Thursday, August 19, 2010

Bake-N-Blog! Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

About a month ago, a good friend on Twitter (Staci Edwards) suggested that we have a Bake-N-Blog with the cupcake recipes from Ming's Cupcakes. Each participant was encouraged to select their own and then give some commentary about the experience.

I selected the Guinness Chocolate Cupcake. I don't usually shy away from unique flavor combinations so it seemed like a good fit!

So there's what I was aiming for, along with Ming's recipe.

Firstly, I am not a baker. My mother is, my sister is, and both my grandmothers can make a dessert to satisfy the sweetest of sweet tooth. The fact that I can make Ghiradelli brownies from the box doesn't qualify me to bake anything(Enter rant from Paul Anater about box brownies).

While I say I'm not a baker, I do like to cook and the last time I checked, my meals turn out pretty good. I can follow a recipe and as long as the power doesn't go off and the oven go bonkers, I can manage a cupcake... I think.

The recipe(above) really is easy. Actually, it's almost startlingly easy. In no time, I had my batter ready and in the oven. Because I have no faith in my ability to tell when it was actually done, I anxiously waited the allotted 20 minutes, making sure  to not open the oven door even once... no matter how much I wanted to. Mom has always done the toothpick test and because the 20 minutes is perfect timing the toothpick came out clean as a whistle. After some time on the cooling rack and throwing together the cream cheese icing, this is what I ended up with.

Not a baker... Ha!

The cupcake is a decadent, chocolaty dose of fantastic-ness. If you like dark beer, dark chocolate, dark comedy... You'll love this one. Right as you bite in to it, the lively flavor of the cream cheese is quickly dismissed by a nutty chocolate note. While these taste really good, the smell while cooking is intoxicating. I could just about make them to smell them.

So now that I'm a pro at baking I am anxious to try my next feat, a yet unnamed project. Even though I knew that I would share, the final verdict would come once the head judge(Mom) made her ruling. As of today, still haven't heard whether it was good or bad(in her eyes). The longer I've thought about it though... seems like she would've called and let me know pretty quick what she thought.

Then again... I sent them home with Dad to share with Mom. Five bucks says they never made it to the house.


*Thanks Staci for letting me play along and be part of the group... When I have a link where you can view everyone's creations, I'll post it up.

19 comments:

  1. Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed the Bake-N-Blog! :)
    Seems like your Dad enjoyed it too! LOL
    Thanks again for joining in Nick, it was lovely to have you!
    Staci
    PS - There are links to everyone's blog at the bottom of my post. Visit http://staciedwardsdesign.blogspot.com/2010/08/bake-n-blog-day.html

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  2. You've sold me! Your description of the cupcakes had my mouth watering.

    Congratulations on your success.

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  3. I can't believe how well yours turned out!! Nice work Nick!

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  4. Hahhah!! I bet you're right about the cupcakes not making it home to mom!!!

    Wow, your cupcake looks identical to the Ming cupcake -- you CAN bake!! :-) And from the sound of it, it's as yummy as it looks!!

    This might be the next Ming cupcake on my list of ones to try...

    Kelly (cupcake #32)

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  5. Me either, Shannon... I'll give credit to Ming- good recipe!

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  6. Thanks Kelly- I wish I could've got my icing to smoothe out a bit more like Ming's, but I thought it was close enough.

    (btw... that is WAY more icing than I could normally want on a cupcake)

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  7. Nick- i love that a man participated. i always say that a "real man" can bake! haha!
    feel free to add your post to the MckLinky on spearmintbaby.com. shari

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  8. Well it looks like it turned out great--I'd eat it!! I'm pregnant so this recipe may be as close as I'll get to a dark beer, anytime soon. :)

    And the recipe sounds fit for my man, so maybe I'll give it a try too!!

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  9. Yummy!!! I'm definitely a chocoholic!! Your cupcakes look almost like mine (#24)...except mine had Bailey's Irish Creme in it!!! Great job!
    Christine aka @GlamaMama on twitter!

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  10. Love it! They turned out beautifully. I am not a baker either, but thought this was so fun.

    xo,
    cristin
    (cupcake #8)

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  11. Okay. So let me just say that I was a bit hesitant about the idea of these, but you definitely sold me. "the smell while cooking is intoxicating" totally won me over!!

    XO*Tricia (#14)

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  12. How could you go wrong with chocolate and Guinness!? Looks delicious and congrats on become a baker :)

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  13. Shari- I was happy to participate! Everyone in our family loves to cook so it was an easy decision.

    Jacqueline- I was pleasantly surprised that the beer taste wasn't overwhelming... just right! If you decide to make 'em, let me know how it goes.

    Christine- I noticed that lots of ours looked a lot a like... and lots had the same cream cheese icing(cause it's good). Thanks for the thumbs up!

    Cristin- It really was a treat for everyone to do it together... Big props to Staci for organizing!

    Tricia- I promise... bake them and just stand there by the oven. ;-)

    Joy- I thought the same thing! And I do feel pretty good about myself... time for bigger and better things!

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  14. Not a Baker?? Whatever! Your cupcakes look amazing!! I was on the fence about which cupcake to make and yours was one of my favorites. I will definitely be making these soon. I am a huge fan of beer and an even bigger fan of dark beer. I will let you know how mine turn out.

    I also have a very easy, but beautiful lemon bundt cake recipe I will give you.

    Sara - Cupcake #32

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  15. i'm looking forward to trying this one. great job!

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  16. YUM! It looked really good and I think you ARE a baker! I mean seriously, you baked.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  17. Sara(coyote family)- Thanks for the support! Definitely try them out... you'll love it.

    Thanks for your comment, Natalie!

    Jennifer- I thought they looked pretty good myself... the taste was great!

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  18. Those look delicious!! Mmm..everyone is on a baking kick on the Alabama Bloggers best post of the week. Now I'm starving!!

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