Let the Voting Begin!!

When I was in 3rd grade I ran for Vice President of my Elementary School's Student Government.

It was a big deal.....seriously.

I had to give a speech in front of the whole school about why I wanted to be VP and I'm sure I made up some awesome stuff like longer recess and candy machines.

But ya know what? I don't even remember if I won or not.

What I do remember however, was my slogan: "Vote for me, Evan B, for VP"

So what does my one shot at childhood politics have anything to do with the Project Food Blog Challenge?  The answer is simple...

You've seen my post- Project Food Blog: The Definition

Now you've got to go to Food Buzz and vote for sweetebakes. (Please!)

The voting is simple. If you're not a part of Foodbuzz already, it is a great community of bloggers and food lovers chock full of delicious dishes, tips, tricks and friends- so head on over, sign up and vote for me today!! You have until the 23rd.

And just like I did way back when, I'll leave you with my catchy slogan with one minor alteration.

Vote for me, Evan B, for PFB!!

V is for Vote Vote Vote!

And if you're really feeling generous...if you could head on over to Sweetest Kitchen and vote for my cupcake in this month's Mystery Box Challenge: Childhood Memories that would be spectacular! (Pretty Please!)

An Ode to a Childhood Favorite: Fudge Rounds Cupcakes

I know I'm asking a lot of ya'll, but I promise there will be some good recipes to come the rest of the week! 

This post however, is all about you and your support.. I appreciate every single one of you out there whether you realize it or not..Thank you for all your kind words of support and encouragement thus far :)

Happy Monday and Happy Baking!!

Ode to a Childhood Favorite: Fudge Rounds

As a child we weren't allowed sugary cereals in the morning, my mom packed us a well balanced lunch, we always had a glass of milk with dinner and we had to eat at least half of the vegetables we had on our plate- even if that meant plugging your nose and chugging your milk after each bite...I totally didn't do this, I'm just giving an example of what a silly child would do....


My mom packed my lunch almost every day of my childhood...ok, maybe she packed my lunch all the way into high school,  but she had to make my little brothers' lunches anyways so it just made sense to make mine as well! Don't judge. You're just jealous my mama loved me so much :)

As I mentioned before, our lunches were always well balanced: a sandwich on wheat bread, a little bag of chips, a piece of fruit or maybe some veggies, a juice box and a sweet treat to round it all off- normally something of the Little Debbie variety.

My love of sweets started early. Not to say that my salami and butter sandwiches weren't delicious (yeah, I was a weird kid OK!) but it was the desserts of my childhood that stick out in my mind.

When Jamieanne of The Sweetest Kitchen announced this month's Mystery Box Challenge: Childhood Memories, my mind immediately wandered to the days of Doug, POGS, recess and Minnie Mouse lunch boxes.

Every afternoon I would open my lunch box excited about what may be inside... what will the dessert be today? A Nutty Bar? Oatmeal Cream Pie? Fudge Brownies? Star Crunches? Or my absolute favorite: Fudge Rounds!!

For this month's Mystery Box Challenge: Childhood Memories, I am honoring the Little Debbie Fudge Rounds in cupcake form.

So here's to you Fudge Rounds, delicious chocolate cookie sandwiches, filled with a delicate chocolate cream, drizzled with even more chocolate, making children happier one individually wrapped cookie at a time.

Fudge Round Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes, filled with Chocolate Cream and topped with Chocolate Ganache.

Chocolate Cake
You can use any chocolate cake recipe you'd like, but I highly suggest my Chocolate Layer Cake recipe: this one.

Quick Chocolate Ganache
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In a double boiler (heat small amount of water in a small pot until simmering, place heat proof bowl over pot) heat cream until warm. Add chocolate chips and whisk constantly until chocolate is completed melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
Reserve 1/2 cup of ganache and place in fridge.
Set aside the remaining ganache for later use.

