Friday, January 16, 2015

Shake Your (Metal) Booty - Chocolate Mint Birthday Cupcakes

January 15, 2015 - Some days are from hell and others are all right.  I would have to say that today didn't suck.  I got stuff done.  I had a few bad moments, and at the end of the day I lost my will to run by Publix for eggs, but I got stuff done. And now it feels good to be home because frankly, I'm running out of steam.



I took these shots last week when the sky was blue and the air was clear. This piece, titled "Copacabana Wave" is the latest tenant on that particular cement block in back of my office complex.  The photo simply does not do it justice.



I did not see this particular sculpture until walking back to my car I happened to look up, and glad I did.  This evoked a whole range of emotions from laughing out loud and big smiles to WTF??, and "nice booty."

I am beginning to end my cupcake cycle, so here is one of the two easy recipes I worked on this week - chocolate mint birthday cupcakes.



Chocolate Mint Birthday Cupcakes

1 - 18.25 oz. pkg. white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs (I had to use 2 jumbos instead)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
chocolate mint chips, optional

2 - 16 oz. tubs Hershey's Special Dark Frosting
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Set up muffin tins with 24 paper liners. Combine the cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl.  Combine on low for one minute; scrape down the sides, then beat for 2 minutes.  Portion into the muffin tins.  If you wish, pleace 4 or 5 chocolate mint chips on top of each cupcake.  Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.


Stir the frosting together with the extracts.  Frost the cooled cupcakes using your favorite method.  I like to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes using a large star tip.  I also placed one chocolate mint chip on the very top of the frosting.


These were so good even I ate a whole one.  And most important, the birthday girl loved them.

Lovely Lemon Cupcakes coming to a blog post real soon.




No comments:

Post a Comment