Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Cupcakes with Chocolate Swiss Buttercream frosting!

Pickles and I are home today. My little baby has Strep throat poor guy. So we decided to make some cupcakes while the laundry washed. I am ALL for saving time by using boxed cake mixes, but I'll ALWAYS make my own frosting!
I mixed up some French Vanilla cake batter, divided it into three bowls and dyed each bowl a different color (pink, blue, and yellow). I then spooned just under one Tablespoon of each color into the lined cupcake tins. It jazzed them up a bit.
The frosting is a buttercream, but not the standard American version, which I find too grainy and rich (I do use it on occasion though!). I made a Swiss buttercream which is made with egg whites to make a meringue.
First, I chopped up 3 oz of semi-sweet chocolate and melted it over a double boiler. Set it aside to cool. While I was doing that, the oven was preheating to 350 degrees. I spread some coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toasted it for about 10 mins, stirring halfway through.
Place a bowl over simmering water. Add to it 3/4 Cup granulated sugar and 3 egg whites. Beat for about 3 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the simmering water and beat on high for 7-10 minutes, or until the mixture cools. Beat in 2 sticks plus 6 T of unsalted, room temp. butter. Beat in cooled chocolate.
We generously frosted the cupcakes cuz we're generous folks then topped with coconut.

Yummms.
I put a few on a plate one for each munchkin, then packed the rest up for The Dude to take back to work with him. Who's proud of me?! I didn't eat any!!!

Dang, of course, the one cupcake I cut into to show the three pretty colors is the ONE cupcake that only got two colors (ran out of yellow batter on the last cupcake)!

Peace out homies. I hope to post about my laundry detergent making tomorrow!! Stop giving the computer screen that look like, "OMG, that biotch is crazy! She MADE laundry detergent? Yeah I did, and it works hella good and is easy!

7 comments:

The Farmers Wife said...

Damn it poser, where are you? I see you just posted this and yet you didnt sign into IM? What the crap??? Anyway, I miss you. Hope pickles feels better. Give him kisses from Auntie.

FYI those cuppy cakes look delish. There is one piece of that cheesecake left and I am NOT going to have any. It is all for Cougar Bait himself. Call me captain of the generous ship. I am not, however, as generous as you. I would have eaten a few of those there cupcakes for sure. But hey, I wont look down on you and your will power, it takes all kinds. ;o)

Sally's World said...

oh my, these look great, i'm gaining weight just looking at them..

Unknown said...

I love the cupcakes -- they look so yummy! We are doing a bunny cake this weekend. Hope she feel better -- Hugs to her.

The Rambler said...

You would have been so proud of me. I made my own frosting the other day. At work. From this cute cupcake book!!

I thought of you the whole time.

lagirl said...

How cute are those cupcakes?!!
You didn't eat even ONE?
Come on, you can tell me. How do you do it???
I am sooo weak.

Hohni said...

I've got to see the homemade laundry soap!!!

RootsAndWingsCo said...

That frosting looks fantastic! It wasn't until I was an adult that I even knew you could make a cake from a box! My Mother made everything from scratch! Your frosting was looking sooo yummy...until the coconut. Coconut looks so yummy, but I don't like it (one of those foods that I wished I liked, but don't). I will totally be trying out your frosting sans coconuts! Thanks for the recipe!
Rebecca
RootsAndWingsCo.blogspot.com