Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake, Two Ways!

A few months back, I did a tiny gig for a dear friend of mine. It was for a baby shower that she was coordinating and they needed some back up on the sweets. As a working mommy of two and an all around awesome person, there's not much I wouldn't do to lend her a helping hand. 

To keep it simple, quick, and classy, I went with two variations using the same base cupcake from America's Test Kitchen's "Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake." Less mess, less stress! You know it's full-proof when the cake is from America's Test Kitchen. 

The first version is the recipe verbatim. There's a healthy dollop of rich, chocolate ganache in the center of each cupcake. If you want to be lazy, nutella is always a great substitute! I switched it up for the frosting used a basic vanilla buttercream with just a touch of green food coloring and sugar pearls. To play up the contrasting colors of the frosting and cake, I went with standard issue silver cupcake liners.

For the second version, I omitted the ganache (it would make the surface too bumpy) and decided to go for the "aww factor" with a personal touch:  a message atop each cupcake! This aww factor requires a steady hand and patience. The smooth, magical chocolate glaze on top of these cupcakes is the perfect canvas. It's very easy to work with and firms up like a dream. 

Now as for writing those oh so fun letters on the cupcake... My advice is to get it over with. If it helps, trace the round bottom of a cupcake tin on some parchment paper to get the general size. Do a couple practice letters that are stenciled to get in the groove. Cursive seems to work best because it keeps the consistency and is more forgiving than plain text. The longer you sit there, doubting your ability, the more painful the task. You can do it! If you're still nervous, make this version of the cupcake first. If you mess up beyond repair... slap some buttercream on top and nobody will be the wiser!

Also, make sure you do not heat the white chocolate until you are absolutely ready to write. If it's too hot, it will be runny and ooze right out of the tip. If you wait to long, it will harden like a freaking brick in the piping bag and you will have a complete mess on your hands... I'm speaking from experience. 

For this thin script, I used a Wilton #2 Tip. I split the cupcakes into three sets of four and wrote: family, love, and baby. This is a cute idea for any occasion! Make it your own.

Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake x 2

The chocolate cupcake recipe is America's Test Kitchen's "Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake with Ganache Filling." You can find it on their amazing site. I used this version and doubled the cupcake recipe (not the ganache) to yield 24 cupcakes.

Split the cupcakes into two batches. 

Version 1: Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake Filled with Ganache

With the first batch of 12, follow the recipe as is, filling with the ganache. 

Use the frosting of your choice. I used a plain vanilla buttercream with a touch of food coloring. Decorate to your heart's content.

Version 2: Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Glaze

With the remaining 12 cupcakes, use Martha Stewart's handy Handwritten Cupcake technique. You already have the cupcakes, now you just need to make the chocolate glaze. 

Note, the chocolate glaze recipe yields 1 cup of glaze which is a bit overkill for a dozen cupcakes. I split the recipe in half- no sense in wasting resources. This glaze is super cool and sticks to the cupcake like a dream to create a smooth coat. Love it! 

For this thin script, I used a Wilton #2 Tip. It's white chocolate so as I said in the post, test it before you start writing. If it's too hot, it will ooze out and make a runny mess- too cold and it will seize up in the piping bag. 

Oven "Fried" Maple Chicken

Oven "Fried" Maple Chicken- yet another delicious and creative twist to a classic, brought to you by Candice Kumi. She is the author of one of my favorite cookbooks, "Pretty Delicious." If you've been following this blog, this is the same source as the Pumpkin Pie Pancakes with Apple Butter,  Black Bean and Banana Empandas, SoCal Quinoa and Cranberry Protein Plate, and Pearl Barley with Peas and Edamame. I've never been a cheerleader but I enjoy the simple, healthy, and straightforward recipes in this book.  

Now about this chicken.

I will be direct: if you have a serious craving for fried chicken- this is not the recipe for you. Just get it over with and make some good old fashioned fried bird.  As stated, this recipe is a creative twist to a classic; there's simply no substitute for the real deal. Don't let that deter you from giving it a shot; the hubby is a huge lover of chicken and even he was impressed with this version. It's flavorful and fun! 

What this Oven Fried Maple Chicken lacks in the oily crunch, it makes up for in time and nutrition. You don't have to brine for hours or deal with an angry frying machine. Simply marinate the chicken in a mix of maple syrup and low-fat buttermilk, coat in panko, and then bake till it's a lovely toasted brown. It reminds me of the Japanese dish, Katsu, but dressed up for breakfast. The sweetness of the maple compliments the savory crunch of the panko beautifully. Throw it on top of waffles or pancakes and top with a lil more maple syrup. We enjoyed ours with blueberry pancakes. 

Voila! An elegant addition to spice up your usual Sunday brunch routine. For the recipe, check out Pretty Delicious (or take a peek at Cooking Claire's site as a little cheat-cheat). 

Woodbridge, VA: Interview with Confections

Meet Confections, the small cupcake shop with a big heart!

