Let me catch you up.
1)I started a shitty job.
I'm sorry. I try to keep things clean but in order to relay the situation to it's fullest I need to throw the profanity out there. It really, truly was a shitty job. One that sucked every ounce of creativity, self worth, and pretty much my entire soul from my body.
2)We bought a house. A cute, sweet, wonderful house. A house with a lot of wallpaper and gold shag carpet and 50 year old linoleum.
3)It was one of the hottest summers I have ever experienced.
4)I quit said shitty job and started a super awesome job. The only downfall about the super awesome job? It's an hour and 20 minute drive to get there.
So between having my soul removed by the shitty job, searching for and buying our sweet little house, removing wallpaper from every room of our sweet little house, trying not to melt into the pavement every time we stepped out of our house and commuting to my excellent new job, there wasn't a whole lot left of my sanity to dedicate to this poor little blog.
But, the weather has turned cold, we have turned our thoughts to the holiday season and my soul is being slowly returned to it's rightful place.
In preparation for the holiday season, I feel the need to make massive amounts of peppermint flavored things.
I don't know why. I've never been a huge fan of peppermint flavored things but here I am craving peppermint mochas and peppermint crunch cookies and chocolate things frosted in peppermint kissed icing.
Enter these beauties:
They are the very best chocolate cupcakes I have ever made topped with a very simple peppermint frosting.
I know that sounds like a pretty lofty statement but, no joke, THE BEST chocolate cupcakes.
The crumb is soft and moist but not too crumbly and intensely chocolately.
I picked up these cute little decorations at The Vanilla Bean here in Madison.
If you're even the tiniest bit interested in baking, candy making or any type of confectionary you will not be able to walk out of this joint without buying something.
I'm usually not in to fussy little decorations but these were just too sweet to pass up.
I also picked up a bottle of this stuff too:
It is ultra concentrated. Like 150 times more concentrated than the general peppermint extract you pick up at the grocery store. So, watch out. It's kind of like if your toothpaste punched you in your nose. Kind of.
To put it in perspective, I used 5 drops to flavor a whole batch of frosting.
Yeah, seriously.
I made these guys mini because they would be perfect for office parties or family parties or holiday induced personal pity parties.
For those anti-chocolate/mint people, you can really flavor the frosting any way you would like. Almond would be lovely, cherry would be delish and rum would be down right perfect.
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
Makes about 3 dozen mini cupcakes or 12 standard cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Cookbook
3 Ounces of finely chopped, bittersweet chocolate
1 Ounce Dutch Processed Cocoa -I used this and was very impressed with the results!
1 Teaspoon of instant coffee granules
3/4 Cup of boiling water
4 1/8 Ounces Bread Flour
5 1/4 Ounces Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Large Eggs at room temperature
2 Teaspoons White Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin tins with liners.
Place bittersweet chocolate and cocoa in large heat proof bowl. This will be your final bowl to mix all your ingredients.
In a coffee mug, pour boiling water over instant coffee granules, allow to dissolve and pour coffee over chocolates. Stir coffee-chocolate mixture until all the bittersweet chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, mix together remaining dry ingredients.
When chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and stir until the whole thing is smooth.
The mixture will seem thin at first but wait 5-10 minutes and it will thicken to a scoop-able consistency.
If making mini's use a tablespoon to fill liners. I found that a tablespoon of batter was just enough.
Bake mini-cupcakes 10-12 minutes or until firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Cool cupcakes on wire racks until completely cooled.
If you're making standard cupcakes increase baking time to 17 to 19 minutes.
Creamy Peppermint Frosting
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
1/2 Cup Shortening
3/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
5 Drops of Peppermint Oil or 1/4 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
2 1/4 Cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
3 to 4 Tablespoons Milk
In medium mixing bowl, whip shortening on medium speed with vanilla and peppermint until color has lightened and has become fluffy - about 30 seconds.
Reduce mixer speed and slowly add half of the powdered sugar. Increase speed and beat well. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and continue beating until milk is fully incorporated.
Reduce mixer speed and slowly add remaining half of powdered sugar. Increase speed and beat well, adding enough of the remaining milk to reach piping consistency.
I pipped my mini's with a Wilton #12 tip and added the little decorations.
A Wilton #30 tip would look nice too or just frost those puppies up with standard butter knife.
I wouldn't judge you if you just stood over your sink spooning frosting into your mouth for every bite of warm cupcake because:
1)Judging isn't part of the holiday spirit!
2)It's not like that's never happened up in this piece before.
Enjoy!
