That's Ah Some Meatball!

Okay, I'll tell you right up front, this isn't my idea.  I actually saw it in Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.  However, my cupcakes are from scratch and have the added advantage of the most wonderful vanilla flavor due to a surprise package I received yesterday.  A dear friend in California has a friend she's known since their school days and she and her husband, Chico have started an importing business with Tahitian Vanilla.  If anyone has ever tasted the difference between Tahitian and Madagascar...well, this was like winning the lottery when I opened the package.

I call my cupcakes Very Very Vanilla and of course, the buttercream has the same amount.  The meatball is a Ferrero Rocher and the sauce is my strawberry jam.  To add the look of grated parmesan cheese, you finely grate white chocolate.  This makes a wonderful cupcake for kids, but the flavors are complex enough to intrigue any adult to bite into them.

Very Very Vanilla Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups Cake Flour
1 1/3 cups All-purpose Flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp. Vanilla powder
1 T Vanilla Crush
1 cup whole milk


Preheat oven 325F-degrees.  Line muffin tins with white papers.


In a KitchenAid, using the paddle attachment, place all the dry ingredients in the bowl, stir to combine.  With the motor running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.  The mixture should resemble coarse corn meal.  Next, mix the liquid ingredients in a large glass measuring cup.  Whisk to mix thoroughly.  While the mixer is running pour the liquid into the dry ingredients.  Continue beating until well combined.  Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins filling the papers three-quarters full.

Bake in the preheated oven 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely in the tins.


Prepare the Vanilla Vanilla Buttercream:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 lbs. confectioners' sugar
1 Vanilla Bean, split and the seeds removed
2 tsp. Vanilla Crush
2-3 T Heavy Cream
1-2 drops of Yellow Food Color 


18-24 Ferrero Rocher chocolate candies
Strawberry jam
block of white chocolate


In the KitchenAid, using the paddle, beat the butter until fluffy.  Add half of the confectioners' sugar, the Vanilla Bean and Vanilla Crush.  Beat well to combine.  Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat well.  Add the remaining confectioner's sugar and beat, add additional cream as needed to make a fluffy buttercream.  Add 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring to get that "pasta" look.


Use a 1/8-inch round decorating tip and a pastry bag.  Hold the bag above the cupcake and let the buttercream ooze out like spaghetti.

When you've finished all the spaghetti.  Place a Ferrero Rocher on top. Spoon out 1-2 teaspoons of strawberry jam over the candy.  As a final touch finely grate white chocolate to simulate parmesan cheese.

My mom would have really gotten a kick out of these; such a great idea and very easy to assemble.  The vanilla flavor is unbelievable and thank you Jean and Chico for importing such a wonderful product.  I'm ecstatic over discovering this website.  Enjoy!