A talk with Chan about this blog resparked my interest in baking. And then new recipes and ideas just keeping popping into my head (you should ask her how long this email is. But then again. All my emails are long...>___>).
Efficiency always in mind, my view of life is "Why kill 2 birds with one stone when you can shoot down a flock." ...metaphorically. I'm not that morbid nor do I enjoy injuring poor birds. =(
Haha, so THAT in mind, I decided to bake for my colleagues at work (cause they rock). So I get to experiment with new recipes/icing, feed some tired colleagues/interns, make Chantelle happy by updating, and get some exercise whipping that icing. :D (cause I totally skipped out on jogging by baking.)
So that's the theme. The peppermint cocoa mix + instant coffee. Everyone needs a caffeine fix in the morning (except me. Caffeine + Julia = ...an entertaining show. I shake and spasm for a good 3 hours from a cup. :)) Most of this sorta tedious journey (made tedious cause I haven't gotten adequate sleep in the past 2 weeks. Damn Olympics.) was not photographed cause I was being distracted by my dad and his mother who kept asking questions such as "Is that sugar? Oh that's flour? Ew it's black! Is that vinegar? Coffee? Something smells weird. Our oven works?" etc. etc. (After this, I have decided...there is such a thing as a stupid question. I stand firm in my belief that there are MANY stupid questions.)
Either way, I was ridiculously amused by the things I found in Chantelle's baking supplies stored at my house. Such as the wonderful mitts that prevent me from being burnt. A lot. (Who remembers my adventures at JWG? :D)
The process was pretty messy too because I was distracted. I apparently forgot to add eggs, milk, AND vanilla extract up until the last step, which explained a lot of consistency problems along the way.That and we don't have any measuring supplies (...donated or tossed, I don't know) other than a 2-cup pyrex beaker. Not even joking. I found out and spasmed a bit and as this was after my 2nd run to Ralphs of the day, I decided, it's not worth it for a 3rd one.
But it was a pretty straightforward cupcake recipe, and so...GUESSTIMATION LIKE NO OTHER. (that and I spent so much time in the JWG kitchen so much I sorta can eyeball it. -.-) Also, I've learned that I live by Murphy's Law. And so it's adapt or die. And I'm still alive so that means...:)
My "teaspoon" is this random spoon from my drawer. Cupcakes made from a mix of Ghirardelli's Peppermint Hot Cocoa, unsweetened soy milk, (very little...1/3 of a teaspoon) butter, vanilla extra, eggs, instant coffee powder, sugar, and cinnamon. I have never made icing before, and so the consistency is not what I would've liked it to be, but it came out alright. Really sweet to me though (and I added 2 cups less of confectionary sugar than suggested. o.O!!). Icing was vanilla extract, soy milk, lots of butter, and a full BOX of confectionary sugar (...yeah. Icing's not good for you. :P)
After refrigerating the icing a bit (so it wouldn't spill onto the cupcake like crazy), I added cinnamon to the top. Swirled them with a toothpick and realized it wasn't working so well (aka it was going too slowly and I wanted to sleep). I messed up a bit too, so to cover it up, I just kept swirling. Compare. Exhibit A and B. :)
So I switched to a chopstick (YEAH MORE SURFACE AREA). :)
Refrigerated the entire thing and topped it off with Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts, a present from Chantelle a few days ago. :)
Now it's packaged and waiting for me to place some Macadamia nuts in the morning. And I'm trying to think of a name. Something with Pep. :PPair it with some green tea (from Lupicia located in Century City. ;)) to balance out the sweet, and enjoy! Hope y'all like it! ;)
<3 Caketender Julia
