I am happy to report that after a two month hiatus from posting here I am, in fact, alive and well. I have just emerged from the formaldehyde and phenol-filled clutches of anatomy and I cannot overstate how thrilled I am to be free of it for a few weeks. Today, despite the exam this morning, has been a fantastic day! What better way to celebrate the first anatomy exam than a holiday party? And what better to make for a holiday party than dark chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint buttercream frosting? To top off the evening I am writing up this post and watching Emma. Perfect.
Speaking of movies, I can’t help but be excited for my traditional (and growing) holiday line up. Before the holiday season is over I need to watch:
Love, Actually (can’t wait!)
White Christmas (i have loved this movie since childhood)
A Muppet Christmas Carol
Dan in Real Life
While You Were Sleeping (maybe)
Leap Year (ok, this one isn’t related to Christmas, but I just love it. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure)
Apart from these, I just want to take a moment to highly recommend Tangled. It’s adorable and full of that Disney cheese that kids of my generation were raised on. I loved it. Can’t wait for the DVD.
And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
These cupcakes were inspired mostly by my desire to make something in the winter holiday vein. The recipe for the frosting comes from Cookie Confession and was inspired by Starbuck’s white chocolate mocha holiday drink.
First off, throw together your favorite chocolate cake recipe. As I said, I was in a rush so I just used the cake recipe on the back of my Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder….primarily because it was in front of my face. Also, it’s not as complicated as other chocolate cake recipes I’ve made.
While the cupcakes are cooling off, it’s a good time to whip up the frosting.
Take your softened butter and whip it with an electric mixer until it’s nice and creamy.
Next, melt down the white chocolate. I don’t have a double boiler and I think using the stove is a bit of a pain so I used the microwave. I heated the chocolate in 15 second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between. Let the melted white chocolate cool a little before adding it to the butter. Toss in the peppermint extract and stir it all together. Primarily to get the frosting to the desired consistency (and somewhat to adjust the taste or sweetness) add 1-2 cups of powdered sugar incrementally. I think I ended up adding around a cup. I wanted to make my cupcakes red and green so I divided the frosting into two bowls.
Add in the food coloring, stir and start frosting those cupcakes!
I decorated my cupcakes with some sprinkles and candy canes. I had originally intended to break up the candy canes, but I ran out of time before I could smash them to bits. In the process of placing the candy canes on the cupcakes, however, I did manage to drop a candy cane on the floor which promptly broke into several pieces. Note to self: to break candy canes, place them in a bag and throw them to the floor repeatedly. If you’re really cool like my ex-roomies, though, you will have candy cane decorations that are all broken up for you already (I looked in 4 stores today and couldn’t find it, which was very sad). Despite being in a rush and making more of a mess than usual in my kitchen, the finished project turned out decently. I received only positive feedback at the party so I think they even tasted alright. (Please note, I do not recommend making something for the first time when you are going to give it to people, however, I get so little chance to bake things for myself or others that I like to make new things all the time. Mostly it works out. Perfection is overrated.)
If that doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit then this surely will:
…or maybe not.
Peppermint White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
12 oz. white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1-2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
Cream the butter. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or with a double boiler. Let the chocolate cool slightly then add to the butter. Add peppermint extract. Add powdered sugar incrementally and mix until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved.
Hershey’s(c) “Especially Dark” Chocolate Cake
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa (or you know…any cocoa)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans or prepare cupcake liners.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vainlla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes (I actually stirred then whisked by hand). Stir in boiling water (batter will thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes (18-22 min. for cupcakes) or until toothpick/fork inserted in center comes out clean.
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