Can You Help?

A reader asks:

I see you use a KitchenAid and love it. My hubby bought me the Artisan for Mother’s Day and I hate it! The cookies are constantly dry. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’d like to love mine (including the KA Pro hand mixer, which I bought a couple weeks ago) just like you do yours. Any tips you can give me would be so appreciated.

Also, what is it about KA that you like better? I’m just about ready to go get a Sunbeam or something. I never had such failures in baking. After 40 years, I guess I have to go to cooking school just so I can use my KitchenAid. I’m beyond frustrated!

Unfortunately, I’m not much help to her as my KitchenAid is my first stand mixer ever, so I can’t compare it to anything. Does anyone have any suggestions/advice?

Vanilla Cupcakes

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I’ve tried a slew of vanilla cupcake recipes and usually end up with a bland, dense cake. So when I came across this recipe for “Almost Cake Mix Vanilla Cupcakes, I was skeptical. But I am happy to report the name is right on! Not only are these cupcakes delicious, they are moist and light as well. And of course, I used my favorite buttercream frosting recipe.

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup Crisco shortening, room temperature
2 cups sugar, ground in the processor until fine (measure before processing)
4 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract or lemon extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour (or combined together)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup warm half-and-half cream or full-fat milk (this is important, warm the milk!)

Preparation

1. Set oven to 375 degrees (will reduce oven temperature just before baking cupcakes).
2. Line 24 muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
3. In an electric mixer, cream butter and shortening until fluffy.
4. Add in the eggs (one at a time) and the extracts and beat about 3-4 minutes on high speed (the mixture will seem to be a bit lumpy but will even out when you add in the sugar).
5. Add in the sugar; beat well (another 3 minutes) until sugar is COMPLETELY combined.
6. In a bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder.
7. Blend into the creamed ingredients, along with the warm milk until smooth (about 3 minutes).
8. Fill the prepared pans about two-thirds full.
9. IMMEDIATELY, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
10. Place the cupcakes in oven, and bake for about 20-24 minutes, or until the cupcakes test done.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Notes:

1. I used ultrafine sugar.
2. I used cake flour.
3. I used whole mik.
4. I used lemon extract.
5. After adding the eggs to the butter, the batter is very lumpy and kinda funky looking.
6. The cupcakes were done after 18 minutes, so you may want to check them early.
7. I usually get 30 (very nicely sized) cupcakes, not 24 like the recipe states.

Recipe from Recipe*Zaar.

Questions

I’m not sure how many people read this regularly, so I have no idea if I’ll get any responses, but here goes:

• Do you have any recipes that look fun but haven’t had a chance to try? If so, what are they? I’m always looking for new ones.
• Do you find the pictures of the baking process beneficial or should I just post one of the final product?
• Have you tried any of the recipes on here? If so, which did you try and how did it turn out?

And of course, if you have anything else to share, I’d love to hear it!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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I’m not sure where I got this recipe, I think it’s the one my mom gave me when I was in college and could only bake two things: this banana bread and the peanut butter chocolate swirl cookies. It’s very simple, the bread is moist, and is great to make when you have some overly ripe bananas at home.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 mashed, ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine sugar, shortening, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
3. Blend bananas into mixture.
4. Combine flour, baking power and salt. Add to mixture.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Put mixture into loaf pan.
7. Bake 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees.

Note: I use miniature chocolate chips, and lightly dust them with flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the loaf. You can also bake them in muffin tins (makes about 18 muffins) for about 20 minutes.

Recipe from my Mom!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

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I make these for parties all the time. They’re not only simple to make, but look really cute and are a good dessert for mingling guests to eat without making a mess. I’ve never used an actual recipe for these, so this is what I have come up with.

Ingredients
12 oz chocolate
20 pretzel rods
Sprinkles, nuts, caramel (optional)

Preparation

1. Line baking sheets with wax paper.
2. Melt chocolate slowly using a double boiler or a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. This is important, as you don’t want to burn the chocolate.
3. Dip pretzels (or use a spatula to spread).
4. Place pretzels on wax paper to set.
5. Refrigerate if needed.

Store in an airtight container.

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