Martha Washington Cupcakes Recipes

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, spread 1 tablespoon lemon curd onto middle of each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #828 or Wilton #8B) with frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip slightly and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Hold a small kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from surface of frosting, and wave it back and forth until frosting is lightly browned all over. Serve immediately.

MARTHA WASHINGTON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Cream butter, then slowly add to the egg whites.
• Slowly add sugar to the egg white/butter mixture, then add egg yolks.
• Add flour, mace, nutmeg, and orange juice gradually.
• By hand, stir in fruit and nuts.
• Pour into muffin tin and fill cups 1/2-2/3 full.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done.
• Frost with any cream cheese frosting, or just dust with powdered sugar.

SMALL-BATCH CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 6 hollows of a standard muffin tin with paper baking cups, skipping every other cup to allow for extra air circulation. Whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
• Drizzle in butter and beat until crumbly. Slowly beat in milk mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Divide evenly among baking cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake until light golden and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove from tin and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• For the Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and salt and continue to beat until completely incorporated and frosting is smooth and creamy. Frost cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles; enjoy the same day they're made.

MARTHA WASHINGTON'S GREAT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Soak raisins and currants in water in small bowl overnight.
• Combine orange peel, lemon peel, citron and cherries in mediumsize bowl, sprinkle with brandy; let stand overnight.
• Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch pans.
• Beat egg whites in medium-size bowl with electric mixer until foamy white. Beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar slowly until meringue forms stiff peaks; reserve.
• Beat butter, remaining sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
• Sift flour, mace and nutmeg onto wax paper. Stir into batter alternately with sherry, blending well.
• Drain raisins and currants. Add to batter with candied fruits and brandy, mixing well.
• Fold in reserved meringue until no streaks of white remain. Pour batter into pans. Place in a roasting pan on lowest rack of oven. Fill halfway with boiling water. Place cakes on middle rack of oven.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and bake 55 minutes longer until centers spring back when lightly touched with fingertip. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
• To store: wrap in sherry- or brandy-soaked cheesecloth; place in tightly covered containers for a month or longer. Pour more sherry or brandy over cake when cheesecloth dries out.
• Garnish with candied cherries, if you wish.

MARTHA WASHINGTON CANDY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla until blended. Stir in coconut and pecans. Divide dough in half; refrigerate, covered, 1 hour., Working with half the dough at a time, shape mixture into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 30 minutes longer., In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over barely simmering water, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip balls in melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return to waxed paper. Refrigerate until set., To Make Ahead: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator., Freeze option: Freeze candy, layered between pieces of waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw in refrigerator 2 hours before serving.