We're Re-Starting The Cccc Please Join Us!
Baking By JessDesserts Updated 30 Oct 2010 , 12:52pm by ILoveDaffodils
Jess, thanks! The caramel worked out fine for me. I made it last night and it was runny but I was too tired to fill the cc anyway. Well actually I made it twice last night cause I burned the first batch.
This morning I checked and it seems a perfect consistency! I am about to make the frosting. I can't wait to put it all together with the cupcakes and frosting. I am having an afternoon test tasting with a few people so I will report back.
Oh dah12345, im so thrilled it worked out!!
I cant wait to see and hear about the results!
Keep us posted!!
Jess 
Let me start by saying I made a 1/2 batch of cupcakes (just hubby and I and he isn't a fan of chocolate so I didn't need 24 cupcakes) I made a full batch of the caramel filling and a 1/2 batch of the frosting.
Loved the cupcake itself, baked up really nice and level! (that's a bonus in my little cupcake world) They were nice and moist and had good flavor.
I think I had issues with the caramel but it might be because I'm just not familiar with making it. Seemed very runny when it was done. It did set up and come around to a "filling" consistancy so I was pleased with that. Next time, I think I would cover it with a piece of plastic wrap to keep it from crusting. I used Penzey's Course Sea Salt in my caramel and it didn't dissolve (Is it suppose to?) so there are little crunchy salty bits. Personally I'm a big fan of salt so that didn't bother me at all, I'm just curious. I love the fact that you have your mouth all set for something sweet and you get that little burst of salty!
The frosting is way yummy but it makes so much. I halved the recipe and I still have a bunch (like 3-4 cups) left. Thinking about inviting a few friends over and telling them to bring their own spoon! As I was making it I was having doubts about it's consistancy as well. It seemed very soft to me. I'm wondering if the boiling water and cocoa was necessary? After I finished the cupcakes I left them uncovered in my cake room, which at this time of year is the coolest room in my home. The icing set up quite nicely by this morning.
I took the cupcakes to coffee this morning with a group of friends and the overall opinion was that they are good. I had two people say they were fantastic, one thought they were a bit sweet, another thought they were good but she was having a hard time adjusting to the surprise of the salt. And then there was one that said "they're ok, but I've had better things that Lisa has baked." Of course, this same person does not like dark chocolate and uses almost no salt. Maybe her opinion shouldn't count?
I would make them again and I think I'll use the left over filling with a spice or apple cake. As for the leftover icing......I'm not sure how long that's gonna last. It might make a nice filling for a cake too.
OK finshed up with the taste testing and overall the response was good. For a little variety, I made half the cupcakes with the caramel filling and the chocolate frosting following the directions exactly.
For the other half, I made a buttercream frosting but instead of adding milk I added some of the caramel. I didn't fill these, I drizzled the caramel over the frosting.
Both were a big hit. The consensus was the the cupcakes were moist and delicious, the caramel was gooey - in a good way. The only negative comment was that the chocolate frosting tasted too "buttery". I thought the frosting needed to be a little thicker. Maybe next time I will try a little less butter and a little more sugar. I will have to play with the balance of the two.
All said, it was fun. I like baking but usually stick to same old thing so it was great to try something new. Who knew I could make caramel?
Looking forward to the next flavor. Anyone have something fallish - apple spice or something like that?
I have to get ready to watch the Phillies now...
YAY Lisa and dah12345!!!! Im so thrilled you made them & got good reviews.
I agree 100% about the frosting, I'll definitely tweek it when I try it again.
Lisa, yes the salt is supposed to melt into the caramel, but if you like the little burst of salty- great!!
The person that will decide the next recipe, the deadline is approaching quickly too, will have to pick a # or at least come close to the one I choose. I will check to see who the person is that chose the last recipe and see if they'd be willing to participate. Meaning, Ill tell them the number I pick between 1-100 to keep it fair.
I cant wait to make the next batch!! Sometimes I have no patience.
Ive been wanting to try my hand at sugar cookies so I could decorate them and that exactly what I did tonight. I wanted to try a few different 'popular' recipes and decide for myself.
