Zinfandel Wine Cupcakes Recipes

SOUTH BEACH WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• Combine the red wine, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the vegetable oil and sour cream. Mix on medium speed for 1 additional minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until golden brown and baked through, about 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the ganache: In a medium saucepot, bring the red wine and heavy cream to a rolling simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate with a whisk. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and emulsified. Stir in the corn syrup. Pour into a small bowl and wrap tightly. Allow to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until the ganache has fully set. Place the ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.
• For the buttercream: In a double boiler, combine the egg whites, sugar and cabernet wine powder. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is warm and the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the warm egg white mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Whip on high speed until the meringue cools and stiff peaks are formed. Mix in the softened butter. Place into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
• To assemble: Using an apple corer, remove the center core of the baked cupcakes and fill each with 2 cherries. Pipe cabernet-zinfandel chocolate ganache generously on top of the cupcakes, and top with cabernet buttercream, piped to look like a cluster of grapes.

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH ZINFANDEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a regular-size cupcake pan with 18 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients on slow speed until fully incorporated. Slowly add the oil and eggs to the bowl. Add the buttermilk, molasses, applesauce, and pureed ginger, and then mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop and scrape the bowl and paddle, and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until baked through, about 20 minutes. Do not open the oven during this time. Cool the cupcakes completely after baking.
• Put the Zinfandel Buttercream Frosting into a pastry bag and cut 1/2-inch off the tip. Frost each cupcake in a circular motion until the top of the cupcake is completely covered and serve.
• Pour the zinfandel into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir constantly until reduced by half. Take off the stove and cool in the refrigerator until cold.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the butter until creamed. Add the powdered sugar and zinfandel reduction and mix until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the frosting is smooth and creamy.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING AND ZINFANDEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, thoroughly whisk together the sugar and egg whites. Set the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Whisking constantly, heat to 145 to 150 degrees F. Return the mixing bowl to the stand and whisk until stiff and the bottom of the bowl comes to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
• Change to the paddle attachment and turn the mixer to low speed. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, until incorporated. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Use 4 cups for the flavored buttercreams in this recipe, and reserve the remaining 4 cups for another use.
• For the chocolate mascarpone buttercream: Fold the melted and cooled chocolate and the mascarpone cheese into 2 cups of the Swiss meringue buttercream.
• For the Zinfandel buttercream: Blend the Zinfandel wine into 2 cups of the Swiss meringue buttercream. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large straight pastry tip.
• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line standard cupcake pans with 27 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, buttermilk, and oil. Mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing on low speed until completely mixed together. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a separate bowl and whisk together. In a liquid measuring cup, mix the water with the instant coffee, dissolving the coffee powder completely. Add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture just until incorporated. Mix in the water and coffee mixture. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing until combined, and then beat for 2 minutes.
• Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake until golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the chocolate frosting: Heat the cream until hot but do not boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt until smooth. Add 1/2 the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Add the chocolate and the remaining powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Adjust to desired spreading consistency with additional cream or powdered sugar, if needed. Place in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• To assemble: Remove a piece from the center of each cupcake and fill the cupcake with about 1 tablespoon chocolate mascarpone Swiss buttercream. Pipe a generous amount of chocolate frosting onto the top of the cupcake. Pipe a dollop of Zinfandel Swiss meringue buttercream on top of the chocolate frosting. Top with half a strawberry and drizzle with melted chocolate.

ZINFANDEL WINE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, water, 1/2 cup wine, oil and eggs. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cocoa and salt with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in 1/2 cup wine. If frosting is too thick, beat in more wine a few drops at a time. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate curls.