Gametime!

For yesterday's game I decided to switch things up and try to make a "black" cake with yellow frosting.  I ended up doing dark chocolate cake filled with Andes mints topped with mint buttercream.  Strangely, the Andes mints did not melt during baking, leaving a completely intact mint in the center of each cupcake.  (How is it even possible that they'll melt in my fingers after about 10 nanoseconds, but won't melt in an 350° oven?)

Unsurprisingly, I went to Chockylit for chocolate cake and mint buttercream recipes.  I think this chocolate cake recipe is my favorite so far -- it was like a hybrid between a chocolate cake and a brownie.  Yum!  I was disappointed to discover that Wilton's "black" sugar crystals were actually dark olive green.  Lame!
The Steelers played one of the most terrible games I've ever seen them play, so I think my obligation to continue making Steelers cupcakes is over.  I also spent a good 12 hours this weekend preserving 11 pounds of Asian pears, so you can expect to see some pear-based cupcakes in the coming weeks.  (I started with about 100 pears, which was only about 25% of the fruit on my tree.  What am I going to do with all these pears?!?)