Mel's Sweet Treats: Cupcakes with Campers

I just love making cupcakes...probably because they are one of the most satisfying "sweet treats." Not too big and not too small...just the right amount of sweetness!

Have you any idea what a craze cupcakes are in NYC? Last week, my girlfriend Jen told me that there are cupcake tours in NYC. And just yesterday, Rich's Aunt clipped out an article from the Globe and Mail called Mean sweets about cupcakes! The article sums it all up. Check it out to read about the cupcake-crazy tourists and locals.

Onto my cupcake experience from last week...

I had so much fun on Thursday morning when I baked with a group of grade 6, 7, and 8 students attending "Summer Institute" in York Region.

They loved all of the colorful candy used to decorate...

In order for this workshop to run smoothly, the teacher in me shined through! I posted the recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes and the Roles on chart paper.

I chose five students to model the process with me in front of the rest of the group. These students would eventually become the experts in their home groups.

Once the volunteers finished pouring the batter into the liners, the sample batch baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, the students worked in their home groups to whisk, sift, and mix the ingredients together to make their own cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcakes
YIELD: About 12 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
6. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and mix until just incorporated.
7. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each tin about ¾ full.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Let cool for 15 minutes and decorate!

Vanilla CupcakesYIELD: About 14 cupcakes

3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar (a little less)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
4. Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
6. Beat in vanilla.
7. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk and mix
until just incorporated.
8. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each tin about ¾ full.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out
clean.

10. Let cool for 15 minutes and decorate!

The sample batch was ready! Once it cooled, I taught those interested how to decorate the cupcakes using an icing filled pastry bag with different tips.