Rainbow Cupcakes for National Coming Out Day, Rational Suicide Debate and a Caterpillar While Biking

Starter 1: Chocolate batter

Starter 2: White icing

And gel food dye = Rainbow cupcakes!

Mathias was watching me
the whole time

I found this guy while
making a quick bike this afternoon

Is it strange that my early morning began with making
rainbow "gay" cupcakes, and progressed towards a
presentation and debate on 'rational suicide' and ended
with a quick bike ride? Nice

Apple cupcakes

After a super long day,  I made apple cupcakes. I was in the mood to make a fall cupcake.

However, after a morning of working and training, I biked during my lunch. Only 9-10 miles, seems like nothing now, but it was a good lunch workout between the rains of the day and the week.

McIntosh apple

peels

grated apple

Brown Sugar Buttercream Icing

APPLE CUPCAKES

Makes 2 Dozen.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

                        2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

            4 cups coarsely shredded apples, such as Macintosh (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream

•                1 stick unsalted butter, softened

•                1/4 cup shortening

•                1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

•                1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

•                3 cups powdered sugar (varies based on temperature/humidity)

•                3 tablespoons half and half (varies based on temperature/humidity)

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and shortening. Whip together with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy.  Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and whisk until well combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Alternately add the half and half, whipping the icing on medium-high speed after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.

San Francisco Day 2: WTF & Cupcakes

So first a humorous and depressing note:

OK....I can be dramatic,
but it wasn't THIS bad

The first time I was in San Francisco I noticed a marked difference in the behavior of most homeless people. They were seemingly considerably less harmful...now I KNOW that all homeless people or I should say MOST homeless individuals are harmless....but there have been some individuals that I have avoided getting close to when walking down the street (AND NO! I am not talking about any avoidance based on purely on race; some individuals just seem sketchier)....LIKE the guy the walked by my in Chicago and kicked me hard in the leg FOR NO REASON that was apparent to me.....:-(

Anyway, I know this might sound horrible (or not), but the homeless in San Francisco are different than in other cities (Chicago, NYC, DC, Boston, Cali, Bogota, Cartagena, Paris, Madrid...blah blah blah.....). Although touched by mental illness or other trauma like many homeless, they have an endurable sense of humor that is always evolving and adapting....

This time the homeless cardboard signs were unique:

Countdown:

-#4. Kick me in the ass for $1 (sad...I know and a little symbolic)
-#3. MILF Hunter

Another Coda spotting, first one was in Boston:
Clearly named after my friend Coda.

-#2. Why Lie, I need a beer.
-#1. Fuck you! Give me money. (my favorite)

Then I accidentally walked by a cupcakery with a cupcake bar! YES!

cupcake dog

Classy American Cupcake

Hell yeah

Lemon Cupcakes Day 2

fresh lemon juice

lemon syrup in the making

buttercream icing with lemon juice &
lemon zest 

Today, Steph had a
red-skinned avocado-hard to tell here
(but Steph's fingernails looked Goth)

Veggies from Steph's garden

Steph was quite proud
of her lunch today

Our blue office monkey died

lemon buttercream icing

Source: Cupcake Fun

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup butter softened

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

4 cups (approx. 1 lb.) confectioner's sugar sifted

Additional lemon juice or milk (optional)

Makes: About 3 cups.

Instructions:

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and zest; beat well. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, if icing is dry, add additional juice or milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Re-whip before using.

Lemon Cupcakes Day 1

butter & sugar...
waiting for the lemon zest

I ZESTED my finger:
not in the recipe

lemon zest= DANGEROUS

LEMON BUTTERMILK CUCPAKES

INGREDIENTS:

For the cakes:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature or (9oz of egg)

1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

-In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

-With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time adding the next after each egg is incorporated

-Add the lemon zest

-In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

-In another bowl, combine ½ cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla.

-Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the mixing bowl, beginning and ending with the flour.

-Divide the batter evenly between 12-16 cupcake liners

-Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean