Celebration Cupcakes

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The original name of these cupcakes is “Milk Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes”, but I re-named them “Celebration Cupcakes” because you don’t have to have a birthday to enjoy these amazing cupcakes! And secondly, I renamed these to celebrate major accomplishments and milestones in my little family’s life.
Here’s what my little family is celebrating:

1. My return to blogging: I know, I know it’s been over a month since my last post…I have good excuses, I promise (like life being a little hectic while my hubby was away for 10 weeks, emergency eye surgery and a little complication with that, planning and re-planning our cross-country move {slowly learning the uncertainty of military life}, driving across country TWICE in a 3-week period, and unpacking, organizing and all that fun stuff that goes along with moving).
2. My husband graduating from OCS: My hubs started Officer Candidate School with the Marine Corps in January and graduated the end of March. I am SO proud of him and more importantly excited that our 10-week stint apart is now over! We’ll be in the Quantico, VA area while he attends TBS (The Basic School) until the end of the year, and we’re super excited to reconnect with old friends her in VA!

Curtis getting "pinned" by his dad and sister.

Curtis receiving his first salute as an officer in the Marine Corps! 

3. Our cross-country move is FINALLY over: We knew our stay in Arizona was temporary, so we were almost always planning our move…we just didn’t know if would take almost 2 years for us to do so!
4. Mia’s 2^nd Birthday: She’ll officially turn 2 on Saturday. I still can not believe our amazing little girl is going to be 2!

My little cutie, Mia.

 

5. My blog will be moving: Sometime in the near future I will be making the switch from blogger to wordpress and I am doing the work all on my own! I figured to really learn the wordpress interface I might as well make the switch myself. I hope to have the new site up and running sometime in May, so stay tuned with more news on that front!

Cook’s Note: ***While making the chocolate buttercream for this recipe it is crucial that you melt the chocolate and let it cool to room temperature; if you don’t your frosting won’t come together and you’ll have a gloppy mess on your hands. Also note that once the melted and cooled chocolate is added to the frosting it will take a good 3-5 minutes with your mixer on medium-medium high speed for the mixture to come together—be patient and try not to freak out (like I did J), it will come together).

I get a lot of questions from readers about special kitchen equipment and specific ingredients I use in recipes. Here’s the specific equipment and ingredients I used in this recipe:
Nielsen-Massey pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
4 Tablespoon Scoop (a.k.a. my favorite scoop ever!!!)
Pastry Tip Set
The Cupcake Diaries Cookbook
White Cupcake Liners
Jumbo Rainbow Nonpareils

These cupcakes are awesome! The frosting tastes just like fugde!

Celebration Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes Ingredients:

2 ½ C all-purpose flour
2 ½ t baking powder
¼ t salt
8 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¾ C sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 ¼ t pure vanilla extract
vanilla seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 ¼ C whole milk, at room temperature


For the Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

2/3 C milk, at room temperature 5 C confectioners’ sugar
12 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 t pure vanilla extract
½ t salt
2 ½ C chocolate chips, melted and then cooled to room temperature***(see Cook’s Note)

Jumbo Rainbow Nonpareils (optional)


For the Cupcakes Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard cupcake tins with twelve baking papers each, set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, or until light & fluffy and pale yellow in color (I used a stand mixer on medium speed and it took me about 3 minutes).

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Add the vanilla and vanilla bean seeds to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk mixture, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the last third of the milk, mixing slowly until well incorporated.

Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a 4-tabelspoon scoop and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting: Directions:

Combine the milk, confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Slowly add the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated (this may take several minutes with the mixer on medium-medium high speed for the come together).

Frost cupcakes and top with jumbo rainbow nonpareils (optional).

Makes 24 cupcakes

Source: adapted from The Cupcake Diaries by the sister’s of DC Cupcake/Georgetown Cupcake, Katherine Kallinis & Sophie Kallinis LaMontague







I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Dark Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes

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I made these adorable cupcakes for my little one’s second birthday. The cupcake itself was SUPER chocolately and delicious.

Mia getting ready to blow out her candles!

Cook’s Note: Both the cupcakes and chocolate butterflies can be made a day or two ahead of time (this is what I did and I highly recommend it).

