I'm Back

Yes I have been busy, so blogging was pushed to the back burner. I am now finished with student teaching, my baby in now 11 months old and I am done with my Masters degree in Secondary Education. Life should slow down a bit now. This month was also busy with three birthdays. I think April is almost as hard as December, except in December you only have to Celebrate Christmas on one day. In April we have to throw three separate parties. But we are happy to do it. Here are some of the cupcakes that I made for Karl and Ethan's Birthday. It took me hours because I made enough for Karl to take to work and share with all the Management and field workers.And anyone that knows me I believe boxed cupcakes are just not as good as ones from scratch.


Cupcake #1 (Karl's favorite)
Peanut Butter Delight.......

It is a thick fudgy cupcake base. This is my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.
Ghirardelli Recipe:

2- cubes butter (1 cup)
2- 4oz 100% Ghirardelli Chocolate bars
Melt these together on stove over med. heat. Set aside to cool a bit.

Cream together
3- cups sugar
5- eggs
vanilla

Then slowly pour chocolate mixture in.
Slowly add 1 1/2 cups white flour and a pinch of salt.
Put in oven at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 min. Not really sure my oven is so old it works different then most.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes I think.
The middles will sink a bit

* For these Peanut Butter cupcakes I put a peanut butter cup in the center and then cooked it.


Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting: (From Food.com)
* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, don't use old-fashioned or natural brand
* 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 pinch table salt
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon heavy cream


Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 5 mins

1. 1 In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter and peanut butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

I then refrigerated for a little while. Melted a bag of 60% chocolate chips in microwave stir every minute. Once smooth, dip cupcakes in like a dipped ice cream come. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Put back in fridge until chocolate sets up.

Cupcake #2
Hi-Hat


Same Chocolate cupcake as above.



For the frosting - From Martha Stewart


Prepare the frosting: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a hand held electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.


Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.


Prepare the chocolate coating: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.


Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

I will post mare cupcake recipes later. Here is is Porters (popo's) Batman party.


Party Favors, Karl and I made at midnight the night before. Cape, mask and batman pouch filled with candy.



It was a fun party, we ate pizza, brownies and ice cream, (porter doesn't like cake, and that was fine with me). And went to the movies and watched Gnomeo and Juliet. Loaded the kids with pop and popcorn, they were all so well behaved. It was a fun day.