Watergate Cupcakes: A Scandalous Green Treat for St. Patty’s Day

Hello SCBD Readers! Antoinette, your South Jersey home cook here. For St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to bring a festive cupcake recipe that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth- Watergate Cupcakes. This Watergate dessert is a classic recipe and actually started off as a sweet salad of pistachio pudding mix, pineapple, walnuts, cool whip and marshmallows. In fact, the recipe for Watergate Salad can still be found on the pistachio Jell-o box today.

Legend has it that Kraft came up with the recipe to market their pistachio pudding mix. It was formerly called Pistachio-Pineapple Delight, but once the Watergate scandal happened, Kraft changed the name to market their recipe. The name has stuck since then!  I am making these cupcakes for a St. Patty’s Day party that I am attending with some political peers and it only makes sense to have these green-tinted, political-themed cupcakes. This recipe yields a lot of batter and can easily be converted to a bundt or layer cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 Box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Golden Vanilla cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick of  unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup of lemon-lime soda
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup of finely chopped coconut flakes
• 1 4 oz box of Instant Pistachio Jell-o Pudding Mix
• 1 jar of Whipped Buttercream Frosting
• 2 12-cup muffin tins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. As oven preheats, line your muffin tins with baking cups, chop walnuts and coconut flakes.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, wisk cake mix with Jell-o pudding mix. Add vanilla extract, eggs, and butter. and mix for 30 seconds on low, slowly add the lemon-lime soda to the mixture,  and then 2 minutes on high.  If you don’t have a stand or hand mixer, just wisk until ingredients are well combined. If you desire a greener cupcake, feel free to add a few drops of food coloring.

3. Fold in 3/4 cup of finely chopped walnuts.

4. Fill each baking cup no more than 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to completely cool before frosting.

“Cover-up” Frosting:

What better way to top a scandalous Watergate cupcake than with a cover-up frosting!

1. As the cupcakes are cooling, in a small bowl wisk together the butter cream frosting and some pistachio pudding mix until it becomes a nice pastel green. Be careful not to add too much pistachio pudding mix, or the frosting will become grainy. If you add too much pudding mix to the frosting, add water to further dissolve the pudding. Wisk until frosting is smooth and insert the bowl into the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

2. Once both the icing and cupcakes are cooled use a knife to spread icing onto the cupcakes. I recommend using a cheese spreader, as the smaller knife is easier to control.

3. Spread out walnuts and coconut flakes onto a plate and gently dip each cupcake to achieve an even coating on each cupcake. Voila! You’re done!

Adding soda to the mixture makes the cake light and airy while the coconut and walnuts add a  crunchy texture. Warning: these cupcakes are so good it’s hard to have just one!

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with these Sweets & Specials

Crystal Tavern at Crystal Springs Resort (One Wild Turkey Way, Hamburg NJ) will serve a special St. Patrick’s dinner on March 17^th from 5-9pm.

The menu, offered as a 3-course prix fixe($38 or $52 with beer pairings) or a la carte, includes sheep’s milk ricotta and nettle gnudi dumplings with crispy pork rinds to start, followed but a choice of three entrees, from the traditional Corned Beef with Irish Soda Bread and accompaniments to Black Sausage & Mash to Irish Lamb Stew cooked with Crystal Springs’ own lamb that’s raised for them at their Rifle Ranch in Colorado. A Mint Brownie Baked Alaska rounds out the menu and each dish will be paired with beer, either Irish or East Coast American craft beer, including the dessert (served with Mothers Milk Stout from NY). Call 973-827-5996 Ext. 3 for reservations.

Interested in taking a class? Check out these awesome St. Patty’s Day classes provided by Coursehorse:

• St. Patt’s Day Beer and Tango Sampling

• St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes (Kids)

Last, celebrate with some of these sweets that’ll knock you off your feet:

  In honor of St Patrick’s Day, Georgetown Cupcake is offering a vanilla and a chocolate St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake.  Both are only available by pre-order, but will be available in the shop for pickup on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.  These cupcakes are vanilla or chocolate cupcakes topped with a light green buttercream frosting and a fondant shamrock.  We also have an Irish Crème cupcake available all month (by both pre-order and in store pick up).  The Irish Crème is a chocolate cupcake topped with a non-alcoholic irish-crème-infused vanilla frosting and a fondant shamrock.

