Yet again...

Another month has come and gone and still no Iron Cupcake Earth entry from me. I know this month isn't over yet, but I'm headed out of town today and won't have time to get one baked and entered. I did make one for month before with strawberries, but didn't get it uploaded to enter it. The girls at the bank loved it though. I really did want to make one this month with basil. I am inspired to use the pineapple-basil plant growing in my back yard. My dog and I both love it. He runs straight to it and eats a leaf daily. Oh well another day... As for that strawberry cupcake... The didn't look beautiful, but they sure tasted awesome. They fell in the center too... come to think of that, I have that problem often. Any suggestions as to why? hum...

Cupcakes Aren't Just for Kids

This weekend a few of my high school friends and I are getting together for a "reunion" of sorts. Many of us have re-connected that's to Facebook and a few months ago we picked a date and planned a picnic. The best way to feed an impromptu mass - potluck! But unlike many of the others, I am traveling 500+ miles for this gathering. So after a bit of thought I'm bringing what I do best, baked goods. My closest friend from high school is a Guinness fanatic, plus I was one of only a few girls in our group of friends... So naturally this is the perfect time for me it try out a recipe I've heard tale on the Internet of... The beer flavored variety!

I found a few Guinness cupcake recipes and after reviewing them have taken inspiration from and made my very own. Many of them are chocolate in nature, but I left that on the minimal side, with just a hint of dark chocolate, kinda a teaser. I was a bit hesitant about a beer flavored cupcake and to be honest it wasn't at all appealing to me. I am not a beer drinker, but I do like beer bread and I was so intriqued by the idea.

But as I was mixing the batter it smelled delicious and a lick the spoon confirmed that the carmel-colored batter was pretty good. I started with mini-cupcakes and those came out of the oven smelling delicious, they weren't the prettiest, some had dropped in the centers, and others rose more than I had anticipated so they spilled out of the cups, but oh the taste. They were delightful. As I posted to my friend, prepare for a whole new realm of Guinness goodness!

I'm new to this blogging thing so you'll have to bare with me as pictures will come later and eventually as I get the hang of this thing they will post with the intended blog... but they will come.

Here is my recipe...

Guinness Cupcakes

• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 8 ounces of Guinness
• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I used a mini-cupcake pan with paper liners.

Cream the butter, sugar and chocolate together on medium speed. Add sour cream first, then eggs unitl well mixed. Stir in Guinness.

Mix flour and baking soda in seperate bowl. Slowly add to butter mixture.

Pour batter 1/2 to 2/3 full prepared cups and bake the mini's for 14 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Top with icing below.

Icing

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Guinness

Mix ingredients together adding confectioners sugar until desired consistency is achieved.

Wish Me Luck

Ok, I want to venture out and try something new... I just heard about something called the IronCupcake:Earth and I want to try it. They announce an ingredient each month and bloggers develope a cupcake recipe incorporating it and submitting their recipes and photos... Baking and photography, two of my favorite things! Wish me luck!

http://www.ironcupcakeearth.com/

Howdy All!

Times are changing ... I've recently found myself with some much appreciated and just in time for summer free time.

Once upon a time, I baked all the time, then life, marriage and kids came along and I seemed to run out of time. But I've recently started to do this again. I love cupcakes because they are like mini-masterpieces. With a cake you make one great and beautiful dessert, and cut into it and share. Once you make that first cut though it's not as pretty - but with a cupcake everyone gets a complete masterpiece!

So welcome to my new blog, something else that I am new at! Join me as I try out different recipes and try and re-find my niche in the kitchen.