A Cupcake Tradition

 Whenever we go on vacation, we have a tradition in our family to search for the best cupcakes in the area.

 A few years ago while we were in Rockport, Mass. checking out "Motif #1" for a future painting, we found a little place that made cupcakes that claimed to have cake in the frosting and frosting in the cake.  We inhaled the cupcakes and bought a few extra for the ride home.  A few weeks later, while we were all experiencing cupcake withdrawal, I decided to see if I could replicate something similar.  The cupcakes we had were chocolate mint flavored, but our family favorite is any kind with peanut butter and chocolate in the mix.  After a little practice, this is what I came up with to re-create "cake in the frosting and frosting in the cake."

Peanut Butter Frosted Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes


Ingredients You Will Need

1 Butterfinger Candy Bar - Frozen
Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix with pudding in the mix
     (follow box directions for 24 cupcakes using Eggs, Oil, Water)
2/3 C Light Cream
1-1/2 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 t Vanilla Extract
1/2 C Crisco
1 C Creamy Peanut Butter
4 C 10x Powder
1/2 C Cold Light Cream

Directions:

Chocolate Ganache Filling

2/3 Cup Light Cream
1-1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 t Vanilla Extract

To make the ganache, heat cream to a light boil, then pour into a bowl over the chocolate chips.  Allow to sit for 2 minutes and then stir gently until smooth.  Add vanilla and stir gently (to avoid adding air bubbles).

Spread the ganache into a baking dish, cool and then refrigerate in the chill drawer for several hours until firm.

Cupcakes

Follow the box directions and make 24 cupcakes, cool completely and then transfer them to a baking sheet and freeze for at least an hour.  The freezing process makes it easy to carve out a center hole for the ganache and will also make your cupcakes really moist!!!

Tip:  I place a pan of water in the oven underneath the cupcakes so that the tops of the cupcakes are less rounded.

When the cupcakes are slightly frozen, use a melon baller to  remove the center of the cupcake.  Keep the centers for later.

                

Using a small spring release cookie scoop, fill each of the cavities with ganache. Place the extra cupcake center on top and refreeze the cupcake until ready to frost.  

Peanut Butter Frosting

1/2 Cup Crisco 

1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I use Jiff)

4 Cups 10X Powder

1/2 Cup Cold Light Cream (do not use skim milk)

1 t Vanilla

Beat crisco and peanut Butter until creamy.  Gradually add 10X Powder, Cream and Vanilla (a little of each at a time) until fluffy.  Frost the cupcakes with a 1M Wilton Star Tip and frost from outside to center of cupcake.  Sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger candy bar. (I freeze the candy bar, crush in the package with a meat tenderizer and place the crumbs in a small bowl.)  

Here is a glimpse of the progress of my painting of Motif #1.

I hope you enjoy the recipe!!!

You can also see this post at:

http://www.stonegableblog.com/the-scoop-171/

Jr./Sr. Banquet & A Wedding Painting

This last weekend was my daughter's Jr./Sr. Banquet.  We had some fun mother-daughter time getting ready for this special time of celebration--going shopping for shoes, finding a vintage dress, doing make-up and hair, choosing flowers and accessories.

I also finished a painting for a wedding gift for friends of ours.  

"Firefly Love"

Beach Paintings & Lemon Sand Pudding

Today I would like to share my recipe for Lemon Sand Pudding and a collection of some of my beach related art.  Prints of the paintings are available at the following link.

 http://mary-charles.artistwebsites.com/

Lemon Sand Pudding

1 -14.3 oz. package Golden Oreos or Lemon Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 stick butter (softened)
2  -3.4 oz. (small) packages instant lemon pudding
3 cups milk
1 cup powdered sugar
16 oz. Cool Whip

Use a food processor to crush the cookies (little chunks are great) Set aside.  Then use the food processor or a heavy duty mixer to combine the cream cheese, butter and pudding (I add about 1/2 cup of the milk to make it blend easier).  Gradually add the remaining milk and powdered sugar.  When thoroughly mixed, fold in the cool whip on low speed.  Using a 10x13 dish, layer 1/2 of the pudding, then 1/2 of the cookie crumbs on top, then repeat.  Refrigerate overnight.  (I usually refrigerate it about 12 hours in my refrigerator chill drawer on the "warmest" setting.)  Decorate with little beach items if desired for a party theme.

Skinny Version:  Use 1/3 less fat cream cheese, skim milk, and omit the powdered sugar.  This still tastes amazing!!

Be sure to check out these wonderful link parties:

http://www.karensuponthehill.com/co-hosting-the-pretty-pintastic-party/

http://www.stonegableblog.com/the-scoop-168/

The Power of Follow Through

This week I faced a bit of a challenge with one of my paintings.  I started painting a barn shaped birdhouse in a meadow, but part way through I realized that the bird house was a bit too big for the setting.  I was frustrated and wanted a do-over.  I just didn't like it!  I could have pitched the canvas, or put it into my storage closet, so I would forget about it for a couple of years.  Yes, I actually did have one that I put in the closet for a few years (see *).  But instead of resorting to those measures,  I decided to go to bed and sleep on it and revisit it the next day.

In the morning, I tried to see the painting with new eyes and reviewed all the possibilities.  Then I took a bold move and painted over the barn bird house with my forgiving acrylics and started working it into a larger life-size barn.  At that point it was too late to go back.  I was committed to making something out of this!  What it would turn out to be, I did not know.  I just let the Spirit and my paint brush take over.  As I worked, I still didn't like it, but the peanut gallery (my family) said that they liked it.  I grumbled to myself, but kept on working.  Then it happened.  It morphed into something that I actually liked, even though I didn't feel that way until I reached the very end and it was finished.

Evening Glow

Life is like that sometimes.  We may have the best intensions when starting something, but when we are in the midst of it, in a moment of frustration, we feel like quitting or giving up.  Did you ever start a project and for some reason or another, when you hit a brick wall, you just put it aside?  I can think of a few of my own, or several to be honest.  I once had an idea for a painting that I wanted to use as a fund raiser for a sweet little girl, but I hesitated for two weeks until I started it.  Did I finished it?  Find out below**.

Teachers of Thomas Edison said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was considered "non-productive" and for this reason he was fired from his first two jobs.  He made 1000 unsuccessful  attempts at creating the light bulb until he got it right.  His secret?  He didn't give up!   He followed through.   Good thing, because we may still be in the dark!

As I have been reflecting about the cross and Easter coming up,  I thought about someone else who didn't give up.  Jesus could have taken one look at the cross, and walked away.  But instead, He died for me, for all of us, to take on our sin and make a way to reunite us to a Holy Heavenly Father.  If he didn't follow through we would have no chance of redemption and the ability to receive his free gift of salvation.


*Here is the painting I had in the back of the closet--I did get it out one day and finished it and I'm glad I did, because it sold right away.

                                                                    *Firefly Evening

** I ended up doing the fundraiser painting for the sweet little girl.  You can read about her story and what happened with the prints here.

http://lancasteronline.com/news/painting-of-snowman-recalls-hannah-garman/article_33102444-74ee-5a47-9163-f34e1e2e7ddc.html?mode=story

**Hannah's Wish

We may not be able to invent something that will light the world, or do a single act that can save the world, but we don't know what impact we could have if we would only follow through with something that could have the potential to light up someone's world or save someone's life.  What are you putting off that you need to follow through with?