Wedding Cupcake Trial #1: Wine and Cheese Cupcakes

Welcome.

Pinot Noir and Goat Cheese Brie Cupcake

I've been baking cupcakes for quite awhile now, but now I have a real reason to document what I bake throughout my trials. I'm getting married!! And it's my intent to bake my own 100 cupcakes and giant cupcake (for us to cut during the reception). This might be a lofty ambitious goal, but with the help of my lovely bridal party, and some extreme organizational skills on my part, I think it will be a great way to save money and share my love of cupcakes and baking with my wedding guests.The first trial is a recipe I am trying from Cupcake Project, and it can be found here: Wine and Cheese Cupcakes and the Chocolate Wine Ganache.

Yield: 21 cupcakes (the original recipe said 16, so who knows?)

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 C salted butter, room temperature (the original recipe calls for unsalted, but salted was what happened to be in the fridge)
  
• 4 oz Goat Milk Brie (the original recipe called for Camembert, but Trader Joe's was lacking in the cheese selection, so I substituted, the package was actually 4.4oz, but by the time I removed the rind I figured it was 4)
  
• 1 3/4 C sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 C dry red wine (The original recipe used a Shiraz, but I happened to have a Pinot Noir that's been sitting around at home forever and used this instead. You will use about half a bottle of wine.)
• 1/2 C walnut halves (originally the recipe had 1C, but I'm not that huge a walnut fan so I cut it in half)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
   
2. In another medium-sized bowl, beat the butter, cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. (I would beat the butter for 2-3 min, then add the cheese, then the sugar, not all at once)
3. Mix in the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated.
4. Mix in the vanilla.
5. Alternately mix the dry ingredients and the red wine into the butter mixture until just combined. (I started and ended with dry ingredients)
   
6. Fold in the walnuts.
7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
8. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Red Wine Chocolate Ganache Recipe

This recipe should make enough to easily frost 12 cupcakes.

• 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped into a few pieces
• 1/2 C unsalted butter
• 2 oz red wine (I used the same Pinot Noir that I used for the cupcakes)

1. Place the chocolate and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 10 seconds and then remove and stir.
3. Repeat step 2 until the chocolate is all melted.
4. Slowly pour in the wine and mix thoroughly.
5. Place in the refrigerator until it hardens enough to easily spread (about 10 minutes).
6. Spread on cupcakes.

My ganache didn't set in the fridge like I had hoped, so I upped the chocolate to 3oz, and put it in the freezer.

This is what happens when you leave it too long in the freezer...


I think the ganache will look better if I don't accidentally freeze it first!

Overall here is our rating:
Moist
Light
Easy to Peel off Wrapper
Better than a Regular Chocolate Cupcake
Cupcake doesn't have much wine taste
Ganache has a noticeable wine taste
Ryan would probably like a cream cheese chocolate frosting or a buttercream frosting more. The ganache was too strong for his liking, although I loved the flavor.