Mistake #1: Overfilling the cups in my mini-muffin pan, resulting in awkward shapes
Mistake #2: Not whipping my frosting to stiff, stiff peaks, resulting in runny buttercream
Mistake #3: Not pureeing my raspberries for the frosting, resulting in unsightly chunks
Mistake #4: Rushing the frosting of the cupcakes, resulting in a gloppy mess
You know what? It didn't matter one bit. I was so embarrassed to bring these mint cream filled vanilla cupcakes with raspberry buttercream to a picnic full of strangers, but as the guests gobbled them up, I realized I've been reading too many food blogs, forgetting about the real world of eating. These ugly suckers tasted delicious (and some folks even said they looked nice, though I think that's a stretch), and that's what matters.
The recipes come from the fabulous Cupcake Bakeshop -- a goddess of baked goods from the Bay Area. The raspberry buttercream recipe is here, while the vanilla cupcakes with mint cream is here. I used a mini-muffin pan and adjusted the baking time to 15 minutes. I also tweaked the mint cream a bit, so I'll give you my recipe--use the leftover syrup in a cocktail or drizzle on fresh strawberries.
Mint Cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
Large handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2-3/4 c. freshly whipped cream
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Ad the mint leaves, stir, and bring to a boil for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and let the syrup sit for 3-4 minutes. Strain syrup into bowl or storage container. Let cool.
Put the whipped cream in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 tablespoon of syrup down the side of the bowl (not over the middle of the cream) and stir vigorously. Taste. If you want more mint flavor, add another 1/2 tablespoon in the same manner, stirring vigorously. Repeat until you have the mint flavor you want.
