PB&J Cupcakes / Cupcake Corer

RJ had asked me a while ago if I could make him PB&J cupcakes. Since he was participating in this weekend's Warrior Dash, I made him some. This version is definitely custom-made for RJ.



I used the vanilla cupcake recipe from Penzeys; used a cupcake corer and filled it with Strawberry Polaner All Fruit with Fiber; topped it with natural creamy peanut butter. Yup, it's not even frosting. [Side note: RJ doesn't really like frosting.]



I wanted to share my user experience regarding the cupcake corer. I like filled cupcakes, but I do not enjoy filling cupcakes. I like my cupcakes uniformly filled so that you can expect consistency. I find jamming the tip into a cupcake and squeezing the pastry bag makes me feel like I'm doing it consistently, but the results say otherwise.

So I saw the cupcake corer during a quick errand of picking up random baking supplies and decided to try it. I didn't actually get to use it until last night since i haven't made filled cupcakes since purchasing it. Overall, the product worked exactly as it was demonstrated on the package.



The only drawback in the product is it's way too wide to use on a normal-sized cupcake. The first two cupcakes I cored pretty much fell apart after I cored, filled, and frosted them. In the subsequent cupcakes, I didn't insert the corer as deep, which helped tremendously with the cupcake's structural integrity. Ideally, if I could find a narrower corer which functions exactly like this, I would definitely pick it up.

Rhubarb Dream Bars

Craig bestowed upon me one massive rhubarb harvest from his garden. To thank him for his efforts, I made Rhubarb Dream Bars for him and his department.

For the Crust
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp Penzeys lemon peel + 1 tsp lemon juice

For the Filling
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
4 cups (1 pound) packed diced rhubarb

Crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Using your fingers, cut in the butter until crumbly. Add the lemon peel and juice, and press the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.



Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until it's lightly browned. Remove it from the oven (leave the oven on) and allow it to cool slightly.



Filling: While the crust is baking, make the filling. Beat the eggs and salt until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and light yellow. Blend in the flour, then fold in the rhubarb.





Pour the rhubarb mixture over the still-warm crust.



Return the pan to the oven, and bake the bars for 40 to 45 minutes, until they're lightly browned. Remove them from the oven, and cool for several hours for easiest cutting. The top layer separates a bit from the filling when you cut; just press it back lightly.

Inspired by Voodoo Doughnut...

Last weekend, my brother, sister-in-law, and niece were in town to visit. I don't usually go to cupcakeries because I'm a baking snob and I know what good quality baking is. However, I decided on a whim to make an exception because we were in the vicinity of a cupcakery that people at work have recommended to me multiple times. And yes, these same people have all eaten my baked goods, and this was also the first cupcakery they have lauded.

The thing with me is I will pick desserts or flavors that I don't usually make. My sis-in-law and I saw a cupcake that sounded deceivingly similar to the beloved Bacon Maple Bar that we've had at Voodoo Doughnuts, and we decided to get that to try.

We ate it and we were disappointed, maybe because we thought we were getting the Bacon Maple Bar in cupcake form. It wasn't. This cupcake had different flavor profiles and we recognized what was good about it, but it still wasn't what we wanted.

Fast forward to today. I'll be celebrating my friend Lisa's birthday tonight, and her favorite doughnut is the Bacon Maple Bar. I decided to try making my version of it in cupcake form to give to her.

For the Cupcakes (original recipe from Penzeys but I can't find it online to link)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp double-strength vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners.

2. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

4. Spoon the batter into the cupcake papers, half full.

5. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the Maple Glaze
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp maple extract

Mix together. I don't normally add maple extract, but I did this time for more flavor since I only had grade A maple syrup.

Bacon was prepared in the oven and broken into sections to fit across the cupcake.