These days, I only bake when there are a bunch of people to help eat what I make. (Sorry for the lack of posting!) In this case, I was going to a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends. And she deserves only the best of the best. So this is what I created.
When I bake cupcakes, it’s nothing like what you see on Cupcake Wars. I don’t think I could infuse my cupcakes with alfalfa sprouts and still have them taste good…but I don’t make them from the box, and I like to try out different frosting recipes to kick it up a bit!
Frosting the cupcakes is my absolute favorite part of this process. Ask Chris, he witnessed me piping these cupcakes and getting incredibly giddy over the process. Anyone need a cupcake baker in their bake shop??
The Cupcake:
Ingredients: (I found this recipe on Joy of Baking)
1/2 cup cocoa powder 1 cup boiling water 1 1/3 cup flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanillaDirections:
1. Stir boiling water and cocoa powder together until cool. Let cool.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Add vanilla. Then slowly beat in the flour mixture. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and incorporated.
4. Pour into cupcake tins lined with muffin liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way up.
5. Bake at 375 for 16-20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Let cool on a wire rack before frosting.
This will yield about 18-20 cupcakes. (I didn’t have enough room in oddly shaped muffin tins to make all of them, and was far too lazy to put in 2 more cupcakes, so I poured the rest of the batter in a mug and put it in the microwave for 1 minute. Instant cake. Also delicious.)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients: (I found this sugary delight on the side of a Domino’s Confectioners sugar box)
1/2 cup butter, softened 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 tsp vanilla dash of salt 3 3/4 cup confectioners sugar 1-2 tbsp milk 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooledDirections:
1. Combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add confectioners sugar slowly, beating on low speed. Stir in 1 tbsp milk and melted chocolate. Beat until fluffy. Add additional milk if it is too stiff.
3. Scoop the frosting into a 1 gallon ziplock bag. Snip off a tiny bit of a corner of the bag. Then pipe away!
To. Die. For.
OMG…Just move in with me!! Your food makes my mouth water and I’m lusting over this cupcake…I don’t even eat sweets!!
Where do you live? hahaha.