Chocolate Cream
1/2 cup chocolate ganache, completely cooled*
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat cream with hand held mixer until soft peaks form.
Add powdered sugar and beat until just blended.
Place in fridge to chill for about 15 minutes.
Add cooled ganache to chilled whipped cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
If cream seems a little soft after the addition of chocolate, return to fridge to stiffen for about 15-30 minutes.

* I can't stress how important it is that the ganache is completely cooled. If you add the ganache and the whipping cream doesn't seem to be setting, place back in the fridge to chill a little longer before trying to beat it again.

Assembly

Make sure your cupcakes are completely cool before embarking on the assembly.

Filling: Prepare a pastry/decorating bag with star tip or filling tip if you have one. Fill bag with chocolate cream (save some for decoration). Press tip into each cupcake and lightly squeeze in filling, slowly pulling tip out of cupcake as you squeeze.

If you're squeezing too hard your filling will explode out the top, so be aware of the pressure.

Frosting: Place a spoonful of chocolate ganache on each cupcake and softly spread across top, creating a smooth layer of ganache on every cupcake.

Decoration: Change tip on decorating bag to a 1 or 2 tip. Squiggle filling on top of ganache to resemble a Fudge Round.

I think I did Little Debbie proud 

Happy Baking!!

What was your favorite childhood dessert??

Don't forget to head over to The Sweetest Kitchen for some delicious voting!

Voting starts on the 21st!

The winner of September’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

• Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card
• Bakerella; an autographed copy of her new book Cake Pops
• Beanilla; 2 each of 4 special vanilla beans
• Hello Hanna; a pack of Sweet Stands cupcake stands
• Miss Kitty Creations; a handmade cupcake charm of your choice
• Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25
• Tundra Books; a selection 3 very sweet children’s books

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

phhheeewww...now you can breath!

Sorry for the long cupcake title, but it just didn't feel right to leave anything out..

While in correspondence with Lisa from The Lunch Box Project, she informed me of Jamieanne of The Sweetest Kitchen and her Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge.  I immediately made my way to her site and boy am I glad I did!

Every month Jamieanne hosts The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge, where she introduces a mystery ingredient on the 1st of the month to be used in a cupcake competition. Contestants have 20 days to come up with a delicious cupcake using the mystery ingredient and the next day Jamieanne presents all the cupcakes entered for voting ...aka you need to go there on the 21st and vote for my cupcake!! And don't worry I'll remind you :)

This months mystery ingredient was White Chocolate.

So I present to you.. this month's top choice (in my opinion) for The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge..

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes 

with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes

Oven: 325 Bake time: 20 minutes

swEEts original 

Yields 20 cupcakes

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup AP flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325. Line pan with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugars until fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Add vanilla extract to buttermilk.

Mix dry ingredients into butter/sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner with one scoop of batter.

Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back to touch or toothpick comes out clean.

Immediately turn out onto table and place on cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before frosting.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate, melted

1 TBS crisco

In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Slowly add sugar, whipping cream and vanilla extract- beating until smooth and creamy consistency is reached.

Melt white chocolate and crisco using a double boiler or in the microwave* make sure to watch your white chocolate as it is much more finicky than its darker counterpart. If microwaving stop to check on it every 30 seconds or so and if using a double boiler constantly stir until crisco melts in.

Allow white chocolate to cool slightly before adding it to icing mixture.

Add melted white chocolate to frosting mixture and beat on high for a few minutes.

Place frosting in fridge for a few minutes before using.

Use piping bag to frost cupcakes.

For garnish:

Cook one tortilla cut into small triangles in skillet over medium heat (with 2 TBS oil).

Make cinnamon-sugar mixture and place in small bowl.

Place cooked tortilla triangles in cinnamon-sugar mixture and mix to coat.

Don't forget to vote for me on the 21st!

Happy Baking!  

The winner of August’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

• Bake It Pretty; $5 electronic gift card
• Beanilla; 3 Indian + 3 Tahitian vanilla beans & a jar of Ground Vanilla
• CT2Designs; a cupcake ring
• Miss Kitty Creations; a cupcake charm of your choice
• Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!