Maharani Cupcakes

Prep Time:
30 Min

Cook Time:
20 Min

Ready In:
4 Hrs 30 Min

Ingredients

• Sweet Basil Cream:
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 bunch fresh basil, washed and dried
• Sweet Curry Lemon Curd:
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 lemons, zested
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Coconut Cupcakes:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut extract
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon silver dragees decorating candy

Directions

1. To make the sweet basil cream, heat the whipping cream in a saucepan until hot; do not boil. Turn off the heat and add the basil, stems and all, to the cream and allow it to steep for 1 hour. Refrigerate the cream for 3 hours or overnight. Strain and discard the basil.
2. Meanwhile, make the sweet curry lemon curd. Use a large microwave-safe bowl: the curd will expand to twice its volume as it cooks. Whisk together the white sugar, two eggs, and curry powder until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Cook in the microwave, stirring at one-minute intervals, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Pour the cooked curd through a sieve and refrigerate for at least three hours or until set. The mixture will have the consistency of soft pudding.
3. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
4. Combine the white cake mix and coconut flakes in a mixing bowl. Stir in the water, three eggs, vegetable oil, and coconut extract. (For an extra-light texture, separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the whites until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.)
5. Scoop the cake batter into the prepared pans, filling the cups 2/3 full. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
6. In a chilled bowl, whip the cold basil-infused cream and 3 cups of confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate. Beat the cream cheese and remaining 3 cups of confectioners' sugar until smooth and soft. Fold in the whipped cream and mix gently until fully combined.
7. To decorate the cupcakes, spread a tablespoon of the lemon curd on top of each cupcake, followed by a dollop of the basil cream. Sprinkle with dragees.

Footnotes

• Editor's Note
• If available, gold dragees or brightly colored chocolate-covered sunflower seeds make beautiful decorations for these cupcakes.
• Stovetop Directions
• To make the lemon curd on a stovetop, combine the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and chill as directed.
  
  

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 393 | Total Fat: 16.3g | Cholesterol: 69mgPowered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Red Velvet Cake

By: Eleanor Johnson

"A family favorite -- great for the Christmas holiday. Originally submitted to CakeRecipe.com."

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 4 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Grease two 9 inch round pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar WELL. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and red food coloring. Add to creamed mixture. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and buttermilk together. Add alternately the flour with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix soda and vinegar and FOLD INTO CAKE BATTER. DON'T BEAT OR STIR NOW.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. To Make Icing: Cook 5 Tablespoons flour and milk over low heat till thick, stirring constantly. LET COOL THOROUGHLY! While cooling, cream 1 cups sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat this well till light and fluffy. Add to flour mixture and beat until of a good spreading consistency. DON'T ICE CAKE TILL COOL.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 513 | Total Fat: 25.7g | Cholesterol: 78mgPowered by ESHA Nutrient Database

6 myths about freezing food

By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

Last week I went to town on my freezer, throwing out all kinds of frozen packages from vegetables to meat to leftovers. I filled my 13-gallon trash can, then promptly walked it out to the dumpster for collection. I felt incredibly guilty about how much food I was tossing, but some of it looked more like a science experiment than something I would actually eat. I vowed to take better inventory of the stuff I store in my freezer, but I couldn’t shake the guilty feeling of being so wasteful. Was it really necessary to throw all that food away? So I looked into the facts about freezing foods and found some surprising information that will help me be a little more thrifty in the future.

Recipes to Try: 25 Healthy Recipes You Can Make Ahead and Freeze

Myth: You can freeze all foods.
While it’s true most edibles freeze under the right conditions, there are some that should never see the inside of your freezer. Delicate vegetables like lettuce practically disintegrate when they’re frozen then thawed. Creamy sauces that are frozen separate and “break” or curdle when thawed. Even coffee shouldn’t be stored in the freezer—especially dark roasts. The oils that make them so special break down in freezing temperatures, allowing the coffee to readily absorb off- flavors. The USDA also advises not to freeze canned goods or eggs in their shell. (But you can freeze canned goods if they are removed from their original packaging, as well as eggs as long as they are removed from their shell.)

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Myth: You can freeze food indefinitely.
This is true at least from a food-safety standpoint, but quality suffers the longer food is frozen. Here are some guidelines from the USDA as to how long to keep food in your freezer (at 0 degrees F) for optimal freshness:

• Soups, stews and casseroles: 2-3 months
• Cooked meat 2-3 months
• Uncooked steaks, roasts or chops: 4-12 months
• Cooked poultry: 4 months
• Uncooked poultry: 9-12 months

Of course how you store the item will lengthen or shorten its freezer life. Air coupled with moisture is the enemy of frozen food (think freezer burn), so if you can keep those two elements out you’ll give your frozen foods a longer life. That’s why I love the vacuum sealer. It sucks air out of the packaging so foods last longer than if they’re just stored in plastic bags or their original packaging.

Myth: Freezing kills bacteria.
Freezing foods renders bacteria inactive but doesn’t actually kill anything. That means if your food went into the freezer contaminated, once thawed it will still harbor the same harmful bacteria. Cooking it to the recommended temperature is the only way to ensure that your food is safe.

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Myth: Frozen food has fewer nutrients than fresh.
Actually, the opposite can be true. Frozen fruits and vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets because they tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when, as a general rule, they are most nutrient-packed. If you’re worried about nutrient loss, eat your frozen fruits and veggies soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally, steam or microwave rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.

Don’t Miss: How to Freeze 16 Fruits and Vegetables

Recipes to Try: Easy Recipes for Frozen Fruit and Vegetables

Myth: Once thawed, food cannot be refrozen without cooking it first.
You can freeze and refreeze to your heart’s content as long as the food has not been left outside the fridge for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in 90-degree heat). One point to be aware of is that refreezing anything uncooked, especially meat, will degrade the quality due to the loss of moisture in the thawing process. So although it is technically safe to eat, from a culinary standpoint, it’s best to avoid refreezing if at all possible.

Myth: You can store frozen food long-term anywhere in your freezer or anywhere that’s cold.
The door of the freezer is a handy place to store frozen items, but not necessarily the best place for long-term storage. The temperature near and on the door fluctuates every time the door is opened. Although the food may remain frozen, the freezing process could be slowed, opening up the possibility for larger ice crystals to form inside the food and destroy its integrity. To prevent this, store frozen foods toward the back of the freezer where a constant 0 degrees F is more likely to be achieved and use goods stored near the front or on the door sooner. And if the power goes out? Don’t open the freezer door! According to the USDA, a full freezer should remain frozen for 2 days. And if you’re tempted to store your freezer overflow in a snowbank—don’t. Even if the temperature is very cold, the sun can still heat up your frozen foods to dangerously warm temperatures. This is still an excellent way to store beer, though. So keep doing that.

How long do you keep food in your freezer?

By Hilary Meyer

EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.