Lily’s Cupcakes with Peanut Cinnamon Buttercream

Lily’s Cupcakes with Peanut 

Cinnamon Buttercream

These cupcakes will cheer up the kids (or Santa himself!) as they make their countdown to the twelve days of Christmas. It has a yellow cupcake base with chopped peanuts for crunch. Yummy buttercream whisked with Lily’s Peanut Butter and cinnamon crowns each piece. Makes a dozen cupcakes.

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk, at room temperature

3/4 cup plain, toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

12 paper liners

12-cup cupcake pan

For the peanut cinnamon buttercream:

1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup Lily’s Peanut Butter (170 grams), stirred well

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted if lumpy

1/4 cup all-purpose cream, chilled

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Candy-coated chocolate or chocolate chips, to garnish

To make the cupcakes:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.    In a bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together using a wire whisk or fork until well combined. Set aside.

3.    In a large mixing bowl, cut the butter into small pieces and beat until creamy using a wooden spoon or spatula for two minutes. Add the sugar half at a time and beat until consistency is light and fluffy.

4.    Beat in vanilla extract then add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat after each addition. The batter should be smooth and lump free. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

5.    Arrange the paper liners on the cups of the cupcake pan. Pour the batter generously but equally on each cup. Bake for 18 minutes. Test the cupcake by inserting a toothpick at the center. It should be clean or have just a few moist crumbs when you lift toothpick. The cupcake will have a rounded top.

6.    Cool the pan for 5 minutes before transferring each of the cupcakes to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting with the buttercream.

To make the buttercream:

1.    In a bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter using an electric mixer at medium speed for about one to two minutes.

2.    Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat until just combined. Pour the cream and vanilla then beat at high speed for three minutes until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy in consistency. Stir in the cinnamon.

3.     Spread or frost the buttercream immediately on top of the cupcakes. For variation: you can also split the cupcake in the middle and fill it with the buttercream. Return the top of the cupcake and frost, if desired.

4.    Arrange some candy-coated chocolates or chocolate chips on top of the frosting for a more festive look.

Baker’s notes:

·      Store the cupcakes in an airtight plastic container at room temperature (not in the refrigerator, which will dry them out) for 2 days. You can also freeze them (without the buttercream) for one week. Just make the buttercream on the day you’re serving the cupcakes.

·      Store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 days. Make sure to wrap it well so it doesn’t absorb any smells from the other food in the fridge. Re-beat before using.

Lily’s Christmas Hot Chocolate

Lily’s Christmas Hot Chocolate

Keep the tradition by making a cup of hot chocolate this time of the year. Stir in some Lily’s Peanut Butter and cinnamon into the chocolate for a little surprise. With a cloud of peanut butter cream melting on top, you’ll find this version as comforting. Makes 3 cups.

For the peanut butter whipped cream:

4 tablespoons Lily’s Peanut Butter

1 cup all-purpose cream, chilled

For the hot chocolate:

2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

1/8 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons Lily’s Peanut Butter

To make the peanut butter whipped cream:

1.    In a cold mixing bowl, beat the all-purpose cream until doubled in size.

2.    Gradually add the peanut butter and beat until mixed. Refrigerate.

To make the hot chocolate

1.    Combine milk, water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and cocoa powder in a deep saucepan.

2.    Bring to a boil in medium heat, stirring continuously until blended. Turn off the heat. Stir in the peanut butter until well combined. Pour in three mugs.

3.    To serve, pipe or spoon chilled peanut butter whipped cream on top. Sprinkle with more cinnamon, if desired.

Lily’s Peanut Butter: From savory dishes to desserts

Lily’s Peanut Butter as the Filipinos’ spread of choice for a wide variety of breads has been established for decades now. Aside from its popularity as a staple of breakfast and merienda, Lily’s Peanut Butter is also a preferred ingredient by moms and chefs alike in their creations of fantastic recipes—from soups to appetizers to savory dishes to desserts.

One of the main reasons why they have made Lily’s Peanut Butter part of their kitchen arsenal is that the iconic Filipino brand, which is made by Newborn Food Products, has maintained its classic, highly-guarded recipe and use of premium ingredients to ensure quality of product and taste that generations of Filipinos have loved. 

“By staying true to the original recipe and raw materials,” says Ramon Pua, president and CEO of Newborn Food Products, “we have never felt the need to add extenders, preservatives, emulsifiers and other chemical agents in our product. We only use two main ingredients: high quality peanuts and cane sugar.”

The medley of peanuts and cane sugar produces a rich, even consistency that blends well with other ingredients. Lily’s Peanut Butter is the top-of-mind choice for sumptuous desserts that include Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Peanut Butter Cheesecake and yes, even Peanut Butter Ice Cream. Fruits—such as bananas, strawberries, melons—can be dipped in Lily’s Peanut Butter for an instant perk-me-up.

Lily’s Peanut Butter is also used as the main component of savory dishes. The most evident example is, of course, the Filipino favorite kare-kare that is improved by Lily’s Peanut Butter full-bodied, nutty flavor. Same with peanut sauce, which is the usual dip for skewered meats popular with Asian cuisines. Other dishes that are fully expressed with a helping of Lily’s Peanut Butter include Roast Peanut Butter Chicken, Peanut Butter Sweer Potato Soup and Chilled Sesame Peanut Noodles, among others.

