Don't you just love it when true, creative, crafty genius strikes and you discover the perfect treat to surprise your co-workers with at work or send your little off to school with for the big day of love coming up?
These heart-shaped, cream cheese & vanilla cupcakes are just the thing to bring a smile to everyone's faces and are just so simple, you aren't going to believe it. Check it out . . .
Vanilla & Cream Cheese Heart Cupcakes
(courtesy of Caffe Ina)
Ingredients:
(yields 10 cupcakes)
~ 8 tbsp butter, softened
~ 1 cup granulated sugar
~ 2 large eggs
~ 1 cup all purpose flour
~ 1/4 tsp baking soda
~ 1/4 tsp salt
~ 1/2 cup milk
~ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
~ food color (optional)
Frosting:
~ 5 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
~ 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
~ 1 tsp vanilla extract
~ 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 325F degrees, and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
2.) In a big bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until you obtain a light cream. Add the eggs, one by one, making sure you incorporate well the first before adding the second one.
3.) In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and finally add the vanilla extract. (and the food coloring if you decide to make your cupcakes colored)
4.) Fill the cupcake liners TO THE TOP of the cupcake liners. This is very important because it will insure you have enough top to cup off.
5.) Bake for 20 minutes, test with a toothpick, and cool on a wire rack.
6.) While the cupcakes are cooling – make the frosting:
7.) In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter for about 3 minutes or until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the sugar and keep beating until you obtain a very soft cream. Cover and refrigerate the icing for a couple of hours to thicken before using.
8.) When the cupcakes are cooled, take a serrated knife and gently cut off the fluffy tops, right at the paper. Using a small heart-shape cookie cutter, cut out the center of the tops.
9.) Frost the flat top of the cupcake that you just cut and then place back the top.
Aren't those just absolutely adorable? And just in case you needed a little more of a push . . .
And now that you see how easy it is, you can picture just how creative you can get with all of your favorite cookie cutter shapes, right? Ah-mazing.
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