Fun Fall Cupcakes

I know this lame tribute to Autumn is whittling it's way through, a tad late, perhaps by a week or two.  Though you should know, with bare deliverance from a searing heat clime, I had not the least bit of Fall in me. If you recall, I'd mentioned before, that I am not parked in rustling-leaf/scenic-pumpkin-patch world of postcard lore. Instead, my desert terrain, seriously lacks a welcome approach to a conventionally toasty, cider sipping season.

I miss those markers that pixelled my habitat not long ago, the rusts, flames and brittle crisp browns. But I will make mention of my new third season panorama, beautiful in a visibly different way. Beiges and shades of green, gorgeous mountainous terrain side- by- siding palm tree dotted desert landscapes, and scorcher temperature transitioning to "isn't it just beautiful out?" together hail in an outdoorsy impressiveness. You got it- befuddled seasonal discord reaches it's peak right about this time of year.

With the disproportionate marking in season to weather, I decidedly went on a whim to bake up my own Fall, you know the red, orange, leaf kind. Successfully scored by purchasing a combination of bright warm tubs of food color and suitably shaped cookie cutters.

These are themed cupcakes, brilliantly enclosing a wee piece of cut out cake. Dressed for the occasion, they are tremendous genius, albeit off- the- chart- cute.

Fiery bright leaves, coppery acorns, and orange pumpkins were mass yielded from a half batch of flavorful vanilla white cake. This cookie cutter art was then placed smack center of cupcake wells and fortressed on all sides with untouched batter, allowing the cups of cake to fold over and rise to glorious crumb perfection.

Not only is the cake dreamy, it has a beyond fluff attitude, because of the beating of the eggs- separated yolks with first ingredients and stiff, glossy whites, folded in later, yield more thick and much velvet batter appearance.

This is a recipe of the exceptionally cool/utterly awesome set, where it provides a host of options to house an invariable number of  cookie cutter goodies, helping you storyline through all seasons, possibly taking care of a couple of birthdays and a wedding anniversary, in the process. Imagine. Yellow baby chicks, sweet red hearts and rogue runaway gingerbread men, all contained and pinned to the insides of this good mass of cake. Endless cupcake baking opportunities, all with one no fail recipe. A matchless finale to any theme or non theme, am I right?

Did I mention the fun when serving these fabulouses? Make sure you cut through these, in front of your guests, revealing the pretty surprise window and ushering in the host of gasps, oohs and aahs. Nope, not a single one will survive past that, I assure.

Take a look and see how crazy simple it is. Once done, get ready to impress. Yes you should. And wear that title proud, Master Genius of The Cupcake Zone.

This idea, directions and method of assembly come from delightful Not Your Momma's Cookie. I tweaked the cake mix part, baking mine from scratch, henceforth providing you guys with a new recipe. To dispense of my colors into the pan I used a spoon for the thicker parts and a pastry bag for narrower coloring.

 Cupcakes~

(Adapted from Joy of Baking's White Cupcakes)

Recipe:

• 2 ½ sifted cake flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 c unsalted butter, softened 
• 2 c sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 c milk

Directions:

• In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Leave aside.
• In electric mixer set to medium high, beat butter until smooth. Beat 1 ¾ sugar in, scraping down bowl until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, beat well.
• Add vanilla and combine.
• Alternating between the milk and flour mixture, add in to to batter in three additions, starting and ending with flour.
• Using a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until foamed up.
• Continue beating while gradually adding the remaining sugar in increments until soft, yet stifff peaks form.
• Gently fold into the batter and combine without over mixing. 
• Halve the batter into two separate bowls.

To assemble cupcakes~
( Adapted From Not Your Momma's Cookie)

• 2 batches of white cupcake batter
• brown, light brown, red, yellow, orange
• mini fall cookie cutters
• vanilla frosting or of choice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 275°F- 300° F
• Grease and flour a square baking pan.
• Use one half of the divided batter and split into batches, depending on number of colors you have. Mix in the different food colors (I used 4 bowls- orange, brown, beige, red).
• Either have spoons on hand to spoon into baking tray or put the colored batter into different pastry bags with a medium sized opening or round tip.
• For pumpkins: Pipe out an orange large strip next to brown ( for body and stem)
• For acorns: Have the beige and brown next to one another.
• For leaves: Go crazy! In random array, pipe colors next to and on top of another. Swirl with a toothpick. 
• Pipe or spread to about 1/2 thickness.

• Bake until done so as not to puff up and raise too much. Mine came out at 25-26 minutes. But check in on them, no browning at all. After done, set aside to cool.

• Once colored cake has cooled, use your cutters to cut shapes. Cut the pumpkins right out of the segment with orange body, dark brown (for body and stem), cut the acorns with a dark brown top and a light brown bottom, and cut through leaves from the multi- color part. 
• Line a muffin tin with liners. Preheat oven to 350°F .
• Put a tiny bit of batter number two (white) in the bottom of each liner. Place your shape in facing front towards you straight in the middle.

• Have them all facing the same direction. You can use a food writer to mark the front of your cupcake on the bottom of the liner.
• Spoon  in batter around and on top of the shape. 
• Bake for for 18- 20 minutes, or until done.
• Frost with vanilla buttercream or the topping of your choice. 

Notes:

I had the shapes stick out a bit above the batter prior to baking, to know where to cut and reveal the shape inside.

I also marked the center with a toothpick, then proceeded to frost.

The vanilla buttercream recipe is the one I've used here.

Perfect in all it's imperfections.

******

While tinting and assembling, I could not but help wonder how truly artistic our Maker is. His hands can be seen in and throughout our beautifully detailed world. Even trying to mimic it in so minor a way seasoned me  with fresh eyes of gratitude and a true heart of joy. How blessed we are to see and experience His works, on an everyday, everywhere you look basis.

He carved the valley as definitely as he shaped the mountains and the beauty of His all powerful imagination can be spotted the world over, well across the symmetry of the universe. Be thankful when you look out today onto the magnificent canvas of our mighty, most awesome God. 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge." Psalms 19:1-2 (Amp)

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31