Ok...so I could really use a break from all the packing. I'm on the verge of entering that overwhelmed phase in the packing process...the one where running away from the cardboard boxes and hiding under the bed until the Monster of Mess leaves the house sounds like a reasonable option! (This is why I've decided to take a break and post my July
Cupcake Hero Challenge entry. :)
Speaking of monsters, all these cupcakes need is a pair of googly eyes and they're set -- they're practically alive! Don't they look like they belong on the set of a Jim Henson show? But they're not alive :), thank
goodness. They're definitely edible and rich, rich, rich in flavor! They're dense too.
This is how to stuff 'em!
And the title for the red velvet-inspired cupcakes? These cupcakes are dedicated to good times in Austin, TX. If you love it here, but you're a little sad about leaving (like me..so many good memories here!), they'll help you beet the blues ;) (the hubby came up with the cool title, btw). So there are beets in here? Yes! I used beet juice as part of the coloring for the cupcakes. My initial plan was to just use beet juice, but after adding the cocoa powder, I knew they were gonna need a little bit of help, so I added a little under a tablespoon of food coloring to the batter. I'm not proud to admit this :(, I don't like using artificial colors...next time around, I hope to get ahold of more beet juice and try tweaking the recipe to include it. Thankfully, the folks at work liked them and they couldn't taste the beet juice! Guess what else? I only needed about 1/8 cup of canola oil to make the batter! But the topping totally takes away from any 'lightness' of the actual cupcake :P...but if these cupcakes want to taste the sweetness of a cupcake hero victory, they're gonna need a little bit of the 'good stuff'. After all, I've never seen a puny cupcake hero :)!
Alright, my next post will be for this month's Daring Bakers Challenge (I did it way ahead of time, there's no way I'm baking right now! :). Next time I'm bakin' anything, I'll be in Boston!
Further reading: BBC Good Food baking guidance.
