Best 5 Brain Cupcakes Recipes

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Are you ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will both tantalize your taste buds and challenge your perception of what a cupcake can be? The brain cupcake, a captivating and unique dessert, is a culinary marvel that combines the visual appeal of a human brain with the delectable flavors of a traditional cupcake. Its intricate design and realistic appearance are sure to turn heads and spark conversations, while its rich flavors and moist texture will leave you craving more. In this article, we'll delve into the fascinating world of brain cupcakes, providing you with all the information you need to create these extraordinary treats in your own kitchen. From selecting the right ingredients and mastering the art of shaping the cupcake batter to achieving the perfect balance of flavors and textures, we'll guide you through every step of the process. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this mind-blowing dessert that is sure to become a showstopper at any gathering.

Let's cook with our recipes!

BRAIN CUPCAKES



Brain Cupcakes image

Buttercream frosting and a steady hand with the piping bag are all you need to turn chocolate cupcakes into the greatest minds.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cupcake Recipes

Yield Makes 18

Number Of Ingredients 15

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
10 large egg whites
4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Steps:

  • One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
  • Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.
  • Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
  • Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
  • Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
  • To decorate, use a medium round tip (such as Ateco #12) to pipe a mound of buttercream in the center of cupcake, then outline and pipe a brain design over it.

BRAIN CUPCAKES



Brain Cupcakes image

Provided by Duff Goldman

Categories     dessert

Time 1h45m

Yield 12 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 17

1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
Pink candy goo (or cherry or strawberry jam), for filling
1 recipe American Buttercream, recipe follows
Red, yellow and black food coloring
2 tablespoons red piping gel
4 sticks (1 pound) butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or any other flavor you want), optional
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk

Steps:

  • For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the egg white, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Add the vanilla and beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix the flour mixture and the milk into the egg mixture in three parts¿flour-milk-flour, taking care to scrape down the sides as you go, and incorporating each addition well. Mix until smooth.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups using an ice-cream scoop--the batter should come about three-quarters of the way up the sides. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 16 minutes.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove from the pan to the rack to cool completely.
  • For the filling and decoration: Use a cupcake corer to hollow out the center of the cupcakes, saving the tops; then fill with a couple tablespoons of candy goo. Slice the top off of the plug you removed from the cupcake and place back in the hole to seal in the filling. Use a couple of drops of red food coloring and the smallest amount of yellow and black to color your frosting. Frost the tops of cupcakes with a thin layer of buttercream. Place the remaining buttercream into a pastry bag fitting with a medium round tip. Pipe squiggles around the top of the cupcakes, creating two hemispheres of the brain. Thin the red piping gel with a teaspoon of water and use a spoon to drizzle over top of the brain to get into crevices.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all the ingredients. Whip the mixture on low speed for a while. When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and whip until the buttercream is smooth and looks right to you. If it's too cold, persuade it with a blowtorch if you have one. If it's too wet, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it's too stiff, add a bit more butter. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything is combined.
  • Use immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Rewhip cold buttercream before using it.

MINI BRAIN CUPCAKES



Mini Brain Cupcakes image

Treat your guests with these cupcakes made with Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ dark chocolate cake mix and whipped vanilla frosting - a delicious "brainy" dessert perfect for Halloween.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 1h50m

Yield 72

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ dark chocolate cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (from 12-oz bag)
2 containers (12 oz each) Betty Crocker™ Whipped vanilla frosting
72 walnut halves (2 cups), toasted
4 tubes (0.68 oz each) Betty Crocker™ red decorating gel

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Place mini paper baking cup in each of 72 mini muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Gently press 1 chocolate chunk into center of each muffin cup.
  • Bake 11 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Top each with 1 walnut half. Using red gel, pipe along edges of walnut halves to look like brains. Store cupcakes loosely covered at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 129, Carbohydrate 16 g, Fat 1, Fiber 1/2 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 79 mg

RED VELVET BRAINS CUPCAKES



Red Velvet Brains Cupcakes image

Provided by Anne Thornton, Host of Dessert First

Time 50m

Yield 12 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
1 teaspoon white wine or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon red food coloring (recommended: Select natural food coloring)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
Red and black food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Salt

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners (preferably silver).
  • For the cupcakes: Crack the eggs into your mixer. Add the canola oil, buttermilk and vinegar. Drop in the food coloring and vanilla. Let it stir up until well mixed.
  • Put the sugar, flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk together until well mixed. Then sift this right onto a big piece of waxed paper, it makes it easy to transport to the mixer. Make sure there are no clumps.
  • Turn your mixture on low and slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients as it's mixing. Turn the mixer up just a bit and combine well. Stop and scrape down the bowl.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to evenly dish the batter out into the cupcake liners, about 3/4 full.
  • Pop the cupcakes in the oven until a cake tester comes out nice and clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside to cool completely before frosting.
  • For the frosting: Add the softened butter and confectioners' sugar and cream together in a mixer. Add the milk. Stop and scrape down the bowl, getting all the confectioners' sugar incorporated. Add a couple drops of black food coloring and then some red food coloring. Mix in the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
  • Fill a pastry bag or snip the corner of a zip top bag. Fill with the frosting. (To fill the bag easily, wrap the bag around a cup and wrap the edges of the bag around the top to keep the bag open while filling with frosting.)
  • Frost the cupcakes, making a little squiggly line down the middle, and then filling in little swirls to look like the brain. Repeat on the other side and for the rest of the cupcakes.

BRAIN CUPCAKES



Brain Cupcakes image

Provided by Clare Crespo

Yield Makes approximately 14-18 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 5

Pink or white paper cupcake liners
1 recipe batter for Red Velvet Cupcakes
1 recipe Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
Red and black food coloring
Pastry bag and large round tip

Steps:

  • 1. Line cupcake tins with the liners. Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with the batter and bake the cupcakes as directed in the recipe .
  • 2. Mix a drop of red and black food coloring into the frosting to make it a pinkish gray brain color.
  • 3. Using the pastry bag, pipe the frosting in a squiggly pile on half of each cupcake top (brains have two hemispheres, you know). Now pipe the frosting in a squiggly pile on the other half of the cupcake top.

Tips:

  • Use fresh ingredients: The fresher the ingredients, the better your cupcakes will taste.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy: This will help to incorporate air into the batter, making your cupcakes light and airy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition: This will help to prevent the batter from curdling.
  • Sift the flour before adding it to the batter: This will help to ensure that the flour is evenly distributed and that your cupcakes are light and fluffy.
  • Do not overmix the batter: Overmixing can make your cupcakes tough.
  • Fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 full: This will help to prevent the cupcakes from overflowing.
  • Bake the cupcakes at the correct temperature and for the correct amount of time: Undercooked cupcakes will be gooey in the center, while overcooked cupcakes will be dry.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them: This will help to prevent the frosting from melting.

Conclusion:

With these tips in mind, you can make delicious brain cupcakes that are perfect for any occasion. These cupcakes are sure to be a hit with your friends and family. So what are you waiting for? Get baking!

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