>Let’s motor

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I used to think my dad loved his car more than he loved me. But since learning to love my own inanimate object, I’ve realized that his car is his merely his hobby (or, his baby) much like my KitchenAid mixer is mine. I put the damn thing in it’s own padded box when we moved and checked it over 3 times for dings and scratches. Did I mention we moved 4 blocks up the street? Or that it sat on my lap in the moving truck?

My dad’s favorite cake is yellow with chocolate icing, and I wanted so bad to make vegan cupcakes (so I could eat them, duh) but I couldn’t bring myself to do that to my father when he drove 1,200 miles to see me. Because I’m sure his trip to the Mile High city has nothing to do with the fact that a bunch of Mini Cooper fanatics are flocking to the mountains this weeked to sacrifice one of those hideous Mini Cooper knockoffs. Just kidding. About the sacrificing part; the Mini Cooper gathering is happening.

Yellow cupcakes

1 c. milk

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature

1 1/2 cake flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Mixing bowl 1:

•  Combine milk and vinegar, allow to sit for 5 minutes – set aside

Mixing bowl 2:

• Mix butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs – whisk
• Add mixing bowl 1
• Add  baking soda, baking powder and salt – whisk
• Whisk in flour 1/2 c. at a time

Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes

                              

I washed my measuring cups and spoons four times this morning before I decided enough was enough: no more measuring, and certainly no more washing. I am one of those bakers who washes dishes in real time, meaning the entire contents of the mixing bowl is shoveled onto it’s appropriate baking device, then the race with the timer begins to have all of the dishes washed and dried before the first batch of anything comes out of the oven. It’s exhausting, to say the least. So, after two batches of cookies, cupcakes and royal icing, I decided measuring ingredients for fudge frosting wasn’t necessary.. until you try to provide someone with the recipe.

Fudge frosting

If the frosting isn’t thick enough to pipe by the end, continue adding confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder – for every 1/4 c. confectioner’s sugar, add 1 TBS cocoa powder.

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 c. non-dairy butter, room temperature
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS soy creamer

Mixing:
– Whisk together butter and chocolate
– Add cocoa and sugar
– Add vanilla and creamer – whisk until lumps have disappeared

                              

Need something from the grocery but too lazy to get it? I’ve found the perfect way to have your cake, and eat it, too.

Step 1: Allow your partner, roommate or neighbor to pick a dessert for you to make
Step 2: Get them hyped up about the dessert
Step 3: Mention that you don’t have one of the key ingredients needed to make the recipe
Step 4: Stress how important the use of this particular ingredient is in the recipe
Step 4: If step 2 and 4 were a success, they should offer to go to the store for you

Best ever chocolate chunk walnut cookies

3/4 c. butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

3-4 c. flour (or until dough is firm)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chunks (more or less, as desired)

1 c. chopped walnuts

Mixing bowl:

– Whisk butter for 1 minute, then add eggs

– Add vanilla and sugar – whisk well

– Add baking soda, baking powder and salt – whisk well

– Incorporate flour 1/2 c. at a time – mix with wooden spatula

– Add chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts

Baking:

– Line baking sheet with parchment paper and use a cookie scoop (or your hands) to form balls

– Press down balls until they are flat – don’t press too hard, just give them a nice, firm squish

– Place baking sheet with cookie dough in the refrigerator and chill the dough for at least 5 minutes prior to going into the oven (this will help them to retain their shape)

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes (13 minutes worked perfect for me)

                             

I’ll admit, as much as I love baking, I am bored out of my mind with sugar cookies and royal icing. But I had to do something fun for my dad and his Mini-trip, so I made sugar cookies tuned to the theme of his car: red, black and white. I cut the cookies entirely too thick and had to toss them back in the over for an additional 7 minutes – making the total baking time 17 minutes. EEEEK

Pow sug cookies + royal icing

You can find the recipe here.