CUPCAKE WARS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini cupcake or muffin pans with 48 mini cupcake liners or line regular-size cupcake or muffin pans with 24 regular cupcake liners. 
• In mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl, stir together the eggs and oil. In a mixing cup, mix together the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract and lightly whisk. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture to the egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. We are trying to achieve a dark brown, red cupcake color, so add more cocoa powder, if the red is not deep enough. Then add the batter to the mini cupcake liners until they are 3/4-full and bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until done. Alternately, fill the regular-size cupcake liners and bake 22 minutes, or until done. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
• Combine the sugar, cream cheese, butter, salt, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and blend for 2 minutes.

Steps:

• To make the sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the chili sauce, horseradish and lemon zest and juice. Season with hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, stir together the panko, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the butter and oil. In batches, toss the shrimp in the butter mixture to coat, then coat them with the panko mixture, shaking off the excess. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake until the coating is golden brown and the shrimp are opaque throughout when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the sauce to individual bowls for dipping. Serve the shrimp at once, passing the sauce on the side. Serves 4.
• Variation: For coconut shrimp, substitute 1 1/2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut for the panko mixture. Add 1 tsp. curry powder to the butter mixture. Dip the shrimp in the butter mixture, then the coconut, and bake as directed. Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.
• Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>Comfort Food,</i> by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).