Tasty Tuesday!

This past Saturday was Mister Man's half birthday, and yes, these are occasions that we celebrate in my house. It isn't done up all the way like a full birthday party, but the half birthday child chooses the dinner and also a type of cupcake. Cakes are for full birthdays, and cupcakes for half birthdays in my house.

Mister Man requested a chocolate cupcake with chocolate chips. And strawberry frosting. Uh-huh. Mommy doesn't like chocolate cake, so it's possible that someone tried to talk him into a different type of cupcake and failed miserably.

So instead, I did my darndest to make a type of chocolate cake I could eat. And enjoy. I had intended to puree and strain strawberries for the frosting but when I bought strawberries at the store, I forgot I was buying them for my mom for her Easer salad and neglected to get any for myself.

Instead, I got creative with a half package of strawberry Jell-O. The flavor was good, albeit somewhat crunchy. If I did that again, I'd heat the milk slightly and stir the Jell-O until dissolved instead of adding it into the frosting with the powdered sugar.

No one complained though. In fact, my dad had three. I'd say that's a ringing endorsement!







Double Chocolate Cocoa Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

Cupcake:

Ingredients
2 c chocolate chips (or about 3/4 c chocolate chips left in the bag and a bunch of panic until you remember the milk chocolate melting discs that you chop to make up the remainder -- it was GOOD with two kinds of chocolate melted in the cupcake)
3/4 c butter, room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c milk

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (don't skip this step or shortchange it!). Beat in eggs and vanilla until well mixed.

Add cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add 1/3 c milk. Mix again. Add 1/2 c flour. Mix until just combined. Add the remainding 2/3 milk and mix well. Add the last 1 c flour and stir until about halfway mixed in.

Add the chocolate chips and stir with a spoon until just mixed in.

a) Fill ice cream cones about to the first lip of the cone where it starts to get wide (this makes about 28 cones) or b) fill greased muffin tins with the batter until about 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If you do cones, it will take longer. Be patient. It's worth it.

Frosting:

Ingredients
1/4 c butter
1/3 c milk, heated
1/2 package strawberry Jell-O (or be good mom and puree about 1/3 c strawberries and strain them)
3 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla

Cream the butter. Heat the milk until simmering, then add the Jell-O and stir until the Jell-O is dissolved. Add the milk to the butter and beat to combine. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar (slowly) and mix until well combined. If you're adding strawberry puree instead of Jell-O, add it at with the milk (not heated).

Wait until the cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting.



(And, yes, Donald Leopard and Sizzy joined us for the cupcakes, too)

Go check out this week's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday with Blessed With Grace!

Enjoy!