Here are your damn cupcakes!...(with a little bit of history)

My cousin Mark's birthday was monday. (He's Cat and Mad's younger brother) He's the same age as my brother and growing up it was like I had 3 brother's instead of one (Including Sooky's brother Eunho) He's a chocoholic and a Star Wars lover...so how could I resist baking him some dark chocolate cupcakes? Intentions were good, obviously, but the course did not run smooth... (A little back story) A few years ago, (probably a dozen) I wanted to make my brother a huge fancy bakery style birthday cake. A 3 or 4 layer monstrosity of chocolate and more chocolate. I had decided to make the cake part from a Duncan Hines Devil's food mix, since we loved the flavour, and make the chocolate ganache frosting from scratch. I had purchased all the ingredients from a nearby baking specialty shop. I baked the 3 layers from 2 cake mixes no problem, but the frosting...not so easy. As I was taking the chocolate off of the water bath, I could see it split. The chocolate fat and solid separated right before my eyes. I didn't know what to do. I frantically tried to salvage it but it was no use. I tossed the chocolate out. I had luckily purchase enough for a second batch. This time, the chocolate melted fine, but would not thicken...I added whipped cream to try and change it to something lighter and spreadable but...my baking skills were a little underdeveloped...and the frosting was this sloppy, soupy mess. So around midnight, I was off to Sobey's to buy Betty Crooker frosting. The next day, I went to work at my parent's coffee shop and assembled the cake there. 3 tiers, including dowels to hold it in place. It was massive. We were having dinner at my cousin Sooky's parent's place for Korean Thanksgiving... on the way there, a car in front of me turned without signalling and I slammed on the brakes, quickly grabbing my purse before it flew onto the cake sitting in front of the passenger seat. By the time I arrived at my cousins' place, I called the house, heart thumping from the close call and asked Hanna to come out and take the cake in...with my luck, I would have tripped on my way to the front door. Suffice it to say, it was a "huge" hit...but it was the most expensive boxed cake in history.

I haven't attempted a ganache/frosting since. Not out of fear :P but no real occasion for a big cake like that. I usually use buttercreams. But, buttercreams are not big on chocolate flavour and I wanted to max on flavour, so I scoured recipes on Epicurious and Food network. I baked cupcakes that came out perfectly. Lovely bump and nice fluffy texture. (A little light on the chocolate flavour...will have to look into that) The frosting is a ganache/buttercream hybrid from Michael Smith. I follow the directions. Without thinking I added the whipping cream straight from the fridge...I could totally see the chocolate split and this oily curdled looking sludge. UGHHHH! All I could think to myself is "I'm a pretty competent baker...yet there are people less competent who can seem to make beautiful frosting...why not me?" Instantly my mind is reminded of that birthday cake all those years ago. I actually felt a little pitiful, and I realized I don't have enough whipping cream to try this again, UGH! Frantically I searched on google all the ways to possibly "fix" the split. I added a little vegetable oil...I heated then chilled, then whipped on high speed in the mixer. As if by magic, the goop turns sticky...I see it sticking to the sides of the bowl...the texture looks less oily and curdled...the texture looks smooth and silky...I stick my finger in the bowl... WOW!!! It's FROSTING! Wasting no time I immediately pipe them on my perfect looking bases. I let them dry for a few minutes and put them in airtight glass containers for transport. I packed a bag with the StarWars cupcake liners and left it by the door. I had to be at work early. It was supposed to rain all day. So I left them in the car. It was 6C in the morning so I thought they should be fine. It was going to warm up but it would be rainy and dreary so I wasn't too worried. While at work, I heard thunder and the whole mall seemed dark from the clouds outside. I knew they were safe. Then around noon, the sun came out. It stayed sunny all afternoon...I asked everyone about the weather. Ron said it was sunny but cool. Susie confirmed it was warming up. At 4:30 I raced outside to find the front half of the car bathed in sunshine and toasty...Luckily I had left the cupcakes in the back seat. I felt the containers and they were still cool to the touch. (Yeah!) So I delivered my Dark Chocolate cupcakes...they looked absolutely perfect. Just don't ask me to make them again...my heart can't take it. Well, at least wait a little before you ask. (What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment.:) Oh, and Happy Birthday Marky! I hope you liked them.