The Results of Stress

     I have this weakness for cupcakes... no not necessarily eating them, like my mom I'm not a huge cake fan though there are exceptions to that, I just love to bake them though and figure out new twists and find new recipes, I get my inspiration from watching Cupcake Wars on the FoodNetwork show on TV. I haven't had a ton of experience yet, but it's fun. So today I got stressed, got in a fight with mom while working in the garden and so I came in a bit early and found a recipe I've been wanting to make for a while... except it's a little fancier than I originally had planned. I was going to make chocolate cupcakes and use the Raspberry Butter Cream Icing I had left over from the cupcakes I had made for Ruth's birthday party, but mom had cleaned out the fridge and not knowing what it was threw it away, but hey I came up with this... Chocolate Spearmint Coffee Cupcakes with Sour Cream filling and Coffee Butter Cream Icing. So here are some pictures and the recipe, I found it on this site http://bakingwithbasil.com/2011/11/15/chocolate-cupcakes-with-coffee-buttercream/ and they found it here My Baking Addiction, But I changed it a little, here we go;

The batter, I had already made the first 2 dozen cupcakes and this was left over

I didn't have cupcake papers so I just thoroughly greased and floured the pans, only one or two stuck badly because of the melted spearmint candy

Sour Cream filling with a little coffee and powder sugar

Coffee Butter cream Icing

The topping; crushed spearmint candy

Mary helped me out which was great! :)

How can you make coffee cupcakes without drinking some! :P

One of the finished cupcakes yum! 

I ran out of spearmint and there were fresh strawberries on the table... I couldn't resist

Ok, so these are flops but they look kinda good. lol I decided to use the remaining batter to try cooking the filling in the middle of the cupcakes and it stuck to the bottom and so I flipped them upside down and then I put the frosting on too soon and it melted all over! 

Final shot... recipe following.

Chocolate-Coffee-Spearmint Cupcakes with Sour Cream Filling and Coffee Buttercream Icing

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda (Note: I use all baking powder but if you do this add another ½ tsp salt)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• ½ - 1 cup crushed spearmint candy (mix in same time as coffee)

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two standard muffin tins with paper liners, set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk together or mix on low-speed.  This is the bowl you will combine the batter, I used my stand mixer but just make sure the bowl is big enough.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.  With the mixer on low-speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.  Once fully combined, slowly add the coffee and mix together.  Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl a few times so it’s all mixed together.

4.  Using a large scoop (if using a medium scoop, you will need 2 scoops per paper liner), fill each muffin well 2/3 full with batter.  Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.


Coffee Buttercream Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tbsp coffee, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional I rarely use vanilla)

Directions

1.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on high-speed until light and fluffy.  About 4-5 minutes.

2.  Slowly add confectioner’s sugar in stages.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Continue mixing until well combined.

3.  Add coffee and vanilla extract.  Continue to beat on high-speed until desired consistency is reached.

Sour Cream Filling

• Sour cream
• Powder sugar
• Coffee

          

     Directions

Mix until flavor and consistency seems right to you. Put into a pastry bag with a round tip and squeeze into baked cooled cupcakes before frosting.

Serve with coffee and vanilla icecream! :)
Notes:

• For a more prominent coffee buttercream, simply up the coffee.  You may need to add more confectioner’s sugar to keep a good balance.
• Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

I'm Thankful for

Today I was thinking how thankful I am that despite being totally out of control in a very pain-filled world, I can still be happy. It's like right now I'm in this bubble of happiness that no matter how down I get I just bounce right back out and it can't hold me down, really it's a good feeling to be happy and I wish I could show some others that right now as I watch my friends struggling and their lives crumbling I want to make it better and I can't and that can really get me down, but I'm so thankful that happiness is right there within reach, waiting for me to reach out and take it.
I thought I'd do a short photo post of some things I'm thankful for so here goes.

Creativity
Art
Imagination

Family
Sarah :)

2nd chances and opportunities to try again
Forgiveness
People who believe in me

Flowers for my flower garden
Marigolds
Change

Petunias (one of my favorite flowers :))
Colors
Variety

My awesome camera! :)
Friendship
Love

Nature
Camoflauge
Frogs and Toads

White
Red
Green

Perspective
Life

Sarah's sense of humor-
"Ooh I think I've found my green thumb!"
(There's kinda a story behind that)

Pink
Dirt
Sand

Baby apples that will grow into big yummy apples this fall! :)
Foliage
Questions

Little sisters and their eagerness to garden

Lizzy our awesome chef

Yummy food!

What are you thankful for?

Happy Birthday To You!

Thursday, June 14, Ruth will be 9 and it's also Grandma Barb's birthday but I'm not sure she'd appreciate me disclosing her age...;) But anyways, we decided to celebrate today... 2 days early :)

I made Raspberry filled Chocolate cupcakes with Raspberry butter cream frosting, I think I must have over cooked them because they turned out a bit dry but oh well, Aaron thought they were delicious, or so he said. :) Ruth had picked mint bonbon ice cream to go with her cupcakes for desert and for the main meal lasagna and green beans, "'Cause that's what I had last birthday meal when Grandpa was still alive." don't we all miss him! But anyways, mom's lasagna and french bread were amazing and the green beans and salad topped it all off. I took some pictures because dad's chip was full (16 GB of pictures and videos on his chip! :o) and because I LOVE taking pictures with my amazing new camera! :) Some of the pictures are at odd angles, I don't know how I got them like that.

Lizzy had these cupcake papers and toothpick banners... 'Aged to Perfection'  we thought it was pretty cute. We had to save one for Grandma's dessert (she brought her own because she can't have sugar) :)

The lovely birthday girl with her cupcakes. She stuck all the toothpick banners in for me :)

The ball is from Sarah

I think Aaron liked it ;)

It's a doll!!! "Does it make noise?" "Yep" "Lizzy!!"

The totally unrepentant culprit!! :o Ruth already has two dolls that make noises and drive us all CRAZY!

Another doll!! And it's so cute and looks real! I told you she loves all her dolls the same mom! ;)

Dad had just presented her the stroller from mom and him

Perfect size for dolly! :)

I see a bellybutton! :o

Mom gave grandma a scrapbook

Lizzy, Sarah, Mary and I all gave her stationary! Great minds think alike ... or feeble ones as they say ;)

Sisters are the best! <3

Cuties!!!

Gotta make it more interesting! And John's smile... so adorable!!! :) I love u guys!! <3

Uh -oh! 'Mom! Aaron's licking the cupcakes!' Never a dull moment with him around, that's for sure! =D

My pretty cupcakes... I have to say the do look pretty cute even if they don't taste quite as good. :P

Mmmm! Mint bonbon ice cream!! Good choice Ruthie!:)

And somehow this one is upside down which doesn't make sense cuz I took it right side up... I thought.... but whatever floats the silly picture's boat I guess. =P These are Ruthie's two newest additions to her already large doll family in their sweet new ride! ;)

Uncle Aaron with the babies ;) Like I said, never a dull moment with him around! :)

 So, happy birthday Ruthie and Grandma... two days early... well like a day cuz it's only 40 minutes until tomorrow. And this night owl has been keeping way too late of hours lately, between books and such... and I think tonight maybe I'll draw for a while, even though I really should go to bed! But, jobs switched for the summer and I don't have to get up to make breakfast, but I do actually kinda miss that job... I liked making breakfast! Anyway... enough rambling! Off to work on my portrait and goodnight! :)

A little photo shoot with Sarah

Mom's flower gardens are beautiful right now!

Photo Credit : Sarah

Photo Credit : Sarah

Photo credit - Sarah