Cupcakes?

I love to eat bake (bake and eat?). Either way--I just love it. I day dream about a time where I am a full time "baker", trying new recipes, tasting new foods, reviewing recipes and food...cooking, baking, eating, I can't get enough of it! Sadly, these day dreams do not, nor will not, pay the bills. For now, teaching is what pays the bills, so teaching is what I shall do. Fortunately, this glorious profession brings summer vacation! A good friend (and teaching colleague) and I share similar baking and food interests and have tried to make baking together a weekly get together. We both share a love for cupcakes so we have started there. We have some dreams about where to go with these cupcakes, but thats for a later post. Today I want to share these.

With the school year ending (and a limited budget) we decided the 20 or so parent volunteers we wanted to thank would be our first "customers". We decided on Chocolate Heath Bar Cupcakes. Equipped with all the ingredients, a take out pizza, an amazing 1 and a half year old, and a bottle of wine, we set to work. Four hours, a little sweat, great conversation, lots of laughs (and an empty wine bottle) later, we had created these...

..and yes, they tasted as good, if not better than they looked. We packaged them up in cute little boxes with this written on top...

We had parents asking what bakery we bought them at! ;-) No bakery here my friends. Although I may be bias, they were the to-die-for, can't-eat-just-one kind of cupcakes. Thanks to Making Baking Addition for introducing me to the world of delicious cupcakes. 

Heath Bar Cupcakes

24 cupcakes

courtesy of My Baking Addition

For the cupcakes

1 package of devil's food cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon instant expresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water

1 cup Heath Toffee Bits

For the Buttercream

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 pounds confectioners sugar

4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Ganache

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons vanilla

5 Heath Bars chopped

Cupcakes

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. (We love the pretty silver and gold ones!)

2. In stand mixer beat together cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and expresso and water mixture. Beat for about two minutes until well blended. Fold in Heath Toffee Bits.

3. Use cookie scoop to fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. (Should create about 34 cupcakes)

4. Bake in preheated over for 18-22 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

5. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the Buttercream

1. Cream butter until fluffy.

2. Slowly add confectioners sugar and blend until creamy.

3. Add salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Blend at a low speed until moistened. Add cream as needed. Beat at a high speed until frosting is smooth.

For the Ganache

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream until very hot but not boiling.

2. Place chocolate pieces in heat safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for five minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in honey, corn syrup, and vanilla. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes, but not too long!

3. Spoon glaze on frosted cupcakes, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit.

4. Top each cupcake with a piece of Heath Bar.

Got self control?

Happy Birthday America!

We spent the fourth of July in one of my favorite places on earth, Piper Pond in Abbott, Maine. The camp on Piper means family, amazing food, sweet wine, magazines, canoe rides, great conversation, relaxation, peaceful evenings, rocking chairs, sunrises, sunsets--a break. As soon as I finished work on Thursday we packed the car and headed north praying for cooperative weather. Mr. Sunshine hid his face for the first few days but made it up to us the last few with cloud-less skies. The clouds however, did not stop us from making a pit stop at Abbott Bakery, home to the most delicious whoopie pies. YUM! We did plenty of relaxing giving me a chance to FINISH, yes, FINISH a book I was reading, catch up on the latest gossip in People, and even sneak in a quick nap. Amazing! As soon as the sun came out I grabbed a chair and a book and parked myself in all it's glory taking in every ounce of that Vitamin D. I was also able to soak in every ounce of my sweet niece enjoying the opportunity to spend two days with her! There couldn't have been a better way to spend the fourth!

...about an hour later...

...surgery? At camp? Sure!

Can you see how thrilled they are to be paddling me around the pond? Spoiled? Perhaps.

We finished off our week at camp with fireworks in Greenville. Perfect seats, perfect view, perfect company. Ahh...I love summer.

Too Long

It's been way too long since my last post. Let me just mention I have 14 started posts--and 14 unfinished posts. So, I will cut right to the chase and share an amazing mojito recipe I used Saturday night.

...can you say refreshing?! A little freshly squeezed lime juice, some fresh mint, white rum, and a little selttzer...perfect for a warm summer night. 

Disclaimer: I They tend to create quite a mess, but keep in mind I am no professional bartender!

Simple Mojito

(serves one)

Two limes

10-12 sprigs fresh mint

1.5 ounces white rum (anything will do!)

2 teaspoons sugar

seltzer water

crushed ice

1. Squeeze one lime to get about 2 ounces of juice. Pour into a tall glass.

2. Spoon two teaspoons of sugar into the class and stir until it dissolves.

3. Add enough crushed ice to reach halfway up the glass. Stir gently.

4. Choose 10 sprigs of fresh mint, stack them and rub the rim with the leaves. (Trust me!)

5. Break the mint leaves in half or thirds and drop into the glass. Gently stir.

6. Pour 1.5 ounces of rum into the glass. Gently stir again. (Be careful not to ruin any of the mint!)

7. Fill the rest of the glass with ice and top off with seltzer water.

8. Garnish with leftover mint and lime. (and a straw if you like that--like I do!) Enjoy!

Sawyer reaaaalllllyyyy wanted one. So sad.

...perfect summer drink. Betcha can't drink just one!