Happy Mother's Day

It is very sweet and touching to read all the Mother's Day related posts among food bloggers. So many memories, so much learned and shared.  And for those of you whose mother's are still with you - I wish you many many more days of sharing and love.  I lost my mother years ago and when she was alive our relationship was never one of those idyllic mother daughter relationships that everyone would love to have.  And it's taken me all these years to remember the sweet moments we used to share.  For the longest time all I could remember were the bad times and those obliterated the good times or as I refer to them now, as the not so bad times.  On a day that is meant for celebrating that motherly bond I am flooded with those rare sweet moments we experienced. Maybe because they were so few between they have become so much sweeter.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the women who are so much a part of our lives, both the good and the bad-they have helped make us who and what we are today.  This little bit of sweetness is for all them.

Thanks to Martha Stewart for the recipes  I used today. And Happy Mother's Day Martha !


Butter Cake Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
INGREDIENTS

Makes 26 cupcakes or two 9-by-13-inch cake layers.

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole milk

Raspberry Jam-approximately 1 1/2 cups

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For cupcakes: Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside. For cake layers: Cut a long sheet of parchment or waxed paper into two 9-by-13-inch rectangles to line the bottom of two 9-by-13-inch baking pans. Butter and line pans. Butter linings, then flour pans, tapping out excess. Set aside. (Alternatively, if you have only one pan, set aside second piece of parchment paper to bake one layer at a time.)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium-high speed until pale, 2 to 3 minutes. On medium speed, add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and mix, scraping down sides of bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two batches of milk. Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is evenly blended.

For cupcakes: Pour batter into lined cups, filling each two-thirds full. (You will have batter left over for additional batches; set aside.) For cake layers: Pour 2 3/4 cups batter into each prepared pan. Smooth the top of each layer with a small offset spatula.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes for cupcakes, 20 to 25 minutes for layers.

Let layers or cupcakes cool in pans on wire racks, 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Invert cake layers or cupcakes to remove from pans (peel off parchment from cake layers). Re invert, and let cool completely on racks. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to decorate.

For cupcakes (or cake layers, if baking in two batches): Repeat with remaining batter, lining muffin tin (or baking pan) when cooled.

Scoop out a very small cylinder of the cupcake from the center. Using a pastry bag filled with the raspberry jam fill the cavity with the jam just to the top of the cupcake.

Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

I made up a small batch of simple syrup and added Raspberry extract.  Once the syrup had cooled I lightly brushed the top of the cooled cupcakes with it.

 Meringue Butter cream Icing

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 10 cups.

3 cups granulated sugar

12 large egg whites

2 pounds (8 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-size pieces

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Whisk sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees.on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.

Fit an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, and beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks and mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium-low, and add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Add vanilla; beat until frosting comes together, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat on lowest speed until air bubbles diminish, about 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Use your favorite pastry tip and sprinkles for decorating.  Now go give your mom a big hug and thank her for being the kind of person she is.