Sunday, September 9, 2012

GETTING FIRED UP

It's an excitement that cannot be described.  You just have to live it.  Football is a way of life here in Tallahassee.  If you're not a Seminole football fan showing up on campus on Saturdays to tailgate and make the trek to Doak Campbell then you're in front of the TV rooting on the Noles.

To a true Nole fan, football means more than painted hash marks, jerseys and pads, refs calling bad plays, and touchdowns.  It means tailgating (to an extreme that you are the Publix Tailgater of the Week), visiting with old friends, making new ones, and rooting for any team except the Gators.  You bleed Garnet & Gold.  You live for the sound of the drums as the World-renowned Marching Chiefs queue up The Chop.  Falling asleep the night before the first home game is like a child trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve.

It was during the 2011 football season that I began making themed cupcakes for each home game.  As we have done for years, we design the menu to honor our visiting opponents.  When Miami comes to town, we go Cuban.  When Maryland comes to town, we do "all things crab".  Food and football are a perfect paring.

On September 1, 2012, the 2012 football season kicked off in Tallahassee. We hosted the Murray State Racers from Kentucky for a 6pm kick off.  The first tents went up on our tailgate site before Noon.  We have a great spot and show up early to make sure we keep the spot. 

It's our fifth year at this site.  We've moved a few times, mostly when FSU decided to put a building on our "grassy knoll".  There are several factors that make a good tailgate spot: grass, parking, and access to power.  The grass to make it feel like we're communing in nature, parking to accommodate the many tailgaters, and power to fuel the two TVs, fans, and small appliances.  All the comforts of home.

In honor of our foes from Kentucky, I went in search of quintessential Blue Grass state food and drink fare.  I quickly decided on Mint Julep Cupcakes.  Nothing more Kentucky than horse racing and the Mint Julep is the signature of the Kentucky Derby.

There were many variations on a mint or Mint Julep cupcake.  I found a recipe that used simple ingredients, including Bourbon, of course.  I had most of the ingredients around the kitchen, except for the mint flavoring and the fresh mint for garnish.  Publix had what I needed.

The recipe had quite a bit of bourbon in the batter, where the alcohol would evaporate during baking, but it also had a small amount of bourbon in the frosting.  The kids would not be able to partake of those, so I decided to make another option.  I decided on a variation of the chocolate cream pie cupcakes: Oreo Cream Pie Cupcakes.  I found football shaped Oreos that would be perfect adornment to the little beauties.

On Friday afternoon, I set to baking.  I mixed up the batter and put the cupcakes in the oven before the kids came home.  (Pops took them to Kennedy's gymnastics class.)  I would be able to get the cupcakes done before they came home, so that we could have family pizza and movie night at home.

I was mixing the frosting, standing in the kitchen, but about 6 feet from the oven when a ball of flames burst from the oven!  Yes, the oven EXPLODED....TWICE.  The cup of whisky in the batter apparently hit its flash point and had to let off steam.  What a heart-stopping occurrence.  When it happened the second time, I pulled out the fire extinguisher, just in case.

Luckily, the cupcakes were almost done and the third explosion was not to be.  Whew.  About that time the kids walked in and did they get a charge hearing my story!!!  I am thankful they weren't around or that I wasn't in front of the oven when it flew open. 

Despite the harrowing events, the frosting turned out well, the cupcakes were amazing, and the finished product was adorable.  I think I'll try these cupcakes again, but not without my fire extinguisher handy.



The Oreo Cream Pie Cupcakes were nowhere near the trouble, in fact they were no trouble at all!  These gems had a bottom crust of crushed Oreos, the Vanilla Cupcake, chocolate pudding filling, and the Vanilla Pudding Frosting.  Big, beautiful treats!





At our tailgate site (aka "Tent City") on Saturday, the festivities did not disappoint.  Despite the humidity and heat, we all felt refreshed by being together again on campus.  The best part, as we all had hoped, the Seminoles handily defeated our Kentucky visitors.  The Seminole Nation is hopeful for a championship winning season and the first game fueled that excitement.

My journey through cupcakes has truly turned into an adventure.  Fire, fallen cupcakes, amazing accomplishments, and pure joy.  I hope this year's Seminole squad find their fire and create something amazing.

Angie

Now for the recipe...

Mint Julep Cupcakes

Ingredients:
·         1 c. butter
·         2 c. sugar
·         1 tsp. vanilla extract
·         1 tsp. mint extract
·         4 eggs
·         2 & 3/4 c. all purpose flour
·         3 tsp. baking powder
·         1 tsp. salt
·         1 c. milk
·         1 c. bourbon or whiskey

Directions:
·         Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
·         Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).
·         In a small bowl, combine salt, baking powder, and 1 & 3/4 c. of flour.
·         In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and extracts until creamy.
·         Gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
·         Add milk and bourbon to the batter.
·         Add remaining flour, but do not over mix.
·         Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter.
·         Bake for 25-30 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
·         Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
·         Top with Mint Julep Frosting.
·         Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.

Makes 24 cupcakes.
  
Mint Julep Frosting

Ingredients:
·         1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
·         4-6 c. sugar
·         1/2 tsp. mint extract
·         1 tbsp. bourbon or whiskey
·         1/4 c. milk

Directions:
·         In the bowl of a stand or electric mixer, mix butter until creamy and pale.
·         Add powdered sugar 1 c. at a time until the frosting is thick.
·         Add the extract, bourbon and 1 tbsp. of the milk at a time until the frosting is the desired consistency.  Add powdered sugar if the frosting is too soft.

Frosts 24 cupcakes.

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