Chocolate Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Bubble Frosting

Remember Seafoam Frosting?

Seafoam Frosting was popular when I was growing up and I loved it. The frosting was rich and creamy and had the most gorgeous satin sheen! And it melted on your tongue just like Cotton Candy. Of course my Mom would frost my favorite Chocolate Devil's Food Cake with it, so it was double the pleasure for me.

Instead of calling my Mom for her recipe, I just googled and found several Seafoam Frosting recipes. All were very similar with just slight variations so I picked one and got on with it. The Seafoam Frosting turned out gorgeous with a perfect satin sheen, but it tasted horrible. I do not like super sweet frostings like Buttercream and if you can believe it the Seafoam Frosting was sweeter! I loved the consistency though, it was thick like marshmallow and was very easy to work with but the taste was...yucky!

So rather then trash the frosting, I threw in 8 oz. of cold cream cheese and 1/2 stick of cold butter. I probably should have waited for the cream cheese and butter to come to room temp, but I wanted to frost my cupcakes asap. So I plowed through with my hand mixer. Well the frosting turned out fabulously delicious! And it kept the gorgeous satin sheen which is what I wanted. I love this frosting and although it involves a few extra steps I will make it again!

I know that my Mom's Seafoam Frosting does not stand up very long and will separate similar to a meringue. I frosted 30 cupcakes on Friday. Now it's late Sunday and the remaining 10 cupcakes are just fine and the frosting still has it's gorgeous satin sheen!!!

I used my favorite Chocolate Cupcake recipe and topped the Brown Bubble Frosting with chopped peanuts. They are delicious cupcakes! And I am entering them in Well Seasoned Cook's, My Legume Love Affair - Eighth Helping event.


And yes, I called my Mom and told her what happened and she is now looking for her Seafoam Frosting recipe. ;))








Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 TBL 12-year Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c. hot coffee

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

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

NOTE: This batter is very thin and I honestly did not think it would bake well but the cupcakes were fluffy, very deep chocolate and wonderfully delicious. It is a large recipe and makes about 30 regular sized cupcakes. The batter rises quite a bit so DO NOT fill the baking cups more then 1/2 full. I used my 2-cup glass liquid measure to pour the batter into the baking cups...yep the batter is very thin!



Brown Sugar Bubble Frosting
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

1 1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c cold water
2 egg whites
2 tsp light corn syrup
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz cream cheese, cold
1/4 c. butter, cold

In the top of a double boiler combine brown sugar, cold water, egg whites, corn syrup and salt. Beat 30 seconds on low speed. Place over boiling water, upper pan should not touch water. (I used a large stainless steel bowl over a sauce pan) While beating constantly on high speed, cook about 7 minutes or till frosting forms stiff peaks. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Beat 2 to 3 minutes or until of spreading consistency. Wait a few minutes for the frosting to come to home temperature and add the cold cream cheese and butter. Beat on high until smooth and creamy.







Shari, our fearless leader of Whisk Wednesdays was kind enough to give me the Lemonade Award - "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade." I think this is so fitting for my Brown Bubble Frosting! Thanks so much!







The rules of the award are:
1. Put the logo on your blog/post.
2. Nominate 10 blogs which show great gratitude and/or attitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let your nominees know that they have received the award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post from the person who gave you this award.

In honor of the Academy Awards, the envelope goes to............

1. Cuisine Kathleen
2. Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
3. Chasing Some Blue Sky
4. My Life is Yummy
5. Dining for Two
6. Dogs eat the Crumbs
7. Something Sweet By Karen
8. All Things Edible
9. Cinnamon, Spice and Everything Nice
10. Can't Believe we Ate



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