So far, I really like the recipe as well as the icing Pam @ cookiecrazie uses. To say I am not a fan of RI would be an understatement, so thats a little tricky too.
A little off topic but I cant wait for the rest of the results!!
oooooo thanks for the reminder Grandma! Kinda lost track of time.
Do you want to be the one I send the # to? Or would you rather participate with a recipe submission?
Either way, let me know. Ill make it easy and pick a # from 1-100.
Any takers?
There are a gazillion recipes I want to try.......cmon people!! Lets get creative and have fun!!!!
You can send me the number if you want. I don't have any recipe in mind right now but it would be nice to try a fall type one. And sometime I think it would be fun to try different versions of one flavor, for example: 3 different vanilla recipes. Just an idea.
Thanks Jess for doing this!
. I'd love to join the fun with the next recipe. Can I join?
Ok, Lita, here's how the club works. Someone posts a recipe to try, then all of you make the recipe and send a minimum of 6 samples to me for judging. I then eat all the cupcakes with such piggy abandon that I forget who sent what, then I just tell everyone they did an awesome job and I go get the defibrilator to restart my heart from the crash after the sugar rush. 
Ok, so maybe that's not *exactly* how it works, but I really think it SHOULD. 
But we're glad to have you join us. (Though I'd be MORE glad if you fell for my ridiculous attempt to get you to bake for me. Muahahaha!)
Its time to pick another recipe, so anyone that wants a chance to be the one to pick the recipe, please PM me a # between 1-100.
The one to guess the #, or come the closest will be the one!!
Come one, come all!! The more the merrier!!
Personally, I cannot wait to find out what the next recipe will be!!
Tell your CC friends and neighbors that the CCCC is back!!
LAST CALL ! ! ! LAST CALL ! ! ! !
If you're interested in being the one to pick the next recipe ( CCC#15) please PM me your # between 1-100 by the end of the day.
I will announce the lucky winner tomorrow the first chance I have to get on the computer.
OK? OK.
jess
drumroll please........
The lucky CC member that will be picking the next recipe is.........
dah12345 ! ! ! ! ! ! YAY !! YAY !! 
Im so excited to see what you decide on!!
Let us know when you're ready!!
Great! I have one I would like to try. Should I start a new thread?
yep sweetie, just do the same that I did.
You can post the rules again if you'd like, invite everyone to join, and post your recipe.
YOu can also link back to the original post if thats easier, or this one, really whatever is easier for you.
Just as long as the rules are posted ( or linked ) again.
Oh, dont forget to post an end date as well. Its up to you, but I think 2 weeks is fair, unless you want more time........its really all up to you now!!
We're all here for you any time you need us!!
I cant wait to see whaty we're baking next
I dont mean to rush you but I have insomnia and its only 8:30pm where I am now! ( hint hint hint! LOL)
Here is the link to the new thread cccc#15
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-700710.html
Jess - I got it up as fast as I could. Are we coming to your house in the morning for breakfast cupcakes?
Happy baking. dah
Everyone is invited to my house for the CCCC #15 choice, ill make coffee, tea......fresh squeezed OJ!
Sky's the limit for my CC friends!! ( So is giving out my address online, but thats another issue LOL)
I cant wait to bake them, they sound FABULOUS!!
Mine will definitely be ready tomorrow.
Peace out people, ill set the timer on the coffee machine !!
xoxo
Hi Nancyg. Welcome. It is easy to join the club. Just find the most recent cupcake recipe and make it and let us know what you think. We are on # 15. We use a separate thread for each recipe. Here is the link to # 15 recipe:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-700710-0-days0-orderasc-.html
You can take a look at the original cupcake club thread to get all the rules but basically you make the recipe and report back if you liked it or not. If you don't like it, it would be nice to have hints on how to make it better. Have fun.
Here is a link to the original rules.
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-600308.html
If you go to earlier pages in this thread (I think on page 2), there are more detailed rules and GrandmaG put links to all the old threads if you want to check out the recipes without reading through everything.
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