Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Epic Cupcake War!


Okay, so one of my dudes had a birthday a
few weeks ago, and I decided this was the
perfect time to make -- what else -- cupcakes!
Now the boy wanted the Tom and Jerry cupcake
decorations and a few of his buds are vegan,
so it seemed to me it was a perfect time to have
our own Epic Cupcake War!
Vegan vs. Non-Vegan
and may the best chocolate
-chocolate cupcake win!

Now because this is an EPIC battle of the cupcake, I'm going to divide it into two parts. So, this week representing the Non-Vegan Cupcake we have Jerry the mouse on this super chocolate-chocolate recipe!


Non-Vegan Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, room temperature

¾ cup milk

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup water, warm

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil, extract and water. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Scoop into paper lined cupcake pans and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 18.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter
(I use one stick salted, one stick unsalted)
3 cups confectioners sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tspn vanilla

3-4 tblspns milk
Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugar and cocoa, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides of bowl often. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. For best results, keep icing in refrigerator when not in use.

Stay tuned as we bring on the Vegan Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcake next week!

Comment on either today's blog or next week's blog (or both) and be entered in the drawing to win some serious cupcake swag!


The winner will be announced the following Wednesday (the 29th)! To celebrate my departure to Texas to go on tour with the Fatal Four!!! Look out Lone Star State, here we come!!!

THE TOUR: Maggie Sefton, Wendy Lyn Watson, Hannah Reed and Jenn McKinlay

September 30 - 7:00 PM Barnes & Noble La Frontera Village Round Rock, TX

October 1 - 6:30 PM Murder by the Book Houston TX

October 2 - 2:00 PM Barnes & Noble The Shops at La Cantera San Antonio, TX

October 3 - 2:00 PM Barnes & Noble University Village Fort Worth, TX

26 comments:

  1. Wow, great news. You are coming to Fort Worth, I hope to be there. Love the recipes, decorations are so cute. A big HOwdy from Texas.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been looking everywhere for a Vegan Cupcake recipe. Will be sure to tune in next week for yours. But being a Jerry Mouse fan, I am rooting for the Non-Vegan recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This should be fun. Looking forward to seeing the ingredients for vegan cupcake.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have some vegan extended family members and it's always been a challenge to find something that satisfies them as well as the "normal" eaters. This summer I made a vegan applesauce cake for my son's birthday to go along with some "normal" brownies he had requested and every single person went crazy for it -- especially the preschoolers!

    ReplyDelete
  5. My kids love "Tom and Jerry!" Of course, they always seem to want Tom to win...not that he ever does!

    Great looking cupcake recipe, Jenn! Makes me want to have some chocolate right now...and it's 5:30 a.m.! Hope you have an awesome tour!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such an easy drive from Texas to Kansas City (long and boring, but no turns, so easy)... Consider a road trip before you hit the airways home.

    Vegan kids... really??? I am pretty sure in this state you have to have health issues to be able to be a vegan, by state law.

    But, I just found out the new neighbors we just met and liked are vegetarians. So, I am working on an all veggie, all grilled menu. Who knows, a vegan may move in the state some day, so I will also be interested in comparing the details and the taste comparisons.

    BTW, did you happen to catch my post from yesterday? Those are Kansas cupcakes...

    http://yearonthegrill.blogspot.com/2010/09/redneck-cupcakes-what-to-do-with-gallon.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love cupcakes!! Great way to enjoy something sweet and control portions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for these posts! Like so many others, it seems, I have vegans in the family, and would love to surprise them with vegan cupcakes.

    We've been talking about cupcakes at Fatal Foodies lately, too, thanks to a visit from Jenn. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yummy! Love the buttercream recipe, too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. My daughter and I were shocked when the vegan baker won on the Cupcake Wars show. It just didn't seem like you could make anything really good without butter! I can't wait to see your vegan version.

    Good luck with the tour! Too bad you'll be on the opposite side of the country. I would definitely come and see you!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Janel -- I know! Shocking when the Vegan cupcake won -- and also inspiring!

