Spring Bouquet

I loved how the flowers on the top of my last cake turned out and wanted to practice, but I can't keep stuffing more cake in my fridge expecting my husband to eat it all, so cupcakes for co-workers it was!

I also realize it's about time I actually introduce that wonderful husband of mine. Meet James! Isn't he gorgeous?! I am very lucky he can handle the truckloads of sugar I force him to eat. I, unfortunately, wouldn't manage that kind of diet quite so gracefully.

Anyway, back to the sweets. These are fudge-filled chocolate cupcakes with a strawberry icing; a perfect combination for those chocolate cravings!

After filling the cupcake liners 1/3 of the way with chocolate batter, I put one teaspoon of fudge in the center and filled the rest of the liner with batter, making sure the fudge stayed in the middle and didn't touch the sides of the liners.

After baking for thirty minutes at 350, the cupcakes were done and I let them cool overnight before frosting.

Then came the fun part... decorating! Again, I used my 1M icing tip and filled a piping bag with strawberry flavored icing. Yes, I cheated and used store bought icing. Between a full work day and a dog that requires too many hours of entertainment, cutting corners means I can get the practice I was looking for without filling hours I sometimes don't have. I know, it's just a dog. How much time can that take? But this isn't just any dog. This is the never-ending, bouncing off walls, energizer bunny of dogs. I used to think it was just puppy energy, but now that she's over a year old I'm beginning to think I was very naive. Today alone required a 30-minute run and two sessions of fetch on top of the normal entertainment to get her to play ball with herself long enough to let me type this. 

Starting from the middle, I place a dollop of icing in the center as the flower bud and work in a clockwise direction from the middle out, holding the tip at a 90 degree angle to the cupcake.  Holding the tip at this angle helps to give more of a 'petal' shape.

I couldn't take these to work without taste testing first and it turns out, they are absolutely amazing! The fudge combined with chocolate cake made the strawberry flavor burst even more than I thought it would.  This may have even become my new favorite combination. Next up, the same chocolate and fudge mix with lemon icing.

I realize there have been a lot of sweets posts lately, but don't you worry, I have a big seams project coming your way!!!

Happy Monday!