‘Curtains’ and cupcakes: A sweet treat for the cast and crew

When the curtain goes down at the end of Act One, most of the Zion Opera Workshop cast relax at intermission. It has been my pleasure for the past few years to create show-themed cupcakes for them to enjoy while they take a few moments between acts.

This weekend ZOW presents “Curtains,” a musical set in Boston in the late 1950s. I am offering the cast four different cupcakes that either represent a director, a cast member, a song, dialogue or a show theme.

This show, I am baking four different cupcakes: a Wedding Cupcake, a Theater Cupcake, a Neapolitan Cupcake and a Coffee-Themed Cupcake. With a decadent dark chocolate cupcake base, you can’t go wrong.

In honor of the 2019 cast and crew of “Curtains” and in memory of my brother Josh, who loved “The Music Man,” I present my ZOW “Neapolitan Cupcakes.”

You’ll definitely want to give these a try.

And to the cast and crew of Zion Opera Workshop’s “Curtains,” break a leg!

Rich Chocolate Cupcake Batter

1¾ cup of all-purpose flour

¾ cup of a good quality cocoa powder (I use Valrhona most times)

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1½ teaspoons of baking soda

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup of canola or a seed oil

1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)

1 cup of hot water

Sift together all the dry ingredients into your mixing bowl. Add sugar and whisk all together. In a separate large measuring cup or bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla, oil and buttermilk together. Have your hot water ready, on the side.

With the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly add your wet ingredients. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, scrape the bowl to make sure every ingredient is moistened. On medium speed, mix for about a minute or until the batter looks smooth. On the same medium speed, slowly pour in the hot water. Once all the hot water is incorporated, scrape the bowl. Mix again, on medium speed. Use rubber spatula, and scrape from the bottom to make sure all is mixed well. Pour and distribute the batter evenly into each cupcake liner. (I use an ice cream scooper to make the batter more even.)

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Put your cupcakes on a cooling rack. Cool completely about 1-2 hours at least. (You can plastic wrap the cupcakes overnight on plates, until you put the meringue on top.)

Neapolitan Buttercream

4 egg whites, room temperature

3 sticks of butter, unsalted at room temperature

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ to ½ teaspoon of strawberry flavor (I use Frontier brand.)

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ to ½ cup of strawberry jam, pureed if possible

A few drops of red food coloring, optional

Maraschino cherries and sugar sprinkles, optional garnishes

In your stand mixer, add egg whites, salt and sugar. Use your whisk to mix all together. Place your mixing bowl over a double boiler. Whisk ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to touch. Place mixing bowl back into your stand mixer, and with the whisk attachment mix on medium high speed. Beat for 5 minutes or until thick and marshmallowlike.

On low speed, add butter a little at a time. Add vanilla after all the butter is added. Turn the mixer back on medium high speed. The icing will look broken but it will come back together.

Take off the whisk attachment and put the paddle attachment on low speed now to release air bubbles.

In a bowl, set aside 1/3 of the icing and cover with plastic wrap or place in piping bag. To the remaining icing, add the strawberry flavoring, jam and red food coloring. Place this buttercream icing in a piping bag. Pipe the strawberry and vanilla buttercream on as you wish. Top with a cherry and sugar sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.

Local chef Sarah Schweitzer learned from her grandmother, and then she went on to learn from the professionals. Schweitzer will be sharing recipes, photos and cooking tips on our Food pages.