Juste Debout & Pineapple Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

Not going to lie, my brain is mush right now. If I lift one more piece of furniture in the next 10 minutes, I'm going to kick something. Violently. It shall be worth it in the end, patience young grasshopper. Patience. Happy thoughts. Like Pineapple Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting... and attending Juste Debout.

Juste Debout ("just upright") is an annual dance competition. It's usually held in France but this year they brought it on over to New York. It was held in the Brooklyn Lyceum. I loved this venue! It was old and ragged; a beautiful mess. The floor wasn't bad for dancing! The only downfall of this spot: volume regulations. Due to the residential area... they couldn't pump the music. Not the best policy when you're hosting a DANCE competition.

I had no intention of attending this event.

Juste Debout Documentary Film | Volume NYC from navator.com on Vimeo.

Then my bestfriend, Kuya, signed up for the Top Rock (the part of break dancing where you just dance- no footwork or crazy poses) battle and it was a done deal. This was his first out of state competition! Got to support! We piled into the car and headed off for adventure.

Thanks gentlemen for the laughs and love! We learned NJ is only good for lingerie, bagels, and liqueur... Kuya sleeps perfectly for spooning (ass presented!)... and military dosages of ibuprofen are a blessing.

There were six categories of dance: hip hop, locking, popping, top rock, waacking, and housing. My favorite to watch was def the hip hop and house. The popping battle (no offense poppers) was... painful. It dragged out and got lame quick. And can someone tell me WHY people that do locking wear some of the most ridiculous outfits ever? I'm serious. What's the origin of that style?

An observation made by our out-of-state selves was that New York ego got in the way of the judging. One of the judges made it a point to say how the best dancers come from NY. You could see this look of "WTF" on all the international dancer's faces that made final round.

Plus, there was some FOUL business in the tops battle! Shamrock from Urban Artistry- you were robbed. This guy had the entire venue screaming when he murdered his round... yet he didn't get past prelims. Fail.

Driving out there was worth seeing Kuya compete. You were fantastic hun and I love watching your passion on the dance floor. It's a beautiful thing.

Now. Back to the food.

I still don't know how I feel about these cupcakes. Honestly, they were not my favorite. Making a good pineapple cupcake is really hard. The best cake form of the pineapple remains the upside down version. I was hoping these cupcakes would persuade me otherwise but they were a touch heavy in my opinion. They were thicker than my usual cupcake. That not necessarily a bad thing- just my preference. The bits of pineapple in the cupcake was absolutely delicious! This was the beast of the cupcake.

The frosting is very pure in nature because it contains reduced coconut milk. This takes awhile to create but I like the fact it's not imitation extract. One comment I received was the texture was like cream cheese. It is very smooth and dreamy... I will use it on another cupcake, one that's more complimentary and understanding of it's soft nature. This was the beauty of the cupcake.

Note: To toast coconut.. you can do it in a dry skillet or in a 350 degree oven, stirring often. It browns quick! Watch it close! You want that pineapple super well drained! Pat it dry if you need to! No excess moisture!

Pineapple Cupcakes
from Williams-Sonoma

1 1/3 cups/220g all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1/2 stick/55g unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup/140g granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 8-ounce/227g can crushed pineapple in juice, well drained, juice reserved
1/3 cup/80 mL of the reserved pineapple juice (see note)
1 cup/125g sweetened coconut, toasted if you wish

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350. Spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin or use cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter until light. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time and beat well after each. Add the crushed pineapple and beat; it will be lumpy. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the pineapple juice, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, if necessary, and beat just until blended.

Transfer to the pan, filling each cup about one-half to three-quarters of the way. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 19 – 22 minutes.

Immediately remove cupcakes from the tin and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Coconut Frosting
by Epicurious

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cups powdered sugar
13 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk (yields 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk)
Seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (for garnish)

To make the reduced coconut milk, pour the 13 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk into a small sauce pan. Leave on medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps to concentrate the flavor of the coconut. Let sit to room temperature.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, 1/3 cup reduced coconut milk, seeds from vanilla bean, and salt. Beat on medium-low speed until blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase to medium/high and beat until light and fluffy.