If you double this recipe, only bake one pan at a time as the cupcakes will not rise properly if baked with 2 trays in the oven. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refrigerator, and let them come to room temperature before serving.



Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 C Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 C sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 t table salt

For the Frosting: I used Wilton’s Vanilla Whipped Icing Mix – just follow the directions on the box (all you have to do is add ice water and whip!)
Lemon Yellow Icing Color


For the Chocolate Butterflies: Wilton’s Dark Cocoa Candy Melts
Wilton’s Yellow Candy Melts
2, 6-Ounce Mini Melting Decorating Squeeze Bottles
Parchment Paper
Funnel
Toothpicks
Chocolate Chips

Directions:
For the Cupcakes:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350°F. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Makes 12 cupcakes


Source: America’s Test Kitchen

For the Frosting: Follow the directions as per the Wilton’s Vanilla Whipped Icing Mix for both making the icing and coloring it.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.


For the Butterflies:
To make your pattern, use a piece of cardstock or note card to draw the outline of your butterfly wing.

Cut out the pattern and trace onto a sheet of parchment paper. Melt the candy melts as per the manufacturer’s instructions and transfer the chocolate to squeeze bottles using a funnel. Flip the parchment over so you’re not going to make your chocolate butterfly directly on the ink/pencil marks.
First outline the edges of the butterfly with the dark cocoa.
Then squirt some of your colored chocolate into the voids.
Using a toothpick spread the chocolate, filling the design.
Using another toothpick (make sure it’s clean) swirl a little of the dark chocolate into the colored chocolate.
Let the chocolate butterflies set before putting them on the cupcakes.
To Decorate: Place a swirl of frosting on your cupcake. Place 4 chocolate chips in a line down the center of the cupcake. Place your butterfly wings on either side of the chocolate chips. Finally place the antennas into the cupcake and voilá, you’re done!
Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats




I’m linking this post up at:

Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken

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I think I’ve made this meal 3 times in the last month, because it’s beyond good!  I have a weakness for Thai food, especially Thai food infused with citrus…and then you add some salty peanuts and cilantro on top and I’m sold!
This dish is extremely flavorful with crisp, clean flavors. It’s one of those dishes that are so good you need to stop yourself from hunching over your plate while shoveling it in!
Cook’s Note: This recipe calls for Ponzu (pictured below), which is basically soy sauce infused with citrus juices. I have personally fallen in love with the product and now prefer it over soy sauce. If you don’t have Ponzu on hand or can’t find it at your local grocer (I found mine at Food Lion, and also noticed that my local Target carries it), then you can substitute it for soy sauce. 
If you want to add some veggies to this dish, add some bean sprouts atop the rice after you take the rice off of the heat to steam.
Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken   Ingredients: 2 C Jasmine rice, uncooked
2 T brown sugar
2 T fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
3 T Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1-2 t Sriracha Chili Sauce
2 t vegetable oil
3 green onions, white and green parts, separated and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, light beaten
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 C chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Directions: Cook the Jasmine rice according to the package, fluff and set aside.
While the rice is cooking make the sauce, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, Ponzu, and Sriracha Chili Sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a Wok or deep, large skillet (like this one), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the green onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add the eggs and cook, scramble until the eggs are almost set (they should still be a little wet), about 30-60 seconds. Transfer egg, onion and garlic mixture to a small bowl.
Next add the fluffed rice, the green parts of the onions, and sauce to the skillet. Cook, tossing/stirring constantly until the rice is well coated with the sauce (about 1-2 minutes). Add the egg mixture and toss to coat, breaking up the eggs gently as you go.
Serve the rice with lime wedges, and topped off with chopped cilantro and peanuts.
Serves 4
Source: A Food, Folks and Fun Original


Cilantro Thai Chicken

Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 C cilantro
2 T soy sauce or Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1 T toasted sesame oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 8-10 boneless skinless chicken tenders


Directions: To make the marinade place the garlic, cilantro, soy sauce or Ponzu, and sesame oil in a food processor and process until smooth.

Pour marinade over chicken breast and let flavors sink in for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.
Serves 4
Source: adapted from Artsy-Foodie