Diwali Sweets - Diwali Cupcakes with Carrot Halwa and Gulab Jamun

 

In my next post, I'll be announcing the winning charity for Cupcake Project 4.0, revealing the cupcake recipe that you'll receive if you donate, and telling you how to donate.  But first, join me on a trip to India for Diwali.

These Diwali cupcakes are a twist on traditional Diwali sweets.  One of my readers, Pia BRoy, requested Diwali cupcakes on my Facebook page.  I told her that I would be happy to make some incorporating her favorite Diwali sweets.  She replied that her top Diwali sweets are carrot halwa and gulab jamun - so, Pia, I bring you the Diwali sweets-inspired carrot halwa cardamom cupcakes topped with carrot halwa and a gulab jamun. 

Close your eyes as you eat these and you can imagine yourself in India for Diwali.  It's easy for me since I was there in '94.  Diwali is the Indian festival of lights, and when they say lights, they mean LIGHTS! Our July 4 celebrations don't hold a candle to Diwali (mainly because - at least when I was there - there was no one stopping people of any age from lighting fireworks in the street).  There were so many fireworks that it looked like the entire city (I was in Chennai, formally known as Madras) was on fire.  Our bus driver could only see two feet ahead of him as he tried to maneuver around cows, people, cars, and carts.  I did not envy him!

Open your eyes after you've taken your first bite so that you can peek inside the Diwali cupcakes and see the light texture and scattered orange carrot halwa flecks.

Gulab Jamun - Indian Syrup-Soaked Donut Holes

Gulab jamun are the Indian version of donut holes.  But unlike the donut holes that I would mooch off of my brother's soccer team while they were having halftime meetings, gulab jamun are not finger foods.  Imagine, if you will, hot Krispy Kremes fresh out of the fryer, soaked in sugar syrup, and then served on top of some extra syrup.  That, my friends, is gulab jamun.  Gulab jamun are little syrup sponges (in this case a cardamom, syrup) your arteries will hate you for, but that you won't be able to resist (if you feel guilty, you can remind yourself that they aren't as fattening as deep fried cupcakes or cupcakes wellington). 

Carrot Halwa (Gajar Halwa)

There's an Indian restaurant that I used to go to weekly where everything on the lunch buffet was orange;  there was the bright orange tikka masala, assorted curries in pale orange, and even the biryani had an orange tint to it.  While most other Indian places in town served kheer (rice pudding) for dessert, this one served warm orange mush.  It was this soothing porridge eaten in the company of good friends that somehow made returning to my cube of terror (this was before my life as a cupcake blogger) tolerable.  I had no idea what made the mush orange or gave it its exotic flavor. I hoped (but never asked) that it wasn't just lots of artificial color.

The orange mush was carrot halwa (gajar halwa) and I now know how to make it myself!  The exotic smell turned out to be cardamom and ghee simmering on the stove, and when I smelled it in my own house, I breathed it in deeply and lamented that I didn't have a whole orange buffet to go with it.

It's Election Time

Voting is now closed.  I will be posting the winner early this week.

The candidates, FilterPure, Planet Water, and Heifer International, haven't bombarded you with campaign phone calls or pamphlets in your mailbox. That doesn't mean that they wouldn't appreciate your vote this week.  Today through Friday, we will be voting on which of the three charities above we will be raising $4000 for during the month of November (read the introductory post to Cupcake Project 4.0 for details).

Before casting your vote, I would encourage you to take the time to read about all three charities.  You can start by reading the posts on Cupcake Project (FilterPure, Planet Water, and Heifer International) where the charities have detailed what they would do with the $4000.  From there, you can dive into the charities' websites to learn more.

Guidelines

1. One vote per person. 
2. All votes must be in by 11:59 PM CDT this Friday.
3. To remove potential bias, I am not going to reveal any voting results until the votes are all in.

How To Vote

To vote, complete the form below.  I am asking for your name and email only to ensure that there is just one vote per person.  I will not be contacting you about your vote or using your email for any other purpose.

Halloween Cupcakes - Ghosts Made Without Fondant

Halloween cupcakes in previous years have included witch Halloween cupcakes and scary Halloween cupcakes with googly eyes.  I've even made Halloween cupcakes with garlic to scare off vampires!  This year, I opted to make ghost Halloween cupcakes!

I've seen many ghost cupcakes made with fondant (and they are totally impressive), but I wanted to make ghost cupcakes with something that I love to eat - crepes!  Take any cupcakes (I used my apple cobbler cupcakes with pumpkin pie frosting), drape them in mini crepes, use chocolate chips for eyes, and you've got ghost Halloween cupcakes ideal for a Halloween breakfast or a late night snack.

Heifer International

This is the last of three posts highlighting the charities that we will vote on next week as part of Cupcake Project 4.0.  For all of the details of the project, see the original project post.

Heifer International's goal is to "empower [families] to turn lives of hunger and poverty into self-reliance and hope."

With gifts of livestock and training, we help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. We refer to the animals as “living loans” because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal’s offspring to another family in need. It’s called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of our mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace.