Horizons Deep

"The horizon is the apparent line that separates earth from sky, the line that divides all visible directions into two categories: those that intersect the Earth's surface, and those that do not. At many locations, the true horizon is obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, etc., and the resulting intersection of earth and sky is called the visible horizon."

Horizons deep. What separates us from reality and dreams? For all our preconceived notions, norms, expectations, inhibitions, and socialized behaviors... they're just the trees, building, mountains, etc. getting in the way of our view. The visible horizon.

There's so much more to the "true horizon."

The randomness of life. Got a phone call the other day out of the blue. Next thing I know, I'm on the Blue Line heading to the heart of DC with the game face on. Interview time. I'm sure you've guessed my little surprise!

Today is the last day at my job in Alexandria. Moving on up. I am officially on the Metro Status. The proper reaction is to do a back flip but I'm actually really mellow. I'll have a set of keys to the townhouse in my hands in a few hours and a whole new world of responsibility. I'm going to give it a year or two, and take it from there. Cali? You never know, that's an unsettling/thrilling fact of life.

To new horizons. Forever grateful. Lord I need a cupcake and a shot!

Berry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Sunshine was lingering on the horizon when I left the office last night. Couldn't help but smile. Come on spring! Fight for your right to party! Love winter for the coziness, warm drinks, and snow days but I am a t-shirts and flip flops kind of girl. I like rocking guys basketball shorts, those cute long and lean tanks from Target, and a cozy hoodie. Ready for those warm breezes, afternoon walks, and adventures.

The warm weather may not to be here just yet, but you can have a taste of it with these Berry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Was that a cheesy segue? Little bit.

Baked goods that incorporate fresh fruit are a weakness. Anything fresh automatically wins bonus points! The recipes recommends using blueberries- but I used black berries. I'm sure this would be just fine with raspberries as well, it's a very simple cake.

This is a very easy recipe that leans towards the healthy end of the spectrum with reduced fat buttermilk. It's a very light taste. You do not need to slather it in lemon-cream cheese frosting... but you probably will because it's such a perfect addition.

The frosting has a little zest to it because of the lemon. The smoothness of the cream cheese tames the beast. Make sure you sift the confectioners sugar- I know that's an extra 5 minutes but it's worth the lemony, fluffiness.

Note: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make some in a pinch with butter and regular milk. Place 4 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice in a glass-measuring cup, and add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid. Stir to combine and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes (the mixture will begin to curdle). Done- you got yourself a cup of buttermilk!

PS. Oh don't worry, I promised to share a lil surprise back in my Coffeecake post. That will be revealed this Friday. Call me a tease- you likes it.

Berry Cupcakes
from Cooking Light Magazine

6.75 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour, divided
10 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup non fat buttermilk
1/2 cup reduced fat milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup fresh berries, thawed

Preheat oven to 350. Line a dozen cupcake tins.

In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon flour with the sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In another bowl, combine the melted butter and egg. Stir with whisk. Add buttermilk, milk and 1 teaspoon lemon rind to the butter mixture. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Toss berries with remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. The recommended berries are blueberries but I wanted to utilize the blackberries laying around the house. Yes, we have blackberries lounging around the house.

Fold berries into batter and spoon into prepared muffins tins. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes on wire rack then remove from pan.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
from Cooking Light Magazine

1/4 cup (2 ounces) low fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Place cream cheese, 2 tablespoon s of butter, 1 teaspoon of lemon rind, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until just blended. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar- don't over mix. Stir in lemon juice. Frost as you see fit!

Double-Chocolate Cupcakes & V-Day

Okay, so I started with the typical Michele sarcastic tone for this entry because it is Valentine's Day. Valentine's is Christmas' commercial rival and Hallmark's bastard child. All that comes out of it is yummy treats (like this Double Chocolate cupcake), flowers, whiny single folk too invested in the calender, boyfriends in the dog house, and jacked up haikus. La dee freakin daaaa!

Then cupid smacked me really hard upside the head because even though this is a really dumb 'holiday'- there is something to be said about feeling special. I'm feeling mighty special.

