primitive has problem frosting cupcakes; discuss cocoanut oil, indoor plumbing

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x86013

Oh my.

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 01:05 PM
Original message
 
Question: Frosting cupcakes

I usually make a rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes; however, I need to deliver 60 cupcakes to be distributed several hours later in guerrilla conditons for the homeless outreach. What I need is a delicious frosting to go on chocolate cupcakes that doesn't need refrigeration and won't slide off if they get jostled. Also should need not too much beating since all I have is a hand mixer that tends to smoke after a minute and a half. I won't be baking the cupcakes until next week, but honestly, I've needed a recipe like this my whole life and I can't think of better people to ask.

Yeah, franksolich is one of the best people to ask.

On the drive to the homeless "outreach," whatever that is, stop in at a neighborhood delicatessen or bakery and pick up a bunch of ready-made cupcakes.  The frosting usually comes with the professionally-made cupcakes, just like doors usually come with professionally-made automobiles.

No muss, no fuss, no wasted time.

beac  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-02-11 02:57 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I'm by NO means a cupcake expert (or even an entry-level cupcaker, really) but I wonder if you could dip the top of the cooled cupcakes in melted white chocolate? Maybe add a little swirl of dark chocolate on top of that after the white cools?

Or is that a totally dumb idea?? Would the cupcake paper get in the way? Maybe drizzling the chocolate over the cupcakes would be the way to go?

(I dip the bottoms of my oatmeal cookies in melted chocolate and then cool them in the fridge to set the chocolate, which is what gave me this, maybe moronic, idea.)

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 03:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
2. Hmmm... that could work.

I was reading in the NY Times this morning that you can make an instant chocolate shell by melting chocolate with coconut oil (for pouring over ice cream) that sets up instantly when it meets cold. I'm leery of working with white chocolate because in the past I have trouble maintaining the right temperature with it. I don't have the same problem with dark chocolate, so I'm not sure why but my experiments with white chocolate usually turn out sub par. I like to lash melted chocolate over the tops of some cookies for decoration, and dipping the bottoms in chocolate also sounds like something I would try. Thanks for your input, beac. Haven't decided what to do just yet, but I'll let you know when I get the meal together.

beac  (1000+ posts)      Wed Mar-02-11 03:20 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
4. Oh, and I recently read that raw coconut oil is great for washing your face, so you'd have something to do with any leftover oil.

trud  (355 posts)      Wed Mar-02-11 03:38 PM
Response to Reply #5
 
7. yellerpup

Doesn't that clog up the drain? That's what keeps me from using bath oil.

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 04:00 PM
Response to Reply #7
 
8. We live in a NY apartment where plumbing is fierce and not easily monkey wrenched. I have not had a problem with clogs and since I am good friends with the tenants below me I would know if problems had been caused for them. Coconut oil is liquid at room temperature (provided the room is warm). The warmer your shower is, the thinner the coconut oil is--it's not like dumping bacon grease down the drain. Although, now that you've brought it up I am thinking of my aunt and uncle's septic system and I would have to think twice about using it there.

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Thu Mar-03-11 01:51 PM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

12. A basic butter and/or cream cheese plus confectioner's sugar with whatever flavoring(s) you want to add to it should work. I don't have a specific recipe, I'm a handful of this and squirt of that kind of cook, but you should be able to find basic proportions at most recipe sites. I don't frost cupcakes, I just dip the cool ones head first into the bowl and twirl them in the frosting, it's a really efficient way to get several dozen done quickly.

Cooling the cupcakes completely is the key to keeping the frosting on them, as well as making sure the frosting has enough sugar in it to be really stiff. You will have to do a lot of beating, but a good hand mixer should be up to the job.

I'm assuming you're not going to be delivering them anywhere that's over 90 degrees. I'm afraid only a boiled frosting can be trusted in that sort of environment.

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Thu Mar-03-11 02:18 PM
Response to Reply #12
 
13. Thanks so much.

Twirling the tops in frosting is exactly what I had in mind for so many dozens. The directions you gave, I can follow very well. At this time of year in NYC (at night) the crew dishing out the meals should have no problem with the frosting dropping off. I'll make the cupcakes the day before so they will cool completely and frost them after I get the soup going. I usually provide either cookies or fruit, but this is my birthday month and I want to share the joy of having another one (in good health) with everyone. I think I'm going to make the soup of lentils, chicken, sausage, and greens and butter big chunks of Italian bread to go with it. Thanks again, this is just what I was hoping to discover.

