I wasn't sure what to title this blog today. The recipe I am going to be posting is for the "plain" cake, but I hate calling it "plain" cake because it is anything but.
It is moist, and tasty, and really easy to make.
I suppose I could call it a vanilla cake as there is vanilla in it and the flavor is influenced by the vanilla.
Okay... from now on it will be known as a vanilla cake.
It was only called "plain" cake because that is what the ancient cookbook that lives in my mother's cupboard calls it. This is one of the only recipes that I don't actually tweak.
At all.
Seriously.
That is really weird for me.
Anyway, Sue wanted to make something a little unusual for a dinner party she was having and decided to make the vanilla cake into cupcakes with a mini pecan pie baked inside.
We got the idea from the Baked In A Cake website. If you haven't checked out that site we highly recommend you do. It is really cool to see all the different things you can bake in a cake and/or cupcake.
Delicious Plain Cake
(aka: Vanilla Cake)
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8 X 8 pan with cooking spray (or line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners)
Heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat.
Beat together; eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly beat in hot milk. Mix until well combined.
Pour into prepared pan (or muffin tins).
Bake at 350 for approx 20 minutes. Toothpick inserted near center should come out clean.
Now....if you want to make the oh so delicious cupcakes pictured above with the pecan pie in the center this is all you need to do:
Make the batter for the cake as listed above. When you get the point where you are filling the cupcake liners only fill them 1/4 of the way full. Gently place an already baked mini pecan pie into the batter and then cover with more batter.
(Sue and I also tried some chocolate covered caramel and pecan chocolates in the cupcakes)
Continue to bake as usual. Instead of checking for done-ness with a toothpick just wait until the top is golden brown. If you want to use a toothpick, remember to check on the side of the cupcake or you will get the pie.
We decided to frost them with whipped cream instead of a heavier frosting as they are quite sweet with the treats in the middle.
Note - do remember to use cupcake liners. You do NOT want to have to scrape these out of your pans.
The pecan pie is topped with whipped cream and a pecan, the chocolate covered caramel and pecan chocolate is unfrosted at the moment. I think a caramel frosting would be amazing on these.
Yes, we cheated and bought mini pecan pies/tarts. It was just faster.
Besides, homemade pecan pies/tarts are so delicious putting them into this cake and eating the two together would make your head explode.
Really.
It would.
Don't try it.
One of the ladies I work with made spice cupcakes with a pecan tarts baked inside. They were really good also. the spice cake really complimented the pecan pie.
If you go to Bake It In A Cake you can see the many, many, many different ideas and combinations.
If you don't want to try the treats baked inside - at least still try the vanilla cake.
It is mmm mmmm yummy.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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