Your sweethearts will swoon over these treats, each one more decedent than the next. We dressed up our cupcakes using metallic gold cupcake papers, handmade glittered flags and
filigree lettering to create a lovely little message. The dark chocolate truffle pops are a twist on traditional cake pops and
they’re dusted with just a touch of gold edible glitter (because
everything’s better with sparkle). And please don't forget the gold dusted macarons… they're truly as good as they are pretty.
Want to see more of this party? Click here:
valentine cards \\
pink grapefruit martinis \\
handmade favors \\
on display
photos © sherry heck
styling and design collaboration: CAKE. + Cakewalk Baking
Vanilla Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Cupcake Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring the eggs, milk & butter to room temperature (don’t skip this step, it’s very important!)
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and pale. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Sift (yes, sift!) together flour, salt and baking powder together. Stir together vanilla and milk
Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to mixing bowl, scraping down after each addition. Start and end with dry ingredients. Fill paper-lined muffin tins with batter 2/3 full.
Bake at 350° for 18- 20 minutes.
Frosting Ingredients
1 lb unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
8 egg whites
1 cup crème friache or sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Seeds from 2 vanilla beans
Directions
Combine sugar & egg whites in mixer bowl and whisk together over simmering water until hot to the touch and all of the sugar has melted and no longer grainy
Transfer bowl to mixer stand and whip on high until fluffy & cool – about 10 minutes
With the mixer on low, add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Add in vanilla, crème fraiche or sour cream, and vanilla beans. Beat until smooth (it may look curdled, but just continue to mix & it will be fine!).
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Truffle Pops
Ingredients
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
½ cup whipping cream
2 oz Brandy (if desired)
Candy Melts in your color of choice
Oil food coloring (if desired)
Disco dust (if desired)
Directions
Place the chocolate in a heat proof mixing bowl. Bring the cream and brandy to a boil in a small sauce pan. Immediately pour the cream on the chocolate and let it stand for a few minutes. Sir the chocolate with a spatula until smooth. Leave the chocolate at room temperature, stirring occasionally until firm. This can take several hours. Once the chocolate is firm, roll into balls of your desired size. Insert lollipop stick and refrigerate until hard, preferably overnight.
Melt the candy melts in a heat proof bowl over a double boiler. If desired, add a few drops of oil based food coloring. Holding your pops by the lollipop stick, dip them into the candy melts and swirl to coat completely. Remove from the chocolate and tap gently to remove excess. Insert into Styrofoam block to dry. When dry, sprinkle with disco dust.
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Macarons
Ingredients
125 grams almond powder (ground blanched almonds)
225 grams powdered sugar
100 grams egg whites
25 grams of sugar
pinch of cream of tartar
Gel food coloring if desired
Directions
Separate the egg whites the day before you want to use them and leave them covered at room temperature.
Put the almond powder & powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade and pulse until well combined.
Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar and 2 drops of food coloring (if desired) until glossy peaks.
Gently fold the egg whites into the almond mixture until combined – approximately 50 strokes.
Pipe the batter into 1 1/2” diameter circles on a Silpat or parchment lined sheet pan. After piping out the macarons, give the baking sheet a whack on the counter and let them sit for about 30 minutes before baking (this helps develop their “feet”). Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 300°.
After they are cooled, pipe center on 1 cookie with buttercream and carefully sandwich with another cookie. Refrigerate, covered for 24 hours for the best flavor and texture.
all recipes adapted by Cakewalk Baking
