Root Beer Cupcakes with Vanilla Ice Cream Frosting

Today, of course, is the greatest day of the year.  The day I was born.

And so to celebrate, I thought I would share this fun little cupcake recipe.  All the flavors of a rootbeer float without all the melty-mess.  Just kidding, I'm not celebrating with cupcakes (I am a pie girl).  I am celebrating by taking the kids to swim class and then the grocery store.  Be jealous.  

Rootbeer Cupcakes with Vanilla Ice Cream Frosting

Makes 24 cupcakes

2 3/4 flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

2 TB root beer extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup milk

Frosting:

1/3 cup vanilla bean ice cream

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

4 cups powdered confectioners sugar (or more or less depending on desired consistency)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

Cherries for garnish

1.  Heat oven to 350.  Prep 24 muffin tins with liners or grease and flour. In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder, set aside.  

2.  Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating to mix well between each addition.  Mix in rootbeer and vanilla extracts.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, and mix until just barely blended.  Stir in 1/2 the milk.  Add another 1/3 of flour mix, again stirring until just barely incorporated, then repeat with the last of the milk and then flour mix.  Portion into each of the muffin cups (I like to use an ice cream scoop).  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20-24 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

3.  While cakes are cooling, make the frosting.  In a large mixing bowl, melt the vanilla ice cream.  Beat the melted ice cream with the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract until creamy and fluffy.  To make thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar.  To thin the consistency, add milk.

4.  Top each cupcake with frosting and a cherry for garnish.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Today is Monday. I have no meal plan. Instead, I have something better...cake!

We recently got together to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. He requested a "chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate" cake. I thought of this cake....I saw it online a while ago and have been wanting to try it ever since. I asked for a little leeway on the chocolate overload, and he was cool with it. So into the kitchen I went.

A concoction of Devil's Food and Angel Food cake layers filled with a rich peanut butter mousse and topped with dark chocolate ganache frosting. Be warned....this cake is rich!

I adapted the recipe from here, and I have to be honest....I followed the recipe for the angel food cake and it didn't turn out at all. It was egg-y and chewy and flattened out like crazy and just not good. I was too short on time to risk another failed attempt, so I scrapped it and sent B to the store for a box mix. And so, since I can't share that recipe in good confidence, I am skipping it. Use a box mix, or your own trusted recipe instead. I also thought four layers was just too much, so I went with 2 layers of devil's food and 1 layer of angel food. The devil's food was perfect. Although I did need to adjust the baking time. And the original recipe called for so much peanut butter filling it was overpowering. I adjusted the amounts for you below.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Devil's Food Cake
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup minus 3 TB all purpose four
3 TB cornstarch
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup coffee
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

1. Heat oven to 340. Grease and flour a 10" round baking pan (at least 2 1/2 inches deep).
2. Stir together coffee and sifted cocoa powder. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs, shortening, vanilla, and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium heat until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add 1/2 flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add cocoa mix and beat until mixed. Add remaining flour mixture, and again stir until just combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes clean in the center, about 45-50 minutes. Cool slightly in pan, and then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Mousse
2 cups creamy peanut butter
12 oz cream cheese, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla, until well combined, lightened, and smooth, 3-5 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form.
3. Gently fold 1/3 of whipped cream into peanut butter mixture to lighten, the fold in remaining cream until just combined. Keep refrigerated.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting
20 oz good quality semi-sweet chocolate
2 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Finely chop chocolate and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
2. Heat cream in microwaveable safe container until just starting to simmer, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, let sit for one minute, and then gently stir until chocolate and cream are fully combined and smooth.
4. Let chocolate mixture sit at room temp over night, or alternatively, place bowl in larger bowl filled with ice and water, stirring chocolate occasionally, to cool until solidified and thickened.
5. Using an electric mixer, whip chocolate mixture until lightened, smooth, and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.

One angel food cake (I used a box mix), prepared according to directions, and baked in a 10" round cake pan (at least 2 1/2" deep), lined on the bottom with parchment paper (do not grease pan).

Assembly:
1. Trim devil's food cake to level, then split evenly in half. Place one layer on a cake round or plate and spread evenly with 1/2 peanut butter mousse.
2. Trim angel food cake to level and place on top of peanut butter mousse. Spread evenly with remaining half of mousse filling, then top with remaining layer of devil's food cake.
3. Chill cake at least 3 hours, then frost with ganache frosting. Keep finished cake refrigerated until ready to serve.

caaaaakkkkkeeeeee!!!