"B-Cup" Cakes - Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer

Monday, October 15, 2007

I'm not known for my optimism but, lately, I feel like I'm wearing rose-colored glasses all the time. Before you get too excited about me adopting a sunnier outlook on life, I should explain that the rosey hue I've been seeing is actually an optical effect caused by the thousands of pink ribbons that have recently sprouted up everywhere I go, like toadstools after a rainstorm. In case you had not noticed already, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Naturally, I wanted to do my part to help raise awareness of breast cancer so I baked up a batch of delicious "B-Cup" Cakes. I'd really wanted to make them "DD-Cup" Cakes but my muffin tins are just not big enough to support a more "full-figured' cupcake.

Dark chocolate cupcakes, fresh out of the oven

Although I made the batter chocolate (since I would not waste my time eating any other kind of cupcake), I made three kinds of buttercream icing to represent a diversity of boobies. I figured that since breast cancer does not discriminate, neither should I. The basic skin tones were easy - chocolate for our darker sisters, espresso for our coffee-colored sisters, and vanilla bean for all us pasty white sisters. The subtler colors for the aureolas were a bit more challenging but I managed to create them by mixing the three flavors of icing.

My three frostings for diversity

Of course, we know that beauty is only skin-deep, but the "B-Cup" Cakes had good looks and good taste!

B-Cup Cakes!

I hope you'll join me in taking a bite out of breast cancer this month. Here are two easy ways:
Or, if you'd like to bake a batch of your own "B-Cup" Cakes, I would recommend Cooks Illustrated's dark chocolate cupcake recipe (see below.)

Just one final note. I believe in giving credit where it's due so I'd like to give a shout-out to Adam Roberts, The Amateur Gourmet, whose brilliant Janet Jackson Breast Cupcake was my primary inspiration for the "B-Cup" Cakes.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position;heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2 cup capacity) with baking cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. (To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Dearest Eve,

With embarrassingly extended periods of free-time on my hands, I've become a blog-reader-extraodinaire. And yours is FANTASTIC. Roy and I both love it. Your topics are interesting and your writing is entertaining. When I have access to the fresh ingredients Berkeley offers I'll have to put some of your tips into action. You've also compiled a great list of selected links. Happy Monday, be well, much love, Jules

Eve Fox said...

Thanks Jules!!!

Anonymous said...

Ooh la la!

Im glad you went with the B-Cupcakes, as the smaller proportioned figures need all the good publicity they can get!
They look very yummy... but I cant help thinking that the raspberries need some ointment... they look a little sore...
"Rashberry"?
Kristin

Anita Zamora said...

Very clever idea! I'm always happy to women's health stuff out there. And I really enjoy your blog too...

snozie2003 said...

Dear Eve,
I love your B-cup cupcakes! What a great way to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month.
I am also really enjoying your blog. It's witty, informative, and fun all rolled into one.
Keep it coming!
xo,
Susan

Monday, October 15, 2007

"B-Cup" Cakes - Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer

I'm not known for my optimism but, lately, I feel like I'm wearing rose-colored glasses all the time. Before you get too excited about me adopting a sunnier outlook on life, I should explain that the rosey hue I've been seeing is actually an optical effect caused by the thousands of pink ribbons that have recently sprouted up everywhere I go, like toadstools after a rainstorm. In case you had not noticed already, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Naturally, I wanted to do my part to help raise awareness of breast cancer so I baked up a batch of delicious "B-Cup" Cakes. I'd really wanted to make them "DD-Cup" Cakes but my muffin tins are just not big enough to support a more "full-figured' cupcake.

Dark chocolate cupcakes, fresh out of the oven

Although I made the batter chocolate (since I would not waste my time eating any other kind of cupcake), I made three kinds of buttercream icing to represent a diversity of boobies. I figured that since breast cancer does not discriminate, neither should I. The basic skin tones were easy - chocolate for our darker sisters, espresso for our coffee-colored sisters, and vanilla bean for all us pasty white sisters. The subtler colors for the aureolas were a bit more challenging but I managed to create them by mixing the three flavors of icing.

My three frostings for diversity

Of course, we know that beauty is only skin-deep, but the "B-Cup" Cakes had good looks and good taste!

B-Cup Cakes!

I hope you'll join me in taking a bite out of breast cancer this month. Here are two easy ways:
Or, if you'd like to bake a batch of your own "B-Cup" Cakes, I would recommend Cooks Illustrated's dark chocolate cupcake recipe (see below.)

Just one final note. I believe in giving credit where it's due so I'd like to give a shout-out to Adam Roberts, The Amateur Gourmet, whose brilliant Janet Jackson Breast Cupcake was my primary inspiration for the "B-Cup" Cakes.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Yields 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position;heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2 cup capacity) with baking cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.

5. Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes. (To frost: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.)

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Dearest Eve,

With embarrassingly extended periods of free-time on my hands, I've become a blog-reader-extraodinaire. And yours is FANTASTIC. Roy and I both love it. Your topics are interesting and your writing is entertaining. When I have access to the fresh ingredients Berkeley offers I'll have to put some of your tips into action. You've also compiled a great list of selected links. Happy Monday, be well, much love, Jules

Eve Fox said...

Thanks Jules!!!

Anonymous said...

Ooh la la!

Im glad you went with the B-Cupcakes, as the smaller proportioned figures need all the good publicity they can get!
They look very yummy... but I cant help thinking that the raspberries need some ointment... they look a little sore...
"Rashberry"?
Kristin

Anita Zamora said...

Very clever idea! I'm always happy to women's health stuff out there. And I really enjoy your blog too...

snozie2003 said...

Dear Eve,
I love your B-cup cupcakes! What a great way to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month.
I am also really enjoying your blog. It's witty, informative, and fun all rolled into one.
Keep it coming!
xo,
Susan