Chocolate Cupcakes

It is impossible to ignore the Valentine spirit in the air, with the deluge of romantic billboards, red balloons, glittering diamond heart jewelery and cute cuddly toys all around. Not to mention strawberries and heart shaped cakes spilling all over the websites and food blogs. Brings out the romantic in the most unromantic of us I guess. Being no exception, little red hearts keep popping into my otherwise balanced and focused mind. Er.. think I just heard some 'Beg to differ's' or am I just imagining it??

My kids were complaining that I have not made a cake in a long time. Now, you know that its not entirely true, I have been giving some very brisk business to my neighborhood grocer buying stuff for sponge cakes and desserts I have been making. I have been thinking only cakes and food in the past few days. But from an almost-eight -year-old's perspective, a cake would hardly classify as a cake unless it can be taken to school for short break. Point taken!

These chocolate muffins are for my sweet little Valentines, Anirudh and Aditi. Just for today, let me save the not-so-sweet part for the parenting advice sites:-))




So I got the perfect excuse to try out a new chocolate cake recipe from that treasure of recipes I have discovered on the Hersheys website. Also the perfect excuse to use some of the carefully preserved Wilton ready to roll fondant. One of the many gifts given by sis-in-law Anu in the US. Hope she is reads this post ,sees the pics, gets impressed and gets inspired to walk down the baking aisles for me again and again:-))) Boy!! Am I jealous of guys in the US...Am feeling slightly braver about using the precious fondant after reading Swapna's post . Thanks for sharing this Swapna!!  Well, there is hope for me after I use up all the fondant. (Hope this part is not noticed by Anu:-))


Chocolate Muffins recipe from here. The muffins came were moist and delicious. Have used whipped cream for the topping, in place of the Espresso cream. I have baked the cupcakes in paper liners.

 Ingredients:

    2 cups sugar
    1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
    1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 eggs
    1 cup milk
    1/2 cup vegetable oil
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    1 cup boiling water
  

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour fourteen 6-ounce custard cups.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. ( I sifted all dry ingredients). Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in water (batter will be thin). Fill each prepared cup with scant 1/2 cup batter. Place custard cups on cookie sheet.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.( My cup cake liners are small, so it took less time).Cool on wire rack.

Have put whipped cream on the cupcakes before refrigerating them. Decorate just before serving. And yeah, I took the pics of some cupcakes before hand as I know there won't be time for me to take any once the kids see them:-))

Can't resist putting in here a picture of my little chefs with one of 'their' creations.