It’s time again for the Iron Cupcake challenge where you can vote for me starting Nov 30th and help me win. This is my second month, so I’m feeling less nervous this time around and more excited. I didn’t win last month’s challenge, unfortunately, but maybe this month. Hopefully? Thanks to everyone who voted for me last month. Keep voting for me and eventually, we’ll win it!

This month’s challenge ingredient is Cranberry.I have an amazing holiday pudding recipe that uses homemade vanilla and chocolate puddings, pound cake, cranberry sauce and whipped cream. It’s a delicious combination of flavors and that is what became my inspiration for these cupcakes.

Since I would be using mousse and topping each cupcake with a ‘hat’ of sorts, I knew I’d need a nice dense cupcake to support all that weight while still being moist and delicious. What better dense, yet still moist cake is there other than a homemade pound cake? (Well, it was technically a “half-pound cake” since I only used half a recipe). They turned out perfectly. It was dense enough to make the perfect little bowls for my… er … (What is the plural of mousse?)… mousses? … meese? ha!

I was really pleased with the outcome of the cupcakes. It was just the right amount of cake with lots of creamy mousse goodness on the inside. It was great because they weren’t too sweet. It didn’t give you that ‘sicky sweet’ headache that cupcakes sometimes can. And the chocolate glaze on top was a perfect finishing touch – a bit of rich chocolate, but not too much at all.

So a few things to point out before starting the recipe portion… After I typed the whole recipe out, I realized it sounds and looks sort of complicated and long. It’s actually not. There are definitely a lot of steps and ingredients, etc, but it’s not that bad. I made the whole thing in probably 3 hours. I spent about 30 minutes the day before making the cupcakes and about 2.5 hours the next day on all the fillings and assembly. So, don’t let it scare you off. Also, you will have some leftover parts (like mousse, etc). I suggest just eating it. They’re yummy.

Pound Cupcakes with White Chocolate & Cranberry Mousse
Makes approx 15 cupcakes

Pound Cupcakes
1 ½ c flour
1 c sugar
1 ½ t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c (2 sticks) butter, soft
1/4 c milk
1 t. vanilla

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F and line 2 cupcake tins with approx 15 cupcake liners.
2. Combine all dry ingredients together. Add butter, milk and vanilla and mix for 4 minutes until well combined. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Fill cupcakes 2/3 the way full.
4. Reduce oven temp to 350 F and bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely

Pastry Cream
3/4 c whole milk
1/4 c sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 ½ Tbsp unbleached flour
½ t. vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over low heat, just until it is hot. It should measure about 150 F on a thermometer. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then pour it back into the saucepan.
3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it thickens and comes just to a boil; stir often where the bottom and sides of the pan meet to prevent scorching.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream through a fine strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pastry cream and use the tip of the knife to poke a few holes into the plastic wrap to let the steam escape. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cool to the touch and thickened further.

Cranberry Sauce
1 Tbsp + 1 t. Powdered Agar Agar
2 c fresh cranberries
1 c sugar
1 c water

1. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a sauce pan. Boil for a full 5 minutes.
2. Add the cranberries and let it come to a boil again. Boil for a full 5 minutes.
3. Let the cranberry sauce cool slightly and puree it in a food processor.
4. Place pureed cranberry sauce in a clean sauce pan, add Agar Agar powder and bring boil for 2 minutes. (I cheated and microwaved it for a couple of minutes until it started to boil in the microwave)
5. Let cool to room temperature. Fold the sauce occasionally to help it cool evenly. Do not over-stir or it will counteract the gel properties of the agar agar.

White Chocolate Base
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
6 oz white chocolate, good quality
1 t. powdered agar agar

1. Using a vegetable peeler, curl approximately 1/4 cup white chocolate curls. Finely chop the remaining chocolate.
2. Bring water to a simmer in the bottom pan of a double boiler. Place top pan over the water and heat the cream slightly. Add white chocolate and stir until completely melted.
3. Add agar agar powder. Cook 3 minutes
4. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

White Chocolate Mousse
3/4 c heavy whipping cream
1/3 c white chocolate base
½ of the prepared pastry cream

1. Whip cream using an electric mixer until medium stiff peaks form.
2. Add white chocolate base and pastry cream. Mix on low until thoroughly combined.
3. Note: Do NOT mix on high speed or the cream will fall.

Cranberry Mousse
3/4 c heavy whipping cream
pureed cranberry sauce
½ of the prepared pastry cream

1. Whip cream using an electric mixer until medium stiff peaks form.
2. Add pureed cranberry sauce and pastry cream. Mix on low until thoroughly combined.
3. Note: Do NOT mix on high speed or the cream will fall.

Chocolate Glaze
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
½ Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
½ c semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 t. vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, butter and corn syrup over low heat until the cream is hot and the butter has melted. The mixture should form tiny bubbles and measure about 175 F on a thermometer; do not let it boil.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate chips and let them sit in the hot cream for about 30 seconds to soften. Add the vanilla and whisk the sauce until it is smooth and all of the chocolate has melted.
3. Let it sit at room temperature until it reaches the thickness desired. Reheat as needed by heating over low heat to soften or melt.

Assembly

1. Remove cupcakes from their paper liners.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off each cupcake. Then, cut a hole into each cupcake leaving about 1/4 inch around the edge and bottom.
3. Spread chocolate glaze on each cupcake top and sprinkle with white chocolate curls
4. Spoon white chocolate mousse into each cup, leveling the top with the top of the cupcake.
5. Pipe cranberry mousse onto each cupcake.
6. Place cupcake tops on each cupcake
7. EAT!

And as a bonus… Just for you… A picture of the chef, tasting her wares.

I deem it good!

This month, I’m competing to win:
Lollipop Workshop, Cookie Sunshine, Cupcake earrings from Lots of Sprinkles, a piece by Cakespy, and an apron from Sweet Cuppin Cakes Bakery and Cupcakery Supply. Plus Head Chefs by Fiesta Products, Hello Cupcake by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, Jessie Steele Aprons, the Cupcake Courier, and Taste of Home books. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers.

Cupcakes are available at A Cupcake Co.