Book VS Food Challenge 2

I know you are probably fed out of seeing this novel in my posts, but I think Beefcakes (Beefcakes #1) by Katana Collins would be perfect for this challenge. Plus, I did the same Sugarlips, the second book in the same series. For the time being, there are three in the series, and I read them all out of order. So, they still be enjoyed as a standalone.

First Lines:

My Jeep hit a bump in the road, and my brother Liam and I bounced up off our seats, nearly hitting our heads on the topof the car.
“Fuck! Easy, Neil!” Liam shouted, turning around in his seat and trying to get a look at the two dozen decorated cupcakes that were carefully stacked in the back.
“Sorry,” I grunted. “Fucking potholes. You’d think New Hampshire would be on top of fixing them after winter.”
“Or,” Liam rolled his eyes, “you could just drive carefully.”
I leaned my bare arm out the window, enjoying the hot sun against my skin. “Why the hell did Mom book a cupcake delivery that was forty-five minutes away?

Goodreads Blurb:

Things are about to get sticky…

I might as well permanently add the label “Ex” to my name. I’m an Ex-Mr. Universe. Ex-Mr. Olympus. An Ex-Hollywood Stuntman. But no one from my small hometown cares anything about that. They only care that I’m the ex-boyfriend to the beloved Mayor’s daughter, Elaina Dyker.

And now, ten years later, I’m back, helping my siblings run my mother’s bakery while she takes on chemo. What should have been a routine cupcake delivery turns into utter chaos when the bachelorette party thinks I’m a stripper. And what’s worse? Elaina is the maid of honor.

But the meme about us sure went viral fast. My small hometown has become positively infested with tipsy bridesmaids looking for my erotic cupcakes.

Now Hollywood’s knocking again—and this time they want me and my ex, Mr. Beefcake and Ms. Prude, to star in a reality show.

It could solve all my problems—except her.

Goodreads Link Here

Ingredients

Sugar Free Cupcakes

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (175g)
• 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
• 1/2 cup or 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
• 1 cup sugar free sweetener – Allulose or Swerve (175g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
• 1 tsp almond extract – optional (4g)
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature (126g)

Sugar Free Frosting

• 4 large egg whites, room temperature (130g)
• 1 cup Allulose or other sugar free sweetener (175g)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (2g)
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (8g)
• 1 tsp almond extract – optional (4g)
• gel food coloring (if desired)

Instructions

Sugar Free Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F /175 C and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar free sweetener like Allulose or Swerve. Mix on a medium high speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment for about 2 minutes, to incorporate air into the butter.
4. Add in 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp of almond extract. Mix on medium high speed until the ingredients are fully combined. The mixture should look fluffy.
5. Mix in 1/2 cup of sour cream on a medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
6. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed until the flour is just incorporated.
7. Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin, evenly dividing the batter between the 12 cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. These won’t brown the same way regular cupcakes do, so don’t rely on visual cues for doneness!
9. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Sugar Free Frosting

1. In a medium sized pot, add about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer.
2. Before making the frosting, be sure to thoroughly clean your mixing bowl by wiping it down with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice. If there’s any grease it can make it difficult to make the meringue.
3. Add 4 egg whites and 1 cup of sugar free sweetener like Swerve or Allulose into a heat-proof mixing bowl.
4. Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. The bowl should create a seal over the pot.
5. Whisk the mixture constantly for 3-5 minutes, until it reaches 160 F / 71 C. At this point the mixture should feel smooth and hot to the touch with your finger.
6. Lift your bowl away from the pot and dry the bottom with a towel.
7. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium high using a whisk attachment. Mix for 5-8 minutes, or until you have stiff and glossy peaks. You can also use a hand mixer, but it will take a bit longer.
8. At this point in time, the mixing bowl should be room temperature. If it’s warm, it will melt your butter!!
9. Mix on a medium speed and add in 3/4 cup of room temperature unsalted butter in small chunks.
10. Then add in 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract and 1 tsp almond extract. If you want to color this frosting, add in gel food coloring at this point and mix on a low speed until fully incorporated.
11. When all butter is mixed in, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue mixing on a low speed for about 3 minutes.
12. The frosting should have a thick whipped consistency at this point. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks smooth and thick.
13. Place the frosting into a large piping bag fit with your favorite frosting tip and pipe on each cooled cupcake. I used a Wilton 1M frosting tip to decorate these cupcakes.

Notes

Yield

This recipe can be used to make 12 regular sized cupcakes, or about 36 mini cupcakes. To make mini cupcakes, bake at 350 F/ 175 C for 8-10 minutes.

Tips For Making Best Sugar Free Cupcakes

• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated once you’ve added in the flour. This will help the cupcakes have a more tender crumb.
• Heat the egg white / Allulose mixture to 160 F / 71 C to make the egg whites safe to eat. I like to use a digital thermometer to track the temperature.
• If the frosting breaks / curdles, just keep mixing!! It should come back together with the help of your stand mixer. For more troubleshooting tips, check out this post.
• Use vanilla bean paste and a bit of almond extract to really amp up the flavor of this frosting!
• To make chocolate sugar free cupcakes, swap out 1/3 cup of flour for baking cocoa.
• Turn this sugar free frosting recipe into chocolate sugar free frosting by mixing in 1 cup of melted and cooled milk or dark chocolate once the frosting is made.

Making These Sugar Free Cupcakes in Advance and Storage Tips

These cupcakes can be made in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for:

• 2 days at room temperature
• Up to a week in the fridge
• Up to 3 months in the freezer

If you have extra buttercream you don’t use, it can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or piping bag for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition Information

Yield 12

Serving Size 1

Amount Per Serving

Calories 391

Total Fat22g

Saturated Fat13g

Trans Fat 0g

Unsaturated Fat 7g

Cholesterol 87mg

Sodium 222mg

Carbohydrates 45g

Fiber 0g

Sugar 34g

Protein 4g

Recipe Source Here

Alex