Creativity for Hubby's office: Fauxstess Inspired Brownies and Classic Cupcakes

Hey!

I hope you have been enjoying the beginning of February! This month always reminds me of the sweeter things in life, of course, anyone can imagine why! Valentines Day is right around the corner! Oh yes, that holiday of holidays where we are all encouraged to bake our hearts out, eat little heart shaped candies with messages of love enrobed in chocolate, pink frosting and pastel sprinkles a-plenty, cakes divine, the scent of vanilla in the air almost everywhere you go. You get my drift, Valentines Day is one of my favorite days of the year. I really seem to get into the baking spirit! So what is a (naughty baking) nutritarian to do with all the goods she cannot eat? Why, send them in to the office! In my book, there is no sight more wonderful than a happy, sugared man, and his well cared-for soldiers/airman/whatever when they are away from home. Well, actually, I'd prefer my man was a Nutritarian like me, but in lieu of that since *that* ain't happening haha, I digress. Anyhow, since I am overseas and so many here are without their families, I've really taken it upon myself to be more nurturing of his office mates, while in turn, getting out some pent up creative energy in the kitchen. This bunch really deserves it, they work hard, are away from the ones they love (even the ones with family here) and really have a lot to cope with here. It's the least I can do!

So, proceeding with the understanding that making them treats benefits me as much as it does them, hehe, check out this last weeks nom noms! It was so much fun making them, they are really appreciative and even comical about it. It totally makes my week to hear about how they enjoyed them, and how it lightened their day and the general mood of the office. These little gems might indeed be little morsels of doom (health wise) but hey, if they won't join me and they would just end up eating processed junk anyways if I didn't send in anything, I don't see the harm in replacing mass produced junk with homemade always from scratch junk LOL. I don't care if anyone disagrees with that either, I don't *just* live to stay alive! You have to enjoy your time here while you've got it. I like to think I have found a nice balance of that in my I choose to live. If you're confused wondering what on Earth I am talking about, please see my Nutritarian blog at www.blissfulnutritarian.com!

Ok, so first up we have a bunch of cupcakes, recipe of course from Rose's Heavenly Cakes aka Rose Levy Beranbaum, because she is, after all, the Queen of cakery. Nobody else's recipes ever hold a candle to hers. It took me a while to master the chocolate cakes for some reason, but I've got 'em down pat now and they smell so incredible and are so fluffy! The color is almost black, they truly are amazing. Out of respect to Rose, I do not post her recipes on my blog (someday she might give me permission, and that would be great!) but for now I just have to refer you to her fabulous book on Amazon, Rose's Heavenly Cakes.
I used a standard wilton buttercream for these little beauties, at my Husband's request.

Here is that recipe at least! It can also be found at http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing
Those cupcakes were so fun to make! I'll definitely be making them again soon! The guys stayed up super late and went into work at 3am to watch the super bowl, so these went in with Hubby for that! It's a time zone thing. Next, we have the dreaded Wednesday meetings, according to Hubby, that mark the least favorite day of the week right next to our "Monday" which is really, due to local custom, Sunday. I was feeling nostalgic, having spent the week drooling over Stella's magnificent creations over at www.bravetart.com and being that I just got a new Fat Daddio's silicon financier mold, I was itching to try it out! I ended up of course, making brownies in it instead of authentic financiers. Like there is another brownie worthy of this great mold, Rose's recipe for Barcelona Brownies from Rose's Heavenly Cakes, again, was my perfect choice!

Since I didn't have any heavy cream on hand for the ganache plugs that the recipe lists as optional, I opted to dress them up Fauxstess cupcake style with the white buttercream decor. It was so ridiculously good looking! Even with my poor piping skills, I am after all very good with fondant and not so experienced with piping, at least not to the same skill level...they still looked on par with my expectations. Nostalgic, check! Magical! What do you think? I am still waiting to hear how they liked them, it is almost time as I type for the meeting to start! I hope it totally makes their day.