Day 199: 3/28/12 - "Somebody"

"Keep on looking 'cause maybe who you're looking for is

Somebody in the next car, somebody on the morning train

Somebody in the coffee shop that you walk right by everyday

Somebody that you look at but never really see

Somewhere out there, there's somebody"

-"Somebody" by Mark Wills

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter & Vanilla Buttercream: By FB demand I'm posting the recipe and the pictures of the chocolate banana cupcakes that I made last night.  Sorry friends, but I haven't discovered how to post the smell but wish I could - it is simply amazing!  Here's the cupcake recipe, adapted from the Joy of Baking website:

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
2 medium ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line 12 cupcake/muffin tins with papers.  In one bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and set aside.  In another bowl (or your mixer bowl if using a large mixer) combine all of the wet ingredients and whisk.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix when until combined.  Scoop or pour the batter into the prepared cups.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (depending on your oven - mine took 18 and came out perfectly!).

For the buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (1 stick)
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp boiling water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

To make the vanilla butter cream, place the butter into the mixer bowl and mix on medium until light and fluffy.  Add the boiling water, the vanilla, and the powdered sugar and mix until buttercream is thick, creamy, and light.  For the peanut butter buttercream, Mix the peanut butter in with the butter until creamy.  Then add the powdered sugar, boiling water, and vanilla.  Each batch makes enough to ice 12 cupcakes thickly, so you may have some left over.  Buttercream freezes well though, so you can save it.  To use it again, allow it to thaw at room temperature for about an hour. Place back into the mixer and whip it until it is smooth again.  Only freeze it once though - once you thaw it out you need to use it all or throw it out.

Awaiting Frosting

Peanut butter icing swirled on top of the vanilla icing

With only vanilla icing

Hats!  I didn't realize when I posted the pic of my friend Jennifer's baby blanket that I didn't include a good picture of the hat I also made, so here it is.  How cute is it?