Birthday, Part 4

How can a person have a birthday without some kind of baked good? I already had plans to bake something when Edgar gave me some delectable sweets on my birthday. Being who I am, I decided to still bake myself something because you can never have too many sweets. I picked a recipe out of my new book. I was between white chocolate cupcakes and Kahlua cupcakes and Alex persuaded me into choosing the Kahlua cupcakes. Good choice hubs! The recipe in the book is for 2 dozen cupcakes but the recipe is easily halved. I made the ganache frosting first so that it would be chilling in the fridge while I made the cupcakes. I didn't want to have to wait on the frosting to eat one of these suckers. These cupcakes are very rich and very sinful. The alcohol taste is very subtle. You definitely won't be getting drunk off of these goodies.

Kahlua Cupcakes with Kahlua Ganache Icing
Source: Carole Bloom's "The Essential Baker"

Cupcakes
9 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1/8 cup Kahlua
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line the muffin pan with muffin cups.
2. Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the sugars to the butter and cream together thoroughly. Stop occasionally and scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. One at a time, add the eggs to the butter mixture, stopping to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Add the Kahlua and vanilla to the mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Sift the flour and baking powder. Add the salt and toss together.
7. In 3 stages, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk to the butter mixture, blending well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom.
8. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 10-15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in a cupcake comes out dry. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely.

Ganache Frosting
4.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 cup Kahlua
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl
2. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium heat. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for 1 minute, then stir together with a rubber spatula or whisk until well blended.
3. Add the Kahlua and mix completely.
4. Cover the ganache tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until the mixture is firm but pliable, about 1 hour.
5. Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixture and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the ganache in 2 or 3 stages and beat until the mixture holds soft peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the top of each cupcake with the ganache frosting.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Out of the oven and frosted.

Pretty Cupcake

Even Perla Wants Some

Birthday Cupcake :)