from scratch

Hershey's "perfectly chocolate" chocolate cake cupcakes, with homemade buttercream

This is my first cupcake that has been baked from scratch, cake and frosting! I even colored the little pearls with silver dusting powder. I did a lot of research and read a lot of chocolate cake recipes but this Hershey's one was the one that had the best reviews. I have to say that I was a little worried because the batter turned out really runny and thin, but on the recipe it does state that it will turn out that way so I went ahead. I was also a little apprehensive on making my own buttercream, I really thought I was going to fail big time, but I didn't! I'm glad I did it cause they turned out sooooo good! I had friends and the boyfriend taste test it, friends loved it! The boyfriend proposed...ok so he was just kidding but really he loved them :)

My dad asked me the other day what all the baking and cooking is about and I said I HAVE NO IDEA! I've gotten the domestic bug or something, but it's so fun and really makes the day go by faster.

Here are the recipes:

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" chocolate cake
recipe from Hershey's

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa (unsweetened)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


Buttercream Frosting
Recipe from My Baking Addiction blog

Ingredients:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.

2. Add salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Makes enough to frost about 24 to 30 cupcakes depending on how generous you are with the frosting, OR one 9 inch layer cake.

Notes: this was the easiest recipe ever!
I used gel dyes specifically to color frosting. I wanted it to turn out more pink than that so next time I will get a brighter pink.



On a crafty/sewing note...I have been taking a small break from from sewing machine. It's not that I'm mad at it or anything and I'm sure it misses me but I've been busy job hunting, and cooking, and baking and playing with my adorable niece Emma. I did however a couple of weeks ago, made a small visit and made my mom an awesome table runner. It was inspired by the tutorial over at The Purl Bee they have this Thanksgiving Appliqued and Quilted Table Runner. My mom used to have this cream really formal and not cute runner so I decided to make her one, I used linen and cotton. I put a little padding so that it can double as a hot pad for hot plates and cups. I gotta say my skills at using bias tape to bind are getting better. I blind stitched it all the way around and I think I did a pretty good job!

I think my friends and boyfriend pretty much love me right now, I end up giving all my cupcakes away for taste testing purposes, oh and so that I don't end up eating them all!