hello stranger

well, it's been a while since i've posted...but not for lack of baking! i have been cookin' up a real storm over here in Bernal Heights, in fact i got my first professional order from a real, bonafide, cafe here in SF! I made coconut lime with cream cheese-coconut frosting, vegan chocolate with dark chocolate ganache, and golden vanilla with strawberry buttercream. They sold so well i even got reorders, if you can believe that!

Yesterday my dear friend Danica ordered some birthday treats for her partner Tony. I thought the Vegan Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes (from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World) were in order, and mini cakes seemed apt, dont know why. I am reluctant to post the recipe, mostly because i just want you to buy their book. it is amazing!!

I love boston cream pie. when i was little, my mom and i would visit my grandma on saturday evenings, and if we were lucky, my grandma would break out the Pepperidge Farm Boston Cream Pie after dinner. I looked forward to this cake/pie treat more than is rational. Sadly, Pepperidge Farm stopped making the cake, and my mom and I lament that fact at least once a week. Finally, something to fill the void in my heart left by PP's vacating of the boston cream pie market, and they are as good as the real thing (if not better)!

One thing to note, the vegan vanilla pastry creme is a little time consuming, requiring 10 minutes of stovetop constant stirring and two hours of chilling, as well as some sort of obscure ingredients (arrowroot powder and agar powder). But it is well worth it and very easy. I even added some vanilla bean scrapings to up the vanilla impact. Yum!

cooking class

Last week, i went to a cooking class taught by the charming and talented Emily Dellas. If you are in San Francisco you really should check out her classes, they are taught out of her lovely home kitchen. Afterwards everyone sits down and eats dinner together. That Emily is a wealth of culinary knowledge! This menu was California-Mexican and was filled with very fresh, bright flavors like lime and cilantro. But I'm going to be honest with you, I was much more focused on the dessert recipe than the savory dishes, as simple and elegant as they were. We made mexican chocolate cake!! and it was truly delicious- the cake was so moist, and the flavor of chile and cinnamon really came through. But most importantly, it was CHOCOLATEY. So i had to run home and look at my calendar and find some social engagement to give me the excuse to make cupcakes using the recipe. A sleepover at my friend Jess's fit the bill nicely.

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (courtesy Emily Dellas, First Class Cooking)

(makes 24 big cupcakes)

Cake:
- 2 Dried Red Chiles
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 C boiling water
- 1 3/4 C all purpose flour
- 2 C sugar
- 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 C milk
- 1/2 C vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Place the chiles and cinnamon sticks in the boiling water and allow to stand while you prepare the rest of the cake batter. These may stand for up to 30 min., then discard the chiles and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 muffin trays.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. Stir together with a whisk or wooden spoon until evenly combined, and set aside.

In a different bowl combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat well with a whisk. Pour the boiling water through a strainer (to collect the chiles and cinnamon) and mix water with other wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir gently until batter is smooth. Fill cupcake liners 2/3- 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.




While cake is baking, and filling up your kitchen with wonderful aromas, make frosting:

- 3 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 1 C cocoa powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 1/2 C milk, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract

In a med bowl sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa. Add the ground cinnamon, butter, milk, and vanilla and stir until smooth and free of lumps.

Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool before frosting!!