I'm not from boston, but...

I do ADORE my new boston creme cupcake recipe! Made these gorgeous cuppies today while dealing with side effects from fainting last night and the medicinal concoctions of the day. I knew I needed the therapuetic effect of baking, but I wouldn't be able to stand. So, I set up shop with a swivel chair at my kitchen island, right between my oven and the countertop, and started baking. I saw an idea on Food Network from Sandra Lee- who hosts a show called "Semi Homemade". In Sandra's version, boxed yellow cake mix, boxed pudding, and boxed icing combine to make a Boston Creme Pie inspired cupcake. In an effort to make mine a little more authentic, I made yellow cake from scratch (Joy of Baking's recipe... is there any other one?!), with a pastry cream filling (Wilton's recipe), and chocolate ganache (no recipe, it's two ingredients!) I also made modeling chocolate for the first time, used white Ghiradelli chocolate and colored it for little flower accents on the cupcakes.

The SNAFU's:

1. The damned pastry cream. Can I leave it there? The first batch came out more like tapioca pudding, bumps and all. Why? No idea. There are four raw egg yolks in the recipe that go right over the heat. My best guess is that the eggs scrambled a little bit. I pitched that and started over with lower heat, a better eye and a stronger stir, then VOILA! Gorgeous, smooth, why-bother-putting-in-the-cupcakes-when-we-can-eat-it-from-the-bowl custard. I used my new tip to inject a tablespoon or so of that into the cupcakes and allowed them to set up in the fridge. Crisis averted.

2. The damned ganache. This one is a classic lesson on the art of KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid! The ganache turned out beautifully, as did the cupcakes. Getting the ganache onto the cupcakes without it looking like a chocolate tsunami was the issue. I started with a spoon and got some major drippage. "X" that idea. So, I got fancy and grabbed a piping bag and started to pipe. That wasn't any more effective. Back to the drawing board... AH! Just dip the cupcakes in the ganache... Worked like a charm! Sometimes, less is more.

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Wilton's Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup half & half or 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Makes:

About 1 1/3 cups of filling.

Instructions:

In saucepan, blend all ingredients except vanilla. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches the consistency of medium cream sauce. Remove from heat, add vanilla and cool quickly. To prevent a skin from forming, brush with melted butter. Stir before using.

Self Loathing and Cake Decorating Sets

Okay, World... I don't know whether to shamelessly brag or hang my head in embarrassment. You see, I'm the proud new owner of Wilton's "Ultimate Decorating Set" - awesome, right? Yep, my boyfriend bought this for my birthday... which is over a month away. To be honest, this move was calculated, but it turned out slightly more caniving than I intended. Martin and I were heading to Petco (which is so conveniently located in the same plaza as Michael's) when I mentioned I had a coupon for 40% off any single regular-priced item.. ::cough:: the decorating set ::cough:: - I had him in the palm of my hand. He crumbled and told me to wait in the car (with his dignity) and he pranced into the arts and crafts store. In the meantime, I called my Dad, who was in St.Pete with my brother, uncle and pseudo-aunt. Now, when I'm not on godforsaken bedrest, my favorite past time is fishing- a hundred miles offshore with lines screaming and fish jumping, covered in blood, sweat, and salt water. Just thinking about it makes me sad. Sad?!! Yes. Sad. Dysautonomia has thoroughly screwed any chance of me being near a boat, more or less on one or out of land's sight. So, when I called my dad and they were offshore with a box full of grouper and more fish on the line, I lost it. I tried SO hard to stifle the tears as I told Dad to have fun and be safe, but the second I hit the "end" button on my cell phone, I broke down. Poor Martin had no clue what was waiting for him when he came out of the store. He wiped my tears, and we headed home.
You see, I've been obsessing over Easter and the idea of cupcakes with little chicks, bunnies, flowers... OH the options! All of which need special tips, bags, colors, et cetera, that are included in this kit! Martin knows this. So, as we got home and I continued feeling sorry for myself, Martin knew just the thing to cheer me up. Yes, I was allowed to open my present a month early. No, I'm not ashamed. It's not like I did this on purpose. Right?

Well, here I am... done feeling sorry for myself and ready to bake.
On Deck: Boston Creme Cupcakes.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Let's Play Catch UP!

