For mother’s day, I thought I would make some chocolate cupcakes from scratch. Mine usually taste like the chocolate part of a ding dong…very dense and dry, so an icing tube or cone or whatever you call it is needed to inject some icing inside as a filling. The original recipe comes from The Farm Chicks, but I cut it in half, so it makes 12 instead of 24. I can only avoid so much temptation.
I started to think about what kinds of things my mother liked, in hopes of finding a decorating theme. I travelled back to 2006 in my mind suddenly, a tattoo convention with my mother for our Sunday afternoon outing. The only 2 things that she would even remotely entertain as possible tattoo ideas FOR HERSELF were 1. a squirrel and 2. Jesus. I know my limits. I cannot make either of these into cupcake décor. I just can’t. If Bunny Rolls taught me anything, it’s to know my limits. Thinking…thinking…thinking…what else is she interested in? What is her house décor? Aliens…Eh, maybe. Oooo! Egypt! Yes! I will ice them with little ankh’s and eyes of Horus and squiggle bird language. I also stole some dark chocolate chips for cupcake decorating from the ingredients in my upcoming Mother’s Day Chocolate Chip Cookie post.
This also gives me a chance to show off my new cupcake carrier!. I got it for free by saving up Coke points. (Sorry to promote, but it’s a really cool carrier that fits 24 cupcakes and locks into a cover!)
I know in an upcoming post, Richard is going to pose the question, “Is the cupcake dead?” Partially in answer, I offer this, a recent Groupon deal: Groupon’s Cupcake Tour of New York, which is apparently still quite popular.
- Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- Icing:
- 1/2 cup butter, just slightly cooler than room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons milk, depending on desired consistency
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- food coloring, if desired
- Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fill muffin pans with 12 cupcake liners.
- Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
- Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat with a mixer for about two minutes, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the boiling water, and beat, just until blended. (Don't be alarmed - the batter appears watery).
- Evenly ladle (or pour) the batter into the liners.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center of the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
- Cool and frost.
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: Beat butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl until creamy.
- Gradually beat in 3 cups of the powdered sugar.
- Beat in milk and vanilla.
- Blend in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- If desired, tint with food coloring.
- Stuff a ziplock bag with icing and cut the corner off to use as a decorating tube.
- Gently push the bag corner down into the cupcake to add icing as a filling.
- Decorate the tops as desired.
- Devour remaining icing. Oh, why not? How often do you make cupcakes???