Whiteley Creek Homestead

On familyfun.com, I found printable directions and a video to make these I Choo-Choose You Cupcakes. They were a Valentine's Day project, so red candy was the primary color used and the reason for the choice of verse "I choo-choose you." To satisfy my creative spirit, I put my own spin on the color scheme and chose instead to decorate the cupcakes with more colorful candy. There are so many fun colored candies to be had! Use your own imagination and let the types and color palette of candies guide your creation! This chocolate buttermilk cupcake recipe is definitely a keeper and worthy of passing along.

   

 

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes from Martha Stewart

Makes 8-12 muffins.

¾ cup flour

¾ cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup.)

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

6 tbsp cocoa (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp or scant 1/3 cup)

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

6 tbsp (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp or scant 1/3 cup) buttermilk or sub sour milk

1 large egg

1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. With an electric mixer, combine cocoa and 3 tbsp hot water until a thick paste forms (this process intensifies the chocolate flavor). Add butter, buttermilk, egg, and egg white; beat until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until smooth. Use an ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread icing over tops. Decorate as desired.

Light Cream Cheese Icing Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes.

Ingredients: 3 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, 4 c. sifted powdered sugar, ¼ tsp vanilla, little milk

With an electric mixer, beat ingredients until light and fluffy.

 

To pass along the fun, why not package one or a few cupcakes in a box like I did for my friend Sharon's birthday. They can be purchased in a Wilton Cake decorating section at your favorite store in choices to hold either one or four cupcakes. I found mine at Target.

 

 

  

 

The cupcakes were too way too adorable to eat them immediately, so I decided to make a Power Point Talking Book for my two granddaughters and grandson by creating a setting for "Chuga-Chuga" then writing a simple story to go along. Dick was the narrator and supplied the train's sound effects by blowing into a wooden whistle.