Cupcakes...

There is something truly different about a cupcake. They are small petite packaged desserts that make people feel like a kid again. Maybe it’s because they are small and individually wrapped and decorated. Maybe it’s because they just make you smile.

Here are two theories about the origin of Cupcakes…

The name cupcake comes from the amount of ingredients used to make them - a cupful of flour, a cupful of butter and cupful of sugar. This is very similar to how pound cake was named. In fact, the recipes for cup cakes and pound cakes include pretty much the same ingredients and would have produced similar results.

These cakes were originally baked in cups. Old cookbooks also sometimes mention baking cakes in small cups. These cups may very well have been earthenware tea cups or other small clay baking pans. These would easily accommodate baking level oven heat and produce individual-sized cakes. This is not the same thing as contemporary metal cupcake pans, enabling cooks to bake a dozen small cakes in one pan.

Growing up, cupcakes were some of my very favorite treats. They were made for special birthday parties, a great report card or just rainy Saturday afternoon entertainment. Cupcakes are easy to make, fun to eat and they are the perfect size serving. No two cupcakes are exactly alike, that is another great reason why people seem to adore them. Cupcakes are definitely making a comeback and we are all the benefactors for this fact! Here is one of my favorite cupcake recipes:



Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
If you would like to frost the cupcakes, I've included two recipes for a mint-flavored frosting. The butter cream version is quite sweet; the cream cheese version is a little less sweet and has a tang from the cream cheese.

Cupcake Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
½ cup Dutch processed cocoa
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons mint extract
½ cup sour cream

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter, room temperature (1 stick, 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon milk
¼ to ½ teaspoon mint extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature (½ stick, 2 ounces)
¼ to ½ teaspoon mint extract
1½ cups powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
Fresh mint for garnish
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Directions:

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners. Use a double boiler or add an inch or two of water to a medium sized saucepan and place a metal bowl over it, bringing the water to a simmer. Add butter (cut into chunks), chocolate, and cocoa to the bowl. As the butter and chocolate melt, whisk until the ingredients are well combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

In a large bowl (can use a mixer), beat the eggs. Add the salt, the sugar, the mint extract and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the chocolate butter mixture and beat until combined.

Add in half of the sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in the sour cream. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.

Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Place in oven in middle rack. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Then gently remove cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely before frosting.

Use frosting of choice, flavored with a little mint extract. Garnish with a little fresh mint. Recipes for simple butter cream or cream cheese frosting follow.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Frosting

In an electric mixer, beat the butter (if making buttercream) or butter and cream cheese (if making cream cheese frosting) at medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk (if making buttercream) and mint extract.

Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed, stopping every now and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Taste and add more mint extract if it isn't minty enough for you or powdered sugar if it isn't sweet enough for you.

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I believe you can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he or she eats a cupcake. So indulge yourself and bake a dozen today!