Because I Love You.

I like to sing...I'm not good at it, but I like it. To my ears I sound fantastic; I could hold my own with Celine and Christina no problem. To the poor souls who are subjected to my random serenades I sound more like a rooster with bronchitis being struck by a car. But I don't let a little thing like tone deafness hold me back. Why just the other day I was inspired to sing.

Remember all that niceness I was sharing with you the other day. Well I decided I wanted to do something nice for my hubby. A few weeks back I had planned on making a home-made version of the Hostess cupcake, but I never got around to it so I decided to surprise him with some when he came home from work. As I was whipping up the fluffy, marshmallowy goodness that was to be the delicious center of these babies I found myself singing a song from my youth. Now, I'm a product of the 90's so don't judge me to harshly when I tell you what it was I found myself singing repeatedly...okay...you ready...it was Stevie B's, Because I Love You.

I know, I know, I know. I know what your thinking (at least I can imagine what your thinking..."Stevie B... sound of crickets...really???"). I can't help it...this song was like an anthem for at least a summer during my middle school years. I was a cheerleader for the local P.P.A.L league and every Saturday night our parents would drop us off at the rec center for the weekly P.P.A.L dance. I can vividly remember slow dancing to this song, having the chaperons (the poor adults with nothing better to do with their Saturday night then to stand around monitoring a bunch of hormonal, tweens stumble their way awkwardly through puberty and the beginnings of blossoming romances) step in anytime we got to close to one another. So say what you must, but I was feeling the love when I was making these and this song brings back fond memories for me as does the Hostess cupcake.

I can remember being a little girl and how excited I would get if my mom picked these up at the store, and how I would eat them first by peeling the chocolate fudge from the top, saving it for last. Then I would eat just enough cupcake to expose the fluffy center which I would eat around saving one big fluffy cake crumby bite for last. Then I would devour the icing and wash it all down with a big glass of cold milk...good times I tell you, good times!!

So with Stevie B playing on repeat in my head and visions of marshmallow fluff enrobed in chocolaty goodness running through my mind I proceeded to stuff the cupcakes by cutting out a small section from the center, then injecting the cream and replacing the cake section.

Then I glazed them and added the traditional white swirl using royal icing.

Next, was the hardest part of all (sigh)...taste tasting.

My first instinct told me they were the bomb...but I had to be sure.

And I couldn't leave my fingerprints and teeth impressions behind as evidence. What? What's that you say? This, isn't, a, crime scene? Well it WOULD be a crime to not finish this cupcake!

So good, so so so good. I usually don't care for a ganache glaze preferring a sweeter more fudge like version but paired with the sweetness of the marshmallowy center it was awesome. It was moan inspiring (yes, sometimes I moan when food is really good...especially when it involves chocolate and cake and fluffy centers...you get the point). My hubby loved them and I love him and it's all just love over here.

Marshmallow Cream

1 stick unsalted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Marshmallow Fluff

2 TBSP heavy cream

Beat all ingredients unitl smooth and fluffy.

These really are worth the several step process it takes to assemble them. Start with your favorite chocolate cupcake. You could skip the royal icing at the end and just use a powdered sugar and milk icing. I just happened to have left over royal icing so I used it. And if you prefer a sweeter chocolate glaze add some powdered sugar. After making these I'm tempted to try some different flavor fillings like a fluffy carmel center, a lemon curd, a whipped hazelnut filling...the possibilities go on and on and on!

I better go make a list (that I'll ultimately misplace and spend way to much time looking for)

Sugar coated kisses,

N.