Food Network Cupcake Wars: Peaches ‘n Cream Cupcake Recipe

Peaches 'n Cream

Here is my exclusive Peaches ‘N Cream Cupcake Recipe from the Winning Cupcakes from Food Network’s Cupcake Wars!

Peaches ‘N Cream Cupcakes

Courtesy of Annette Starbuck 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peach extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup peach puree

Filling

• 2 cups fresh or frozen peaches, pureed
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mascarpone Frosting

• 1 pound mascarpone cheese
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

 

Directions:

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 12 liners in a cupcake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until it looks creamy. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and peach extract until the mixture is smooth. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until almost combined. Add the buttermilk and peach puree and stir again until almost combined. Add the rest of the flour and stir until all the ingredients are mixed in.

Fill the cupcake liners with batter using a large ice cream scoop. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.

For the filling: Place small saucepan on the stovetop and put on medium heat. Put the peaches and sugar in and bring to slight boil. In a separate small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and keep on medium-low heat for about 1 minute. Cool completely before use. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups.

For the frosting: Put the mascarpone, cream and confectioners’ sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Yield: about 2 cups.

Fill the cupcakes with the peach filling and then frost with the mascarpone frosting.

Peaches n' Cream Cupcakes I did as Wedding Favors

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cupcake Recipe – Cupcake Wars

My Display at the Kentucky Derby on the Red Carpet w/Mint Julep Cupcakes

Hello!

I have had a lot of requests for the recipes on my Food Network’s Cupcake Wars episode, especially the Mint Julep Cupcake!  I am honored by all of your requests and I am truly sorry it has taken a bit to post some.  As most of you know, I have been a busy girl opening my first store front location in Glendale, Ca.  Actually I think I saw a lot of you there!!  That night was incredibly magical and I owe it to each and every one of you who have supported me and indulged in my hand crafted cupcakes!  It has been a real dream come true to be able to open my store front and bake for all of you.  It has definitely been quite a challenge.  Who knew about all these things – schedules, what time to be open, what days to be open, delivery or not, etc…there has definitely been a lot of learning going on over here on owning your own cupcakery but I am intrigued and I have been blessed to have amazing fans such as yourself who have given advice or even just been patient with us through our growing process.  THANK YOU!

Without further ado… here is the Mint Julep recipe from our Cupcake Wars episode!  This gives you plenty of time before the next Kentucky Derby on the May 5th, 2012 – 131 days to be exact!  Happy Baking and please let me know if you have any questions or even share some of your experience with the recipe and pictures!!

Xxoo…Annette

Winning Cupcake from Cupcake Wars - Mint Julep

Mint Julep Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon mint extract
• 4 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup bourbon (or whiskey)
• 1/4 cup clear Crème de Menthe

Bourbon and Mint Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Butter – Room Temperature
• 1/3 cup Bourbon (or whiskey)
• ¼ cup Green Crème de Menthe
• Dash of Salt
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar

Extra Ingredients:

• A little extra Bourbon for Soaking
• Fresh Mint for Garnish (or a chocolate mint)

Directions:

Cupcakes:

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees (F).  Place 36 liners in a cupcake pans.  Whisk salt, baking powder, and 1 3/4 cups of the flour.  Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and extracts in a large mixing bowl until creamy (make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl).  Gradually beat in the flour mixture.  Add the milk and liquors to the batter, then the rest of the flour (1 cup).  Mix as little as possible until the batter comes together.  Fill paper lined cupcake pan with large ice cream scoop.  Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.  Place on wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

When cooled and before frosting, brush extra bourbon over the tops of all cupcakes to give a little added kick of bourbon.

Bourbon and Mint Frosting:

With paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth.  Add salt and 2 cups powdered sugar.  Slowly beat in until smooth, add Bourbon and Crème de Menthe and mix on low speed.  Add remaining sugar until smooth.  Adjust sugar for consistency variances depending on desired outcome of frosting.  Frost.  Garnish with fresh mint leaf or chocolate mint mold.  I also like to add a little green disco dust to make it glitter!

Here are a few photos from my experience…. Hope you enjoy!

My Display for Kentucky Derby on Cupcake Wars that took the win!

Bonnie Jill Laflin and me at the 137th Kentucky Derby!

