Deep Dark Chocolate Cupcakes {Rebake} w/Whipped Mascarpone Frosting (★ ★ ★ ★ ☆)

Some things are just not meant to be brought back.

Like...
Dinner, Circa 1950.

Sure, it was the golden age of domesticity, but what the heck were those housewives making?!

Vegetable and meat jello?

I'll be taking a rain check, thank you.
Stick me in a cryogenic freezer and ship me back to the land of deep fried oreos!

Or...
Village People's Y.M.C.A.

I know it's your wedding, but please, let's keep this macho-cheeseball of a song where it belongs. 
In 1978.

And...

Overalls!

Guys, overalls are coming back!  They're coming back???????!

This. is. a. travesty.

Of course, I'm guilty of wearing a pair or two everyday in the 90's.

But I was a kid!

I didn't know any better.

What I thought was the perfect solution to hiding my awkward teenage body was actually a fashion conspiracy to keep me looking like a large, lumpy sack of denim.

Why?

Because Junior High is about pain, people.



The truth of the matter is:
Everything comes around.

Everything.

Whether it looks exactly like it did before, is not the question.
The fact is...it's back.

Thankfully, for every terrible idea there is an equally wonderful one begging to be rediscovered.

Like jean jackets,

All forms of hair braids,

even "Sexy."


Oh, and these cupcakes.



I made these way back in the dark ages of this blog when I had no idea what I was doing.

I still don't really know what I'm doing, but at least now I'm organized about it.

Progress, people!

But even then, when everything was a complete mess, I still stumbled upon an amazing chocolate cake recipe.

We're talking I'm lookin' no further.  I'm plantin' my roots.  And unless someone asks me to try out their recipe because they guarantee that it is better, this is the chocolate cake I will be serving from here to kingdom come.

It's my chocolate cake "go-to."

The only problem was I hadn't made it since then.

That's the food blogger dilemma.  You find something amazing, but you can't ever make it again because you are supposed to be making "new" recipes, trying "new" things.

Well, you know what?

I'm breaking the rules.

Because this cake is too good to be forgotten.

...and mascarpone cheese is so absolutely divine, I needed it again too.

But in true blogger fashion, I've tweaked it.  (Don't shut me down, Google!)

Today, it's whipped!

See?  I'm still fit to be in the kitchen.

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I can't really explain this cake to you, other than it has the perfect balance of moist and denseness.
It's not too heavy, not too dry.  It's amazing.

Also, this frosting is very "whipped creamy."  Light and fluffy.  If you want something more solid, cut the cream in half.  Next time, I am going to do this.
----------

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
copied from A Bloggable Life

• 2 Cups of Sugar
• 1 3/4 Cups of Flour
• 3/4 Cup of Cocoa (Hershey's Special Dark, if you want this coloring)
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Cup Boiling Water

Whipped Vanilla Mascarpone Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart

• 8oz Mascarpone Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla Paste (or Extract)
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar (more or less to taste)
• 2 Cups of Heavy Cream
• Stabilizer: Unflavored Gelatin/Cornstarch (I did not do this and my frosting did not hold for longer than 30 minutes)

Makes 24 Frosted Cupcakes
Preheat Oven to 375F Degrees then lower to 350F Degrees
Bake for 15-20 minutes
Needed Muffin Tin & Cupcake Liners



Cupcakes:

1) In a large bowl, add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until combined.

2) Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. 

3) Mix in boiling water until combined.  Batter will be very thin and runny.  (See bottom righthand

    picture.  The batter doesn't even stick to the beaters).

4) Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
5) Carefully pour batter into cups about 3/4 full.  I used a measuring cup to do this since the batter
    was so runny and I still managed to make a mess. 
6) Place pan into 375F Degree oven.  After 7 minutes lower oven temperature to 350F for the
    remaining 8-13 minutes.  Cupcakes are done when toothpick inserted into the center comes out
    clean.
7) Allow cupcakes to cool completely in the muffin tin before removing.

Frosting:
1) Place a medium sized bowl in the freezer to chill.
2) In another bowl, mix mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.

3) Take bowl out of the freezer and beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This will take a few
    minutes so be patient (make sure you start with clean beaters for this!) {Here is where you would
    add your stabilizer...otherwise use immediately}
4) Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream.  I found this very difficult and ended up mixing with the
    beater very carefully and quickly.  Keep chilled.
5) Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Blog police, you'll never get my pearls!

Blueberry Cupcakes w/ Lemon Mascarpone Frosting (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

This past week we were privy to the ultimate in Hollywood glamour, sophistication, and artistry.

