everybody likes cupcakes

My cold is nearing the two week mark and I'm so not thrilled at its take on longevity. Ugh. I did manage to have a lovely birthday and thank you all for your well-wishes!! Cornelius did make me a cake -- a very yummy (and very edible) chocolate and coconut cake which we proceed to gobble up with a side of coffee ice cream. Yummers. The day was spent riding our bikes to Granville Island with a picnic that included some delicious organic strawberries, my favorite oka cheese, a sourdough bagette and some delicious nitrate-free farmer's sausage from Oyama. Cornelius even accompanied me to my bowling tournament, where my good friend Kristen made me some vegan chocolate and vanilla frosted cupcakes and the beer did not stop flowing. Despite my cold, I managed to bowl well above my pitiful average and score 180 in my 2nd game. Whoooo! I can't wait until next month when my friend Dan and I will co-chair the birthday activities with a bar & bike tour. I will definitely have a tupperware container filled with Guinness cupcakes for sure and continue the birthday vibes all summer long!

Although I didn't make the cupcakes Kristen brought to bowling, I did give her the recipe a few years ago and it's been her favorite ever since. A few years ago, i directed/shot/starred in a short student film featuring this very secret cupcake recipe. Yes, just me, some lights, some cheap set dec, my camera and me cooking -- all at the same time. I present the video here (note: you may be asked to download a codec in order to view the video) for your streaming pleasure or I'll just pass along the recipe below.

vegan chocolate cupcakes (aka 6 Minute Chocolate Cake aka Wacky Cake)
*from Moosewood Cooks at Home

1-1/2 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c brewed coffee
2 t pure vanilla extract
2 T vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure and mix the oil, water (or coffee), and vanilla. Slowly and gently pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl and mix the batter with a fork or a small whisk.

4. When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls (and some bubbling) in the batter where the baking soda and vinegar are reacting. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter (the color becomes more consistent throughout).

5. Pour batter into a lined muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes--testing with a toothpick. Remove to a cooling rack and make a frosting of your choice.

give a little sweetness

My friend Mel makes pretty things and then sells them at her online shop demoderby. I recently bought a cute little onesie from her as a gift for some friends who just had a baby and was so pleased at how cute it was that I figured I'd bake her some cookies. I decided to make the mexican chocolate cookies that I had bookmarked for ages from Milk & Honey and they turned out wonderfully. As a contrast to the spicy chocolate, I figured something citrusy would go nicely too. I found a recipe for Lemon Cookies from the Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates cookbook and instead of lemons, I used limes to make these cookies. They were perfect....light, buttery and not to sweet and full of lime flavour! Perfect for spring time gift giving...or for just munching outside in the park.

lime cookies
Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates

topping:
1 1/2 t freshly grated lime peel
1 1/2 T sugar

dough:
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 T freshly grated lime peel
1 t vanilla
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T fresh lime juice

1. Stir together the topping ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar and mix well to combine. Add the butter and lime peel and mix with your hands until you get the texture of coarse meal. Add the vanilla, egg and lime juice and blend with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together to form a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough between your hands to make 12 small balls. Press each ball into the lime sugar topping, flattening into a 2 inch circle. Place on a cookie sheet, sugar side up. Bake until golden at the edges, about 7 to 8 minutes. Place on rack to cool.

brownies

Last night, we needed something sweet after our dinner (sandwiches!), so I went to my old standby favorite, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook's brownie recipe. It's easy to make and it turns out perfect everytime*. I added lots of walnuts in my version, cuz that's how I roll!

Moosewood Fudge Brownies
Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

1/2 c butter (1 stick)
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 c lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c unbleached white flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly coat an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

In a pot large enough to hold all of the batter, melt the butter and chocolate together on low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and beat by hand or with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and beat well. Stir in the flour and mix until the batter is thoroughly blended and smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the brownies are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan and are still fudgy in the center. If you prefer more cake-like brownies, bake an additional 5 minutes.

*Okay, the only time they didn't come out stellar was when Cornelius wasn't paying attention to the recipe and used an entire cup of butter instead. We ate it up anyway and it still wasn't horrible.