birthday party recap

For Kathleen's birthday I made the cookie monster cupcakes without the cookie monster part ;) just the chocolate cake with oreos in bottom and filling. The filling was a pain the butt. Grinding up oreos I guess I fail at because I kept clogging my frosting tip I was using to shoot it into the cupcakes. Then I didn't make enough of the easy buttercream so I had to sub dark chocolate icing in a can for some of them. Worked out to my sister's advantage because she got to take some naked cupcakes and the remaining frosting back to Kalamazoo with her ;) I also think I put too much salt or vanilla or something in the frosting I made because they tasted a little "off" to me. The oreos on the bottom were a fun surprise for people ;) and overall they tasted good, just not OMG AMAZING like I was hoping for ;) I also was rushing to make those before I started filet mignon for dinner for my inlaws, so that could be part of my problem. I was SUPPOSED to have help from my husband that week but he traveled all week then worked up till right before his parents got there. But that's a rant for a different kind of blog ;)

Bumpy cupcake recipe?

There is a like-minded person out there, somewhere. Whomever owns this blog is a woman after my own heart. lovestoeat bumpy cupcakes!

I've copied the recipe here (exactly as written) to save in case something happens before I have a chance to make them ;)

Bumpy Cupcakes (from lovestoeat.wordpress.com)

Chocolate cake: From Food Network
11/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
I did use an extra large cupcake pan for larger cupcakes. I got 12 out of the batch.

Cream filling “bumps” From Food Network
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Pipe strips onto the cupcakes using a pastry bag

Chocolate Ganache:
Chocolate Icing: From Ugg Smell Food
4 T cocoa
2 T oil
2 T + 4 t water
2 T dark corn syrup
2 C powdered sugar

Directions:
Cake:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Place paper liners in two 6-cup extra large cupcake pans.

Prepare the cupcakes: Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

Butter Cream “Bumps”
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Fill pastry bag and set aside.

Chocolate Ganache:
Mix all except sugar in a saucepan and heat, stirring, until hot. Mix in sugar and stir (I whisked..you should too, makes it WAY easier/faster) until smooth.

To assemble:
After cupcakes cool, pipe 2 large strips of buttercream on each cupcake. Freeze for at least 30 mins. Make ganache and once frozen dip the cupcakes into the ganache. Refridgerate until set. Enjoy with a large glass of cold milk!

Kathleen's 2nd Birthday

I am entertaining the idea of making cupcakes for Kathleen's 2nd birthday instead of buying a cake from Sweet & Savory (though their cakes are soooo good). Tricia sent me this cookie monster cupcake recipe awhile ago, I may have to try them. The only thing that concerns me is the blue frosting all over two 2 year olds (her and Joey) ;) so I'm going to still poke around and see what inspires me ;) I've seen cute monkey ones before where you use round pretzels for ears on the cupcakes... so who knows. Or the lure of the mousse filling in the sweet and savory cake may lure me into their bakery. That and they have bumpy cake cupcakes. If you're not from Michigan, this is a bumpy cake. Evil. Imagine a cupcake like that ;)