FINALLY.
The sun has graced us with it’s presence in Vancouver.
After a long weekend, rather a very long month, of rain it appears that Summer has officially arrived. I woke up this morning with a glimmer of light shining through the blinds. There are a few clouds in the sky, but there are giant pockets of blue sky that we have not seen in some time now.
This morning I’m baking a carrot cake for a family dinner tonight with Adam’s family, his aunt and uncle are visiting from out of town. I made a three layer, and one of the layers got stuck in the pan. I’ll just piece it back together with frosting later. There’s nothing more cream cheese frosting can’t fix.
At this very moment our house is a mess. I usually can’t stand it when everything is all over the place, and have to clean up asap. But right now, I’m packing for my trip (any travel advice?? tips for packing??), and for the house move. So, our condo looks a little like an episode of hoarders. I did manage to vacuum this morning, because I really can’t stand walking on bits and pieces of things. I also may have spilled some sugar in the kitchen. Walking on sugar is a pet peeve. Can anyone relate?
We’ve already packed a lot of boxes, and now we’re on the constant search of boxes. We’re frequently asking at grocery stores when we’re shopping. Produce boxes are great, because the fruit packaging helps insulate and protect things like dishes and serving ware.
These cupcakes are part of my ‘summer cupcake series.’ Another summer staple besides Watermelon, are drumsticks. I remember walking to the corner store when I was younger and getting a Drumstick. Last week we were at my Zia’s for dinner and my little twin cousins were eating drumsticks, one Strawberry Vanilla, and one original with Caramel. The cupcakes are vanilla, stuffed with Caramel like in the cones, topped with vanilla swiss meringue like the ‘vanilla ice cream,’ dipped in chocolate and topped in peanuts, just like the real thing. They are also sort of like a Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Bar – which are equally delicious. Though I think I would need a different caramel, a stickier, harder caramel unlike this one, which is more liquid.
I refrigerated them to allow the chocolate to harden, and I had to ‘taste test’ one, and they are actually quite good cold. I love anything crunchy, and the crunch of chocolate and peanuts is perfect. Although I was paying for it later, due to my peanut/wheat allergy :S
I gave these away to a friend, and to my mom. She likes to microwave hers for a few seconds as well.
Do you have any nostalgic summertime treats?
Drumstick Cupcakes
You will need:
24 vanilla cupcakes, baked and cooled.
-Caramel sauce, I used the pre-made in the squeeze bottle, for extra convenience
-1/2 cup chocolate chips, baking chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
-1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients:
5 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 sticks butter, chilled, cut into cubes
Directions:
In a metal mixing bowl, preferably from your stand mixer, place over a pot of simmering water, not boiling. Add sugar and egg whites. Be sure there is no yolk or oil in the egg whites, they will not whip properly otherwise.
Whisk constantly, until thermometer reads between 140-160 degrees F. If you do not have a thermometer, heat until sugar is completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot. This takes about 7-10 minutes.
Transfer metal bowl back to stand mixer, with whisk attachment and whip until the egg whites are thick and glossy and cool. The bowl itself should be cool to the touch, again this takes about 7-10 minutes on high.
Once the glossy thick texture is achieved, switch to a paddle attachment, and on medium add the chilled cubes of butter, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
The texture will begin to change, to a heavier, silky texture. It may look curdled, but continue to mix and it will become smooth once again. This time my butter was a bit too warm, and my frosting was curdling and soupy. I place it in the fridge for 15 minutes, added a couple more pieces of chilled butter and began to whip again. It became smooth once again.
To Assemble:
Using an apple corer, or a knife, cut a circle in the middle of the cupcake, and fill with caramel. Replace a bit of the core of the cupcake back on top to ‘seal’ the cupcake and caramel.
Pipe, using a large open tip, vanilla frosting onto cupcakes. You want them sort of rounded, so I just make mine regularly, and once you cover them in chocolate you sort of round them out.
After you pipe each cupcake, place in freezer to chill for a few minutes.
Once cupcakes are chilled, dip into chocolate, you can reference this post here and sort of press the icing into the chocolate to round it out. Once it is fully covered let excess chocolate drip off, and immediately sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. Place into fridge to harden.
Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Chill in fridge until chocolate has hardened. Serve room temperature or chilled. Can be kept in fridge for up to three days.
Happy summer!
{And if you want a little more caramel… }