Or at least, that's what we're promised...and crossing our fingers for.

But whether or not the Avengers received one too many nominations or Seth MacFarlane has a beyond amazing voice and a dirty mouth, I love taking part in this night reserved for the film elite.

The Academy.

The Awards.

The Oscars.

Every year we have a little party.

I say "little" because there's less than ten people.

But trust me, we do not take this day lightly.

There's food.  Trivia.

And my favorite.
Voting.

Each person gets a ballot and casts their vote for the winners.  Whoever predicts the most correctly is bestowed a prize.

Last year it was a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints.  A small token to some, but, man, did it feeeeeeel good!

Every year, the competition gets more intense.
By now, we've all added "pre-Oscar research" to our list of things to do before the big day.
Weighing five opinions per category is totally reasonable, right? 

But the best part of this years show -- we'll go ahead and leave Seth MacFarlane, in a suit (weakness #1), singing in the vein of Ol' Blue Eyes (weakness #2), out the equation -- the best was this dress and Jennifer Lawrence.

All of her.

She's a Hollywood experiment.

Like somebody thought it would be a hoot to throw in a completely normal, exceedingly awkward, yet surprisingly talented girl into the mess that is fame, fortune, and Jack Nicholson.

I mean, how totally relatable is she?!?  Am I right?

No other actress I know of is so starstruck by every celebrity she meets, freely brings up her "hyperactive" bladder, and spews any off-the-wall comment that comes into her pretty little head.

So when she tripped on that first stair on her way to accept her award, I just chuckled to myself, "Oh. That's so Jenn!"

Like we're buddies or something.
Only, we're not.
But we totally could be!

So to celebrate this great achievement of hers (and those of many others), I made these cupcakes.

Because nothing says "Wow, you were outstanding in that movie!  When you cried, there was snot -- and in that moment, you were unattractive.  Clearly your dedication was above all else this year" like a rustic looking blueberry and lemon mascarpone cupcake. 

So maybe I won't be winning "Best Train of Thought" or "Best Appropriately Themed Cupcake."

But that's okay.  Because everyone loved them.

The cupcakes were so dense and moist.

And the frosting was the perfect blend of cream, lemon, and sweetness.

Perfect enough to help hide the fact that I forgot half of the sugar in the cupcakes when I doubled the recipe.  

Twice. the. amount. means. twice. the. sugar.

Classic Nat!

Blueberry Cupcakes
adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction

• 3 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 1/2 Cup Milk
• 4 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Package of Freeze Dried Blueberries (1.2 oz or 1/4 Cup Ground)

Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
adapted from Week of Menus

• 4 Tbsp (1/2 Stick) of Butter, softened
• 8oz Mascarpone Cheese
• 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar 
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• (Optional) Additional Lemon Juice to Taste

Makes Approx. 24 Cupcakes
Preheat Oven to 350F

1) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

2) In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.  Heat in 30 second increments.

    Note: If you don't have unsalted butter, that's okay.  Just omit the added teaspoon of salt listed in 

              the recipe. 

3) Add sugar to the melted butter and stir until sugar starts to dissolve.  The mixture will still be very 

    grainy.  Place bowl in refrigerator for 1 minute. 

4) Take butter/sugar bowl out of the fridge and add the remaining wet ingredients one at a time, beating 

     in between each addition - eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the batter in small increments until well combined.
6) In a food processor (or coffee grinder) grind the freeze dried blueberries until almost a fine powder.

7) Add ground blueberries to batter and beat/stir well.

8) Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill each to about 3/4 full.  

9) Bake at 350F for approx. 20 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean.  

    Allow these to cool completely before frosting. 

10) For Frosting: Beat together softened butter and mascarpone cheese.  Mixture should be fluffy.

11) Add lemon zest and sugar, one cup at a time.  For stiffer frosting, add more sugar.  

If Jenn gets to win, then why can't I?

Clearly I'm not above self promotion, people.

*Special thanks to my sister for being obnoxiously photo happy, yet very helpful in snapping away at me baking this week.  One less day to have to worry about getting flour and butter caked into my lens.

Mother's Circus Animal Cupcakes (★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆)

Mother's Circus Animal Cookies -- Making Children Happy Since 1914.  

Sure we almost lost them a few years back, but the incessant crying of babies and toddlers...and, okay, me...were enough to ensure they weren't gone for long. 

