Chocolate is Chocolate is Chocolate!

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!!!  How we love chocolate.  Chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate candy bars, chocolate covered bananas, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate muffins...well, you get my drift. You name any type of food, and I'm willing to bet a catrillion of these bad boys below, that chocolate has already found a way to be incorporated some way, somehow. 

Everyone loves some form of chocolate (rich, semi-sweet, milk chocolate) and we oh so love the baking creations...BUT!!! No one, and again I can place that bet...I mean NO ONE, likes to clean up the mess that is made from baking anything chocolate - me included! (raising both of my hands, with an extra one coming from somewhere to stress my emphasis on loathing this task).

While you can always keep a relatively clean baking space, chocolate has a mind of its own.  Chocolate in a powered form starts to pop up everywhere, melted chocolate often finds its way on every utensil you are using and when it's time to mix and combine, you're already dreading the cleaning process.  The batter goes into the pans alright, but everywhere else as well! Oh, I could go on and on - but I'm not.  I'll digress right...about...now! Whew! Like I said, Chocolate is Chocolate is Chocolate and while it takes a true labor of love to want to clean it, the end result of that treat going into your mouth is 'so worth it'!

In the picture immediately above - 'The Usual Too' - Moist rich chocolate cupcake w/Milk chocolate sour cream buttercream frosting topped with chocolate sprinkles and a mini chocolate coated cookie! The top two pictures are also 'The Usual Too', just covered with sliced almonds!  Savor every bite - Delish!

Thank you Urban Annapolis Magazine!

On Saturday, February 4, 2012, I had the pleasure of displaying my cupcakes for an event held by Urban Annapolis Magazine http://urbanannapolismagazine.com/ The event turned out to be a total success, which included special guest Chuck Brown (the Godfather of the DC based popular form of music known Go-Go for those of you unfamiliar)! Tarsha Beavers and her UAM team are doing an exemplary job with this magazine in their effort to showcase the cultural spirit and diversity which embodies Annapolis, MD. Check it out!

The cupcakes are mini and the flavors consisted of my 'Simply Strawberry' (but of course), 'Mocha-Choca', 'The Usual' and 'The Usual Too' (w/cream cheese frosting). Check out the UAM's logo cupcake!

2012 is Here--Happy New Year

Happy New Year folks!  I take it everyone has set their resolutions and goals?  Great!  Let's see them through to fruition.  I have lots going on in 2012, but I won't bore with my stuff...on with the description of the chocolate delights below:

I call this my "Mocha-Choca"!  Anyone who really knows me, is privy to the fact that I DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT like coffee, latte's, mochacchinos, or anything coffee related...I'm a 'hot tea with lemon & honey" type of girl (and hot chocolate on occasion).  WELL!  Contradictions abound, I love the taste of these bad boys and the frosting has coffee in it.  Gasp!  Say it ain't so!  Oh, but yes.  The cupcake is my moist devils food chocolate (I'm talking supermoist here) and the frosting is a mocha-caramel buttercream with unsweetened chocolate and Starbucks Via Caramel flavored coffee.  They are topped with either homemade caramel drizzle or chocolate jimmies. I've gotten rave reviews on these, so try them out for yourself.  Enjoy! 

My Gift to You

The bow on top gives the cupcake a little something extra for the look and the taste. The cupcake is strawberry with chocolate ganache (think chocolate covered strawberry's...yummm!) and the bow is made out of white chocolate. "My Gift to You"! Delish...Enjoy!

The Usual Too

These cupcakes were made for a baby shower and the reception went over very well! "The Usual Too" cupcakes are rich devil's food chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and of course you're familiar with the "Simply Strawberry's". If not, see previous post.

German Chocolates

prepare....to....be....Germanized! (so corny....but the cupcakes are still good :-)

GERMANIZED!! (However, this recipe did not originate in Germany...it got its origins in Dallas (by the way, go Cowboys!!)

These are my German Chocolate Cupcakes (a favorite of my aunt & uncle). For my first time, I must say, they turned out very good...I received confirmation from Uncle Jake, who stated they were "delicious"! For the topping I used coconut and pecans, however if you're not a nut lover, they can be excluded, or even if you dislike pecans, walnuts can always be substituted. If you're a fan of rich flavoring, the combination of the chocolate cupcake with the coconut, egg yolk, and pecan will do you justice!