Last week my boyfriend, Martin, started thinking about what we'll be planting in the flower beds this spring. Let's back up... when I say "we", I really mean he. I don't garden, I actually kill our fake plants.The man has orchids in bloom all year long. I adore him for keeping my herbs alive and flourishing. This idea, in conjunction with my first official purchase of real Wilton decorating tips, made me decide to make my own garden--- out of cupcakes. I did some googling and Martin went to home depot, and we set out on our gardens. This is what I ended up with:

So, the cupcakes are Key Lime with a cream cheese buttercream and Pina Colada with coconut buttercream. It was my first time piping flowers and I picked it up suprisingly well. It was also my first time using gumpaste and stamens, which was also suprisingly easy. I was a big fan of the Key Lime cake- and the crusting buttercream, oh my god! My other half didn't share my opinion... he thought the Key Lime cake was way too lime-y. The Pina Colada cake was OK- not sure I would make it again. The cake recipe called for shredded coconut to be folded in and I wasn't a big fan of the texture.

Here is the recipe for crusting cream cheese buttercream, compliments of http://www.cakeartisan.com/

SERVES 1 , 4-5 cups (change servings and units)
Ingredients :
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 lb cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
3 1/2 lbs sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Cream butter, shortening, cream cheese and extracts. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar and salt. Beat on low speed until nice and creamy. If you want whiter icing, try to use butter without dyes available at most health food stores.

NOTE: This recipe is for a stiff consistency. For a thinner consistency, use 3 pounds of powdered sugar instead.

The pots are cheap terra cotta from Home Depot, the leaves are from Wal Mart, and to assemble I just used the green styrofoam stuff (the extent of my gardening knowledge) and scewered the cupcakes into it using toothpicks.

Let's Play Catch UP!

March- St. Patrick's Day on the 17th, and my BIG brother's 21st birthday on the 18th. So, I made vanilla cupcakes and my favorite brownies (recipe below) and sent them with him to share with my Dad's office. (I would have taken them myself, but this blog is also about my lack of driving privileges.) Okay, stopping my self loathing now.

This was before I owned a proper icing tip, so the swirls (created with a snipped ziploc) look more like soft serve ice cream than light, fluffy frosting!

The cupcakes and brownies were soon devoured and all I had left was this picture, compliments of my dad:

My "go-to" brownie recipe: Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies on http://www.allrecipes.com/

Ingredents

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Let's Play Catch UP!

February- Strawberries came into season and Valentine's day rolled around! My wonderful grandmother has a phenomenal recipe for strawberry cake that my mother made me for several birthdays. For some reason, my cupcakes turned out really dense, so I turned the frosting into more of a glaze and used cheap gel writing icing from Publix to draw little strawberries. I also had a LOT of leftover frosting and batter, so I baked and iced a 9" round to go with. (The round was also very dense, I must have screwed up the recipe somehow!)

Let's play catch up.

I didn't start baking because I wanted to start a blog; I wanted to start a blog because I started baking. So, I've got to get caught up on the last few "cupcake creations" I've made.

January 29th-- I was already on bedrest and getting my first taste of REAL cabin fever. My wonderful boyfriend was keeping me as much company as possible but I needed more human contact. So, I planned a birthday party. For my cats. Don't laugh.

Rosie (on the left) and Enzo (on the right) were turning 1 about a week apart.

Besides the fact that I treat my kittens as my biological children, I needed a reason to make some cupcakes. I found this adorable paw print candy mold by Wilton, which inspired me to create the following:

The cupcakes are white with a vanilla bean buttercream. I also made chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting that are not pictured. I made two types of paw prints: peanut butter with chocolate toes (pictured) and vice versa- chocolate on peanut butter. I'll have to dig up a picture of the other style somewhere from my family. Both were garnished with peanut butter and chocolate sprinkles. They were dee-licious!

Hello World!

Well, I guess this endeavor needs a bit of a preface. In the section over on the right, you can read why I'm on bedrest. I've got Dysautonomia- a dysfunction of my Autonomic Nervous System, which effects my brain and heart. The girls at my day job at a bank got tired of having an ambulance on speed dial and my doctor finally said, "enough is enough!" So, my days are now spent at home experimenting with medication and experimenting with cupcakes. (I really prefer playing with cupcakes... the only side effect is weight gain!)

Why did I decide on cupcakes instead of knitting or scrapbooking? Good question. To be honest, I don't have the slightest idea. I've always been a creative person, so I wanted to do something that allowed me to decorate, mold, and draw. I've also always loved to cook (thanks, Dad!), so cupcakes seemed to fit the bill.

I won't post every day, I don't have enough people to give cupcakes to! But I solemnly swear to post pictures of the cupcakes I do make, be they good or bad.