Blue Marbled Cupcakes 3

Just thought I’d update y’all a little on my pregnancy. I’m 21 (almost 22) weeks along now- over halfway there! Feeling great physically, albeit a little tired. Joel and I sing in the praise band at church and each week I’m finding it harder and harder to sing without feeling like I’ve just run a marathon. My diaphragm feels like its being shoved up into my throat, so having enough breath support is tough. The extra hormones are driving me a little batty this time around. One day I’ll be feeling great, all sunshine and roses and the next day…

Hulk-Angry

Let’s just say, poor Joel has been a saint to put up with all of my craziness lately. Cassidy is starting to understand a little better and talks a lot about the “baby in Mommy’s tummy”. So sweet.

Blue Marbled Cupcakes

So anyway, the purpose of this post is not only to share with you these yummy cupcakes, but announce that….

WE’RE HAVING A BOY!!!

We went for our anatomy scan a couple of weeks ago and were totally blown away to find out Cassidy will have a little brother! I had made these boy-themed cupcakes months ago in honor oF my friend’s soon-to-be baby boy but never posted them; little did I know I’d be repurposing them to announce our own little boy! 🙂

I used my favorite recipe for white cake, reserved a little of the batter, colored it blue, then swirled it into the tops of each unbaked cupcake. It didn’t sink down into the cupcake during baking as much I would’ve liked, but the tops still looked pretty cool before I frosted them (which really ended up not mattering, since the frosting covered that part up. Oh well.). They tasted great, and that’s what mattered! Now I think I need a cupcake…

Blue Marbled Cupcakes 2

Blue Marbled Vanilla Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Center a rack in the oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a medium bowl.

Put the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and working with the paddle attachment, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.

Set aside 1/4 of the batter in a separate bowl. Mix in a few drops of blue food coloring until you reach the desired shade of blue.

Using a small spoon, fill each cupcake liner 1/2 full with the batter. Drop a small spoonful of the blue batter on top and swirl with the back of a spoon or a toothpick to create a marbled effect.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to cooling racks and cool completely before frosting them. Makes approximately 24 cupcakes.

Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
blue food coloring

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading or piping consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. Stir in a few drops blue food coloring until the desired color of blue is reached. Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled. Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes.

Recipe sources: white cake adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours; frosting adapted from Magnolia Bakery

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17 Comments »

  1. Aw, congrats!

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    Thank you!!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Leah | So, How's It Taste? — February 25, 2014 @ 12:30 PM

  2. Omg!!! How perfect is this, and I’m telling you now that Cassidy may have your love, your little son will steal/melt your heart!!! I love both my kids equally but there is just a different connection from one kid compared to the other!! Congrats again on your little baby boy! Cassidy is going to be one fantastic big sissy!

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    I’m totally going to be bugging you constantly with questions! I’m really excited but a little nervous too! Any advice you can send me would be greatly appreciated!!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Krystal — February 25, 2014 @ 5:12 PM

  3. Congratulations! Love the cupcakes 🙂 They are beautiful!

    [Reply]

    Janet Reply:

    I loved The Hulk picture too. I remember feeling that way too at times when I was pregnant. I think I still do at times.

    I love that you sing at church and the baby is hearing that too. Very cool!

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    Thank you! I didn’t get to sing quite as much with my first, so I’m very happy this little boy gets to hear mommy sing so much!

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    Thank you!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Janet — February 25, 2014 @ 6:33 PM

  4. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Awww yay Cassidy will have a little brother!! I’m a big sister with a little brother too so I can relate lol. Love that you used these cupcakes to announce–they’re so pretty and look delish!

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    Thank you! We can’t wait to see what kind of big sis Cassidy will be to her little brother!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Kayle (The Cooking Actress) — February 25, 2014 @ 7:06 PM

  5. Such cute cakes… and HUGE congratulations!!

    Sophie
    http://what-sophie-said.blogspot.co.uk/
    xxx

    [Reply]

    Comment by Sophie — February 26, 2014 @ 4:38 AM

  6. Congratulations to you and your family! Such a lucky little boy to be brought into a family with so much love:)

    [Reply]

    Comment by Heather R — February 26, 2014 @ 6:23 AM

  7. Congrats Amy!! I am so excited for your family!!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Crystal B — March 9, 2014 @ 10:00 PM

  8. Can this be made into a frosted two-layer cake instead of the cupcakes?

    [Reply]

    amy Reply:

    Absolutely! Just use a knife to swirl the blue batter into each one before baking.

    [Reply]

    Comment by Kristin — April 7, 2014 @ 11:27 AM

  9. I can see that tree photo becoming one of your paginntis… the colors and lines in the photo have the same exact feeling as your paginntis. That is pretty neat.

    [Reply]

    Comment by Maura — November 23, 2015 @ 12:02 PM

  10. You have the monopoly on useful information-aren’t monopolies illegal? 😉

    [Reply]

    Comment by insurance auto quote — January 26, 2016 @ 2:15 PM

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