Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas Mocha Spice Cup Cake


I have had a ball this christmas and this is my last cup cake for the year (I think!).

What better way to finish the Christmas entries than on a cup cake that combines so many of my loves: Cup cakes, coffee, christmas spices and chocolate. Mmmmm, that just about covers my vices.

Jennifer from the Crabapple Bakery Cookbook describes this as "a hot spiced mocha in a cupcake paper" and she is right.

The combination of chocolate, coffee, spices, brown sugar and sour cream make you feel like you are eating a mocha and the thin layer of royal icing gives it that sweet kick you need.

I also liked the way it was decorated with a thin layer rather than the compulsory 2 inches of icing on everything these days. I am very guilty of this. Some of my tasters love it and others hate it. One of my tasters would prefer I just gave her a bowl of icing rather than the cup cake, others scrape off the icing and eat the cake. Icing is such a hot topic for cup cakes on all the blogs and especially in this town. There are two of us that make and sell cup cakes, my competitor, far more regularily and seriously than me but our customers choose us based on our icing. Well that is the main thing they talk to me about anyway. "I like yours because her icing is too sweet". Funny, her customers probably say the same to her about me. Like a fine wine - all just personal taste. I did try a different recipe lately recommended by a fellow blogger but it turned out like whipped butter. I will keep searching.

Here I am digressing again. Anyway, this cup cake was topped with the thin layer of royal icing (a egg white and icing sugar mix) before being topped with my hand made holly creations. I had lots of fun rolling and cutting and getting into the christmas spirit.  Not that I need any encouragement.  I love all things baking and all things christmas!

I am about 12 hours off stepping onto a plane back to my hometown of Mornington for 3 weeks. I am really looking forward to the holiday and seeing our family and friends for christmas but am nervous about being away from my kitchen for that long! I will probably break out in a cold sweat after a couple of days. I may have to wrestle my folks out of the kitchen and sneak on the blog to get my fix! LOL.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.



4 comments:

  1. Wow Kate, you've been busy with Christmas goodies since I last logged on to read your blog. Looks like you're having great fun baking....looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks xx

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  2. happy holidays! i hope you have a great new year!

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  3. Hi Kate - at Grandma's setting up a profile so she can comment on your delicious delicasies so look out!! lol

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