Liquor In The Front

OK OK… So “Liquor In The Front” is actually a Rev. Horton Heat album; one of the best mind you! But when I thought of this months Cupcake Hero ingredient that is what my mind immediately raced too. I have to admit that when the announcement was made for this month’s ingredient I was at a complete loss. Way too many possibilities for me to even know where to begin. Totally over whelmed. I felt like a deer starring into the headlights! I decided that the best possible thing to do in this situation would be to procrastinate!!! As it turns out that was a good thing. Last week David (this guy who sits in the cube behind me) came into work boasting about this cake that his mother had made… an how it used nearly every bottle of liquor in the cabinet. So, I made him go and get me the recipe! As it turns out his mother bakes using a mix. I myself can not do that! I just can’t!!! I think that if I were to bake from a mix God would strike me down dead BOOOM DEAD I SAY!!! Also, her cake was NAKED!! So, I read the recipe and got the general idea. And then changed it up to match what I already had in my liquor cabinet… and my moms (that is what she gets for living 1.28 miles away from me).

The cupcakes came out pretty darn tasty… and I love the little puff of alcohol that the oven omits when you open the door. The only thing that I did not like about this recipe is that my cupcakes did not make the pretty little dome that I usually get. I think that the pudding mix was too heavy and weighed it down. So I am going to recommend a few extra egg whites here to help puff it up. Regardless of how it looked; it was tasty. And I decided that was what mattered. Beauty is only skin deep! But a tasty cupcake will last a lifetime - on your hips that is! LOL!! OK, getting back on track here is the recipe. I like to call it “Stuff I Had In My Liquor Cabinet… and That I Stole From My Mom’s House”:

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Black Russian Cupcake

• 1 ½ cups of cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large envelope chocolate pudding
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup vodka
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 6 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 325ºF Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate pudding, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl mix together milk, vodka, and vanilla. In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat butter and 2 cups of sugar till pale in color; about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides and add vanilla and sour cream and mix on low. Add flour mixture in 3 parts alternating with liquid mixture beat until just combined. In a separate bowl fitted with a whisk attachment beat egg whites on low till foamy then gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff high peaks form; about 4 minutes. Fold egg whites into mixture. Bake approximatley15 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Candy Coating

• ¼ cup Sherry
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup of sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil for approximately 2 minutes. Or just long enough for the sugar crystals to dissolve. Using a soft pastry brush, glaze the tops of cup cupcakes.

Frosting

• 1lb powdered sugar
• ½ cup Crisco
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons & 1 teaspoon meringue powder
• 1 tablespoon Crème Bouquet
• 4-5 drops of pepper mint extract (for subtle flavor)
• ¼ cup of Baileys

In a mixing bowl using the paddle attachment add all ingredients together. Start mixing very slowly and then work your way up to high. Beat for about 4-5 minutes giving the meringue powder a chance to fluff up. Add more Bailey’s as necessary for consistency. Frost cupcake and top with a maraschino cherry… Or my mom has these cherry’s that she got from my grandpa’s house. And they have been soaking in some sort of liquor & look absolutely yummy! But, I knew there was no way that I could talk her out of them… maybe next time.