I♥cuppycakes!

As always I LOVE reading the comments from my readers. Thanks for making Erin’s first giveaway a success. I know she had a great time reading the comments as I did.

But who knew a simple question like “Cupcake vs Cookie?” would evoke such passionate answers. Some of you really struggled to answer too. I know you did. I could feel the indecision in some comments. I think my favorite comments were the ones that said “cookie topped cupcake”. See how they did that? They took the easy way out! Come on now. MAN UP! Choose one! HA! I kid. I kid. It’s one of those questions like “What came first? chicken or egg?” Rhetorical. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! *emphatic head nod*

Since Erin and I have a (friendly) competition about the cookie vs cupcake debate, I for one was curious about how the comments would turn out. Wanna know the final answer?

Cupcakes = 100 votes
Cookies = 61 votes
both = 11 votes
did not answer (ie wussed out!) = 5

We’ll also say +-8 for error b/c some comments were just confirming their email or deleted by the author.

IN.YOUR.FACE, Cookies! * double fist pump*

Uh… I mean. Cupcakes won? Cool.

I suppose if we’re being all scientific and nerdy-like I could say that the random selection of comments wasn’t very random since some of them came by way of a cupcake blog. But we’ll push that doubt aside and celebrate in all our cupcake glory.

Can I get a HELL YEAH fellow cupcake-istas?

Alrighty. Enough jib jab. Ready for the winners?

*drum roll*

Congratulations Sarah!
You won the Martha Stewart Cookie prize package. Please email me your address!

Congratulations Courtney!
You won the Martha Stewart Cupcake prize package. Please email me your address!

Thanks losers everyone that left a comment! Even though you didn’t win, I hope you had fun. As always there’s more where that came from. There is bound to be another IHC giveaway in the future. Be there or be square.

Interview Part II with Erin of Erin’s Food Files after the cut.

Continue reading AAB Interview Part II + **GIVEAWAY** Winner…

MeMe Roth (pictured above) says she is fighting a crusade. A crusade against cupcakes, donuts, cake, ice cream, cookies and other “junk food” in her fight against child obesity.

You can read more here and here.

“Show me an American that knows what ‘moderation’ means,” Roth said.

Ooohh me! Pick me. Over here. I know what moderation means.

I’m not a parent so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I get where she’s coming from. No really. I do. Her family has a history of obesity and she’s trying to do what every good parent wants to do. Protect her children from making the same mistakes. Her message is admirable but her method is questionable. You know that saying? You can catch more flies with honey…” Apparently she isn’t into sweets even in her actions either.

Giving your child a tupperware “junk collector” and telling them not to eat any sweets at school but rather bring them home to discuss with her before they eat it doesn’t work for me. I won’t lie and tell you that I weigh 100lbs and eat carrots sticks instead of cupcakes but I can tell you from experience that overzealous restrictions don’t work. I feel they have the opposite affect. Haven’t you ever been told you can’t have something and it makes you want it more? Chalk it up to human nature. The first chance you get, you’ll give into your temptation. I know I have. (But that’s a post for another day and time.)

Let me tell you a story. I knew a girl in high school that was so sheltered by her parents that she wasn’t prepared for the real world. She got to college, with boys and booze, no parental control or limitations and went wild. Last I heard she flunked out her first year. The End.

I won’t deny the fact that child obesity is on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past three decades the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years. It has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years.

But let’s forget the restrictive, rude, loud and crude approach. What about some education? Some personal responsibility to ourselves and our kids? What about teaching 3 simple words, “No thank you”? What about a balance between broccoli and Snickers? What about exercising *WITH* our kids? What about guiding our kids to make good choices? Not making the choices *FOR* them like a dictator.

Like I said. I’m not a parent. What do I know?

Hmmm… All this ranting makes me hungry for a cupcake. “Mother, May I?”

* Special thanks to Dawn, Tania and Anna for letting me post their Twitter replies.

Now you know I couldn’t leave you all hanging on Cinco De Mayo without a crunkcake recipe right?

Although I have to admit, this one is a 2fer. I heart 2fers!

My baking group, Tuesdays with Dorie just happen to be making a tiramisu cake this week and I decided that the recipe would be uber cute as a cupcake. I am just not a cake decorator. I try but I think I get overwhelmed with that big vast canvas. I tend to think of ways to fill up the space and it starts to look more Cake Wreck than Ace of Cake. But cupcakes are small, portable, cute and it doesn’t take much to make it look pretty IMO. A swirl of frosting, a little sprinkle of this and that and you’re good to go.

So… anyone have plans for Cinco De Drinko? I’m thinking Dave & Buster’s happy hour after work until I can’t remember what time it is. Alcohol and arcade games. I can play Street Fighter with the best of them. Have you ever played that game where you control the mechanical claw and whatever prize you pick up, you keep? It’s impossible sober. I plan to see if how I do with a couple margaritas. Just wait and see. I’ll be coming home with a big purple Barney. You’ll be so jealous.

Hmm… come to think of it. Did I ask for tomorrow off? I better double check on that.

PS. Happy (belated) Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you. <— Hilarious, no? I wish I could take credit for that tidbit but I got it from my godson. He LOVES Star Wars!

Tiramisu Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours, Dorie Greenspan

Print this recipe

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 20 cupcakes

For cupcake
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 sticks (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For espresso extract
2 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp boiling water

For espresso syrup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp amaretto, Kahlua or brandy (I used Kahlua)

For frosting
1-8oz container mascarpone
1/2 cup powder sugar, sifted
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp amaretto, Kahlua or brandy (I used Kahlua)
1 cup cold cream

2-1/2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (garnish) (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chips, chopped)
cocoa powder, dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcake—
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pan with liners.

Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, fitted with a flat beater, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and mix to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla.

Gradually add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, ending with the flour mixture. Mix until flour just incorporated into batter.

Fill cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full and bake for about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

To make espresso extract—
In a small bowl, stir espresso powder and boiling water together until blended. Set aside.

To make espresso syrup—
In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar together and bring just to a boil. Pour syrup into small bowl and stir in 1 tbsp of espressp extract and liqueur. Set aside.

To make frosting—
Combine the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. In a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it hold stiff peaks. Using a spatula, stir in about 1/4 of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a soft touch. Add espresso syrup to frosting, to taste. (If frosting is too soft to pipe, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes or so.)

To assemble cupcakes—
Poke holes in cupcakes with a fork or toothpick. Spoon about 1-2 tsp of espresso syrup over each cupcake. (Let syrup soak in a little at a time before you add more or it will overflow.) Using your favorite round tip, pipe frosting over cupcake. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and garnish with chopped chocolate.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
He loves coffee so he raved about the espresso syrup in the cupcake but he wasn’t a huge fan of the frosting.

Wifey rating: A
I am not a big coffee person but that espresso syrup was FABULOUS and the frosting was good but I honestly liked it more before the whipped cream was folded in. (Of course I tasted it between steps! Doesn’t everyone?).