Kettle Corn Cupcakes

The Oscars are coming up in just over a week, and if you're going to a party, this would be a perfect treat to contribute!  Or make them for yourself and enjoy them at a party of one.  Or for any movie night... Really, any excuse will do.

After snacking on some kettle corn one day, I thought it might be an interesting flavor to try in a cupcake.  Well, it turned out to be an amazing flavor to try in a cupcake!  I've made them a few times now, and each time people tell me how tasty the salty-sweet flavor is.

Surprisingly, I didn't find an exact cupcake recipe already in existence.  I wasn't looking for caramel corn, or cupcakes topped with marshmallows made to look like popcorn.  But I found a cupcake recipe that worked well, and I played around with the frosting and toppings to find the perfect balance.

To top off this popcorn-y cupcake, I used a simple vanilla buttercream, sprinkled on some chunky sea salt, and then topped it off with some store-bought kettle corn.  (If I were hardcore, I would have made the kettle corn myself.  But alas, I am not.)   The chunky sea salt is what really ties it all together by adding the perfect amount of saltiness to the buttery, sweet cupcake.

A creative cupcake that is salty-sweet perfection - give this a try!  Your friends...family...strangers will thank you.

Kettle Corn Cupcakes
(from Little Ivy Cakes)
Makes 24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup popcorn flour (use air-popped popcorn, and blend in a Vitamix until it's a flour)
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp is best
1/4 cup pureed cream corn
2 eggs, room temp
2 egg whites, room temp
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until a pale color and majorly fluffified in your stand mixer (3 minutes?)  On a low speed, add purred creamed corn, vanilla extract, and eggs one at a time.

Alternate adding half the flour mixture, then half the milk mixture in two additions. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix well but don't over beat.  Pour batter into cupcake liners a little more than three-fourths full.

Bake about 15 minutes until cupcakes are golden brown and when gently pressed with fingers, springs back.   Remove from oven, and let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to a cooling rack.


Vanilla Frosting - You can use your favorite recipe, but I used this vegan version just to try it out.
(from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine (I used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 plain soy milk

Beat shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy.  Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.  Add the vanilla and soy milk, beat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fluffy.  It seems like a long time, but it really makes a difference.  You'll see how fluffy it gets!

  
To finish
After piping or spreading some vanilla buttercream onto the cooled cupcake, sprinkle on some chunky sea salt.  Top with store-bought or homemade kettle corn.

Dig in, and enjoy!

Chocolate Drizzled Potato Chip Cookies

Oops.  Couldn't go one post without something sweet and delicious.  I promise I have been making and eating all sorts of healthy things!  But a friend was hosting a game night, and it's his birthday, so... there's my excuse.  After sampling the final product I have NO REGRETS.

When I first saw this recipe, my reaction was, "Ew."  However, after reading the article, I reconsidered.  There are all sorts of salty-sweet combos that are surprisingly delicious - honey roasted nuts, buttery popcorn and Reese's Pieces (really, it's awesome), pretzels and chocolate, etc.  Salty-sweet is an addictive flavor, and this really hits the spot.

Because it's a Cook's Country recipe, they tried all sorts of potato chips, and found that reduced fat chips worked best.  I would, however, avoid any chili-lime versions and stick with just salted!

A quick and mess-free way to crush the chips is to use a large Ziploc bag and a rolling pin.  Or...do what my mother did when I was a kid and still use the plastic bag, but crush them by putting the bag on the floor and invite any little helpers to walk on them.  A good stress-reliever, for sure.

 These cookies would be tasty without the chocolate.  But, really, why would we not use chocolate?

Crunchy, salty, and sweet.  Perfection!

Chocolate Drizzled Potato Chip Cookies
(from Cook's Country)
Makes 24 cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 oz. reduced fat potato chips, crushed fine (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp butter, softened but still cool
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (the original recipe called for 10 oz, but 6 is more than enough)
1/2 Tbsp coarse sea salt (the original recipe called for 1 Tbsp, but I also felt that was too much)

Toast the pecans in a small, dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often, until they begin to darken, three to five minutes.  Chop finely.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, potato chips, pecans, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.  Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture in 3 additions.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls and space 3 inches apart on baking sheets.  Flatten dough balls to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of floured drinking glass (otherwise they'll stick).

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are just set and lightly browned on bottom, 10 to 13 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.  Let cookies cool completely on sheets, about 15 minutes.

Microwave chocolate in a bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes.  Now, you can either:

1) Place cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Pour melted chocolate into Ziploc bag, snip off small corner, and drizzle chocolate over cookies.  Sprinkle coarse salt over warm chocolate and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

OR

2) Dip half of each cooled cookie in chocolate, scraping off excess with finger, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle coarse salt over warm chocolate and refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!