Yellow Cupcakes

My husband's family has a huge gathering for Christmas each year at alternating houses. This year the gathering was at Pohickery Farm, which was really exciting since it was my first Walther family Christmas as an official Walther family member. My job, fittingly, was to make a few desserts. I had planned on doing all of my baking on Saturday (the day before the party), but unfortunately we had a bit of a family emergency to tend to (poor Lucas has an awful eye infection, but it's starting to heal!). So, Saturday night I was up until 2am, watching You've Got Mail ("don't cry, ShopGirl") while baking cupcakes and pie, then woke up early the next day to bake some more. Luckily, I have quite a guy (a real trooper) who volunteered to help me decorate the cupcakes even though he was under-the-weather. He's a great helper. If I were ever to be a contestant on Cupcake Wars, he'd definitely be my assistant.

 
I decided to make a blueberry pie, red velvet cupcakes, and yellow cupcakes for the party. I've made yellow cupcakes before that were pretty rockin'. Unfortunately, I didn't save that recipe and had to find a similar one and then try to tweak it according to my memory. Lucas approved them and that's all I needed to know the recipe was a good one.

 My mother-in-law said that they taste like Berger Cookies and they really do thanks to the fudgey chocolate icing. Most of the pearl sprinkles on the cupcakes were added by Lucas while I tried to throw myself together in time for the party. I think he did a pretty fantastic job.


Yellow Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake tin with paper liners
2. In an electric mixer beat to combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the butter to the dry mixture and mix well
4. Add the egg and mix well
5. Add the two egg yolks, mixing well after each addition (at this point the batter will be thick like cookie dough, but don't worry, it'll be more batter-like by the end!)
6. Add vanilla extract and sour cream and mix well
7. Evenly fill the cupcake tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

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Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipe:
 Ingredients:

• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water
2. Set aside chocolate to cool
3. Cream butter in the bowl of a mixer
4. Add powdered sugar to butter and mix well
5. Add vanilla to frosting and mix well
6. Add in melted chocolate and beat until well blended and smooth