these cupcakes are the irish car bomb

I am always in the mood for a cupcake. The other week I was searching for a cupcake recipe with some new flavors and a chance for me to attempt creating a pastry more with slightly more complicated steps. After browsing a few food blogs, I turned to Smitten Kitchen, one of my new favorites, for some inspiration. Even though St. Patty's had passed, I decided to try my hand this delectable Irish Car Bomb cupcake. Obviously, several types alcohol (Guinness, Irish whiskey, and Bailey's Irish Cream) gave these little guys their kick-ass flavor! 

I had never baked with alcohol before. As I was simmering the cup of Guinness with a glorious amount of butter, the mixture was not combining. The oil from the butter and beer looked like a sad mess. No matter how many times I whisked the liquid it looked disgusting. I was about to throw up my flour clad hands, throw off my apron, and pout on the kitchen floor. I'm happy to report that I pulled myself together and decided to add in the flour mixture anyways and hope that all the ingredients combined in harmony. They did. All was right in the world. Your beer will not ruin the cakes. Attempt the recipe here!

Though aside from the near Guinness catastrophe, the problem with making cupcakes in my apartment is that Erin and I can only eat so many! Suddenly, after a day of gazing at their lovely piped buttercream and wistfully thinking of the ganache filled centers, I realized I still had 20 cupcakes sitting in my fridge. They needed to GTFO of the apartment before us two college students started using them as meal substitutes. Mmmmm, buttercream...

PS- And why haven't I posted on my bike?! I keep forgetting to take my camera with me when I unlock it from my basement below. I need a sunny day (Friday, I'm hoping!) and the little Fuji will get it's very own shoot! It's a beaut.

cakes in a cup

Boston has welcomed me back with hat stealing gusts of wind and temperatures that make a northern New England native shudder with a glance at the thermometer. Or, at least that's what I did this morning. None the less, I decided that this afternoon was a good time for a long walk around Kenmore Square. It was a really horrible idea. Even though I bundled up with my favorite tartan scarf and black leather gloves, I still froze. On my way back from that stupidly planned and downright frigid walk, I stopped in at a little Boston-based cupcake bakery (shop? store? parlor?) called "Sweet" to take a look around.

I have a pretty large sweet tooth. It is bigger than all the other teeth and always gets its way. Though, as a broke student only eye candy had to suffice. They were very photogenic!

Don't they look so adorable? No other pastry has as much style as these little ones. Yum!

Also, apparently there is going to be another blizzard tomorrow. The coffee shop is even going to be closed in anticipation of the suspected 12" of the white powdery stuff. Perhaps a good day to try out some of my own cupcake recipes?