baking is fun.

Since I talk about these cupcakes a lot, I figured I should post the recipe. Here it is; the Cherry Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes. I might have to post the recipe for the marshmallow buttercream. I found a recipe for an easy way to make buttercream frosting, but I haven’t attempted it yet. I probably will in the next few weeks.

Some notes, find a restaurant supply place and call them and ask the price on a litre of Rose’s grenadine. That’s what I used for maraschino cherry syrup. I am able to buy it in Spokane for about 4 bucks. You can buy a small bottle of it at any grocery store for about 5 bucks. And I use grenadine a lot in soda and such so yes, I do need it by the litre. I love the stuff. Also, I didn’t use their frosting recipe, because mom told me that kind of frosting is vile and ridiculously sweet. I mean, it takes TWO goddamn POUNDS of confectioners sugar. Instead, I will give you the recipe for paste frosting. It’s the one my fam always uses. It’s pretty  easy and crazy good and sorta tastes like that rad whipped frosting on Costco cakes. ALSO! Fill the cups about halfway, since the batter rises a fair amount. I ended up using a bit more cinnamon than the recipe called for and it was fine.

For the cupcakes; Recipe found HERE originally.
Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper Cupcake:

* 2 ¼ cups of Dr. Pepper
* 2 cups of sugar
* 2 ½ cups of cake flour
* 2 eggs
* 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
* ½ cup of maraschino cherry syrup
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks)
* pinch of salt
* 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
* ¼ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325º. In a medium size sauce pan bring Dr. Pepper & cherry syrup to a boil. Place chocolate and butter into a bowl and pour hot Dr. Pepper over, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk mixture till smooth. Stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and sour cream. Add flour in 2 parts alternating with the eggs and whisk till smooth. The mixture will be runny… but tasty. Fill cupcakes cups and bake approximately 15-20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean

Paste frosting;
5 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of butter nice and soft
1/2 shortening
1 cup of sugar

In a sauce pan, on medium heat whisk the milk and flour until it’s stiff. No really, whisk whisk whisk, so it doesn’t burn. Your arm might get tired, that means you are nearly done and if it’s one big glob. Spatula the glob into a bowl, then cover with waxpaper. When I say cover I mean press the paper onto the goo. Refridge blob for about an hour. Let your cuppy cakes rest. Cream the butter and the shortening. Add the blob of goo beat it up and slowly add the sugar. Just keep beating it until the frosting is smooth and there is no grit from the sugar. It will get nice and fluffy and you will have more frosting. Add a splash of vanilla extract to your liking. And a bit of grenadine too. I added just a dash so it was a pretty pale pink, and also so it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet or cherry. Or if you want chocolate frosting add a bit of cocoa powder. It’s a versatile frosting recipe.

Then, FROST YOUR MOTHEREFFIN CUPCAKES, SON!

phoning it in.

Oh man I need to write a real post. For now I will have a GIF Party! I have found these in various places on the interwebs.

I hope these made your Monday suck less. I promise I am working on new content. Including finishing up the Puppy Party. Love you, babes.

midweek madness.

Ok so I am working on writing some real content. Quel surprise, I know. So in the meanwhile I thought we could have some fun. First up is the poll to settle what possibly is Donaghy’s ringtone. You have the option of picking or suggesting. Second, B suggested this a while back and I am lazy and hadn’t put it up there but the question is; what’s in your purse? I know at the last game I held M’s purse for her and thought my arm was going to break off.

In my purse; tickets, 1 tube MAC Snob lipstick, 3 lipglosses, 1 Dr Pepper chapstick, contact stuff, nail file, Bad Gal eyeliner, ELF studio powder, mini Altoids tin with advil, midol, tylenol and benadryl, bandaids, wallet, Pita Pit stamp card, iPod, camera, mini hair brush, compact mirror, hair tie, pack of Orbit peppermint, one small Moleskin notebook and a pen, Chiefs beanie, leopard gloves, player buttons. Occasionally I also carry a water bottle.

So what’s in yours?

Third, just because I like this song and the boys in the vid are hilarious. OMG GO WATCH THIS ONE TOO!!!!1

And I am posting this because I can;

love is all around;

A random collection of songs for the day. I am adding more and more to it. So keep an eye on this post. Plus I am hiding it after a jump since it’s a long list.

get crunk.

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans and as for my Canadians. Come on over, there it plenty of turkey and egg nog. And yams with lots of marshmallows.

Wysh over at Puck Daddy sent me an email the other day and asked me what I am thankful for in hockey. There are quite a few things in hockey that I could think of…

Click to read

ENHANCE! Just click the strip.

Comic via Penny Arcade

What are you thankful for? Drop me a line in the comments.

it’s evident i don’t have a journalism degree.

Apparently the Chiefs are on a roadtrip. Like an epic roadtrip. And I won’t lie, I tend to forget to pay attention when they are on the road. It just happens. Other shit comes up, like new Top Chef. Or like a WHOLE DAY OF AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. Can I say Marjorie is totally lame? Her whole “oh I am French and can’t express my feelings so I am constantly awkward and I like to pose like a melting Stretch Armstrong toy” shtick is totally exhausting. I totally lol’d when Tyra said Amsterdam is becoming the fashion capital of not just Denmark, but the world. Then she did some dramatic arm thing. Ok Tyra because I am going to get haute couture tips from a bunch of Danes tripping balls. Ok, perhaps that was unfair of me. I am sure the Danes are a classy group. I just don’t want to wear hemp shit.

technical jargon.

I am going to do some neatening up around here. Specifically with the blogroll. I will be cutting the few who no longer update and I am going to work on expanding the list. I am finding out there are a bunch of peeps out there that have me on their blogroll and I am incredibly flattered and grateful. And I think it’s time we got to know each other, eh? So here is a chance to make yourself known. Who knows, I might end up mind-melding with you and doing a joint post. I am friendly. No really. Drop me a comment or an email.

Also, yeah I made yet ANOTHER blog. On top of Zamboni Harmony. I teamed up with Steve Dangle of YouTube fame and we thought it was time for a hockey blog with our own take. I brought on a bunch of peeps that I adore and that I know would be down with a side project. We are still working on hitting a rhythm but there are already some great posts up over there. Getting Nifty in the Clutch put it in your blogroll, update your Google readers and spread the love.

“Ambitious, but rubbish.” -Top Gear.

“it’s for the children.”

MNHLE: You missed the bruins open
MNHLE: Chara wrestled a live bear
WAC: ….
WAC: no fucking way.
MNHLE: Yeah, I know
MNHLE: How cool would that be though?
MNHLE: “Boston Bruins…. WATCH CHARA WRESTLE AND KILL A BEAR”
WAC: dude I would pay to see that
WAC: we could cure cancer with that shit
MNHLE: If I ever get cancer, that’ll be my make a wish

Not about hockey;

So tomorrow night I will be liveblogging Project Runway with the ever fabulous Dani of Sabre Kallisions. Hilarity will most likely ensue. Feel free to drop in and we can talk about how much Blayne needs to stop trying to make girlicious happen.

The madness starts at 9 pm eastern time.

Thanks kittens.