Basic Beer Bread

My friend Jan gave me this recipe. She said it's really easy to make,and very tasty!

3 cups flour, sifted (or spoon it into the measuring cup)

3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)

1 teaspoon flour (omit if using self-rising flour)

1/4 cup sugar

1 (12) bottle of beer

1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 is fine)

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix together dry ingredients and beer.

Pour into greased loaf pan. For crispy crust, pour the melted butter over the top. For softer crust, pour the butter into the batter.

Bake 1 hour; remove from pan and let cool for at least 15 minutes.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Truffle Center and Vanilla Bean Frosting

Found these for my dad's birthday. Added the truffle center that I saw in another cupcake recipe because I'm just that awesome!


This was my first time using a real vanilla bean for something. It has an amazing aroma and was pretty easy to use!

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup stout beer

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk
1 vanilla bean

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, oil and beer with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut an "X" in the top of the cupcakes and insert a truffle into the center. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In medium bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium-low speed until combined. Gradually beat in milk. Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds. Discard bean; add seeds to frosting. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes.

Original recipe from Betty Crocker.

Deep Fried Truffle Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 3/4 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 eggs, separated

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Truffle:

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

Peanut oil, for frying

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups rice flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

18 ounces beer

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the cupcakes:

1. Combine 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Combine the egg yolks and water in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients in 3 stages, stirring until smooth. Add the melted butter and vanilla and stir until well incorporated.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar to soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the cupcake batter, just until incorporated.
4. Divide the batter into a 12-cup baking tin and bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out dry, about 20 minutes.

For the truffles:

1. In a small saucepan add the cream and bring just to a boil over low heat. Put the chocolate into to a medium bowl and pour in the hot cream. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter and mix until incorporated. 
2. Put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the chocolate and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
3. When the chocolate is cool, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip.

For the batter:

1. In a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough peanut oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350°F.
2. Combine all the batter ingredients in a large bowl and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.\
3. With a paring knife, remove the middle of the cupcakes, but leave the tops intact. Using the pastry bag, fill the holes with the chocolate. Replace the top firmly.
4. Coat the cupcakes in batter and deep-fry, in batches, until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the fryer and drain on paper towels for a few seconds. Transfer to a serving platter, then indulge.