Little Ivy Cakes

MINI Grape Grapefruit
CUPCAKES!
Did you know that mini gourmet cupcakes are what inspired me for this blog? Yep, I loved cupcakes and all the different fancy kinds sooo much that I started a cupcake blog. I used to make cupcakes all the time but have digressed or grown into other cooking and baking endeavors. And this...izzzzz...Ok. Because I'm good enough. I'm smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me.


(Grape Grapefruit Cupcakes With Meringue Frosting garnished with a homemade grape jellie)
-The cake turned out pretty moist, and flavorful but, I inserted a bit of grape concentrate in the middle after they were bakes to give it a little extra color and moistness.
-The grape grapefruit was a good flavour combo but I think next time I will just make the recipe with grape and leave out the grapefruit.
-The Meringue frosting consistency turned out great and took me less than 20 minutes (unlike last time when it took me almost an hour to finish). I would have liked to boost the frosting with more grape flavor but I couldn't add too much grape liquid because I was afraid it would mess with the frosting consistency. I thought about adding grape jello powder but then the gluten may mess with the frosting consistency as well. sooo....Any tips out there? :)
-Oh and one more thing, aside from Sean's favorite flavors to influence these cupcakes, Stef at Cupcake Project also inspired this idea when she posted her Grape Cupcakes. :)



Ivy's Grape-Grapefruit Cupcakes
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
Zest on 1 ruby grapefruit
2 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 salt
1/2 cup concord grape concentrate
Juice of 1/2 grapefruit
2 tbs milk
1 tbs vanilla paste

-In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy
-Add eggs one at a time, vanilla, and grapefruit zest. Then, scrape down bowl really good.
-In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt together
-In another bowl mix grape concentrate and grapefruit juice together
-Alternating between the dry mixture and wet mixture add into the butter mixture mixing on slow.

-Then scrape down bowl, add milk and mix well.
-Spoon into cupcake papers

-Bake at 350F until toothpick comes out clean. *minis* 15 minutes *reg* 20-25 minutes.
-You can then let them cool, cover and freeze if you want.
Baking cupcakes and freezing them can be very handy and saves on time. I wouldn't freeze them for too long though because they will loose their freshness. I froze mine for four days.

Grape Jellie Shapes

1 tbs butter
1 package Certo liquid pectin (30z)
3/4 cup concord grape juice
3/4 cup concord grape concentrate
small jellie cutters

-Melt butter and concentrate in medium size pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until mix starts to boil.

-Add all of liquid pectin and let simmer stirring occasionally for 45 minutes.
-To test if mixture is ready put a plate in the freezer and drip 1 tsp of mix onto the plate, then put the plate back in the freezer for 1 minute. When taken out, the drip on the plate should not run. If it does keep cooking the mixture and check every 5 minutes until ready.

-Take off heat and poor into a cookie sheet with edges lined with plastic wrap.
-Let cool 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and keep in fridge up to a week or two.
-when ready to use, cut out shapes when jellie is at room temp. BE careful cutting shapes out-it's a fragile procedure. Toss shapes in sugar if you want.

Meringue Frosting
(makes about 3 cups?I frosted 42 mini cupcakes with a good healthy dollop and still had a 1 & 1/2 left)
6 large egg whites, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 tbs of grape concentrate mixed with vanilla paste
pinch of violet gel culinary-colouring

-Whisk egg whites with sugar over a hot water bath for about ten minutes until sugar is dissolved.

-Take bowl off heat and transfer to a stainless steel or copper bowl (making sure that no water drips from the bottom of the bowl.)

-Beat on high speed until soft peaks, then add flavoring.
-Beat until stiff peaks and then add your colour a little bit at a time.
-Spoon frosting on cupcakes and then toast with culinary torch.

THE END!

Coming up next: A trial-run of Pickle & Ice Cream Cupcakes for a baby shower