the blog this week with the recipe for some fluffy, lemony magdalenas.

These are similar to the French madeleine but are made in cupcake form, have a little more lemon love and don’t need a fancy pan to make them!

They come together so fast and they taste really good. Chances are you have all of the ingredients at home already, maybe with the exception of the lemons.

A cup of tea or coffee and a magdalena are a match made in heaven, trust me 😉 It’s like having a little bite of sunshine on these dreary, wet days here in Portland.

Magdalenas:
Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• Zest of two lemons
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan and set aside.
2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar. Melt your butter and slowly add it to the eggs and sugar, mixing to incorporate. Add the lemon zest and milk.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder, then add to the other ingredients to create your batter.
4. Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 full and sprinkle with some sugar.
5. Bake for 18 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Place on a wire rack to cool.

S’mores Cupcakes

So these cupcakes. Probably the best cupcakes you’ll ever have in your life. Just sayin’.

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like s’mores. If you don’t like them, we probably can’t be friends. Sorry.

The only s’more-like quality missing from these cupcakes is the toasted marshmallow frosting and that’s only because I don’t have a little torch to do it. Otherwise it would totally be happening. If you have one, do it. Embrace the toastiness.

A little graham cracker crust, the most chocolatey cupcakes you could imagine, fluffy marshmallow frosting and some graham cracker crumbs sprinkled on top. Salivating yet?

Good.

These campfire inspired cupcakes will be making an appearance at our Friday Night Dinner tonight and I can’t wait for our new guests to try them. Cupcakes are the way to anyone’s heart.

Make them. Share them (or not). Enjoy them. Imagine it’s the middle of summer and you’re having fun around the campfire with a big group of friends. Feels good, doesn’t it?

S’mores Cupcakes: 
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust: 

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/8 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cupcakes: 

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 2oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Marshmallow Frosting: 

• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

Graham Cracker Crust: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt with a fork. Drop 1 1/2 tbsp. of the mixture into each cupcake liner and press down. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. chopped chocolate on top of each crust and bake for 5 minutes. Keep oven on at 350°F for the cupcakes.

Cupcakes: 

1. Combine butter, chocolate and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water. Heat until butter and chocolate have melted, stir to combine and set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and baking powder.
3. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk the eggs; add the sugar, vanilla and salt, stirring to combine. Add chocolate mixture and whisk together.
4. Sift in 1/2 of flour mixture and stir. Whisk in the sour cream, then add in the remaining flour and whisk again until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide batter between liners with graham cracker crusts and bake 18-20 minutes.

Marshmallow Frosting: 

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in bowl over gently simmering water. Whisking constantly, bring to 160°F.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed (8) until the mixture cools, doubles in volume and stiff peaks form, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Once cupcakes have cooled, pipe frosting on top. Top with graham cracker crumbs, if desired.