Birthday Giganticness!

Last Saturday was a busy baking day! At the same time that I was making my KU Cake I was also making another giagantic cupcake. This time I made a gigantic red velvet cupcake and injected some cream cheese frosting into the middle of it and used cream cheese as glue to put the top and the bottom together. I split purple cream cheese frosting into 2 batches and added pink to the second batch. I put the purple frosting into the bag first and then added the pinkish frosting so they would swirl together; unfortunately, my apartment was super hot and it was not sitting right on the cupcake (I was going top down) so I took it all off and started again but this time bottom up and then went back and went around the gap from the top to the bottom. I was also usper excited to use my new purple sprinkles.

This cupcake looks so cute and my neighbor loved her birthday cupcake! She actually brought it to a friend's house where they were watching the basketball games and she said that the little 2 year old's eyes grew so big when he saw the cupcake and also asked where the rest of it was going when she left with it (after leaving him some for the next day).

One tip I recommend with using this pan is to fill the bottom and cook it for 10 minutes; I also, haven't used this pan in a really long time so I kept checking it and adding 6 minutes over and over again so just make sure you keep your eyes on this one.

Chocolate Surprise!!

I have learned from previous cupcakes that people tend to love cupcakes with a little surprise in them and this cupcake is no different. This cupcake got rave reviews and I was told that even nonchocolate lovers loved them. The directions said to fill it with batter and then put in the filling but some reviewers suggested filling them a 1/3 of the way and then put the filling it and then another 1/3. I did that and used my trusty ice cream scoop and filled them 2/3 (about 1 scoop) and then filling and then another scoop. They do rise a little bit and my sunk in a little bit but once you glaze it nobody can tell the difference. Put this in the winner category.

CHOCOLATE SURPRISE CUPCAKES
(Source: Allrecipes)

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips




1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2.In a large bowl, mix together flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon salt and baking soda. Stir in oil, water, vinegar and vanilla until blended. Pour mixture into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
3.To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a heaping teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture into each cupcake. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Allow to cool.



SATINY CHOCOLATE GLAZE
INGREDIENTS:

3/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
3 T. butter
1 T. light corn syrup
1/4 tspn. vanilla extract


There are two different ways to do the glaze - the official directions are first then my short cut ones are second

OFFICIAL DIRECTIONS:

- In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
- Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

MY DIRECTIONS:

- In a microwave safe bowl melt chocolate chips and butter, occasionally stirring.
- After melted add corn syrup and vanilla.
- Spread warm glaze over top of cake, depending on the thickness either drizzle it or just spread it over the top and down the sides.

March Madness!!!

One of my very good friends is an alumnae and big fan of KU basektball! So when we all got together to watch them play (and win!) their semifinal game on Saturday I made a red velvet double layer round cake. It has been awhile since I have made a good ol' fashined round cake and let me tell you it showed! it got stuck in the pan and then I tried to put it back together with some glue (aka cream cheese frosting). While it was slanted it still tasted good! I really need to work on the basic cake! Good Luck to KU on Monday!

To do the KU and the design I changed a recipe recipe and it worked out well! I halved the recipe below:

DECORATIVE FROSTING
(Me modified from: allrecipes)


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low speed of electric mixer until well blended and very smooth.