Hula Hoops and Tarragon!

Since discovering how much fun small batch cupcakes are, I've been working on decreasing my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, Beatty's Chocolate Cake. It pretty easy to cut down a recipe but it can get fussy at times, but I was diligent with each ingredient and weighed everything. And my first test bake was successful and very delicious!!! Plus the small batch made 8 cupcakes as opposed to a full recipe which made about 30 cupcakes. And I am very happy!!!

Also I've been wanting to try an herb frosting for some time now and today was the day. I added some tarragon, one of my all time favorite herbs, to my standard Cream Cheese Frosting and is out of this world fabulous!!! Now I am working on "small batching" favorite recipes and making new frostings with herbs...this should keep me busy for at least a couple weeks.

My Hula Hoops were wonderful and I'd put them at the top of my list of darn good cupcakes!



Hula Hoops
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

Yield: 8 cupcakes

1/4 c. plus 3 TBL Flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 TBL cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 TBL EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1/2 whipped egg (just eye ball it)
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tin with 8 baking cups.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into standing mixer’s bowl or you can use a hand mixer. In another bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, oil, egg and vanilla. Turn mixer on low and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Add the cocoa and keeping the mixer on low slowly pour in the hot coffee. Being that this is a small batch recipe it is crucial that you continually scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure every bit of batter is thoroughly mixed.

The batter will be very thin. Carefully pour into cupcake liners filling each about 1/2 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.




Tarragon Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe developed in the kitchen of Big-Black-Dog

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cup confectioner's sugar
3 sprigs fresh tarragon, approximately 3 tsp minced
Green food coloring

Place the cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until blended, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and continue mixing until sugar is completely blended. Mix in the minced tarragon. Remove 3/4 c. of the frosting and put it in a separate bowl. Add some green food coloring a little bit at a time, mixing thoroughly until desired color is reached.

Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with the tip of choice and decorate the cupcakes.



Minko of Couture Cupcakes is hosting a blog event, Best Evah Cupcakes, in support of Cupcake Day for the RSPCA, and my Hula Hoops is my entry into this wonderful event. Thanks Minko for such a great event highlighting a fabulous cause!





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