Baking In Faith: Hidden Treasures

Have you ever been on a treasure hunt? I remember in high school, our church youth group would get together and race around town finding clues that our leader prepared for us. It was always the highlight of the year! It was the curiosity and anticipation of what was waiting at the next stop that kept us going. Each clue had been carefully laid out so we could find it and was labeled so that we would know it was for us.

I still love finding hidden treasures! It's always a fun surprise! Finding that twenty dollar bill in the wash that fell out of a pocket, an item lost and then found months later or that item at the store that you desperately needed and they actually had it (those in Okinawa know the excitement I'm talking about!). Our heavenly Father has so many treasures laid out of us to find if only we would open our eyes and hearts to receive them. Isaiah 45:3 says, "I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." (NIV, 2011) His treasures: his never ending love, his grace, his son are all there, labeled clearly with our names. If only we would seek them, what amazing things we will find!

Find a sweet treasure inside these Boston Cream cupcakes!

Genoise Cake:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

3 eggs at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sift the flour and cornstarch together two times. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add eggs and sugar whisking to combine. Heat using a double boiler until mixture reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue to whisk while warming mixture.

Double Boiler: large saucepan filled half-full of water,
boil and put mixing bowl on top of saucepan.

I used a candy thermometer to assess the temperature.

Attach mixing bowl to mixer. Using whip attachment, mix on medium high speed for 4-5 minutes until foam is three times the original size. When done, the mixture will form a ribbon as it falls off the whip.

Before whipping

Full volume

Ribbon effect

Fold in the cornstarch and flour using a spatula. Fold in the sour cream, melted butter and extract.

Gently spoon into prepared muffin tins filling each cup 2/3 of the way full.

Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are browned and cake springs back when pressed in the center. Cool on wire rack.

* May omit sour cream. Some taste testers preferred the cupcakes without sour cream.

Vanilla Pastry Cream:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 eggs room temperature
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup whipping cream (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and half the sugar until it starts to simmer.

Whisk remaining sugar, cornstarch and eggs in a large bowl to combine. When milk is heated, slowly add half of the milk to egg mixture whisking constantly (called tempering). Put the saucepan back over medium heat and add the tempered eggs to the saucepan whisking constantly until the sauce become thick and reaches a full boil. Remove from heat.

Tempering eggs

Add tempered eggs to milk left in saucepan

Add extract and melted butter mixing until smooth.

Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressing the plastic on top of the cream to prevent the top from forming skin. Put in refrigerator to chill, about three to four hours.

Before filling cupcakes, can fold in whipped whipping cream creating a lighter filling.

To fill, cut a hole in center of cupcakes. Cut a larger whole to add more cream.