It has been too long since my last post! Lack of posts do not mean lack of cupcakes, though. This week was literally a "whopper" of a week. Last weekend involved a road trip to the river (thanks Amy O.) and this week was full of end-of-the-school-year activities.
Mack helped me pick out the flavor for this week's cupcakes. During the school year, the 4th graders earned "money" (not real money) that they could use to buy things at the end of each nine weeks. During this last week of school, they were able to spend their money and start their own business to earn more money. Mack and Brandon decided to sell cupcakes and colored hair spray. (No joke...cupcakes and colored hair spray.) Mack decided on whoppers cupcakes!
The River
Tina, Mack, Kennedy and I (Phillip and Julian both had to work) loaded into my car on Saturday morning and headed to the river! "The river" is the Santa Fe. The place is the McKnight river house. Our hosts are Paul, Amy, Alyssa, and Sarah. Each summer, Amy and Paul invite us to the river to enjoy tubing down the Ichetucknee, meals on the grill, and lots of fun and laughter.
We had a great time at the river. We were able to go down three times over the two days we were there: twice from the highest point and once from the lower. The water was low, so the flow was quick.
The weather was mild and the water was very clear. We did not see much wildlife, but did see turtles, birds, crawfish, and some smaller fish. We were all thankful not to have seen snakes or alligators!!
The kids all did great, with each of them MOSTLY riding their own tubes. Kennedy occasionally wanted to ride with me. She and Alyssa really bonded this weekend and insisted on being tied to my tube each time. They were great tubing buddies. We all cannot wait to get to go back.
I had made whoppers cupcakes before, but to refine the recipe I'd use for Mack's cupcakes, I decided to try a batch to take to the river. I discovered I had not bookmarked the original recipe I used, so I went back to the web.
While I prefer a "from scratch" cupcake, from time-to time, I'll use a boxed cake mix and add my own flair. I found a whoppers cupcake recipe that used a boxed cake mix so I decided to give it a try. I chose the Betty Crocker milk chocolate variety that just so happened to have a Box Top on it!
SHAMELESS PLUG: I was the Box Top Mom for Kennedy's class this year. We ended the year as the #1 Kindergarten class for Box Top collections! Kennedy and her friends enjoyed a Snow Cone party as a reward. In addition to the healthy competition, it's a great way for schools to earn funds. I encourage everyone to collect the Box Tops and donate them to the school of their choice. Each is worth $.10 for the school, so it's an easy way to make money for the schools to do good things.
Back to the cupcakes...I made the cupcakes exactly to the recipe I found and they turned out great. They had a good balance of chocolate and malt. The frosting recipe I found though was not quite what I wanted. It was more butter flavored than buttercream. I'm glad I tried out the recipes before I made the larger quantity. I had time to search for another recipe that would be even better.
The Last Week of School
The kids are now officially 1st and 5th graders! The report cards confirm it! It has been a year of growth for Mack and Kennedy. They've mastered so many new skills and are becoming their own individuals. I'm proud and happy, and at the same time in awe of the amount of work it takes to guide them to be the best they can be. It's a full time job. A job with no position description, but a job with endless benefits and bonuses.
One of the duties of parenting, is supporting your kids ideas. Mack's cupcake business, I thought, was a good one. I was in. It didn't take much to convince me to help out. :) The big sales day was to be Wednesday, so I decided to make the cupcakes on Monday, while we were off for Memorial Day, and frost the cupcakes on Tuesday after work.
I went back to the boxed cupcake recipe and decided to jazz it up a bit. I added sour cream to the recipe. Something different that may make for a more flavorful cupcake. They turned out beautiful, moist, and just right. All total, there were six dozen of the beautiful, brown, baked babies! They would have to wait until Tuesday to meet their destiny with the frosting....
For the frosting, I found a few good recipies that each had good elements, but no one was had everything I was looking for. So, I made my own. It was a Vanilla Malt Buttercream. Heavy cream, vanilla, and malt. Perfect.
If the chocolate and creamy frosting weren't enough, I wanted something in the center. So, I mixed up a Whipped Cream recipe and stirred in some of the chopped Whopper pieces. I cut the center out of the cupcakes and filled it with the sweet cream mixture.
The finished product was quite tasty! I sent Mack to school on Wednesday with five dozen cupcakes, sure that he would sell them all! He didn't. He sold four. Not four dozen. Four. He and Brandon made a killing though...on hair spray sales. I guess 4th graders are more interested in hair spray. Oh well, Mack shared two dozen with Kennedy's class, so at least more of the kids could enjoy.
At 41, I'm a product of the lessons I've learned, the people in my life, and the blessings of the good Lord. Every day is a gift and no moment should be taken for granted. Make the most of what you're given, give all you can to those around you, and use the ingredients in your life to create something special.
Now for the recipe...
Chocolate Malt Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 c sour cream
- 1/3 c water
- 1/4 c vegetable oil
- 1 c Carnation Original Malted Milk powder
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until incorporated.
- Fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter.
- Bake for 16-18 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool in pans for a few minutes then remove and cool completely on wire racks.
- Top with Vanilla Malt Buttercream Frosting.
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Vanilla Malt Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
- 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 6 tbsp. Carnation Original Malted Milk powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
- 4 c. confectioners sugar
Directions:
- Cream butter on low speed until creamy.
- Add in malt powder and mix until incorporated.
- Add heavy cream and mix until blended and creamy.
- Mix in one cup of sugar at a time until blended.
- Add vanilla extract and mix until creamy.
The recipe frosted about 18 cupcakes for me.
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