White Wine Cupcakes

As 2012 comes to a close and we welcome 2013, it is time to start deciding the plans for New Year's Eve!  Some may choose to stay at home, inside, with family where it is nice and safe; others may choose to go big and celebrate with a night out.  Whatever your plans are, one thing is certain: good food must be included.

Since this was the first year of my blog, I decided to go out with a bang!  Time to try something new, different, hip, and deliciously sweet.  I decided on White Wine Cupcakes, simply because who doesn't love things with alcohol in them? (Especially during this time of year).  New Years is the holiday known for that.  So, I put my big girl panties on and started the experimenting.

After finding how to make these cupcakes work, I discovered that White Wine Cupcakes have the most unique and delightful taste.  Using sweet wine is definitely the way to go.  I would love to try replacing the white wine with a sweet champagne or sweet red!

White Wine Cupcakes

adapted from Food Network- Classic White Cake Recipe

Makes 6 Cupcakes

6 Tablespoons of Butter

3/4 Cup of Sugar

1 Cup of Flour 

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of Sweet White Wine (I prefer moscato)

3 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

With a mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar until fluffy.  In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Alternate the flour mixture and wine into the butter mixture, starting with the flour and ending with the flour.  Add the 3 egg whites until batter is all combined.  Pour into muffin tins.  Bake for 15-20 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool completely

White Wine Buttercream

10 Tablespoons of Butter

1 1/4 Cup of Powdered Sugar

1 Tablespoon of Sweet White Wine

In a mixer, cream the softened butter until the butter is a very pale color.  Add powdered sugar until combined.  Blend in wine.  

12 Days of Cookies

So, I know it has been quite awhile since I have written BUT, I have been baking the days away and have so many cookies to share.  As I have said, cookies are my favorite holiday time treat.  I love baking as many different kinds as possible and giving them away to friends and family.  I love making variety tins and seeing which ones are their favorite.

I have cookies that are my staple cookies.  Oatmeal Raisin with Brown Butter Icing, Butter cookies, Peanut Butter Balls, Date Nut Balls, and Gingerbread are the cookies that have become favorites over the years.

New cookies this year include Orange Brownies, Mandel Bread (a type of biscotti), and Chocolate Crinkle cookies.  Bringing new cookies each year is the best part about baking for the holidays!

What special cookies are on your holiday baking list?

Snickerdoodles

Well it is finally December!  The best time of year has finally arrived!  I know during the holiday season, cookies are my absolute favorite thing to make!  I have also discovered they are the very best gifts to give around this time of year.  Who wouldn't love to open a tin can of fresh baked cookies?  And, you as the baker, also benefit.  Not only are you giving gifts and making people smile but, you are also making your home feel very welcoming and smell sweetly with the scent of the holidays.  Nothing is better than that.

For the first cookie to start off the month, I thought I would start with something simple.  The Snickerdoodle.  If you have never heard of this I can tell you it has nothing to do with Snickers, the candy bar, (as I thought as a kid) and everything to do with a sugar cookie.  The only difference between this and a sugar cookie is the cinnamon.  Which who doesn't love cinnamon?!?! So, it's basically an improved sugar cookie.  But, anyways, my snickerdoodles are special and are different from any snickerdoodle you will see out there.  The trick is I add cinnamon to the batter rather than just on the outside.  Also, I add cornstarch.  If you remember from my very first post... I am in love with cornstarch.  So, with these two ingredients I have created a very special snickerdoodle.

If you already have your favorite Snickerdoodle cookie recipe, I completely understand.  However, next time you make them simply add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the flour mixture, to a batch that makes about 24 small cookies or 12 large cookies.  This will certainly add a special touch to the cookies you plan on gifting this season.  Enjoy!

Keep a lookout this month for other special cookie recipes and tips:)