Iron Cupcake Earth: Cranberry

I was really excited about Cranberry for this month's ICE challenge! My mom's made a cranberry cake (my aunt's recipe) for years, that is a basic yellow cake with cranberries served with a caramel sauce. I tried to adapt the same idea to cupcake form: a sour cream cupcake with cranberry sauce, caramel sauce and topped with swiss meringue buttercream. The cranberry sauce and buttercream can be made ahead, though the caramel needs to be made just before icing.

Sour Cream Cupcakes based on Rose Levy Beranbaum's Sour Cream Butter Cake
4 egg yolks
2/3 c sour cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 c cake flour
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
10 TB unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine yolks, half of sour cream and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl. Add butter and remaining half of sour cream. Mix on low til moistened, then beat for 1 1/2 minutes on med. Add the egg mixture in three batches, beating til combined after each. Transfer to cupcake tin. Bake 15-18 minutes.


Cranberry Sauce
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Combine all in saucepan, and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer over medium heat til cranberries are cooked through but still intact and reduce til liquid just covers base of saucepan.

Caramel Icing
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup half and half
4 TB butter
Combine sugar, half and half, and butter. Cook over med-low heat until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage. Transfer to your mixer bowl and mix until thickened. This happens quickly, about 1-2 minutes. Have cupcakes halved and drizzle caramel sauce over.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg white
3 sticks butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
Cook egg whites and sugar over water til reaches 160 degrees. Transfer to a mixer and beat til it reaches stiff peaks. Add the butter in chunks and beat til of frosting consistency (the meringue will drop and look curdled first) and then add vanilla.


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