Happy Easter to everyone!

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend! I got an extra long weekend because I got my wisdom teeth removed on Thursday and things went really well so I've got to enjoy the weekend, a stiff jaw is my only complaint, and my food intake has been limited, but I've been trucking through eating what I can, very slowly.

Tonight we are going to Uncle D's and JoDee's for dinner, where rumor has it Uncle D is making one of his bad a$$ roasts, Mom's making the veggies, and I'm supplying the dessert, it's always a family effort, one of the things I love about our family. I decided that since it was Easter I had to make something suiting the occasion and something that was cute and compliments the holiday, so introducing, Chocolate Egg Nest Cupcakes. As always, I made momma a diabetic treat, so watch for those on the blog later this week.

Chocolate Chip Cupcake
Yield 30 (I half-ed the recipe)

3 1/4 C + 1 tbsp sifted Cake Flour (not self rising)
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 C + 2 tbsp milk
1/2 C plus 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 C sugar
5 large egg whites, room temp
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Whisk together, 3 1/4 C flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. Stir vanilla and milk together. 
4. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar, mixing until pale and fluffy.
5. Reduce speed to low, alternating between the flour mixture and milk, slowly add into butter mixture, until well combined.
6. Using a separate bowl, on medium speed whisk the egg white until stiff peaks form.
7. In three parts, gently fold the egg whites into the flour mixture. 
8. Toss the chocolate chips with the left over flour and fold into batter. 
9. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, and bake for  22 minutes, rotating half way through.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

1/4 C plus 2 tbsp Fry's Cocoa Powder
1/4 C plus 2 tbsp boiling water
1 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 C confectioner's sugar
pinch of salt
1lb good quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
    Note: to melt chocolate, use double boiler, then rest in cool bowl.

1. Combine cocoa and boiling water string until cocoa has been dissolved. 
2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioner's sugar, and salt, until pale and fluffy. 
3. Reduce speed to low, add melted chocolate, once combined, add cocoa powder mixture. 
4. Whip until is consistency you would like for your cupcakes. 

Assembling cupcakes.

Using a pipping bag, pipe thick layer of icing onto cupcakes. Using some shaved chocolate pieces, or toasted coconut, sprinkle onto icing. Take 3 mini eggs, nest into icing to give the look of a bird's nest.