The Town Tart

Feeling Spicy Today

 

So, I am still on a cupcake-baking-binge as you can see.  And it has only increased because one of my co-workers formed a club at work called "friends who befriend friends who eat cupcakes" group.  We are up to 27 members.  So, what's The Town Tart to do?  I have to bring enough cupcakes for the club...and I have to bring more for the others... so, now I am bringing in 6 dozen.  To the horror of The Mayor.  He only discovered my second Cupcake Courier last night, even though it was hiding in plain sight.

I guess 6 dozen is pretty crazy.

My grandmother just asked me, "How many box mixes are you using?"  uh, WHAT?  I said to her, "Who in the hell are you talking to?"  Box mixes.  Sheesh.  I mean, I'm not hating on the box mixes, they have their place, but my god...

Today, I brought in another Martha recipe (she and I are slowly reconciling and I am making peace with that):  Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar-Cream Cheese Frosting.  These are really lovely and really easy to come together.  Even when you have to make 6 dozen.  And all of them were gone in short order.

I was worried about them because they aren't your typical overly-sweet cupcake.  In fact, the brown sugar-cream cheese frosting is downright tangy.  But, there wasn't one left, and out of 72, that's saying something, I suppose.

I will endeavor to write about something other than cupcakes soon -- in fact, The Mayor has been guest-chefing for the past month or so, cooking out of a Mario Batali book, so stayed tuned for that.

Brownie Points

 

I have made no secret about my love for Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.  She has consistently made me look like a friggin' genius in the kitchen... over and over and over again.  I don't know how she does it, but her recipes are the easiest things in the world and they are the best ever... whatever it happens to be.

I made her Outrageous Brownies, and once again... best. brownies. ever.

For me, I think there may be just a smidge too much coffee flavor (the recipe calls for three tablespoons of instant coffee powder) -- next time, I might try it with just two.  But The Mayor declared them the best he has ever had, and that's saying something, as he is a chocolate connoisseur.

And then, of course, I unloaded them on work, and I was amazed they went as fast as they did... and as the three o'clock hour approached, the messages started on our internal twitter -- "Anymore brownies?" 

These brownies are so fast and easy to make.  No stress, no fuss.  Find the recipe here:  Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies.  Claim all the credit that you are a brownie genius.  I'm telling you:  best brownies ever.  Ever.

The Mayor Says These Are Ugly Little F#%kers

 

Yes, that was the first thing The Mayor said when he saw these German Chocolate Cupcakes -- "Wow -- those are ugly little f#%kers, aren't they?"

Then, when he tasted them, he said, "These aren't a patch on the coconut ones."

Well, great.  I'm taking in ugly, not-as-good-as-the-coconut ones, cupcakes to work.

And what's worse:  it now appears I have competition:

 

Someone ELSE is bringing in cupcakes on Monday morning -- complete with signage AND an arrow pointing to their own offerings.  My ugly little f#%kers are in the pink trays WITHOUT an arrow pointing to them.

The Town Tart is speechless.  I'm laughing, but I am speechless.