Sharp Cheddar Cupcakes Recipes

SHARP CHEDDAR CUPCAKES WITH CANDIED PECAN TOPPING AND HONEY BLUE CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, milk, butter, baking powder, vanilla and egg. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool.
• Spoon a tablespoon of Candied Pecans on each cooled cupcake. Then frost each cupcake with Honey Blue Cheese Frosting. Finally, garnish with a Cheddar Cheese Crisp and 1 whole candied pecan.
• Combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup water and butter in saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar melts. Stir in all the pecans. Continue cooking over medium heat until the sugar reaches a full boil, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully as the sugar will boil fairly quickly. As soon as the mixture reaches full boil, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Remove the whole pecans and save for garnish. Spoon candied pecans over cupcakes when sugar becomes sticky and not too runny.
• Cream the cream cheese and butter together in a mixer. Add the blue cheese and honey. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Drop quarter-size mounds of cheese on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is crispy, about 5 minutes.

SWEET POTATO CUPCAKES, BROWN SUGAR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING, CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with 18 paper liners, set aside.
• Make the sweet potato puree by processing the sweet potatoes in a food processor. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk in the sweet potato puree. Fill each cupcake in the prepared pan three-quarters full of batter.
• Bake until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
• To assemble: Frost the cupcakes with the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with the Candied Pecans.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the butter and beat until well incorporated. Add the light brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Beat the egg white in a bowl until frothy; whisk 4 teaspoons water and the vanilla extract into the egg. Stir the sugar, cinnamon and salt into the egg mixture. Add the chopped pecans, stir to coat completely. Spread the pecans onto the baking sheet. Bake the pecans, stirring about every 20 minutes, until the coating forms a glaze, about 1 hour. Allow to cool on the baking sheet.

GRACE POTTER'S MACARONI AND CABOT CHEDDAR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat eighteen cups of two 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray.
• 2.In large pot of boiling salted water, cook elbows according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse and return to pot.
• 3.Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet, preferable cast iron, over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and just starting to brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
• 4.Stir in 1 cup of milk and heat until milk is just starting to steam but is not bubbling. Remove from heat and sprinkle flour over milk; stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in remaining 1 cup milk; continue whisking, scraping along edges of skillet, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 5.Return skillet to low heat and cook, stirring often, until mixture bubbles and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in both cheddars and gruyere cheese.
• 6.Pour cheese sauce over macaroni, stirring to coat. Stir in half of Parmesan, truffle oil and salt. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
• 7.In small bowl, beat egg and half-and-half; stir into macaroni mixture.
• 8.Divide mixture among eighteen prepared muffin tins. Top each "cupcake" with stuffing or breadcrumbs and remaining Parmesan.
• 9.Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated through. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

MEAT-LOVER'S CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups with vegetable oil or line with paper liners.
• Whisk ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until sauce is chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Knead ground beef, milk, 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, onion soup mix, chili powder, and paprika together in a large bowl until well-mixed. Fill prepared muffin cups with meat mixture, pressing down to remove any air pockets.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Spread chilled sauce over each meatloaf 'cupcake'; return muffin pans to the oven and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
• Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese over 'cupcakes'; let cool for 10 minutes.