Sunday, January 23, 2011

Brownie Cupcakes

I needed to find a recipe to use up this buttermilk:
This is what I ended up making:

 We don't drink buttermilk, but I sometimes buy it for a recipe.  I have already forgotten what I bought the buttermilk for, but I really hate to waste food, so I looked through my recipe file to find something I could bake today to use it up.   I decided on cupcakes--these are rich and chocolately -- sort of between a brownie and a cupcake.


Recipe:

3/4 cup water
1 cup Hershey's cocoa
3 sticks of butter, cut up (I know it sounds like a lot, but it makes a lot of cupcakes and you use no butter for frosting)
3 cups flour
3 1/4 cups brown sugar (light or dark--does not matter--I used light)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line your muffin tins with paper liners. I used 27 large liners and 14 small.


1.  Put the 3/4 cup water, butter and Hershey's cocoa in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in microwave for one minute. 

Stir. Microwave about one minute more, or just until the butter is melted.

2.  Slowly pour the mixture into a mixer bowl and beat slowly until combined. 

Then add the brown sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time and beat on low until just combined.

3.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Pour this slowly into the cocoa mixture and mix on low until just combined.

4. In another bowl, mix the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix this into the flour cocoa mixture -- again do it slowly and don't over mix.  Just get it all combined.

5.  Fill your paper-lined muffin tins about 3/4 full. 


6. I put my small cupcakes on the top shelf of the oven and baked them for about 16 minutes. 

The full size cupcakes baked for 26 minutes.





7. I did not think these needed any frosting.  I just sprinkled powdered sugar over the tops before serving.




I froze half of them as I always feel that when I cook or bake, I should enjoy the fruits of my labor for at least three meals.

Yesterday I made Pepperoni Pasta for dinner
and, of course, I froze half of that for another night.

I did a lot of cooking and sewing this weekend. What else is a girl to do when it's 8 below zero? Thank goodness it is not a work day and I did not have to go outside! 

Instead of scrubbing the floors(as I should have done), I spent most of the day sewing. I fininshed the second nutcracker block today and some tree blocks that go with the snowman blocks I finished last week.  Here are all the Christmas blocks for next year that I've completed in January:


I actually made 4 more tree blocks than what you see here. I decided that I needed to make them today before I used up all the blue background fabric for something else (that is why I did not get the floors done).  It felt good to get them all finished and now I will pack them away until I decide what to do with them.

Now I need to go check on my chicken that is roasting in the oven.  It's no wonder DH felt like buying me flowers yesterday--he's been eating like a KING for the past few weeks. 

11 comments:

  1. Hi Zoey...You deserved those pretty flowers. You should enter your bouquet in the Bouquet of the Month at Noelle's http://www.azplantlady.com/
    These cupcakes look delicious. To bad I can't smell them over the computer...Balisha

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow you have got a lot accomplished this weekend...

    ReplyDelete
  3. -8 below, now that's cold. They got us all hpyed up last night, we were to gt 6 inchs more of snow by midday today. All we got was a very light dusting. I was almost disappointed.
    We went to an auction, that was disappointing. Came home and I quilted a little bit, but the son and kids came over.
    And now I am on the computer getting no sewing done!
    Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Zoey, you are amazing! All the baking and quilting and posting, I don't know how you get it all done. I am copying your recipe (any recipe for the Pepperoni Pasta??) Who cares about the floors, the dirt will be there tomorrow, but creativity, now that is much more important! Your husband is very lucky to have such a wonderful cook!

    ReplyDelete
  5. i prefer pepperoni pasta, it looks more yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow Zoey..those cupcakes look fantastic! And so does the pasta with pepperoni. You betcha DH should be smiling..eating like a king indeed!
    Enjoy the flowers!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's nice to see you utilizing your many talents. Does your DH cook anything? I'm asking because mine won't-he gets a take out menu or something precooked from the store.
    Everything looks yummy and nicely made.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am amazed at how you have the time to do all of this. Those brownies must be delicious with the addition of the buttermilk.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have copied the recipe and will give these a try this week, I think I have everything I need to make them except the buttermilk. I have a funny story to tell you about buttermilk...growing up, my brothers were bad for drinking milk right out of the carton (mom would get so upset if she saw them do that)but it's not something I ever did. Except this one time, I figured I'd do it too, so I took a huge swig and swallowed...almost threw up, it was buttermilk! lol

    Isn't it unbelievable how frigid it's been? We're supposed to get a bit of a break for the next few days, though, so that will feel good! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  10. The next time you have buttermilk left over why not try Orange Buttermilk Salad. Just Google the name and find a recipe. It is Very GOOD.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Count me in for a brownie cupcake! I love baking with buttermilk and often substitute it for any recipe calling for milk. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to leave a comment. I will try to answer any questions you have. Please note due to Blogger changing word verification so almost nobody can read it, I have had to change to no word verification and only allow registered users to comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...