I was introduced to Confections through The Cupcake Social, a breast cancer research fundraiser. Though I’d never been to their shop much less tasted one of the cupcakes, I reached out to see if they would be interested in participating. Confection’s response was overwhelming: a donation of 5 dozen free cupcakes. And we’re not talking plain vanilla! It was a beautiful assortment of fun flavors that were delivered straight to our door in Alexandria. Sometimes being sweet goes beyond powdered sugar.

Months later, during the exhaustive wedding cake search, Mike and I decided to drive out to Woodbridge and give Confections a shot. We had tried all the “typical” shops in Northern VA but something was missing. It goes without saying that we were very impressed with Confections. We hired them to cater our wedding after one tasting! 

Thanks to Confections for making our wedding extra special. We loved our tier of pink champagne cupcakes and wouldn't let just anyone partake in our big day. Special thanks to Laura, the owner, for the interview and Angela, our wedding coordinator, for being so professional, accommodating, and awesome. 

Meet Laura of Confections

A Woodbridge native, Laura has been in the area almost her entire life. She met her husband in a local high school and soon after started their family. Throughout her professional career, Laura baked on the side. The idea for opening a store was always there but it was a matter of timing. For two years, she patiently eyed a vacant shop in her usual grocery plaza with big plans. 

Fun Facts

Color: green, “pitter patter” to be exact
Food: Mexican
Animal: Dog (not a pet-owner)
Kids: proud mom of her son, Tayler!
Book: Joy of Baking
Movie: “The Notebook”—she’s gunning for “Safe Haven”
TV: reality TV is a must, especially on a Sunday night
Peeve: Organization and super meticulous about things being clean
Inspiration: their son inspired her to do all of this, especially as a young mother
Music: everything- she’s the typical “modern mom”

The Start

Confections opened January 7, 2012 and things went crazy. They produced 500,000 cupcakes in their first year! They quickly learned how to convert a recipe for 24 to 500 and jumped from 6 to 19 employees.  Their first big job was for the Redskins. Now they’re selling over 2,000 cupcakes in any given weekend and catering up to 50 weddings a year. It has been a rough transition, but Laura is proud of their growth.

Experience

Baking was part of Laura’s childhood thanks to her Grandmother who loved to bake. She did things the old fashioned way with real ingredients and lots of mixing. Laura quickly became fascinated by the precision of baking and the creative liberty it provided. After years of doing it on the side, Laura knows that is a learning process that can’t be taught from a book.

Where Do the Flavors Come From

Life- inspiration is everywhere and the menu varies by season. Laura is inspired by her reading as well as ideas from other shop workers. For example, Monica, a Confections employee who originates from Puerto Rico, introduced Laura to the delicious dessert of Tres Leches. It is now a cupcake on the menu. There are six (6) go-to, top-selling cupcakes that never leave the Confections menu: (1) peanut butter, (2) salted carmel, (3) red velvet, (4) oreo, (5) vanilla, and (6) triple chocolate. 

What it Takes

There is no glory in starting your own business. There are risks that must be carefully assessed and tons of planning. Laura is still a full-time personal assistant. When she is in the shop, it’s mostly managerial and to make sure legal documentation is up to date- not the sort of thing a true baker wants to be doing while in a cupcake shop. 

Her family has stepped in to help out and her husband is now one of the head bakers. The night shift makes the batter from 11pm to 4am; whatever is remaining is made at home (which has met the county code to be a professional bakery). The morning shift prepares the frosting and then goes to a hands-on assembly line. Laura carefully exams every single cupcake to ensure It meets Confections’ standards 

Other Cupcake Stores

It’s a trend that’s not going anywhere or else Laura never would have opened the store. Everybody has something to celebrate! As long as cakes are around and you can be creative- it will be here! They would love to be on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network as a shout out to VA!

Ingredients

Confections use traditional ingredients like Crisco, whole milk, and butter. It’s all about creaming and keeping things old school! It’s the difference between yogurt and Baskin Robbins.

Location



Woodbridge is a cozy commuter town located in Northern Virginia that is constantly growing. Laura’s vision was gourmet cupcakes for the suburbs. As a Woodbridge local myself, I can tell you this shop is an extremely welcome addition to the scene. 

Supporting the Community

Confections reaches out to the community through a myriad of avenues. There is an internship program for high school and college students to give them real life experience in a professional kitchen (sign me up!). They support charities and fundraisers through donations, host coat drives, and have sponsored a family in need. The one-dollar cupcake special on Sundays revenue is sometimes donated as well. Laura is happy to do anything to help because it’s all about paying forward.

Plus, it just makes you feel good.

Down the Road


In near term, Laura would like to open a 2nd store, preferably in the Wegmans shopping center of Woodbridge, as well as start a food truck. Her goal is to sell the business in 10 years and continue to enjoy what life throws in her direction.

Lessons
 

Owning your business is the school of hard knocks; nothing is easy and you always need to be prepared for more than expected. Just ignore the haters!

Drop a Line of Inspiration

"To always follow your dreams- big and small!"

Confections
12801 Galveston Court 

Manassas, VA 20110
(703) 670-6639
confectionsonline.com