tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-792930510812282507.post-53701278871605905862008-06-14T21:58:00.003-04:002008-06-14T22:10:12.374-04:00<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_-PStLt70394/SFR5G8hUpoI/AAAAAAAAAjg/4CXuVPxsCJk/s1600-h/DSCN0750.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5211923829006575234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_-PStLt70394/SFR5G8hUpoI/AAAAAAAAAjg/4CXuVPxsCJk/s400/DSCN0750.JPG" border="0" /></a> My boy turned 3 the other day, and with that came the obligatory birthday party with all the fixings. On his wish list? Scooby Doo décor and cupcakes, lots of cupcakes! So we Scoobied up the place with napkins, table cloths and all the Scooby parephrenalia I could find, and then I got to work on those cupcakes.<br /><br /><div></div><div>For the cupcakes, I decided on white cake (<a href="http://gourmetorgourmand.blogspot.com/2008/03/daring-bakers-challenge-dories-perfect.html">Dorie Greenspan's recipe for her Party Cake</a>) with the BEST bittersweet chocolate frosting ever. I have literally been hunting, searching high and low for a really yummy homemade chocolate frosting. It has been years. I like buttercream, but they tend to taste like I'm devouring a stick of butter. Then a friend gave me the book "Birthday Cakes". In it, I found it...the absolute best chocoalte frosting recipe out there. (At least for now). This frosting is fantastic, it's a recipe by Emily Luchetti, which is on page 60 of the book. My husband, who usually avoids frosting, couldn't get enough of this one. But careful, it's rich and addictive!</div><br /><div></div><div>PS I used the leftover frosting for pistachio macaron filling, it was divine.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting:</span></div><br /><div>4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped</div><br /><div>8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped</div><br /><div>1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter</div><br /><div>3 cups confectioners' sugar</div><br /><div>pinch of salt</div><br /><div>2 tsp. vanilla extract</div><br /><div>1/4 cup plus 2 Tb. milk</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolates and butter together. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm (114 degrees).</div><br /><div>Sift the confectioners' sugar and salt together into a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the vanilla and the milk. Whisk this mixture into the confectioners' sugar. Add the melted and cooled chocolate and stir until smooth. Use on cake or cupcakes.</div>Lesleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905237330896654715noreply@blogger.com