martha stewart - yellow butter cake (with chocolate frosting)

Happy Easter!

Ok... I know this isn't 'cupcakes' but think of it as one BIG cupcake!

We celebrated Easter at our place this year and since everyone was over, we also celebrated lil niece's b-day and my MIL's b-day!

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I thought this Martha Stewart Yellow Butter Cake sounded good and seemed easy enough, and since I'm short on time these days... It was perfect!

Recipe was easy to follow. The ingredients are all the basics.

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Buttered my 9 inch round pans. Cut a piece of parchment paper into circle-shape and put at the bottom of the pan. Buttered that too! Sprinkled with flour.

Was in a bit of a hurry that day so...

Fast forward to cakes are done!

Recipe called for 30-35 mins cook time but I started checking at 20 mins.

My main concern was that I had one dark pan (which bakes quicker) and one light pan (which bakes longer)!

Sure enough, the dark pan came out at about 20 mins and the light pan came out at about 30 mins.

Thank God for the cake tester!

Cooled 'em on the rack...

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Meanwhile, made the frosting...

3 sticks of buttah... unbelievable!

Mmmm...

There's all that crazy butter...

Oh geez... this frosting came out soooooo good! Nice and creamy! I was worried since my frosting is a bit 'hit-or-miss' but this came out perfect!

Yay!!!

This cake came out sooooooooo yummy!

Everyone loved it, esp lil niece who loves the chocolate!

I really feel like all of the things I've learned so far really paid off with this cake...

• Putting the stuff on the center rack to bake
• spooning flour into measuring cup
• checking cooking time consistently
  
• not over-beating my eggs
• thinking things thru 1st... I know this last one sounds silly but you wouldn't believe how easily I forget something once I start baking... (same goes for cooking... Thank God I don't cook as much!)
  

:)

500 cupcakes - chocolate mud cupcakes

We love Molten Lava cakes... anything that has warm liquidy chocolate in the center is ok by us.

So hubby suggested these be my next cupcakes!

I usually follow the Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe and it's sooooo good!

Easy and fast!

I usually make those in little ramekins from my favorite store and they come out so nice and gooey!

It never occurred to me that making these in silicone might not come out as ooey-gooey... :(

I dunno... but let's see...

The chocolate chips and butter go in a double-broiler (or in a pan set in a pan with simmering water, if you have no double-broiler).

The chocolate & butter melts so nicely without burning!

Um, just serve me a martini glass of that...

Meanwhile...

Eggs & sugar are beat til smooth (did I mention the full recipe calls for FIVE eggs...)
Don't forget your CholestOff!

Then, fold in the flour.

This is what I struggled with and as you can see, I don't think I folded very well... (I even watched a how-to on YouTube and everything!)

Poured the melted chocolate chips + butter into the Sugar, Egg, Flour mixture and combined.

Poured into silicone cups.

Yes, I licked the spoon. No, I'm not ashamed.

Yum! They're done!

Ok people, so here's the deal.

Recipe called for baking at 325 for 20 mins. I thought that just sounded too long (considering the one's I make from the MS Everyday Food book call for baking at 425 for 10 mins).

So I took them out at 17 mins (as a compromise).

I did my toothpick test and the center row of cupcakes were totally ooey-gooey inside!

And like a soft brownie on the outside!

Yum, right?

Bummer... by the time my taste-tester had one (about 10 mins later - 5 mins cooling on baking sheet & then 5 mins cooling on rack), the center was solid! :(

What's the deal?! Some were actually gooey, like they were supposed to be, but others were just like soft cupcake/brownies (which actually is still ok)! ;-)

Overall, taste-wise, they came out delicious! Super yum.

But presentation or texture-wise, they didn't really come out 'lava' or 'mud'-ish.

I'd like to make these again but not in the silicone cups (just in my regular baking cupcake pan).

And I'd like to take out earlier.

Definitely a redo...

but don't worry... they did all get eaten... ;-)