I wrote to each of the three selected charities and asked them what they would do with $4000. I did not hear back from Heifer International, but I was able to reach someone there via phone.  I was told that while we could use the money toward purchasing specific animals, it is best to give to the General Fund so that the money can go where it is most needed. Should we choose Heifer, we would follow her advice and give to the General Fund.

I know that a lot of you are Alton Brown fans.  Check out what he has to say about Heifer International:




Voting begins on Monday.  Be sure to read about FilterPure and Planet Water so you are familiar with all of the choices.

Pumpkin Pie Crepes

These pumpkin pie crepes were a huge hit with my friends - perhaps because they were so excited to get something other than cupcakes out of my kitchen.  Interestingly, there was a gender divide in how people wanted the pumpkin pie crepes prepared.  The ladies wanted hot crepes with hot pumpkin pie filling while the gentlemen wanted hot crepes and cold pumpkin pie filling.  Then, there was my husband who is tired of pumpkin pie filling and simply wanted the hot crepes with Nutella (I can't blame him).  

FilterPure

This is the second of three posts highlighting the charities that we will vote on next week as part of Cupcake Project 4.0.  For all of the details of the project, see the original project post.


I wrote to each of the three selected charities and asked them what they would do with $4000. Here is the response from FilterPure:

With the $4000 we could do so much.  We are focused on our factory in Haiti right now, which is just starting up, and we would love to purchase filters from them, all proceeds stay in Haiti and go to the Haitian factory with Haitian staff.  The filters would then be distributed to displaced people from the earthquake.  The situation right now continues to be critical as diseases like Typhoid have become epidemic in Haiti.  People continue to live in tents in situations with no access to potable water and substandard hygienic systems in place.  The filters that the Cupcake Project would donate would go to provide 133 families with water filters for their homes, thereby meeting the water needs of more than 800 people for 5 years.  Now that is what I call frosting on the cake.

My previous cupcake projects have provided about 133 people with cupcakes for one night - to think we could provide 133 families with fresh water for five years is mind-boggling! 

This feature video that CNN did on FilterPure gives you a great sense of the history of the organization and what they do.  



While FilterPure sounds like an incredible charity, don't forget that we have two others to choose from.  It's going to be so hard to pick!

Apple Cobbler Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Have you caught your apple cobbler trying to snuggle up to the pumpkin pie on your holiday table?  I decided to play matchmaker and bring these two lovebirds together - and, let me tell you, it was a match made in heaven!  Take gingery lemon apple cobbler cupcakes loaded with hunks of tart apples and blanket them with a thick coat of pumpkin pie frosting to watch the sparks fly.  Is that your tummy rumbling with desire, or is it the sound of little sweet nothings whispered between the cake and frosting?  You can't be quite sure.


Upcoming Giveaway Alert

Like the cupcake wrapper and the glittery gold sprinkles?  I love them!  They were a gift from Sweet Treats Party Boutique. In the very near future, I'm going to be doing a giveaway of a set of wrappers, sprinkles, and cupcake toppers from Sweet Treats.  But, it will just be for my Facebook fans.  So, if you are not a fan yet, become one now so you won't miss out!


Apple Cobbler Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract
• 2 1/2 C apples, roughly chopped and loosely packed (I like having the large chunks of apple in the batter - as shown above - but you can chop the apples more finely if you like a smoother look.)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ginger.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and lemon extract until blended.
4. Mix in flour mixture.
5. Fold in apples.
6. Divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake liners (they will be filled almost all the way to the top).
7. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.

Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Frost the apple cobbler cupcakes with pumpkin pie frosting.  See my post on pumpkin pie frosting for the recipe.

Planet Water Foundation

This is the first of three posts highlighting the charities that we will vote on next week as part of Cupcake Project 4.0.  For all of the details of the project, see the original project post.

I wrote to each of the three selected charities and asked them what they would do with $4000. Here is the response from Planet Water Foundation:

Planet Water Foundation is a US based non-profit organization that focuses its work on bringing clean water to disadvantaged communities in the developing world through the installation of water purification systems and the deployment of education programs on water-health and hygiene practices.  Our projects are directed toward schools and rural villages who do not have access to clean, safe water.  Should we be selected by the Cupcake Project, we would direct the $4,000 contribution toward installing a clean water system in an elementary school in Siem Reap, Cambodia bringing clean water to over 1,000 children.  Not only will these funds directly impact the health and well being of many people, but it will also have an immediate impact on the lives of women and girls who typically walk hours a day fetching water.  By having access to clean water, women will be able to focus their time on activities to enrich their lives, and girls will be able to replace their water buckets with school books!

In a follow up email, I was told that one system costs $8,500 - installed with an education program deployed in the school.  That means that with our $4000, the water filtration system would be almost halfway funded!

Watch this video to see a time-lapse of of one of Planet Water's projects.  As you watch, keep in mind that when you see the kids drinking and washing their hands, they are experiencing clean, purified drinking water for the first time in their lives.



While PlanetWater sounds like an incredible charity, don't forget that we have two more to choose from. Posts about the other charities are coming soon.

