Cupcakes??

[mamadelbosque]

So, I have a couple questions. First of all, does anyone have an recommendations for good cupcake recipes/recipe books? Theres a few cupcake recipe books on amazon that look cool (especially "Hello, Cupcake!"), but I'm just kinda skeptical... I have generally avoided cookbooks that focus on just one thing, but idk... Any 'healthy' cupcake recipes?

Secondly... can I make any regular cake recipe into cupcakes? How much will cooking time change?? Is there a 'general rule' or do I just have to wing it each and everytime??

And, finally... has anyone ever used cast iron muffin pans to make cupcakes in? I'm assuming it'd be fine, since no matter what your going to be using the little paper cup things, but just thought I'd ask to be sure

[JamieCatheryn]

Any cake recipe can be made as cupcakes just about. Cooking time is about 2/3 usually, I find. You can always do the poke a toothpick in the middle test and keep an eye on it.

Couple favorites of mine:

Chocolate Cake:
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar, raw sugar, or honey
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (sub up to half with whole wheat)
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
350F for 1 hour as cake

Gingerbread cake
1 cup peanut oil
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 to 2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger (or 1 more tablespoon ground)
2 large eggs
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (sub up to half whole wheat)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon baking soda
Bake 325F for 50 minutes as a cake

To turn most any cake recipes healthy, I use butter, coconut oil, or peanut oil in place of corn oil or shortening, use unbleached and a fine whole wheat flour, cut the sugar in half and if you like you can replace it with raw sugar or with honey.

Top them with a whipped cream icing, a dusting of powdered sugar, or lightly frost with real butter and powdered sugar icing.

[SpuglyRoo]

I know you did mention "healthy" which these aren't but they are soo awesome! I made them for the first time on memorial day and EVERYONE (including my husband who insists he doesn't like cream filled things) loved them. They are a homemade version of hostess cupcakes from the food network, and I found the recipe on this blog:
http://www.whatmegansmaking.com/2010...-cupcakes.html