You Should Eat a Cupcake

Wouldn’t it be great if you were on a diet that said that? I guess if your doctor told you to gain weight, that could be listed in your instructions. Maybe I should find that kind of doctor… it’s certainly not what my current doctor ever says.

I moved out this past weekend (over Independence Day – how fitting, that I now have my independence back). It wasn’t that I don’t like my family. If you’ve spent any time at all on this blog, you know I’m crazy about them. But a girl needs her space sometimes. Combine that with a fooooreeeeveeer long commute, and you’ve got a recipe for moving. So I did. I now live over by the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum and I. Love. It.

A move like that deserves a celebration. I don’t drink, so champagne was out, but I thought chocolate-covered strawberries could work nicely. Then I thought that I like cupcakes even better than chocolate-covered strawberries, so I compromised. You’re looking at milk chocolate cupcakes, filled with dark chocolate ganache, topped with milk chocolate frosting, milk chocolate ganache, and a strawberry. Pure heaven. (And totally beautiful, until they melted from the heat.)

If you want to try making them yourself, they are pretty simple. Here you go:

Cupcakes:

• Make your favorite box cake mix into cupcakes. So. Easy. If you want to get crazy, head over to the Busty Baker’s Website for her recipe for chocolate cupcakes.

Make Dark Chocolate Ganache:

• Pour a bag of dark chocolate chips into a bowl.
• Scald about 1/4-1/3 cups heavy cream.
• Pour over the dark chocolate chips and let sit for about 45 seconds.
• Stir cream into dark chocolate chips. They’ll get all melty. Keep stirring until smooth and combined.
• Mix in 1 tbsp softened butter into chocolate.
• Let sit for a few minutes.

Make Milk Chocolate Ganache:

• REPEAT the same thing you did for the dark chocolate ganache, but use milk chocolate chips.

Frosting:

• Beat together 1 cube softened butter, 1 bag powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup water. Adjust according to the consistency that you like. This isn’t rocket science, just frosting. Make it how you want it.

Assemble:

• Cut hole in the center of the cupcakes. You can discard the centers.
• Fill hole with dark chocolate ganache.
• Spread frosting over the top and cover the hole where you can see the dark chocolate ganache.
• Put a scoop of milk chocolate ganache on top of the frosting.
• Top with half of a washed strawberry.
• Voila, you are finished! Enjoy your chocolate rush. Happy Independence Day.