So this morning, a hella cute ninja I know asked what the address was for my office to calculate some commuter stuff. I didn't think anything of it. He had been up mad early dropping off family at the airport so he was just bumming it at home. Asked when I was taking lunch in casual conversation. Then I get a phone call asking to check if he left the spare set of keys in my car- something his sweet, goofy self would do. I run outside to check the car and lo, there's a familiar vehicle parked next to mine.

And there were flowers.

And candy.

And a really handsome fella cheesing like no other cuz he knows he hustled me good. I'll keep the smile for myself. Imma get you suckah. Thank you for making this lil rough and tumble bgirl feel like a special lady. And it was good on cloud 9.

Okay 2011, I'll give it to you: Happy Valentine's Day everybody. Make these Double Chocolate Cupcakes (or these Icecream Brownie Cupcakes) for the folks you love. Don't have to be your hunny bunny. Just give love to the people you love.

These cupcakes are super duper easy to make and pitch perfect chocolate. You don't need any frosting, which always says something to me when a cupcake can hold its own. This calls for dark chocolate chips, but use any kind you like. I love it when there's something in the mix, it adds a dimension to the cake and gooey pockets of chocolate are a pleasant surprise. This cake is very moist and rich.

Note: the recipe calls for egg substitute. I did not have this and used 1/2 a cup of real eggs. I don't know if that dramatically altered anything but I would not change a thing about this cupcake.

Double Chocolate Cupcakes
from Cooking Light Magazine

4.5 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 1/4 ounces dark chocolate (finely chopped, 70% cocoa)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and line 12 cupcake tins.

Finally chop the cocoa. I find it helps to refrigerate it first so it doesn't melt as easily; I hold it down with some parchment paper so my hands don't get chocolatey.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

Cream sugar and butter in mixer until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg substitute and vanilla until well combined. Add flour and buttermilk alternately into the butter-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in chocolate. Spoon into 12 cupcakes tins and bake for about 18 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving. It's so soft and adds lingering happy texture.

Life & The Amazing Crumb Cake

Yes, I am behind on posts but I have a good reason: life. It's been all sorts of busy and full of adventure. Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can come together.

Before I start, take a peek at this hunk of Crumb Cake. Yes. You want to wake up to this in the morning. It's okay to stare. He's a cute piece of crumb cake and he knows it. Ahem.

Okay, on to the adventures....

For starters... New digs! It's a townhouse that looks like a lil barn. What's not to love about that? I'll be living with two friends which means plenty of cookies and laughter.

Went snowboarding for the first time. My friend Harvey and I reconnected on the slopes. He's pro! Thank you Harvs for the infinite patience and Janice for the gear. I tumbled down the mountain. Again. And again. Honestly, it was not that bad until we got the stupid idea to try a steep hill. That's when I ate it. Hard. I'll stick to bgirlin'.

Traveled to NYC for Juste Debout hosted in Brooklyn. Juste Debout is a French dance competition that they brought over to NY. It was no bboy jam! I'm going to have an entire separate entry for that fiasco of awesomeness. Special thanks to my cousin for letting us crash at his spot.

Cherry to my sundae: Mr. Navix returns from Korea after teaching English for a year. He is the source of the going away cupcake Navix 1.0. I'm stupid happy to have him back on U.S. soil. Man radiates encouragement and inspiration. Welcome back! Chillin' on Cloud 9.

The final development... well. I'll keep that a secret till the next post.

Down to business. Amazing Crumb Cake. Crumb cake that makes you do a double take because you think you're in a bakery, not your kitchen. It's really easy to make, smells delicious in the oven, and contains very basic ingredients. I added a smidge more cinnamon because I love cinnamon. This is the real deal: the perfect cake coated in a layer of rolled up brown sugary goodness.

Note: Do not use all-purpose flour for the cake. It will come out too rubbery. Stick with the cake flour.

The Amazing Crumb Cake
by America's Test Kitchen

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour (7 ounces)

Cake

1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3cup buttermilk
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

For the topping... whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

For the cake... adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary.

Transfer batter to baking pan; using rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer. Break apart crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. It doesn't have to be perfect

Bake until crumbs are golden and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.