A 30th birthday cupcake!

So, it's been a few weeks since I posted (and baked!) and I wanted to catch up.  My posts have been mainly baked goods, so before you think that all I do is bake and eat sweets, I AM going to post pictures today too!  I hadn't snapped many pics lately, and this weekend I took a stroll around the local reservoir and experimented a bit with my trusty image catcher! 

But first - sweet deliciousness!  My sis-in-law (to be) turned 30 last weekend, and while she and my brother were away attending their first (of many) wedding of the season, I was the puppy-sitter for my adorable, furry, four-legged nephew. We walked, played, got into mischeif, and I managed to fit in some baking for them to come home to. 

I channeled my Great Grammy Conlon for this one. I used her from-scratch chocolate cake recipe.  Now Gram passed when I was a senior in high school, and at her services, the relatives made sure that everyone got a copy of Gram's chocolate cake recipe.  That's the thing in my family - recipes are our memories. Memories of cooking in someone's kitchen, laughing, getting flour everywhere.  Yeah, it sounds like a Lifetime movie, but these are our memories. See, my mom can sew and cook like no one's business, and my grandmother is an amazing craftwoman with a pair of knitting needles.  I feel badly that I never perfected either of these crafts.  Then a cousin said something to me - "Gram would be proud of you, you know? Keeping up with the baking...and gardening."  Then it hit me - that's what I am carrying down and passing on.  My Great Gram's love for baking and gardening.  And I am ok with that.

Ok, ok...without further adieu - Gram's Chocolate Cake recipe (in cupcake form) with espresso buttercream frosting.  Behold.....

The cake mix...secret ingredient: sour milk (milk + vinegar). Shhhhh...

I made them a little oversized.



Frosted, with espresso buttercream and ready for a little somethin'...

...like a little decoration and some burgandy chunks. Yup. I'll eat 'em!

Viola!

The Joys of Easter!

One of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood is going to my grandparents' house on Easter and realizing that the Easter Bunny stopped there too!! Oh, the joy of devouring Peeps, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, and the list goes on! Part of the Easter celebration always included a Peep Cake, baked by my grandmother. She would make an angel food cake, frost the top with her homemade buttercream frosting, and LOADS of Peeps. Every variety and color was represented - along with many jelly beans, chocolate eggs, and any other confection that would send all of us kids into a sugar high for days.

This year, I made something similar - Peep cupcakes! I used Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix (I cheated, I know!) and Grammy's homemade buttercream frosting. Then, I topped each cupcake with a Peep (traditional yellow chicks and a more modern green bunny) and some jelly beans.



Little Peep Cakes

When Irish eyes are smiling...

...they must have had these cupcakes! I found this recipe for Irish Car Bomb cupcakes on an awesome blog, Brown Eyed Baker, and HAD to give them a try. But I had to get some key ingredients first.....

Yes, it is a lot of butter.

Yes, all of those lovely items go into making these cupcakes amazing. Guinness in the chocolate cupcakes, Jameson in the chocolate ganache filling, and Baileys (and lots of butter) in the frosting... oh goodness... 

I have to admit, however, that the process was not without its perils (none of which were alcohol-related, I swear!!).  The cakes baked up wonderful (side bar: I haven't *quite*  figured out the oven in my apartment yet...it has only been 2 months.. I may have had a disasterous batch of corn muffins last month!).  The ganache, on the other hand, gave me a run for my money. It didn't set enough, so when I tried to pipe it into the hollowed-out cakes, the chocolate went EVERYWHERE. Into the freezer it went for a bit, then I was able to fill the pastry bag and pipe the chocolatey goodness into the cakes.  Lastly was the Baileys frosting. I channeled Paula Deen for this one (holy butter!).  This process was MUCH easier than the ganache. I piped the frosting on with a star tip, then sprinkled with green sugar sprinkles.

Ta da! Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

I made 4 dozen all together. Made a couple stops that day/night and brought these to those stops. They got many, many thumbs up!

Here is the recipe if you care to try - Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. Slainte!

Super Cupcakes - not for the faint of heart!

I don't want to bring up bad memories (a.k.a. the Super Bowl - from a Pats fan's point of view...) but I had to share these cupcakes.  I brought them to a friend's Super Bowl party and they were a huge hit! I found the recipe in the Worcester Telegram and HAD to try it out. 

Click here for the recipe.


Beer cupcakes with whiskey frosting

I used an oatmeal stout in the cake, Jack Daniels in the frosting, and topped the cakes with a variety of treats - M&Ms, pretzels, peanuts, chocolate-covered cookie dough, and bacon. (Yes. Bacon.)