Happy Layoff Cupcakes!!!

Here's something you hear a lot of: I got laid off this week. And here's something you don't hear a lot of: I'm happy about getting laid off. And there you have it. That's exactly what happened and I am excited about it! It actually came at a perfect time for me and I'm looking forward to my summer and my summer plans. I was so excited that I actually forgot for a while that layoffs aren't good for most people. But then I quickly remembered how stressful everyone has been at work, and how tiring everything has been there. The only solution....make cupcakes!!!

Sometimes good things don't turn out quite like you want them too. Take my awesome cupcakes for example, look at the picture below. Those were from the first batch I made.

dear tragedy...

Everything seemed to be going okay, but when I started to put the batter in the cupcake liners, I noticed that it was a little bubbly. Not as if there were soap in it, but something else. Oh well I thought, must be the recipe. Then while they were cooking I took a peek...and they didn't look quite right. I decided to let them cook all the way and see if they turn out better. While I'm waiting, I wash the dishes. I notice a dirty Tablespoon sitting out. Then I remember how nothing in the recipe called for a tablespoon. Then I remember I put in 1 tablespoon of baking soda....not 1 teaspoon. Crap. It turns out that too much baking soda leaves your cupcakes flat, bubbly, and really sticky. So I dumped them and started over.

The next batch I used a different recipe and paid much more attention and they came out much better. I couldn't decide which icing to make so I ended up using 2 different kinds, a ganache and a buttercream on top.

yummy!

About a year ago I came into work one morning and there were 2 chicks sitting by my monitor. No one else was at work yet, and I didn't put them there, so the only explanation is that they were living somewhere else and came to stay with me. I liked them a lot and decided to keep them. They have cute jiggly eyes. Well, then a few days later I come into work again...and to my surprise, there were the 2 big chicks and next to them were 2 baby chicks!!!! Apparently my chicks stayed busy overnight, YIKES! My chicks liked being at work so much that when I found out I was laid off, my first thought was "who is going to take care of my little chicks?" (Okay...that wasn't really my first thought, but it makes for a better story). I thought and I thought and I thought...and then I remembered....Debbie down the hall loves chicks! She was especially fond of my chicks. I asked her if she would adopt them and of course she was more then happy to agree. Thank you Debbie for giving the chicks a wonderful home! Well....I went down the hall today to check on them, make sure they are adjusting okay and look at what I found:

I wonder if they think that yellow icing is another chick! Uh-Oh!!!

Recipes:

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

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 (I only had buttermilk)
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.



Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used 1/2 and 1/2)
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Place the chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the cream & sugar in a double boiler. Bring just barely to a boil.
3. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Add butter until melted.

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1lb. butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 14 oz. fluff (I used the whole 16oz container)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. In large bowl, beat butter until creamy.
   
2. Slowly add sugar and salt.
3. Add fluff and vanilla, beat well.