Thursday, August 19, 2010

Bake-N-Blog.....Espresso Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

Please humor me today while I talk waaay off topic and turn the subject to cupcakes.
I am participating in Stacy Edwards' Bake-N-Blog event today. 
I made my cupcakes this past weekend.  I originally signed up for the Coconut Sponge Cupcakes with Chocolate Espresso Buttercream, but then I noticed no one had signed up for Cupcake #1..... so I changed my selection with Stacy and ended up making the Espresso Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing instead.

Let me begin with the fact that I am not a baker.  I have only made cupcakes from scratch one other time in my life.  Usually I take the easy route with a box of cake mix.  When I did make them from scratch a couple of months ago it's because I had bought a box of strawberry cake mix for my little sister's birthday (she was turning 13) and then remembered when I got home that she hates strawberry.  I didn't have time to go back to the store and so I made chocolate cupcakes from scratch....and they fell sunk.  I filled them way up with the frosting so you couldn't see the huge hole in the middle and my sister loved them because she loves frosting.
My point in telling this story is that I should have remembered that the cupcakes sunk and taken a lesson from it. 
Well... I forgot to learn my lesson. 
I think I needed to add more of whatever ingredient you add when you live at a high altitude (is it baking soda?), because my cupcakes sunk again! 

Other than that they were fine I think.  They were way too sweet for my liking, I would take out the chocolate chips that go in the batter if I were to make them again.  Also, I couldn't taste the espresso at all.  I even sprinkled some on top but I think the sweetness just overpowered all espresso flavor.  So that would be the other thing I'd change....more espresso, like double or triple the called for amount.
I chopped up a dark chocolate bar and put that on top instead of the chocolate chips.
I took my pictures of the cupcakes on top of a piece of Carrara marble, I had to tie in stone somehow!

To read about the other cupcakes made during this Bake-N-Blog celebration go to Stacy's blog for the links.
Thanks Stacy for a fun idea!

13 comments:

Sally @ Pink.Vanilla.Love said...

They look great, especially on the marble! Well done x

Jacqueline Sears said...

Oh well that they sunk! Cupcakes are cupcakes, and yours look so festive with the chocolate shavings on top! Success :)

Sara said...

Well they look great. I plan to make these in the future and I will definitely take your advice in the changes. I think you did great!

Sara - Cupcake #32

Natalie said...

They still look yummy, even if they sunk! I didn't exactly have success with my recipe either, so I feel for ya!

Angela said...

I love how you concealed the sunkenness on the first cupcake! Yay, frosting! :)

Angela (#7)

Joy Moxley said...

Beautiful! Looks like you had fun baking and I'm sure eating :)

DesignTies said...

I can't believe more people didn't sign up to make #1 -- good for you for taking on an orphan cupcake :-)

I think your cupcakes look great, even if they did sink a bit. I like how you displayed them on the piece of marble :-)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the sweetness -- I find that most of the baking I do, I end up reducing the amount of sugar called for because I don't like things too sweet.

If you prefer tart, you HAVE to make #32!! Trust me, they're delicious!!

I'm not sure what modifications you need to make for baking at higher elevations. Could be that you need more baking powder or baking soda. You might have to set the oven to a higher or lower temperature as well.

I hope you'll take another shot at making cupcakes, because I think you did a great job with these chocolate ones :-)

Kelly (cupcake #32)

Melissa said...

I think they are perfect. I, too, like extra icing!

Staci Edwards said...

I think they look delicious, which is the most important part!
Thank you so much for participating, and taking the cupcake that needed a home!
It was lovely to "meet" you Steph, and keep on bakin'!
Staci

Molly Page said...

yummy, yumm, yumm. They look good! I'm sorry you couldn't taste the espresso though, that's what was most intriguing part of that recipe...

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