Friday, October 22, 2004

Happy Birthday


designed by #2 son: Koala cookies and pumpkin pocky, on
chocolate sour cream cake with mocha whipped cream


I was going to make cupcakes for sharing with his schoolmates, but there are a lot of new rules now: no more sugary treats,("concerns with childhood obesity from the school nurses,") no ice cream, no party hats. "School is a place for academics, not a place for parties." He didn't look too disappointed but I was so looking forward to taking pictures with his friends during snacktime, just as we did last year.
I scrapped the plan for buying an ice cream cake, after his long awaited "BOOfey" birthday dinner, to top his "5" candle with, and decided to go ahead with the "cupcake cake".
I just love how easy it is to make them happy.

Any cake can be made into cupcakes; just remember to lower the oven temperature and adjust cooking time.
An easy tasty icing, not too sweet: 1 cup whipping cream, chilled; 1 tbsp. extrafine sugar; 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa, preferably dutch-processed; 1 tsp. instant espresso powder. Mix everything and then whip in the electric mixer at high speed until beater marks form. (Watch closely).Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
The only thing is, it won't keep well (you have to consume every little lick of it!).