Cupcake Mania!

Tex here, and has anyone else noticed the popularity of cupcakes? Cupcake shops seem to be sprouting up all over our area. Then, of course, there's Cupcake Wars on The Food Network. Love that show. However, it can be dangerous. Especially when you have three cupcake lovers watching said show.

So after a trip to the store for a few ingredients, my son, daughter, and I whipped up a batch of chocolate cupcakes with ganache and marshmallow frosting.

YUM!

For the cupcakes, we needed:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

By the way, this recipe came from www.thefoodnetwork.com/cupcakewars.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two regular size cupcake pans with liners.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, half-and-half, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for two minutes. Stir in the boiling water until fully combined. (FYI, batter will be thin)

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cupcakes spring back when touched with your finger, 10-15 minutes. (I think ours took more like 16 minutes) Let cool in the pans for a few minutes, and then removed to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are baking/cooling, prepare the ganache and frosting.




For the chocolate ganache, you will need:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips

In a medium saucepan, bring the whipping cream to a simmer. (You know, almost a boil, but not quite)

Remove from hear and add the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for five minutes. Whisky the mixture until smooth and creamy. (of course, I forgot to take a picture of this part)

For the marshmallow frosting, you'll need:

• 8 egg whites
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan with boiling water. Whisk constantly over the heat for 1-3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. (sorry, no pix again)

Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks have formed, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

Now that the cupcakes are cool, the fun really begins. By the way, these were the moistest cupcakes I've ever had. Simply delish.

Baby girl dipped the tops of each cupcake into the ganache, then little brother piped on the frosting.

Of course, she wasn't about to let him have all the fun.

Finally, the best part of all. Eating!

Guess who discovered we had a lot of unused frosting?

What a fun way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon. And we all felt a sense of accomplishment that we'd tried something new. We made up a few care packages and delivered them to friends and neighbors who were just as delighted with our accomplishments.

Cupcakes are just fun. Individual portions that allow one's creativity to flourish. And when faced with all those choices at a cupcake shop, I don't have to limit myself to just one. Instead, I can get one for now and one for later :-) Like the strawberries and cream cupcake I picked up recently at a nearby cupcake shop. Totally to die for.

What do you think about the cupcake trend? Have you experimented? What's your favorite flavor?