Birthday Cupcakes

On March 25th was my husband Mike's birthday. Where he works they are responsible for bring in their own birthday treats. I told him I would make him something to bring in, if he wanted me to. He said ok and then told me I had to make enough for around 40 people....So I went looking for ideas. I came across a blog called Smitten Kitchen and found the perfect birthday treat for Mike. Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. What is an Irish Car Bomb Cupcake?!?....It's a chocolate Guinness cupcake with a whiskey (Jameson, of course) ganache filling and a Bailey's Irish Creme frosting. Mike told me they were a big hit everyone loved them. But they recipe only made 24, so I had to make something else. He told me not everyone drinks so I decided to also made just plain yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yellow Cupcakes w/Chocolate Frosting

Classic Yellow Cake
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs , plus 2 yolks
2 3/4 cups unbleached AP Flour
1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until fluffy and light, at least 5 minutes.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly blend one-third of the flout into the creamed mixture, then half the milk, another third of the flour, the remaining milk, and the remaining flour. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally throughout this process.

Pour batter into cupcake pan and bake for 17-19 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in pan and then turn out on a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream
1/2 cup semisweet, bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons milk or cream

Melt chocolate and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and salt until fluffy. Add about half of the sugar and beat slowly until well blended. Add the vanilla and half the milk and beat until fluffy. Add the melted chocoalte and mix until thoroughly blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adjusting the consistency with more milk or sugar as needed.

My Review: Both recipes were easy to make. I felt the frosting for the car bomb cupcakes might not have turned out right, but Mike said everyone loved them. The only thing I would do differently next time is not make and decorate all 48 cupcakes in one night....Boy was I tired afterwards and the kitchen was a mess. Live and learn!!