First Batch of the New Year!

Oh how I love a good cupcake!


Who doesn't??  With their perfect portions sizes (I mean, in terms of one little cupcake versus a whole slab of cake or something), the ratio of frosting to cake and of course the decorations!

I'm sorry to all the other baked goods out there; cupcakes, are without a doubt my favorite!

That's why, the other day, when I looked at the calendar and realized we were already more than a week into 2012 and I hadn't baked a single cupcake, I dropped what I was doing (I really wasn't doing much, to be honest) and headed straight for the kitchen.

To make up for lost baking hours, I decided that instead of doing one or two large batches of cupcakes, I would do four half batches and get more variety.

The day before I had gone into town with my husband; he wanted to see the silent film, The Artist, and I wanted to shop!  It was definitely a good day for both of us... He loved the movie and I got 8 or 9 different styles of cupcake holders, in addition to the new cookie cutters and food color I also bought!

Anyway, I started my process by picking up my four (new!) cupcake holders.

 Then of course, I choose the cupcakes I would make...

Chocolate with Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting

Red Velvet with Hot Pink Buttercream Frosting

"Better Than Sex Cake" Cupcakes

Electric Blue "Yellow" Cake with Classic Buttercream Frosting

For the Chocolate and Red Velvet I used a simple chocolate cupcake recipe like the "Super Easy, Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/ and divided it in half.

The first half stayed the plain chocolate...

And with the second half I just added red food coloring. (You do not even want to know how many fights I've had with my husband about how to make red velvet cake...)

I also added a Hershey Kiss to two of them, just to see how they came out... (Honestly, I didn't think it really added anything to the cupcake).

Then I made a basic yellow cake recipe, like the one found at Joy of Baking, and divided that one in half.

The first stayed the basic yellow cake...

While the other was dyed Electric Blue (I love how regular blue just isn't as cool anymore..)...

I baked them all off and then made the Buttercream Frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting Recipe

3 sticks butter

1 pound powdered sugar

1/2 cap-full vanilla extract

Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 mins.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time (1/2 to 1 cup), scrapping sides as needed, until all the powdered sugar is incorporated.  Add the vanilla at the end.

For the frosting(s), I made the the recipe above and divided it into thirds.

For the Chocolate Chip Frosting, I added one cup of chocolate chip and folded it in with a spatula..

For the Hot Pink Frosting, I used Wilton's Pink Food Coloring and added the amount I wanted..

And then I kept one bowl Classic Buttercream.



As for the "Better Than Sex Cake" cupcakes, here is what I did:

"Better Than Sex Cake" Topping

1 8oz can of crushed pineapple

1 cup sugar

vanilla pudding mix

whipped cream

walnuts

coconut

In a saucepan, bring to a boil the pineapple (with its juices) and the sugar.  Let cool slightly

Make the vanilla pudding as per directions on the box.

When the cupcakes come out of the oven, pierce each one a few times with a fork.

Spoon a little of the pineapple syrup on top of the cupcake (try to keep it from running over the sides), then spoon a little of the pudding on top of that and spread it as smooth as possible.  Put a bit of the whipped cream on top, I "spread" my whipped cream on just a little with the back of a spoon.  Add the walnuts and coconuts on top!

I kept my cupcakes in the fridge afterward, just so they would keep longer, but after everything firms up, they are fine and room temp.

Makes enought topping for 1 dozen cupcakes (with plenty of pudding left over!)

And the finished product!!

Well, I'm certainly satistified with my final products.. as were my family members when I finally let them have some.. They only had to wait long enough for me to take the pictures! There might be something wrong with it, but I get this weird satification when I withhold my delicious looking treats from my sister... even if it is for just a few minutes!