Sweet Revenge, in the West Village will be offering a special Black & Tan cupcake for St. Patty’s Day! Can’t go wrong with a Guiness draft or Chocovine to go with a cupcake!

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Drink Like a Leprechaun – St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails

Another March, another St. Patty’s Day. If, like me, you’ve grown tired of all the pub crawls, than concocting your own delightful cup ‘o’ gold is the perfect solution. Whether you are hosting your own party, entertaining friends, or just relaxing by yourself, any of these unique and festively appropriate cocktails will do. Check out our round-up of the most Irish of them all!

Irish Mojito (Courtesy of Benjamin Steak House)
1 ½ oz. Bacardi Limon
½ oz. Crème de meth
Muddled mint leaves & lime
3 packets of sugar

Muddle mint leaves and lime. Add ice and Bacardi, shake, and strain into a martini glass. Sink crème de menthe (which floats to the bottom), garnish with a mint and a lime, and enjoy!

Kilbeggan Dubliner (Courtesy of Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey)
3 parts Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
2 parts Sweet Vermouth
1½ parts Cherry Syrup
1½ parts Cranberry Juice
Dash Simple Syrup (optional)

Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake for 60 seconds. Strain neat into a martini glass. Garnish with a black cherry.

Shamrock Shaker (Courtesy of Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs)
1/3 Cup Vodka
1/3 Cup Sour Apple Schnapps
1/3 Cup Lemonade
1/3 Cup Sprite
1 Granny Smith Apple
Cinnamon Sugar Mix

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake up the vodka, schnapps and lemonade. Rim the martini glass with cinnamon sugar mix. Pour into a martini glass and top off with Sprite. Garnish with a Granny Smith apple slice cut into the shape of a shamrock (simply use a shamrock cookie cutter).

Sauza Lucky Rita (Courtesy of Sauza Blue Tequila)
2 parts Sauza Blue 100% Agave Silver Tequila
1 part Dekuyper Melon Liqueur
4 parts limeade
Sugar

In a shaker filled with ice combine all ingredients and shake to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice and rimmed with sugar. Garnish with a lime. Serves 8.

Nixie (Courtesy of NoMa Social)
2 oz. Milagro Silver Tequila
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lime
2 Serrano peppers (one cut in to quarters and one whole, with a slit cut in the end)
1 large strawberry (cut in to quarters)
Crushed ice

In a large mixing shaker, muddle the lime juice, the quartered Serrano pepper & the strawberry until pulpy. Fill shaker with crushed ice. Add the tequila & the triple sec. Shake vigorously. Pour mixer in to a martini glass & garnish rim with whole Serrano pepper.

Irish Spring (Courtesy of Upstairs at The Kimberly Hotel)
1 1/2 oz. Jameson Irish Whisky
3/4 oz. Midouri
1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
1 oz. White Cranberry
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake & pour on the rocks.

Bloody Mary (Courtesy of Brother Jimmy’s)
1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice
1/4 cup prepared white horseradish
1 3/4 teaspoons Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 3/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 3/4 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cruzan Irish Cherry Soda (Courtesy of Cruzan Rum)
1 part Irish Whiskey
1 part Cruzan Black Cherry
1 part Lemon Lime Soda

Build over ice in a tall highball glass. Garnish with a cherry and lime.

Sassy Shamrock (Courtesy of Pucker Vodka)
1 ½ parts Pucker Sour Apple Sass Vodka
1 part Lemon Juice
½ part Simple Syrup
½ part Elderflower Liqueur
Soda

Add first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain. Pour into a Collins glass and top with soda.

