The Elvis

2012-07-14T19:01:00.000-04:00

Look at me, updating semi-regularly. That’s growth! That’s also called "vacation time" where I actually have some time to think about frivolous things such as cupcakes!

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcake
w/caramelized banana on top
"The Elvis"

This cupcake was one of my more “adventurous” endeavors. If we’re going to call peanut butter banana cupcakes adventurous… It’s just that I had never attempted to caramelize bananas before. “How hard can it be,” I said to myself. Well, it turned out to be a bit more difficult than I anticipated -- to say the least. Which I think is silly since I have NO problem with caramel normally. I’m actually really good at working with caramel! The first batch was ridiculous though. I tried looking for a picture of them but I must have deleted it out of anger. I was pretty upset at the time. In retrospect they were hilarious. I left them in the pan way too long and they were little bits of charcoal when I was done with them. I think I actually set off the fire alarm that time…

The second batch turned out…okay. I still wasn’t incredibly pleased with them. I was expecting them to be crunchier on the outside and they were just kinda… sticky. And really mushy on the inside. Is that normal? Maybe I just don’t like caramelized bananas and that was a learning experience? Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be doing that again anytime soon until I consult a professional. Or a Cuban. Cubans do amazing things with bananas and banana like things. Fried plantains anyone? (Cue most of my friends sniggering at an inappropriate joke regarding the term “banana like things.”)

On the bright side, the banana cupcake and the peanut butter buttercream turned out pretty well. My PB buttercream is one of my favorite recipes, and one that I’m rather proud of. I think my only complaint with the banana cupcake was that it wasn’t as moist as I was expecting. I was thinking more along the lines of banana bread. It was just a little more dry than I had anticipated. Overall this wasn’t a bad cupcake at all! It was just a lot of those, “Oh! That’s not what I was expecting…,” moments. Maybe I’ll try a variation off of a banana bread recipe next time.

And no caramelized bananas. Banana chips. …From someone else.

Over and out,

-m

End of the Southern Cupcake Saga

2012-06-28T10:14:00.000-04:00

Oh hey!

Remember that one time I said I was going to try and blog consistently and then I didn't? For MONTHS?

Yeah.

So, the last cupcake of the "Southern cupcake series" is (drumroll please):

Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

I'm not entirely sure why this little guy got lumped in with the other Southern cupcakes. It's just a chocolate/chocolate cupcake. But I distinctly remember sitting with Kristen and my mom in the box office last October, discussing what the quintessential Southern cupcakes would be, and we unanimously voted for a chocolate/chocolate cupcake. Maybe it's something about it being a classic.Maybe there's a little nostalgia tied in there that reminds people of the relaxed attitude of the south. I have no idea. Regardless, these rocked. I was so freaking proud of how they turned out.

It was just one success after another when I was making them. I had never tried the recipe before, for either the batter or the cake, and so I was a little nervous about using it for an actual order. I think my only set back with the whole process was that the cake recipe only yields a dozen cupcakes; whereas I can normally squeeze two dozen out of a recipe. Whatev. It was worth it.

I remember peeking in the oven to see how they were turning out and being completely amazed. They had those perfect little dome tops like you see on the front of a Martha Stewart catalogue. Consistently. They all looked exactly the same! And it was the same story with the frosting. Ok, well, the frosting didn't make little dome tops. That would be ridiculous. And I'd also wonder who turned off Physics. But it seemed like a normal buttercream recipe and then I started to pipe it on the mallycakes and it was beautiful! It was that perfect consistency that I'm always aiming for (but never seem to achieve) with my buttercream.

Piping some frosting.

Anyway, it was the last set of cupcakes that I made for that gigantic order and I'm so glad I waited to make these last. It was such a nice way to end that marathon of baking. The evening turned out to be a great success as well! I think Austin timed the chocolate cupcakes to see how fast they would go and it was less than 10 minutes. It took less than a half hour for all of them, I mean every last one, to get eaten. Go team mallycakes.

The cupcake display. At least what would fit on the table

toodles,

-m

Mally Cakes

The Elvis

End of the Southern Cupcake Saga