The Girliest Thing

It was my cousin's 21st birthday and I was tasked to provide cupcakes as dessert. Having read up on a recipe for chocolate ganache, I was more than happy for the opportunity to try it out.

So I woke up really excited, my mind filled with pictures of how I wanted my cupcakes to turn out. After a total of 7 hours and a really bad back, I was really proud of how everything turned out and they're really the girliest things I've ever done :)

This had to be my biggest cupcake project ever, a total of SIXTY cupcakes and just a pair of hands. I had to sacrifice some calories to make sure the cupcakes were decent. That accounts for the 1 missing cupcake :P

Glazed with Chocolate Ganache.

If you were trying to sell your house, make a batch of these and let it sit in the living room, the dense chocolate aroma will definitely be a plus point. These were made with 73% cocoa chocolates. Dark is the way to go.... *yum*

Just frosting these pinkies made my day. They're the happiest and prettiest things to look at, don't you think? The people who invented piping tips were geniuses...

Mummy: You have to make different patterns!

I took 3 hours to come up with just 5 designs....Well, most of time went to experimenting with the near 15 tips I have. Thank God for disposable piping bags, they're truly a gift from heaven.

Verdict: Everybody loved the cupcakes, just that the birthday girl commented:

WHY ARE THEY PINK?????

Chocolate Ganache - Adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop

9 ounces strong dark chocolate, 73% cocoa

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp butter, room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

1. Chop chocolates and transfer into a heat proof bowl.

2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.

3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.

4. Add butter and vanilla and stir until combined.

5. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixture and let cool for 10 minutes.

6. Sift powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until combined.

7. Continue to beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and creamy.