Kilbeggan Irish Storm (Courtesy of Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey)
1½ parts Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
3 parts Ginger Beer
1 part Fresh Lemon Sour

Build all ingredients over ice in a tall highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Sauza Sour Apple Margarita (Courtesy of Sauza Blue Tequila)
1 can frozen limeade
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup Sauza Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
1/4 cup DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker
1 Granny Smith apple
1 Lime

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher filled with ice. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve chilled or over ice. Garnish with an apple slice. Serves 4. Enjoy!

Cruzan Pot of Gold (Courtesy of Cruzan Rum)
1 1/2 parts Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum
3/4 part DeKuyper Orange Curacao
3/4 part Fresh Orange Juice
2 parts Fresh Lemon Sour

Shake ingredients together with ice and strain into a cinnamon and sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

Black Opal (Courtesy of Jacques Bezuidenhout)
1 1/2 oz. Partida Reposado
1 1/2 oz. Guinness Draft
1/2 oz. Tawny Port
1/4 oz. Agave Nectar (Cut with water. So the Agave Nectar is cut with equal parts water as we do with the Marg)
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled wine glass or small pint glass without ice. Garnish with some grated or ground cinnamon powder. Guinness Note: Take a pint of Guinness before hand and use a bar spoon to stir it up for about 30 secs. This removes some of the Co2.

Over the Rainbowjito (Courtesy of Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs)
1 tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
4 Fresh Mint Leaves
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1/2 Cup brewed and chilled Green Tea
1 ounce white rum

In a zombie glass, muddle the lime juice, mint and sugar together until the leaves are lightly bruised. Add ice until the glass is almost full and then pour in the rum and green tea. Stir.

Tullamore D.E.W Whiskey Bacon Pecan Pie

There’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with a boozy Irish treat! Bake It With Booze created this delicious Tullamore D.E.W. Whiskey Bacon Pecan Pie in honor of the upcoming holiday and we want to share it with you. Tullamore D.E.W. is a triple distilled, triple blend Irish whiskey – the only kind that you should be celebrating with!

This year marks a celebration of the brand’s history and culture with the new Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre opening in Tullamore, Ireland. The brand also introduced new packaging that highlights the brands heritage and Irish spirit. So in addition to going out and toasting the luck of the Irish with a glass of Tullamore, we suggest you whip up this outstanding pie if you are really looking to impress. Cheers!

Pie Crust (makes 2 crusts, freeze the second crust)

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter cut into a dice, keep chilled
• 6 tbsp Crisco shortening (regular or butter flavor)
• 4 tbsp Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey
• 4-6 tbsp ice water (water with ice cubes)

Filling

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Topping

• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp bacon drippings (reserved, see below)
• 3 tbsp honey
• 4 strips thick sliced bacon, chopped, cooked and well drained (about 1/3 pound); reserve drippings
• 1 3/4 cups pecan halves (8 oz)

Directions
Make the Crust:
1. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter and shortening into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal (a bit smaller than peas).
2. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp whiskey, mix like you’re tossing a salad.  Then add 2 tbsp ice water and mix with a fork, just to moisten.  Repeat with the remaining whiskey and ice water, mixing with fork after each addition.
3. Add just enough of the remaining ice water in 1 tbsp increments to make a dough that just holds together.  Work quickly to keep the ingredients cold.
4. Divide into two discs, cover each with plastic wrap.  Freeze one disc for another time and refrigerate the other disc until ready to use (at least 30 minutes).

Assemble the Pie:
Remove the dough disc from the refrigerator.  On a well-floured surface, roll out the disc to 12 inches for a 9 inch pie pan.  Carefully transfer the dough to the pie plate.  Crimp the edge.  Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Make the Filling:
1. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, whiskey, and vanilla.  Beat on medium until well combined and frothy.
2. Add the pecans and beat just to combine.
3. Pour into prepared pie shell and cover edges with foil or crust shield.
4. Bake for 35 minutes until top is just almost set but filling is still very jiggly.  Remove from the oven.

Make the Topping:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, reserved bacon drippings, and honey.  Cook on medium for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.  Add the pecans and cooked bacon.  Carefully spoon over the pie filling.  Replace foil or crust shield
2. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.  Careful not to burn the nuts. 
   
3. Remove the crust shield the last 5 minutes.  Cool to room temperature before serving.

Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!