Maria Menounos enjoying one of our Cupcakes at the Kentucky Derby 2011

And the winner is…. Annette – Cupcake Wars Season 3 Premiere

Wow.  So the last few months I have been pretty quiet in this blogging world.  I was under strict agreement I couldn’t say anything, but now it’s out!!  We have been filming Cupcake Wars!!!  The season premiere aired this past Tuesday on Food Network Channel and for all of you who haven’t seen it yet….WE WON!!!!  Yes, I just spoiled it for you!  SORRY!  I can’t help but be so proud and amazed and I just want to shout it from the roof tops.  Although we DID have REALLY tough competition from Just Cupcakes, Knead Sugar, and Brown’s Bakery!  All three of them are amazing!

I get a LOT of questions asking about my experience, what it was like, what happens, etc.  All I can say is it was the SINGLE MOST intense moment in my entire life and YES I would do it again!  Cupcake Wars really inspired me to keep going forward and it helped me realize by Candace Nelson of Sprinkles and Florian Bellanger of Mad Macs NYC that my cupcakes are outstanding and incredible.  None of the judges had anything bad to say other then a slight comment about using some fresh mint.

When I watched the show for the first time with the rest of the country, I couldn’t believe my ears when at one point Florian said that it was the “cleanest displays they have had on the show”.  Words could not describe what i felt when I heard that.  I was thrilled and overwhelmed by him noticing all of my attention to detail from the moss, fresh roses, antique trophies… I wanted to make sure I captured the true elegance that goes with this amazing traditional Kentucky Derby.  And then I can’t even describe what an amazing opportunity it was to be able to have our cupcakes on the Red Carpet at the 137th Kentucky Derby!!  To meet people like Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minnillo, and Salt N Pepa is indescribable!  And they all LOVED the cupcakes and were so sweet!!!  It’s not everyday you are able to have critics like them!

If you don’t have cable (I know a lot of you use Netflix and Hulu) you can watch the winning scene here: http://youtu.be/y8DY-9_-X6Y

Now comes the aftermath of winning Cupcake Wars!  That night, I was overwhelmed with texts, emails, Facebook posts, Tweets, Phone Calls, and so much more…I have tried my best to make sure I answered each and every one of you personally.  I can’t be more thankful to all my fans and supporters out there.  As far as future as Goodie Girls, we are in the process of opening our store front in Glendale, CA.   It is located just 3 blocks from Americana at 415 East Broadway St #100, Glendale, CA 91205.  Until the store opens, we are doing mail orders for our HOTTEST new product called the Cake-Up, which are push up cakes!!  They are divine and SHIPPABLE!!  Other than that we have been busy with some very large events including at The Grove for the “Judy Moody Not so Bummer Summer” movie premiere with Radio Disney, the Sephora Girls night Out for Fox Searchlight Movie “The Art of Getting By”, The “Malibu Wine & Food Festival”, and also we are at the Friday Food Fair every Friday at the Chefs Center in Pasadena, CA at 45 N. San Gabriel Blvd, Pasadena, CA (which we sell out at so get there early)!!  🙂

Please sign up for our “Sweet List” at www.thegoodiegirls.com if you would like to keep up with us, our news, updates, and an invite to our Grand Opening Party for our store soon to come.

We appreciate ALL of you and would love to hear from you each one of you whenever you can!  Again…we are only here because of YOU!

And I MUST give a HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to my assistant on the show, Jackie Brubaker.  She was unbelievable!!  Please check her out in her band called Jackie Brubaker and The Ex-Boyrfriends!  Also to my Dad, Doug Starbuck (owner of Starside Designs in Riverside, CA), Step Mom Stephanie, and my unbelievably supportive Pop Star husband A.N.T. (www.poptronicant.com)!  Without all of their help and support, I would never have gotten to where I am today.  They push me, the help me, the encourage me and tell me I CAN do it!!!  So THANK YOU AGAIN ALL!!!

Please visit us at www.thegoodiegirls.com, our Facebook at www.facebook.com/goodiegirls, and our twitter at www.twitter.com/goodiegirlcooks or email us at info@thegoodiegirls.com.  🙂

❤ all of you… Annette Starbuck …GG