DARIUS' WELL-DRESSED CUPCAKES

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same." - Coco Chanel            

          The man this post is dedicated to owns a faux-fur stole. He also owns a plethora of candy-colored, perfectly-fitting button downs, gorgeous, textured ties, and a trendy newsboy cap or two. Needless to say, I generally feel underdressed when near him. Like, even at dance rehearsals, where the whole cast is rolling around on the floor and covered in dirt, there’s Darius, wearing some fitted tee with an 80’s icon on it, sweatpants pulled up to just below the knee, looking totally fine.

            I stare at him. He smiles at me. I am covered in sawdust.

            But besides being wonderfully attractive and well-coifed, Darius is kind, easy going, and calls me out on my shit, which is really nice, actually, because you need someone to do that sometimes. He also has a killer laugh and a great smile. This totally sounds like I’m crushing on him, which I probably am, or like I want to be him, which I probably do.

            Anyway, when it came to finding a dessert for Darius, I knew I needed something that not only looked classy, but was classy. When I came across this treat, I immediately pictured Darius and I eating them together as we walked down the street. Him, scarf blowing in the wind, taking small bites, me, wearing a sweatshirt with holes in it, face covered in frosting…

            So, even if you’re more like me, do yourself a favor and make the cupcakes, they add instant class that is almost comparable to a faux-fur stole (and it’s vintage!)

INGREDIENTS:

CUPCAKES:

-       1 box of spice cake mix

-       1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)

-       3 eggs

-       1/3 cup vegetable oil

-       1/3 cup strong, brewed coffee, cooled

FROSTING:

-       2 tsp hot water

-       2 tsp instant coffee granules

-       6 oz white baking chocolate

-       ¼ cup heavy cream

-       1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

-       1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

-       1 tsp cinnamon

-       Caramel sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line two cupcake tins (we’re making 24 cupcakes here) with liners (mine were leopard print, obvi)
3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and cooled coffee. Mix until all the ingredients are buddies and incorporated.
   
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tins
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean
6. Leave the cupcakes in the baking tins for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack (or plate) to cool completely.
   
   
7. While the cupcakes are cooling make the frosting
8. Mix together the 2 tsp hot water with the 2 tsp instant coffee granules
9. In a heatproof bowl set on top of a saucepan filled with 2 inches of boiling water, melt the white chocolate baking squares, stirring until the chocolate is smooth. Once smooth, set aside.
10. In a medium-sized bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and coffee mixture until the butter is all soft and fluffy.
11.   Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl with the butter and beat together until it’s all incorporated and soft and smooth
12. Add the powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat it all together until the frosting comes together to your desired consistency.
13. Using a piping bag (or a large Ziploc with the corner cut off) gently pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake
14. Drizzle each frosted cupcake with caramel
    
    
15. Eat it with flair. Wear BIG sunglasses.

Til next time,

D