Tattoo Tuesday: Cupcakes and Surprises

I've decided that cupcakes are really really really good things. 1. They often taste good. 2. They serve as one's own little cake that needn't be shared. 3. Again, the good tastiness is appealing. 4. They've transformed into a very visually appealing design/art form.

Today, we celebrate the cupcake tattoo because....why not?

Another reason why is the appropriate segue into my photojournalistic portrayal of last weekend. My girlfriends, Katy, Carolyn and I decided to throw together a surprise party for our friend Kara last Saturday night. Thus ensued my own personal Cupcake War the Friday night before, as I used The Joy of Baking's recipe for chocolate cupcakes. The opportunity to work with lots and lots of chocolate on a scale which I've never before attempted (yes, I realize how diminutive my personal scale is) left me intrigued and elated. Thanks so much, Kara, for being a lover of all things chocolate!

First I added cocoa powder to boiling water and stirred until smooth. Looks like yummy hot chocolate...does NOT taste like it.



I used Splenda instead of sugar for the batter, and while the consistency started out a bit grainy, it smoothed out and tasted great!

Adding boiled cocoa to the batter.

Boiled cocoa incorporated...does anyone else remember that old Disney show Kids, Incorporated?



Ready to bake!




I pounded 12oz of unsweetened chocolate into course chunks...



....and melted it down by boiling water beneath it.



After whipping up butter and powdered sugar as a base for the frosting, I mixed in the 12oz of melted chocolate.



Tah dah! I used a Wilton 1M star icing tip and reusable frosting bag along with metallic silver sprinkles. This cupcake caddy, which I received from my parents for Christmas, is possibly the best thing ever.



Surprise! Wait...no flash :-/

We managed to surprise Kara with over 25 unexpected guests at Olive Garden. Doug, her husband and the guy sitting next to her, had to fib to get out of their house early and also had to change clothes in his car. Thanks for the secrecy and solidarity, Doug!

I got to use my new cakestand, which was also a gift from my parents. Doesn't B look cool in his H&M shirt? Thank you, H&M, for coming to Dallas!

Cupcakes are fun, but nothing beats such awesome friends! Especially ones that keep me on my fashion-seeking toes. Aren't they all adorable!?!