Well, that soup sounds better than the time the tightwad skinflint Treasonous Bastard primitive boiled up a 5-gallon pot of beans for the homeless.  Just beans and water, nothing else.

[BlueStateSaint]

Has the '86 Buick skidded to a stop there yet?

[GOBUCKS]

At the grocery store, above the cake mixes, there is shelf full of cans with titles like "DUncan Hines" and "Betty Crocker". Inside these cans, they pack frosting better than anything a DUmbass could ever whip up. You open up one of those cans, and smear the contents on top of the cupcakes, if you really insist on making the cupcakes. On the other side of the grocery store, you'll find a bakery where you can buy cupcakes, already frosted, better than anything a DUmbass could ever whip up.

[Karin]

Do those winos even eat cupcakes?  Seems to me they wouldn't exactly "go" with MD 20/20.  Alkies also have blood sugar problems, hope nobody has a siezure. 

[debk]

I cannot believe someone would really ask about frosting a damn cupcake!!!

If one doesn't know how to make frosting - that will stay on the cupcake -  they need to buy the canned frosting!!

"so many dozens of cupcakes"? 60 cupcakes = 5 dozen. It's not like she's making 15 dozen!!!

[Chris_]

Cupcakes... serious business.

[Chris_]

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 01:05 PM
Original message
 
Question: Frosting cupcakes

I usually make a rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes; however, I need to deliver 60 cupcakes to be distributed several hours later in guerrilla conditons for the homeless outreach.

What does this even mean?

Buy the crap that comes in a can like everybody else.  It's got enough chemicals and preservatives in it to keep for days without refrigeration.  I doubt someone that had half a bottle of Thunderbird for breakfast is going to be impressed by your silly "rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes".

[longview]

Holy smoke.  Even making a few cupcakes can be a crisis!

The first instant I was surprised, immediately after -- not at all surprised.

[CC27]

What does this even mean?

Buy the crap that comes in a can like everybody else.  It's got enough chemicals and preservatives in it to keep for days without refrigeration.  I doubt someone that had half a bottle of Thunderbird for breakfast is going to be impressed by your silly "rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes".

I was gonna ask the same thing about that. DUmmies and their fancy words. No homeless man who just came off a binge of sex and crack in the buick  is gonna say, oh look at the homemade frosting.

[Mr Mannn]

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 01:05 PM
Original message
 
Question: Frosting cupcakes

I usually make a rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes; however, I need to deliver 60 cupcakes to be distributed several hours later in guerrilla conditons for the homeless outreach.

What does this even mean?

Buy the crap that comes in a can like everybody else.  It's got enough chemicals and preservatives in it to keep for days without refrigeration.  I doubt someone that had half a bottle of Thunderbird for breakfast is going to be impressed by your silly "rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes".

Likely it means Old Yeller is lying. The homeless aren't going to see any baked goods. Most cities don't allow donated homemade baked goods for the poor. The reason: they don't want the liability. Its canned goods or nuthin.

Yeller is just building up cred.

[Traveshamockery]

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 03:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
2. Hmmm... that could work.

I was reading in the NY Times this morning that you can make an instant chocolate shell by melting chocolate with coconut oil (for pouring over ice cream) that sets up instantly when it meets cold. I'm leery of working with white chocolate because in the past I have trouble maintaining the right temperature with it. I don't have the same problem with dark chocolate, so I'm not sure why but my experiments with white chocolate usually turn out sub par. I like to lash melted chocolate over the tops of some cookies for decoration, and dipping the bottoms in chocolate also sounds like something I would try. Thanks for your input, beac. Haven't decided what to do just yet, but I'll let you know when I get the meal together.

Ahhh, another DUmpster racist.  She would rather work with dark chocolate and not white chocolate.  Definitely an Obama voter.


 

[PatriotGame]

yellerpup  (1000+ posts)        Wed Mar-02-11 01:05 PM
Original message
 
Question: Frosting cupcakes

I usually make a rich ganache frosting with butter for decorating cakes; however, I need to deliver 60 cupcakes to be distributed several hours later in guerrilla conditons for the homeless outreach.

"LOOK AT ME!!!111

LOOK AT ME!!!111

I'M HELPING THE DOWNTRODDEN HOMELESS!!!111

I'M PROGRESSIVE!!!111"

(then I woke up)

[JohnnyReb]

Homeless BUICK's do not run on cupcake frosting.