I love birthdays! If only we could leave out the getting older part! The fun of shopping, making special food and celebrating everything you love about that person. My beautiful daughter Brinley just turned eight and it just amazes me to think that when we moved into our house she was only six weeks old. Time does fly.
We both love to read, shop and of course ---eat chocolate and as much as I would like to claim that she's just like me, she really takes after her dad. She has his looks, can sleep in like no body's business and second to chocolate, loves all forms of meat!
This girl made me laugh hysterically when I overheard her playing "house" and telling her sisters that she's Bill Gates wife. Seriously? And every Christmas at the top of her list is Rubies and Diamonds! I promise, I have nothing to do with this. Her birthday breakfast request was waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, BACON AND SAUSAGE (I told you the girl loves meat) and at the last minutes, eggs. I told her next year take it easy on the old Mom!
She is a budding Mozart (okay, maybe a slight exaggeration),loves to cook with me, and is going to take on the family tradition of being a great swimmer. I am so thankful everyday for this beautiful girl that brightens my days and look forward to all the memories we'll share as she gets older. I love you Brinley!
Now down to the real recipe! When the birthday girl said she wanted chocolate cake with chocolate frosting I immediately remembered the gorgeous cupcakes I'd seen in Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. There are seriously like a million recipes I want to try. These beauties didn't disappoint and were as yummy as they looked. (I wish I could take credit for the beautiful picture, but they are from Martha's Website).The sour cream made them super moist and the ganache frosting was creamy and delicious. I will be honest and warn you in advance, be prepared to do a pile of dishes afterwards ! Better yet, after a few of these cupcakes , maybe you can talk someone into doing the dishes for you!
Devil's Food Cupcakes
Martha Stewart
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (recipe below)
Chocolate Curls (optional , instructions below)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Makes 4 cups
1 pound good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup
Directions
Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.
Beginning near the center and working outward, stir melted chocolate into cream until mixture is combined and smooth (do not over stir).
Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in color. Use immediately (ganache will continue to thicken after you stop stirring).
2 1/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup
Directions
Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.
Beginning near the center and working outward, stir melted chocolate into cream until mixture is combined and smooth (do not over stir).
Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting just barely begins to hold its shape and is slightly lighter in color. Use immediately (ganache will continue to thicken after you stop stirring).
Chocolate Curls
1 block of good-quality chocolate (large blocks make curls easier than a thin bar)
Directions
Use a vegetable peeler to slice strips
1 block of good-quality chocolate (large blocks make curls easier than a thin bar)
Directions
Use a vegetable peeler to slice strips
Posted by: Sallie
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1 comments:
This was the sweetest and most touching post about Brinley. I can't believe she is already 8 years old...time really does fly. That is so funny she was pretending to be Bill Gates' wife!!!
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