Pumpkin Pie Frosting

Pumpkin pie frosting is not frosting that is kinda sorta like pumpkin pie.  It's not a buttercream with some pumpkin mixed in, or a cream cheese frosting with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.  Pumpkin pie frosting is honest-to-goodness pumpkin pie (minus the crust - although you could add that too if you wanted) piped onto cupcakes.

It turns out that pumpkin pie is perfectly pipe-able.  Try out this pumpkin pie frosting as the ideal complement for any Fall cupcake flavor.  I piped mine onto apple cobbler cupcakes.  But, for other Fall cupcake inspiration, check out my top ten Fall cupcake recipes.

The Three Charities That We Will Be Voting On Are...

Here's a quick refresher on Cupcake Project 4.0 (for the full details, see the announcement post):

We are going to raise $4000 for a food or water charity. 

• First, you'll help me choose the charity. (This part is halfway done.  62 of you suggested charities and with the help of Random.org, I've narrowed it down to the three that I am announcing below.  Next week, we'll vote on which one we'll support.)
• Then, during the month of November, I'm going to create a brand new cupcake with a flavor that you have all requested, but up until this point I have never been willing to make.  I'm going to post a photo and a description, but to see the recipe, you'll have to donate at least $1 to the charity that we choose.
• But, that's not all! (Do I have my infomercial lines down, or what?)  Depending on how much you donate, you'll be entered to win a variety of prizes.

The three charties that we will be voting on are:

Mushroom Cupcakes - A Candy Cap Mushroom Dessert Recipe

I was surprised to find that while my avocado cupcakes were a hard sell, everyone wanted to try the candy cap mushroom cupcakes.

No one seemed bothered by the mushroom on top of the cupcake or the surprise one inside (after all - the candy cap mushrooms taste like maple syrup!).

Madeleine Recipe with An Unexpected Twist

Madeleines are simple sponge cake-like cookies - so simple that you probably have all of the typical madeleine recipe ingredients in your house right now: eggs, salt, sugar, flour and butter.  The only thing that you may not have is a madeleine pan.

Isn't the madeleine a snotty cookie to require her own pan?  But, like a little girl in blue jeans and ratty T-shirt who puts on a princess hat and becomes royalty, the madeleine pan makes this simple cookie regal (more importantly, you can't make madeleines without it).  Get one (make sure it's non-stick - it makes it so easy) for the baker on your Christmas list.

What's the Unexpected Twist in My Madeleine Recipe?

Potato, Mushroom, and Apple Soup

Before I baked with my candy cap mushrooms (read my post on candy cap mushrooms for the back story), I wanted to try using them in a more traditional way.  I put them in a soup - something a normal person does with mushrooms.

My thick potato, mushroom, and apple soup would be a treat for a cool evening no matter what mushroom you use, but the candy caps made the soup extra special and provided more of a nutty, maple flavor than your average mushroom.  They were far less mapley in the soup than I would have guessed from their scent, but in this case, that was probably a good thing.

Because of the addition of  balsamic vinegar and honey, the soup has a soothing sweetness, but the appearance of paprika gives it just a bit of kick.  Keep a spoon near your pot and taste periodically - add more of any of the spices to make the flavor just how you like it.

Candy Cap Mushrooms - The Dessert Mushroom

Candy cap mushrooms cannot be found in the Halloween candy aisle of your grocery store. Candy cap mushrooms do not contain artificial sweeteners or additives of any kind; they have one ingredient: mushroom.  Why the name?  Candy cap mushrooms are sweet, making them one of the only mushroom varieties recommended for use in desserts.

The Best Thing About Candy Cap Mushrooms

The best thing about candy cap mushrooms is that they smell like this:

Do You Know a Food or Water Charity That Could Use $4000? - Introducing Cupcake Project 4.0

Cupcake Projects 1, 2, and 3 were all personal challenges.  For each project, I baked 300 wedding cupcakes in my home kitchen.  The weddings were both exhausting and rewarding.  Would I do it again?  Yes, but only for the right people.  For now, I've been keeping the blog going without a project and it's a blast.  I love virtually meeting all of you and coming up with new recipes, but I've started to feel the itch to help somebody - beyond sharing life-enhancing recipes.


Introducing Cupcake Project 4.0

Cupcake Project 4.0 is not just my project.  It will include all of you - the whole Cupcake Project community. We are going to use this space to make a difference. Are you in?  Great!  Thanks!  Ready to hear what you just agreed to?

Wine and Cheese Cupcakes - Try Them At Your Next Wine Party

Shiraz wine, walnuts, Camembert cheese, and dark chocolate could be wine bar fare at its best. In my cupcake-centric world, however, they are the ingredients in wine and cheese cupcakes.

Serve these wine and cheese cupcakes at your next wine party.  In fact, plan a wine party around them.  These wine and cheese cupcakes are worth it!  Don't be scared by the Camembert.  It's a stinky cheese, for sure, but once it's baked into the cupcakes, your guests won't detect it; they will only note a that these chocolate cupcakes have a sublime sophistication. They are chocolate cupcakes all grown up.

Note:  While it's a common practice to nose wine before drinking it, be careful about nosing the cupcakes.  You may end up with a frosting-covered schnoz.