Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Review [Kitchen Le Boom]

a little carried away on the presentation plate

pretty sad cupcake

Last week we posted a Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Recipe. This is my version.  Looks appetizing right?  Well, not quite. My pantry substitutes consisted of peanut oil instead of vegetable oil and I skipped the apple cider vinegar all together (wasn't in the pantry).  So just a word of advice for all the rudimentary bakers, follow the recipe as it is written....common sense, no?   My tops did not rise, they were flat round crisp surfaces, while the center was moist but missing the explosive chocolate/espresso flavor I was expecting.  The cupcakes were to crumbly to enjoy. Since the flour didn't bind well, I had to taste test on a plate with a fork.  Let's just say, in the words of Chef Ron Ben-Israel, "You are no Sweet Genius."...........exit stage left

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Source: Cupcake Wars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• Frosting, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
• Confectioners sugar, for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 40 cups from 2 (24-cup) mini cupcake pans or 16 cups from 2 regular-size (12-cup) muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.

Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and espresso powder until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a fork or small whisk. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. The cups should be filled about 2/3-full, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 22 minutes for the mini cupcakes and about 25 minutes for the regular-size cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Slice off the top 1/3 of each cupcake and slather with frosting and sliced strawberries. Place the top of the cupcake back on top and add an additional bit of frosting and sliced strawberries. Dust with confectioners sugar, if using.

Frosting:

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, preferably organic
• 1/2 cup margarine (recommended: Earth Balance Organic Soy-Free Non-Hydrogenated Buttery Spread) OR 1/2 cup refined coconut oil, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water

Combine the confectioners' sugar, margarine, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency.

Raspberry- Apple Juice Twist

 

Sunny Anderson's Raspberry-Apple Juice Twist

• 6 apples, cored and roughly chopped
• 1 pint raspberries Sugar, to taste

Directions

Add the apples (Fuji, preferably) and raspberries to a medium pot over medium heat. Fill the pot with water until it is level with the fruit and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the fruit begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Once softened, use a wooden spoon to lightly mash the fruit, concentrating on the raspberries. Let simmer for 5 more minutes. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and put over a bowl. Pour the contents of the pot into the sieve and using the wooden spoon, press all of the moisture out and, if necessary, release the cheesecloth from the sieve and squeeze out the excess juice. Add sugar, (I would add agave sweetener) to taste, and refrigerate until cold or serve over ice in glasses. 

source:  raspberry-apple juice twist recipe

* I have a confession.. I can't cook and my mother is a chef.  I know right!  Occasionally, we will dedicate a Thursday to a fairly easy recipe post.  I will try them out in Kitchen Le' Boom (I can imagine my kitchen oven blowing up, therefore.... Kitchen Le' Boom) ok, kinda corny, but you get my drift.  We'll learn as we go. It'll be fun.