Aside from its taste and consistency, another hallmark of Lily’s Peanut Butter is that it is produced with only the highest international standards. Newborn Food Products only uses machines in the preparation, cooking and packaging of Lily’s Peanut Butter, eliminating human contact. Safety and sanitation are the foremost considerations. “There’s no history of any of our products being recalled due to charges of contamination,” Pua says. “We are really proud of that.”

On his 15th year as CEO and president of the company, Pua is ready to spread the health-nourishing goodness of Lily’s Peanut Butter to the world: a global brand with a distinct Filipino flavor and identity. Though the product is already present abroad, mainly in Filipino communities in United States, Canada, Middle East and Hong Kong, Pua envisions of greatly expanding the product’s reach to other countries and hopefully capturing the palate of the international market.

“We are truly excited about the future,” says Pua. “Lily’s Peanut Butter is reaching new markets and touching base with a wide spectrum of consumers while keeping its Filipino identity. As people make healthier lifestyle choices in what they eat and use our product not just a spread but an ingredient in a variety of recipes, Lily’s will continue to dominate the market with a flavor that has remained consistent through the years.”

For more details on the healthy goodness of Lily’s Peanut Butter, you can visit their website at www.mylilys.com, send an email at newbornfoodp@yahoo.com and follow them in Facebook (lilyspeanutbutter), Instagram (@lilyspeanutbutter) or Twitter (@lilysPBofficial). For inquiries on Food Service, you may also call 027412555 loc. 13.

Spreading the Joy of Healthy Living

People are now more conscious of keeping fit and staying within their ideal weight. Anywhere you look, there are gyms, fitness centers, yoga parlors, among countless other establishments, that promote physical movement and active lifestyle.

Part of staying healthy is, of course, diet. Quick to adapt every diet fad that comes their way—South Beach, Atkin’s and Mediterranean—they won’t mind spending a little bit extra for organic and healthier options.

One food option that they can integrate into their diet is probably something that they have loved while growing up and is readily available on the dining table or the cupboard: Lily’s Peanut Butter.

Yes, the iconic local brand that has delighted the palate of generations of Filipinos can fit into a reportaire of tasty, organic and healthy food sources. Have a listen.

Lily’s Peanut Butter is the only brand in the market that only has two main ingredients: high quality peanuts and sugar wash.

That’s it! No extenders, no preservatives, no artificial flavoring and coloring. This means that one can slather the spread lavishly on bread or use it as an ingredient in a main course (kare-kare, perhaps?) or in sumptuous desserts like peanut butter cookies or home-made ice cream. Widely available in supermarkets nationwide, Lily’s Peanut Butter won’t look out of place in an organic store.

Because of its purity and consistency, one can make the most out of the health benefits of Lily’s Peanut Butter. For one, it’s loaded with protein, one of the major building blocks of food (alongside carbohydrates and fat) which is responsible for the building and repairing of muscles. Two tablespoons of Lily’s Peanut Butter can contain as much as seven grams of protein. That’s good news for gym buffs who need to have a boost of protein after their workout. Vegetarians, who have sworn off protein from animals, can also indulge on Lily’s Peanut Butter without the guilt.

Those who are trying to lose weight can rely on the energy-giving calories of Lily’s Peanut Butter. Aside from protein, it also has deitic fiber that makes one feel less full but still be energized for the day. As a bonus, it even has “trytophan,” a kind of amino acid that encourages the production of the happy hormone serotonin which improves mood and combats depression.

For those taking care of their hearts, Lily’s Peanut Butter is a worthy ally. In the absence of hydrogenated oil (trans fat) that is blamed for clogging arteries, it has monosaturated fat, the kind of fat championed by Mediterranean diet for being heart-friendly. Oleic acid, its main component, is found to lower the risk of heart disease and even Type 2 diabetes.

Students and professional, who need sustained brain power, can count on Lily’s Peanut Butter for its Vitamin B complex. Its niacin component is long known to boost brain function, increase memory power and recently, is shown to reduce risk from developing Alzheimer’s disease. Pregnant women who have supplemented their diet with foliate, another form of Vitamin B, are found to have reduced the neural defect in their newborn to as much as 70 percent. Now, that’s good news for mothers!

With all of these benefits, it’s interesting to know that Lily’s Peanut Butter has even more to offer: P-coumaric and resveratrol that fight certain cancers; manganese that helps in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, the absorption of calcium and the regulation of blood sugar; and even trace amount of copper does the double duty of lowering bad cholesterols while increasing the good ones.

Indeed, Lily’s Peanut Butter packs a punch with its many health benefits that cater to the young and the young-at-heart. The best part is, Lily’s Peanut Butter has maintained rich nutty taste, consistent texture and full-bodied aroma that make being healthy a delight.

For more details on the healthy goodness of Lily’s Peanut Butter, you can visit their website at www.mylilys.com, send an email at newbornfoodp@yahoo.com and follow them in Facebook (lilyspeanutbutter), Instagram (@lilyspeanutbutter) or Twitter (@lilysPBofficial). For inquiries on Food Service, you may also call (02)741-2555 loc. 13.