Anybody like cupcakes?

     So my wife and several friends have told me that I should start a blog to help get things off my chest or that I should be a chef so that I can put things in their belly. So I figured I'd start a food blog and see how things turn out.

     For my first trick I submit to you Seahawk Cup Cakes. I made these for some friends at work in honor of the NFL Draft last weekend. Plus I'm a die hard Hawks fan so I figured what the hell. Pretty easy to make and pretty freaking awesome.

Ingredients and Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Cupcakes:
Sift together:
3 1/2 C cake flour*
1 Tbs plus 1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Combine in a separate bowl:
1 C milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
In another large bowl, beat until creamy:
2 sticks of butter
Gradually add:
1 2/3 C sugar
Beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk until beating on low speed until nice and smooth.
In another large bowl** beat on medium until soft peaks form:
8 large eggs whites
3/8 tsp cream of tartar
Gradually add while beating on high speed:
1/3 C sugar
Beat until the peaks are stiff and not dry.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in about 1/3 of the whites into the batter mixture. Once combined add the rest. The next step is where the magic happens.
Stir in:
1 oz Wilton's Royal Blue gel icing color (WalMart)
2 drops Wilton's Violet gel icing color
Once it's all combined you should have a really bold blue color. It will lighten up a little during baking so if you want it darker or lighter just play with the color combination a bit.
Line your cupcake pan with paper liners and put about 1/4 cup into each one. Bake at 375 for about 22 minutes and then check them with a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out clean then your done. If not just bake them a bit more, checking every 2 minutes or so til done. Remove from oven and place on a rack to fully cool.

*If you don't have cake flour, you can make your own by sifting together 3/4 C plus Tbs of flour and 2 Tbs of corn starch for 1 C of cake flour
** If you use a chilled metal bowl, the eggs whites will stiffen quicker and have a fluffier texture
Frosting:
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together:
3 C powdered sugar
1 C butter
Mix on low until blended then mix on high for about 3 minutes. Then add:
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 Tbs heavy cream
Beat on medium for about a minute and add up to 1 more Tbs of cream if needed for a smoother consistency
Now you can stir in:
2-3 drops Wilton's Black gel icing color
Like I said: I'm a Seahawks fan so I was going for a grey icing. mine actually turned a little purple so I compensated by using Duff Goldman's Cake Graffiti. Its' like silver spray paint for cake decorating. Worked like a charm. So either try for the grey frosting or just use the Cake Graffiti

Ganache:
Put into a heat safe bowl:
1 package white chocolate chipsHeat on the stove, stirring constantly, until almost boiling:
3/4 C heavy cream
Pour hot cream over the white chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Now you can add:
20 drops neon green food coloring
Stir in until fully incorporated.

Now that everything is done and the cupcakes are cool you can remove them from the pan. Scoop out a little bit of the center of the cup cake making a well and set it off to the side (my kids fravorite little snack). Spoon some of your neon green ganach into the well until flush with the top. Do this until all the cupcakes are full. Now just frost them with your grey or white frosting and spray them with Cake Graffiti. Here is where I put mine in the fridge for a few hours to let the ganache set up fully. Once they get to room temperature serve 'em up and enjoy. Now you have a very moist cupcake with a smooth frosting and tasty chocolate surprise in the middle. Feel free to customize them to any team color you want...except the Raiders