Iron Cupcake Returns!

This month marks the beginning of Iron Cupcake: Earth 2.0. I’m happy to say that this year I should be able to submit monthly, as I unfortunately joined the group in the last month of year one’s competition. Here are the lovely prizes we’re competing for this month:

•  The Demy™ by Key Ingredient- a techie digital recipe reader
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson- an awesome book for your baking arsenal
  
• Bella Cupcake Couture- Elegant Cupcake Wrappers
  
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne-another great quick-fix caking book

Without further ado, allow me to introduce this month’s theme: Music! IronCupcake: Earth is on a mission to be on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Therefore, they’ve urged members to write Ellen concerning this matter and furthermore encouraged us to bake toward Ellen’s gustos, la musica! Winning a Grammy for “Best Dance Recording” in 2001, Eiffel 65’s “Blue” inspired my cupcake creation. An international flavor combination of sweet banana cake, rich, creamy dulce de leche filling and a light cap of fluffy vanilla frosting is all it will take to get Ellen’s feet tapping.

Vote for your favorite here beginning the evening of 30 October until midday 5 November. Best of luck to all IC:E entrants!

Blue “Da ba di” Banana Alfajore Cupcakes
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. mashed very ripe bananas, approx. 3 bananas
1/4 c. buttermilk, or scant 1/4 c. milk + 1T. vinegar or lemon juice
2 c. AP flour
1 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
blue food coloring
———
Filling
2 c. dulce de leche

1. Preheat oven to 350F and fill 18 muffin tins with papers or grease.
2. Cream shortening and sugar 2 minutes. Blend in wet ingredients.
3. Sift all dry ingredients together and slowly mix into the wet mixture.
4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (no more!) and bake 22-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted removes cleanly.
5. Allow to cool, then fill each cupcake with dulce de leche by filling a piping bag with a medium-sized tip with ddl. Insert tip into cupcake and squeeze to fill until cupcake begins to bulge and “burp” out the tip.
6. Top with a thin layer of vanilla frosting. (Simply to avoid sugar buzz headaches)

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Originally Tattletail Frosting by Amy Sedaris

1 lb. confectioners sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 c. milk
blue food coloring

Place all ingredients in a high-sided bowl and beat for 3-5 minutes until fluffy and a smooth spreading consistency. To thicken, add sugar. Thin with additional milk.