Toffee Cupcakes

Saturday was Todd's birthday, and I really wanted to come up with something that would make him pleased. August has decided that cupcakes and birthdays go hand in hand (every time we have cake we have to sing the birthday song), so I knew we needed some. And Todd likes toffee, so these cupcakes, from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes, were perfect. They're made with brown sugar and buttermilk and have pieces of chocolate with toffee bits throughout. Fortunately the cake's not too sweet; the toffee bits melt a bit for a burst of toasty, buttery sweetness. They're super-tender with a fine crumb, maybe from the buttermilk, and epitomize "cupcake" vs. "muffin."

Mix 1 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and a pinch of salt. Then beat 3/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup softened butter until well combined. Add 2 egg whites, 1 at a time, then alternately add the flour mixture (3 additions) and 2/3 cup buttermilk (2 additions). When it's smooth, mix in 2/3 cup toffee bits (I used a Lindt milk chocolate bar with toffee bits that I had chopped up). Bake in a 12-cup muffin tin in paper liners in a preheated 350 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

I made a whipped chocolate ganache for the frosting, but it was so intense that I prefered the cupcakes without. This would be good for a plain vanilla, though. It's from Baking Illustrated.

Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream to boiling, then pour over 4 ounces chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (I used Nestle Chocolatier and found the chocolate really benefitted from the richness of the cream) and stir until melted. Chill in fridge for 45 minutes, no more or less, then whip until fluffy. Frost right away, because if you re-refrigerate you end up with chocolate truffle filling. (Not a bad thing, but not what you're going for.)