Brownie Cupcakes!

I recently watched an episode of Paula Deen's, from Food Network. She and her guest were making something called Turtle Trifle. basically was brownie, layered with a sugary pecan mixture, whipped cream and caramel syrup. Fucking Fantastic! I absolutely have to make it one of these days. I looked the recipe up today and decided it was too much work and I didn't exactly have all the ingredients for it so I opted to make a brownie cupcake to satisfy the craving. John has a recipe for brownies that is super delicious, I had never really had homemade brownies until I tried his. They have such a different taste. In fact, at this point, with all the baking from scratch I do, nothing that comes boxed, jarred or canned already really tastes right to me anymore. I can taste the preservatives I think. So here is my homage to Paula Dean, and my sexy fiance! Brownie cupcakes with chocolate chips and toasted pecans, with a butter cream frosting. 
3 squares (ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted in a sautee pan
First, melt the chocolate and butter together, add in the sugar, salt, baking powder and flour, then the eggs. Whisk it all together till smooth then fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans. I baked these at 350 for 22 minutes. It made 10 cupcakes. They didn't fall either, thank God, because that was beginning to really drive me nuts!

For a kid who was so pumped to bake chocolate cupcakes today, she didn't do much to help. She basically set up shop with her blankie, pillow and duck and lay down and watched. She's still cute tho! She did make the call on what color to make the frosting. Huge surprise, she picked pink!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting and Chocolate Chips

I have been SOOO off my cupcake game lately. I haven't been baking and there are two reasons for that. okay three. One, it's summer and we've had some gorgeous days and I've been outside and not near my oven. Two- I'm getting married in November (AHHH SO EXCITED) and I need to not be eating cupcakes, not to mention, my time is constrained with all the planning. And finally, three, I'm plain lazy and have not felt like baking. However, I have baked a few times and not written about it b/c I did not take pictures. I have one post to come after this one about a cake I did though. Today I baked cupcakes for Charlotte's great grandparents and there weekend guests. I thought I'd just stay simple and due chocolate and vanilla. So here goes:

1 1/2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp each of baking powder and baking soda
tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup AP flour/1 cup cake flour
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips melted
3 eggs
I beat every thing together and baked them for 15 minutes at 350. They made 2 dozen cakes. I don't know if it was the weather or what, but they fell and did not stay round. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but that happens a lot to me lately and I have to look up how to stop that. Anyway, once you cover it with icing you can't really tell.

To make the frosting, i took 2 tbsp soft butter, 3/4 cup vegetable shortening, 1 1/2 tbsp clear vanilla extract, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 1/2 cup heavy cream. I frosted the cooled cupcakes and then topped them with chocolate chips. Voila- very simple, but delicious, cupcakes. MMMM