This is going to be a jam-packed post! This weekend was my husbands birthday! The Big 2-7! I usually make him some kind of treat and decided make him cupcakes. He’s really into Malt Milkshakes right now so that’s where I got the idea to make him vanilla cupcakes with a chocolate malt frosting. Yum! They turned out really good! Next time I would play around with the frosting though as it turned into more of aganache once we traveled making them a bit messier than I wanted still they were DELICIOUS!! The icing almost tasted likebrowniebatter- which is one of my favorite things in the world! Enjoy the recipe!

Recipe- Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups cake flour (all-purpose works as well!)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil (vegetable or extra light olive oil also work)f

1/2 cup buttermilk or (I didn’t have any so I did 1/2 cup milk and added a little lemon juice- let it sit for a few minutes before adding)I used this Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen for the cupcakes! 🙂 I also used mini cupcake liners instead of regular.STEPS!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed (30 seconds).
4. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed (1 minute)
5. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12 -14 minutes at 350 degrees F. My oven takes 14 minutes. Let them cool in the pan fora couple minutes, then remove.Wait until they’re cooled to put on the frosting. This recipe is very simple, & easy! Enjoy!Recipe- Icing!

1/2 cup butter, softened ( I used olive oil & sea salted butter- if you use unsalted you may want to add a pinch of salt)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Special Dark Cocoa- yum!)
1/2 cup malted milk powder
7 tbsp milk

STEPS

1. Mix 1/2 cup butter and 1 tsp vanilla together until smooth.
2. Add in 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup malt lightly mix.
3. Gradually add in the tbsps of milk. Add more if needed.

You could literally just eat this with a spoon it’s so yummy!! 

Weekend Trip!

Family Photo Op… Birthday Boy with me & George!

We headed up to the Cottage for the birthday weekend! It was very nice out but a little too chilly to swim in the lake! We still took a walk on the beach though! 🙂 

Matt & George took a little nap before we went out to have a wine filled afternoon. George stayed home & continued to nap while Mom & Dad enjoyed some wine!
Wine

Wine Festival! It was a nice day to sit and taste some wine, & listen to the band… After the wine tasting we headed to have a yummy dinner
Our friends Jeff & Jordan came with us to the cottage & we all enjoyed free sunglasses & Ohio Wine!

George was happy to see us back home!

We came back home early Sunday morning to have brunch with the family! It was a beautiful summer day!

And Finally!! We ate at Benihana tonight with our friends Matt & Savanna!

It seems to me that Matt had a great Birthday celebration!! I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did! 🙂

xoxo-Jess