I've been crazy fond of these cookies for pretty much forever.  I vividly remember being at my great-grandma's house and plopping down on the ground with my little bowl full of pink and white and using the seat of her large recliner as a makeshift table.  I would savor each at a time - biting off a head here, scraping off some sprinkles there.

I mean, come on. A pink cookie, shaped like an elephant, covered in multicolored sprinkles?!?!  How is that not a four-year-old girls dream come true?! 

To this day these are some of my favorite cookies.  I don't know what it is.  They do taste good, and, honestly, the sprinkles are pretty enticing, but I can't help but wonder if it wasn't these early experiences that began the brainwashing while I was but a wee lass.

Thankfully, my best friend feels the same way.  For all the opposite that we are, we are surprisingly similar in the areas that count.  Don't judge.  So what if this is a biggie?  We once bought a tub of "limited edition" circus animal ice cream that turned out to be less than ideal (sugar cookie/cotton candy flavored ice cream?  no thank you!).  But together we scoured the entire tub for each and every last cookie bite.  That's teamwork.

Kinda solves the mystery of this post for ya, huh?  

Mother's Circus Animal Cupcakes

For Cake:

1 Box Strawberry Cake Mix

1 Bag Mother's Circus Animal Cookies (trust me, don't go generic. worst. mistake. ever.)

1 Small Box Vanilla Pudding

24 Cupcake Liners

For Frosting:

1/2 Stick of Butter

4 oz Cream Cheese

1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Multi-Colored Non-pareils

1) Prepare cake mix according to box adding small package of vanilla pudding.  2) In baking cups place a white circus cookie sprinkle side down.  Add batter and cook according to directions.  3) While cupcakes are baking prepare frosting. Cream room temperature butter on medium speed for a minute.  4) Add cream cheese and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly.  5) Add confectioner's sugar beating on lowest setting until dry ingredients are coated.  Increase to medium speed for one minute.  6) After cupcakes have cooled and are frosted pour non-pareils onto a plate.  Carefully roll the edges of each cake into the sprinkles.  Top with a pink animal cookie.  

These came out so cute!  But I wasn't too fond of the strawberry flavor of the box mix.

In fact, I hated it.  It tasted like Trix cereral.  You know, the kind with the rabbit that just wanted to eat a colorful bowl of cereal and none of those bratty kids would ever let him have any?  Where were their parents??  They fail at life.  

But back to the issue at hand -- Trix flavored cupcakes.  I don't like fruity cereal.  It's awful.  Sticky,  sweet, fake, fake, fakeness.   So you can imagine my utter disappointment at this discovery.  

If you are wanting to make a few of these on your own, I'd recommend a little recipe revamp:

Mother's Circus Animal Cupcakes - Take 2

For Cake:

1 Box Funfetti Cake Mix

1 Bag Mother's Circus Animal Cookies

1 Small Box Vanilla Pudding

24 Cupcake Liners

For Frosting:

1/2 Stick of Butter

4 oz Cream Cheese

1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

3-5 Drops of Red Food Coloring

Multi-Colored Non-pareils

Prepare as above except: 1) Pink cookie on bottom (the white get a little darkened in the oven) and the white cookie on top.  2) Add some red food coloring to frosting to make pink. Actually, a fluffier frosting recipe would be even better.  As much as I enjoy the subtle sweetness of a cream cheese frosting it is a bit more goopy than I would've cared for in this situation. 

Although, I have to say nothing entices little children like a pink cupcake.  I took these to an event and they were gone before I could blink.  Imagine my surprise...or not...at the sight of little girls in frilly dresses all across the room holding my pink confections.  

Thank you pip-squeaks for eating Trix disguised as animal cookies.  Joke's on you.   Not that they cared.  A sugar bomb is a sugar bomb, right?

I figure if you actually read this whole thing, then it's safe to assume you love Mother's Circus Animal Cookies as much as I do.

So then, in theory, you might appreciate this little tidbit from one of my favorite baking blogs - The Domestic Rebel.  She recently conducted a circus animal themed baking week.  How legit is that?!?

For your enticement:
Circus Animal Cookie Rice Krispy Treats - Domestic Rebel
Circus Animal Cookie Pie - Domestic Rebel
Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream - Domestic Rebel
Circus Animal Cookie Truffles - Domestic Rebel
Circus Animal Cookie Mini Cheesecakes - Domestic Rebel

Face Off: Chocolate Frosting

I'm not sure what possesses me to do things like this.  Things like deciding to fix stew and a homemade apple pie in the same night...all by myself.  Inevitably, my family doesn't eat until 10pm.

