Recipe: Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes w/ Baileys Cream Cheese Frosting

For dinner I’m making a Corned Beef slowly cooked in Guinness (don’t judge!) with Cabbage, potatoes and a carrot, parsnip & leek sauté. But what St. Patrick’s Day would be complete without Guinness… and Baileys?  I’m bringing back the recipe posts on this fine, rainy holiday weekend with a dessert

I’ve adapted the recipe, which is intended as a cake, from Nigella Lawson. A couple years ago when I first tried the recipe, I put a spin on it by adding a little Baileys Irish Cream to the frosting. You could use a buttercream frosting here too, but I think the cream cheese lightens it and tends to resemble the light cream on a perfectly poured Guinness.

Cake Ingredients:

(*note my equivalents are approximate)

1 cup Guinness

2 sticks, unsalted butter, sliced or cubed

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups granulated sugar

4 oz. sour cream

2 eggs

1 tablespoon real vanilla extract

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons plain flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with silicone or paper cupcake liners. (I used silicone).  Pour the Guinness into a large wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until the butter’s melted. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Whisk together sour cream, eggs and vanilla then add to the amzing smelling beer & butter mixture. Finally whisk in the flour and baking soda until smooth. Remove from heat.  Pour the cake batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 30 – 45 minutes, check to see when tops are just barely firm to touch.  Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:

10 oz.  cream cheese

1 and 1/2  to 2 cups sifted  confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

~2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream *to taste

Directions:

Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth, slowly mix in the sifted confectioners sugar.  Add part of the cream and the Baileys and  beat again until smooth. It’s not as dense as buttercream, but if it’s too thin, just add more confectioners sugar until desired consistency. Pipe or spread frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

Enjoy & Have a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day..Irish or not!

Adventure: Catalina Island

We recently went on a trip to Catalina Island, off the coast of California. My parents were coming for a quick visit in celebration of my father’s Birthday. They have been to California so many times that they had seen it all and done it all. Catalina Island has been on my “Go see” list for a while and I felt this was the perfect excuse to check it off my list. My dad had been there maybe 30 years ago, and my Mother, Rob nor myself had ever been there, so basically, we were set for an adventure!

We took a fast boat out of Dana Point on a Saturday morning. I read up on some of Catalina’s fascinating history in the Catalina Islander while enjoying what could be my family’s signature cocktail, the Bloody Mary. We arrived in the little town of Avalon early in the afternoon to allow for plenty of sightseeing, lunch, more beverages, and a bit of shopping. Rob even surprised me with a round of miniature golf before we all capped off the evening with an amazing dinner.

Sunday we wanted to get a real taste of the history of the island, it’s landscapes and natural inhabitants before heading back home late in the afternoon. We scheduled a 3 and a half hour Jeep Eco tour run by the Catalina Island Conservancy. It was amazing!  Our knowledgeable and friendly tour guide gave us a private tour, off road, all over the back country of the island. It’s just one of the most beautiful places I have seen..and Bison on the hills… with the ocean as the back drop?! So so cool! (The Bison were brought over in the 1920′s for a Zane Gray silent film, and were left there. A heard of 150 Bison call Catalina their home.)

I packed light for the trip, so I only shot with my camera phone and some film with my classic Canon AE-1. I highly recommend you make a visit to the island if you have the opportunity. I thought it felt like a little, European port town, with fishing, boating, shops, restaurants…and of course, the wild addition of Bison!

Goodbye Avalon Bay at Catalina Island…hope to explore you again!

Finally…..It’s Here!!!!!!

Oh man, I have almost been busting at the seams trying to contain my excitement for the release of my new art piece at Urban Outfitters!

You may remember last year they had an image of mine wrapped on canvas. Then they approached me wanting one of my collages and I recently hinted at the exciting announcement.

Here is a picture of my stitched collage commissioned by Urban Outfitters. The  pieces are all from photos I have taken, all of which were shot on film. I pieced it and then carefully stitched  it all together with contrasting black thread.

I did a high resolution scan and Urban had it enlarged and then mounted on wood. The piece is cut out to the outline of my actual collage. There are multiple colors in it so it will fit in just about any room in your house or office. It’s pretty neat and very affordable.

You can find it here!!! 

Baby Photography: Beau

In honor of Valentine’s Day I thought I’d post this little heart breaker, Beau Gardner Martin.  My friend Mindy had Beau about 3 months ago, just one day after my Birthday.  I was really hoping for his arrival on my actual Birthday but he came a day later and is definitely the gift that keeps on giving!

We had a fun little afternoon session of photos and Beau’s beautiful, big, blue eyes sparkled throughout.  I get a kick out of his myriad of expressions, and how he appears so different depending on the position he is in…I’m really not sure which is my favorite!

Korduroy 2.0 is coming!

Remember how I said 2012 was all about MORE? Here is another example:

Korduroy interviewed me back in November and now I’m so thrilled to be a part of the Makers section of the all new Korduroy 2.0!

More interviews, more videos, more cool…..more YEW!!!