You Had My Heart

I apologize for not being as active as I like! It's just difficult with the whole treatment thing and I try to write as much as I can. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of baking lately. I love it! It's really therapeutic. And you know how much I adore how sweets look; they're just so cute! Wow. What an odd thing to say ..

Can I say how much I love Ina Garten? I love her. Her recipes are fantastic; I have yet to be dissapointed. First of, I made her amazing chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. Um heavenly much?

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee (yeah sounds weird but coffee enhances the chocolate, trust me, it does)

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup good cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

If you're a chocolate and peanut butter person, this is the cupcake for you.

And then her blueberry muffins! Nom nom nom.

I also did a little photoshoot with my baby brother, Shawn. No, we've never cut his hair and he's four years old.