We're Italian.  Eating can't wait for 10pm!   

But I do these things all the time.  

Lofty ideas take root and germinate in my head till I can think of nothing else.  And by the time I've gathered all of the needed supplies, clear visions of the utter joy and praises my baking escapades will surely bring to all those around me further fuel the fire--my crazy.

I always forget about "the last time."  

The last time I told myself to "remember this feeling"...the fat-man-sitting-on-my-chest one.  

The last time I ended up crying on a ladder in the shower breathing in chemical fumes because the entire bathroom - even the ceiling - needed to be cleaned.  

Or the last time I felt like punching people in the face because I was working my butt off in the kitchen while everyone else was watching TV...Wha? Why do I need to "ask" for help?   

The ability to suppress.  To forget.  It's a little gift life gives you.  A chance to move on, to do other stressful, stupid stuff.

Like I did for this post.

---

Finding the best chocolate frosting is a noble goal...Whipping up six different recipes at the same time is an insane goal.  

Ice baths.  Endless dishes.  And sore arms for days.  

But I did it for you.

To settle this nonsense once and for all.  

Here are the contestants.  My raking, remarks, and recipes follow:

Raking: 6 of 6

Remarks: This is an interesting frosting.  It is reminiscent of a marshmallow.  Super sweet and has the texture of sticky meringue.  I actually am a HUGE fan of this frosting, but not in chocolate form.  Normally, it is a nice and interesting complement to the cupcake, but something just doesn't translate here.  

Recipe(s):

Chocolate 7 Minute Frosting

Basic 7 Minute Frosting Recipe

Ranking: 5 of 6

Remarks: This frosting was a ton of work...requiring three separate mixtures and waiting for things to cool. Not feeling the love here. This was definitely the most spreadable of the bunch, but it had a very strong butter flavor, which if you've read my Best Frosting Ever entry, you'll already know I'm not a fan of.  

Recipe: Our Best Bites: Chocolate Frosting

Ranking: 4 of 6 (My Dad's Fav)

Remarks: Probably the fastest of all the recipes to complete.  It was sweet and the powder sugar flavor was very evident.  It had a nice, thick, and smooth texture.  I found I had to add more milk than was called for.  It could've been because I made only 1/3 of the recipe, but it was almost like fudge and difficult to spread.  My dad mentioned that he thought this frosting was more on the milk chocolate side of the spectrum.  He loves a good buttercream. 

Recipe: Rich Chocolate Buttercream

--RUNNER UP--

Ranking: 3 of 6 (Brother-in-Law's Fav)

Remarks: This frosting is muy delicioso!  It's extremely similar to the Old Fashioned Chocolate Frosting (My fav, below).  Essentially, the only difference between the two is that this recipe uses powdered sugar instead of dissolved granulated sugar.  Powder sugar isn't my favorite flavor in a frosting, but in this recipe it is pretty subdued.  This one also held up much better after being refrigerated than the Old Fashioned one.  I'm sure it had to do with the sugars.  It hurt me to make this #3 on the list because it is just SO good, but someone has to make the final call and my ruling is that granulated sugar wins.  The queen has spoken!

Recipe: Anne's Perfect Chocolate Frosting

1 pkg (6oz) semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup light cream

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups unsifted confectioners' sugar

In medium-sized saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream and butter; stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat. With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar. In bowl set over ice, beat until frosting holds its shape.

--RUNNER UP--
Ranking: 2 of 6 (My Fav)

Ranking: Oh my gracious.  This frosting is heaven.  It's not too sweet and a perfect mix of whipped cream and fudge.  How it achieves the balance of light and chocolatey goodness is beyond me.  The reason this baby couldn't take the prize for first?  It is time CONSUMING.  It took me 40 minutes to complete.  Ice bath, cooling, whipping, clean up....you name it.  Not sure the exorbitant amount of time is worth it--especially when the Chocolate Ganache (coming next) is almost as good.  As a side note, if you don't intend to use this frosting right away, it gets a little grainy because of the granulated sugar.  My dad told me he preferred Anne's Perfect Chocolate Frosting because of this.  It's really a preference thing when it comes down to choosing which of these two recipes to use.

