Saturday, December 11, 2010

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes - Oh My!

To me, there are two flavors that go together beautifully AND make me think of Christmas at the same time.  What would those flavors be you ask?  Glad you asked ('cause if you hadn't, I would have told you anyway)!

Chocolate and Peppermint!

So earlier this week I buzzed over to Sue's for Rednesday
and saw this intriguing recipe for Chocolate Peppermint
Cupcakes from Nancy Creative.  

So Baby Bee and I decided to tackle this recipe last night (Baby Bee was motivated because Advent Angel had suggested it in her little note she left for Baby Bee).

Cute!  Fun!  and VERY DELICIOUS!
But probably not the kind of recipe to tackle on a Friday night after a long week at work.  There might have been a few grumpy mom moments - okay - no might about it - there WERE a few grumpy mom moments.

I used my iPad to show us the recipe.
We use our kitchen table for baking.  Our funky old house does not have enough clearance between the counter and top cabinets to put my Kitchen Aid Dream Machine (yes, that's my name for it - it is a dream and it's worked like a champ for about 15 years now) so the kitchen table it is.
To make less of a mess I measure on a jelly roll pan and then easy clean up.
Mix Dream Machine!  Mix!
Want to know my secret for measuring the same amount in each muffin/cupcake tin?
Photo by Worker Bee - He wants his props!
I use an old-fashioned ice cream scoop!  I use it for cookies too.
Well Nancy Creative has it all over me for glamourous looking cupcakes, but I think they still look festive.  

So festive in fact, I'm going to subject you to even more cupcake shots.....
Keep looking....
You thought I was done?  Still more.....
Gotta' keep it real....
These are really delicious - but the frosting was a mess to work with.  It had marshmallow creme as a major ingredient and it was so sticky!  I couldn't get it to smash down properly and then there were the crushed peppermints.  More stickiness!

I would definitely make them again, but I might try a slight frosting variation.  I'll have to do some research on that.

But now they look so yumptious!  And they really taste YUMPTIOUS!

One more gratuitous cupcake shot....


Thanks for buzzin' by!  I am always so delighted when you come for a visit.

Wanna' stay for dinner tonight?  We've having Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.  The veggies are roasting right now and they smell heavenly!  Butternut squash, celery root, onion, sweet potato, and sage leaves from our kitchen garden......Can you smell it?  I sure wish you could!

Hope you are staying warm and cozy this weekend!

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little giveaway from me to you!
Stop by tomorrow for more info!

14 comments:

  1. Wonderful cupcakes, my friend--love all the gorgeous shots--especially the "keepin' it real" ones! Marshmallow cream really is hard to work with!

    Hope you have a beautiful weekend--that soup sounds divine!

    Julie

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  2. Those look wonderful! The cupcakes themselves look delicious but your cakeplate just makes the pictures perfect. :)

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  3. I think those DO look very festive :) Your frosting seemed more gooier than mine--adding more powdered sugar might help, maybe an extra 1/2 cup. Or only use half the suggested marshmallow creme and see how that works. I'll make a note about this in my recipe. I'm glad you thought they were yumptious! :)

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  4. iPad = cookbook (love that!)

    I too have a KitchenAid mixer (in blue) and I've had it longer than I've had my husband. He used it for the very first time the other day and was stunned by how awesome it is. So NOW it's finally more than just a really heavy appliance for him to move around. :-)

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  5. These really look tasty. I enjoy seeing what others prepare as I do not cook much anymore. Tell your nine year old, I would love having them with me in the limo. Truth be know, I have never been in one myself.

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  6. Oh Sweet Bee I would be happy to chomp on some of those festive looking cupcakes. And hot CUTE is that peppermint cake stand! Too Cute! Great job and just the right amount of photos I'd say ;-)

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  7. These look great, yummy and festive!

    I too live in an old house and my Kitchenaid doesn't fit on top of my counter. My husband built me a shallow "pantry" type cabinet and shelves so that the Kitchenaid and the espresso maker (also doesn't fit under the cupboard) could have permanent homes! Gotta love an old house.

    Chris

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  8. Unfortunately I love Christmas goodies way too much...and my waistline shows it every year!!! Thanks for the tip about using an ice cream scoop for making cupcakes. That's genius!

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  9. Oh my gosh! Those look so YUMMY!!!!! WHat a grat display you've made as well! I'll buzz over from Boston with a cup of coffee and we can talk decor and yes, I'll take one of those cupcakes!!! ;)Alyssa of Boston Bee

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  10. MMMmmm! I know what you mean about starting stuff like that at night. I'm not a night person and have to tackle stuff like that in the morn if I can. They look so yummy though.

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  11. Wow! These look so delicious!!
    And beautiful too.

    :)

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  12. Oh goodness, these look so yummy! There are temptations all over blogland right now! My sweet tooth is demanding some treats right now.

    xo
    Claudia

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  13. mmmmm...these look fantastically delish... messy though... Enjoy!! Mica

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  14. Wow, its fantastic , its imagine shown in to the posting.
    -----
    kitchenaid

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