    Marian -- I'm glad cupcakes are contagious -- it was great visiting you all last week!

    Susan E -- Oh, do come see us -- we're giving out gifts baskets (more cupcake swag to be had) plus it's be nice to see a friendly face!

    Rayna - the kids divided at the party to "Team Jerry" and "Team Tom" -- how hilarious! Guess you're on Jerry's?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Darcy O -- Yup, I have a powerful weakness for buttercream -- of all flavors.

    Runner10 -- I do think the portion control is the perk of cupcakes, unless you're like me, I managed to eat a dozen by myself in two days -- my Kiss Me Cupcakes did me in;-O

    Dave - What can I say? I just commented on your most excellent blog recipe EVER! WOW!!!

    Karen - Yep, we think kids want sugar, sugar, sugar, but they surprise us don't they?

    Dru- I was inspired by the cookbook Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World -- and I took their recipe even further!!!

    Thanks for the good wishes, Riley/E. It's my first book tour, so I'm pretty stoked!

    Stay tuned....

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm afraid to eat vegan treats. I'd probably not notice a difference if no one told me though!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Jenn - Happy Birthday to your little dude! Your cupcake war is a fantastic idea. (Great swag, too.) Can't wait to see next week's recipe and also really looking forward to some fun pictures of your Fatal Four Lone Star tour! Woot!

    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello, I've been following this blog for a while and have never commented. I've read most of Maggie Sefton's knitting mysteries and just recently finished your "Sprinkle with Murder". I totally agree with the above "year on the grill" comment, we'd love to have the fatal four in Kansas City!!! You know, Kansas City is the heartland and a good meeting spot for all of you... just a hint.

    I'm a grad student and "Sprinkle with Murder" inspired me to fill my extra time by applying to (and being hired) to work in a bakery. I've not experimented with Vegan cakes yet, but what great inspiration! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Chocolate Buttercream Frosting...mmmmmmmmmmm. I am looking forward to reading the vegan recipe. My vegetarian daughter is always searching for new recipes. Thanks for a great idea. Good luck on your tour.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a fun experiment, Jen. I'm betting the vegan version is delicious, too. They can eat oil, right? But no eggs?

    ~ Krista

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ok, I have to admit that if this question had been asked 6 months ago, I would probably have picked non-vegan. However, we have a cafe here called Sugar Plum Cafe (sugarplumvegan.com) which is a totally vegan cafe and bakery and their vegan cupcakes ROCK!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Don't have any vegans in the family but would be nice to find a really good recipe that can be used for either cupcakes or regular cake.

    Based on the photo both look GREAT!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. The recipe sounds GREAT, but of the two cupcakes shown, the "Tom" looks richer and visually more appealing! ( It's not Barbara's gluten-free, is it?)
    I will stay tuned for the next exciting episode!
    Leslie

    ReplyDelete
  21. this is amazing! I can't wait to see which cupcake reigns supreme... and funny enough my two cousin's names are Tom and Jerry...Tom is the older brother and Jerry is the younger brother..ahaha maybe i'll make them some of these chocolate cupcakes..thanks for the recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I absolutely love the sound of this recipe! I think I'll try it out with my granddaughters. They're 4 and 5 and LOVE to cook and are actually pretty talented at it. I can't wait to see what the vegan recipe has in it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. i love cupcakes too. and this chocolate buttercream frosting sounds divine.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I can't wait to see which cupcake won! Many of my favorite cake recipes are vegan (thanks to "Vegan with a Vengeance" and "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World"). In fact, there's a vegan chocolate cake recipe on my website, and I made some kick-butt Fauxstess Cupcakes over the summer.

    And, believe it or not, the ice cream queen will be making vegan ice cream this weekend (it's actually really, really, really good) for a party.

    Go Veg!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Loved Sprinkle with Murder.....can't wait for Buttercream Bump-Off!

    ReplyDelete