THE NEXT CHAPTER

It is the start of week number 7 at my new job and my time has been marked with meeting lots of great new people, with learning and contributing to the mission of the agency each day, and unfortunately, with saying good bye.  A long time employee earned her much-deserved retirement. 

Her send-off was at a local restaurant and lots of current and former co-workers showed up to wish her well.  She received tokens of appreciation and shared her gratitude for her friends she was fortunate enough to spend more hours with each day than her family.

When we had a date set for the party, I offered to make cupcakes.  I emailed her husband to find out what her favorite flavors were.  He quickly replied "chocolate".  Chocolate, huh?  So many variations on the theme of chocolate.

It took me a few days of thought to come to what I would do.  Chocolate and peanut butter are a natural.  But what else?  Pretzels!! 

I looked online for inspiration and found a recipe that called for creating a layer/crust of chocolate and pretzels on the bottom of the cupcake.  That would be a nice surprise.  I decided to use the cake recipe from my Maryland turtle cupcakes and the peanut butter buttercream frosting I used a while back.  For decoration, a simple, chocolate-covered pretzel.  The components were set. 

I didn't want to stop at one flavor.  There are some in our office that cannot eat chocolate (that would be awful).  I looked and searched and came across a recipe for orange dreamsicle cupcakes.  That would be nice.  The recipe had fresh oranges, buttermilk, and the frosting was an orange buttercream swirled with marshmallow cream.  Yum...

Now to bake...

I spent most of my quiet Sunday baking.  The kids were away and Phil was at work.  I quickly finished up the cupcakes and was able to run some errands before I came back to finish the task of frosting and decorating.  The chocolate cupcakes were gorgeous.  Perfect frosting.  Perfect cupcakes.  Real works of art.

The orange cupcakes were another story.  The cupcakes came out well.  They rose perfectly and were golden.  The frosting was a mess.  It tasted wonderful, but apparently, I did not make it thick enough.  When I frosted the cupcakes, the frosting either pooled up or slid off.  Awful.  Awful I say.  I was embarrassed.  But with my 'glass half-full' attitude I was sure that I could salvage them after the frosting thickened in the fridge.

I didn't get that chance.  I went to take the cupcakes out of the fridge and the box hit the floor and so did the cupcakes.  Frosting and smashed cakes splatted in front of the fridge.  I could have cried.

After a few hours of self pity (and some of Mom's consolatory spaghetti), I set back to baking to make another batch.  I did not have enough ingredients for second batch of the orange cupcakes, but I did have enough to make Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting.

After the kids went to bed, I baked the cupcakes, cooked the filling, and whipped up the frosting.  Crisis averted.

The cupcakes were a hit at work.  Not all of the 4 dozen were consumed at the restaurant, but they didn't make it past 5:00pm.  It was a split as to what the favorite flavor was, but it was a consensus I should be on Cupcake Wars.  Maybe someday, but for now, my Cupcake Adventure is limited to my own kitchen.

For me, retirement is such a long way off.  I can only imagine how exciting and scary it must be for anyone standing on the edge looking back at their dedicated years of service and forward to the unexpected and unknown.  I am pretty sure my retirement is known.  Just like I knew since I was playing bank with my cousin Beth in my grandmother's living room that I would work with money and "count" things, I know that in retirement I'll open a bakery.  Until then, let the adventure continue.

Angie

Now for the recipe...

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes:

1.  Chocolate Cupcakes
For the base of the cupcake, melt 1 bag (16 oz.) of semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir in 1 c. of crushed pretzels.  Press 1 tsp. of the mixture into the base of the paper cups.  Fill the cups with batter almost full.  This cupcake does not rise much.
2. Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting (below)
3. Garnish with Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
• 4 c. confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 c. peanut butter

Directions:

• Cream butter on low speed until creamy.
• Add sugar 1 c. at a time until blended.
• Add vanilla and heavy cream and mix until blended and creamy.
• Beat in peanut butter until creamy.

Frosts about 24 cupcakes.