The Spirit of Cupcakes
>> Monday, December 15, 2008
Well, I'm home from school for the holidays, although it doesn't feel like it. I'm slowly regaining my spirit after an incident last week, but that's life for you. And although lately a lot of my baking has been a flop, I did somewhat make cupcakes. I put too much batter in because the overfill resulted in a flat and brittle top. At least they tasted good, especially with peanut buttercream on top.
I halved the recipe and got 6 cupcakes. The recipe below makes 12 cupcakes and without leftover frosting. To halve the 3 eggs, use 1 egg, 1 Tbsp water, 1 1/2 tsp oil, and 1 tsp baking powder.
Also, did you know maraschino cherries get their flavor from almond extract? Seriously. When you come across almond extract, smell it. If you are not a fan, sub the almond for more vanilla.
Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peanut Buttercream
Cupcakes
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
2/3 cup chocolate chips
Peanut Buttercream
2 2/3 Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp milk
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat together both sugars and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, stirring by hand until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop batter into prepared liners. Bake for 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs and a little melted chocolate. The tops will not spring back when touched. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to cooling rack.
5. Peanut Buttercream: Cream peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Both recipes make enough for 12 cupcakes without leftover frosting.
Sources: Cupcake, Frosting
Evil alien cat?
Don't know if you can tell, but Murray's eyes are closed.
7 comments:
I love almond extract, but I've never tried it with chocolate cake. That's a pretty cool egg substitution. Whenever I have to halve an egg, I'll try to find the two smallest eggs out of the whole carton to make up 1.5 eggs or I use a peewee egg as a half of an egg or the other option is to waste an half an egg and I hate wasting.
I'm actually planning to make a chocolate pb cake this weekend, but I'm still debating about which cake and frosting recipe to make. Smitten kitchen featured an amazingly decadent peanut butter chocolate cake that I've been dying to make for months!
I don't really feel like I'm in the Christmas sprit. Usually, I'm the first one in my family, maybe it's because I haven't had the chance to hit the malls or something.. hahah.
Don't worry too much about the baking, sometimes, recipes just aren't that good. That's why I get all paranoid about which ones to try.. although that usually involves a lot of debating until I finally reach a decision.. ahah. I'm sure the CI cookie recipe will be the best CCC you've ever had, even though your favourite cookie are the pumpkin ones. I actually don't trust any recipe unless its from CI, which sucks because there are so many amazing recipes out there.
Anyway.. enjoy the rest of your holiday at home!
These look so good. I love the peanut buttercream, YUM! I didn't know about the cherries and almond extract. Love the kitty!
They don't look like a flop to me, they actually look very nice. Taste is most important and this looks like a good combination. Hope life treats you better this week. Take care.
To me they sound like the best thing in the world. How can you beat chocolate and peanut butter in a bitty cupcake. Yum!
Happy early Holidays Carla! I think the holiday spirit kinda changes each day, depending on what happens. Sugar cookies = high spirit. Driving to the mall to fight for parking = low spirit.
Haha and I love the alien cat pic. Very spooky :)
I love the evil cat picture! Great tip on the egg! I had no idea.
Cupcakes =yummy!!!
OMG .... those look terrific! Makes my mouth water just reading about them!
Denise
http://WineFoodPairing.blogspot.com
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