Recipe: Old Fashioned Chocolate Frosting

--WINNER--

Ranking:  1 of 6  (Bestie's Fav, My Mom's Fav)

Remarks:  This is fantastically fluffy and had the purest chocolate flavor out of all the frostings I made.  It's not too sweet, but it's oh so rich.  My dad commented on the nice semi sweet/bitterness flavor.   And what puts it over the edge for top billing is that it is SUPER easy to make.  Only two ingredients.  After you finish cooking the frosting on the stove, you must actually get it cold for it to get fluffy/whipped.  The recipe says room temp, but I didn't find that to be the case.  And the cherry on top:  it says you can store at room temp!  Absolutely, awesome because frostings are never the same once they've been refrigerated.   

Recipe: Chocolate Ganache

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Recap:

Chocolate Seven Minute Frosting: Skip.
Our Best Bites: Chocolate Frosting: Way too much work, not enough love.

Rich Chocolate Buttercream: Basically your typical buttercream.

Anne's Perfect Chocolate Cake Frosting: Powder Sugar.  So good.  Lots of work.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Frosting: Granulated Sugar.  So good.  Lots of work.

Chocolate Ganache: Two Ingredients.  Rich chocolate taste.  Winner, winner chicken dinner.

This probably isn't the most definitive list out there, but I like to tell myself it is.  Because then all this hard work actually meant something.  

And I can't afford to have any more "ideas" for awhile.   

"Best" Frosting Ever (★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆)

If you like the taste of sweet butter, then you will love this recipe.  If you don't, then definitely take my advice...this frosting is not for you.  

I am continually searching for delicious to-go baking recipes--especially frostings.  Ones that are fluffy and not too sweet.  I came across this recipe on a blog awhile back and after reading how she and her daughter raved about it, I was sold.  The "Best" Frosting I've Ever Had

The only thing I needed was an opportunity. 

My best friend was at my house...actually, when is she not?...and she mentioned that she wanted to make some cupcakes for her coworker's birthday the next day.  

*Light Bulb* Bing!  

I knew just the thing!

I used a chocolate box mix because this wasn't about a cupcake to me.  What I needed was a base to try my frosting on. 

I was pretty excited.  I don't know why, but I just "knew" this was going to be the frosting that rocked my world...haunted my dreams.

Classic "Pic of the Bestie lingering at the cupcakes" Shot

At first, the frosting was good.  Definitely not too sweet.  But by the time I had frosted all of the cupcakes and had my obligatory 4-6 "safety check" tastes, I felt like I had eaten a whole stick of butter.

The frosting wasn't all that fluffy and was even slightly grainy.  It reminded me of the sugar-butter mixture you make before you add the flour to cookie dough.

I thought that maybe it was just a frosting overload.  I mean, after six spoonfuls of anything that fattening it's only natural that something would start to taste a little off.  But even the next day when I had it on a cupcake all I could taste was butter.



I wouldn't consider this a total flop.  The cupcakes turned out really cute.  We rolled the edges in colored sprinkles.  But butter flavored frosting isn't really what I had been so longing to find.  Needless, to say I was a bit disappointed.

I have yet to find the "best" frosting, but I know it's out there.  I have faith.

---

                                                          Dear Frosting,

                                                       

                                                          I am here waiting for you when you are ready.

                                                       

                                                          Patiently yours,

                                                                Natalie 

---

Deep Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (★ ★ ★ ★ ☆)

What's more enjoyable than a good chocolate cupcake?

A dark chocolate one.

It doesn't get much better than that right?

Well, actually, it does. These DEEP dark chocolate beauties were THE best chocolate cupcakes...scratch that...chocolate "cake" period...that I've ever had.

One of my high school friends had been bugging me to teach him to bake. By now you have all figured out I'm not afraid to try things...and more often than I like, fail. So when I knew he was coming over I tried to stick to the basics. And what a good decision that was. My main goal was to make everything from scratch. Cake. Frosting. The whole kit and caboodle.

I found this recipe online and it was actually the almost black color of the cake that drew me to it. Little did I know what a great recipe I had stumbled upon. Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

My favorite frosting (besides plain ol' whipped cream) is cream cheese. When I found this recipe for chocolate cream cheese frosting I got really excited! Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

The recipe was pretty good. I bought special cocoa powder just like it called for. I think it was all the way from Holland or something like that. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. Save yourself the $12.

I had to add a TON of cocoa powder in order for the frosting to taste like chocolate. The cream cheese flavor was just too powerful. I think this recipe would've been better suited for a vanilla cake...actually it would've been amazing. It wasn't bad on the chocolate, but just not the most ideal pairing.

I dropped off some of my extra cupcakes at my friends house and one of her roommates told me it was one of the first cupcakes she had thoroughly enjoyed in a long time.

Definitely my go-to chocolate cake recipe.