Vintage Recipe Friday: Fudge Cupcakes

Just in time for spring: cute flowerpot fudge cupcakes.

Fudge Cupcakes
from Woman's Home Companion, February 1954

Heat oven to 350

You will need:
1/4 cup shortening
Two squares (two ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup water
One cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
One cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
One egg
1/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk

Melt shortening and chocolate in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat; blend in water and sugar; cool to room temperature; add vanilla. Sift flour, measure; add salt, baking powder and soda; sift again. Add egg to chocolate mixture in saucepan; beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk; blend well after each addition; beat until smooth. Fill muffin pans (greased or lined with paper baking cups) 2/3 full. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 18 minutes. Cool slightly; removed from pans, cool thoroughly. Makes about one dozen medium-size or 1 1/2 dozen small cupcakes.

Flowerpot:
Cover cupcake with coffee frosting; lightly sprinkle top with instant coffee to resemble soil. Pipe border of frosting around top edge and base. Cut flowers and leaves from gumdrops; stick on separate toothpicks.

Vintage Recipe Friday: Easy Mix Muffins

Rich! Tender! Quick!

These look delicious - and not only are they easy, but muffins are perfect for the first delicious early berries and fruits of spring! Hit up your local Farmer's Market this weekend and enjoy these nibblies.

Easy Mix Muffins 

From McCall's, July 1953

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

You need:

Two cups sifted flour

Three teaspoons baking powder

One teaspoon salt

Two tablespoons sugar

One egg, well-beaten

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup cooking oil

Mix and sift first flour ingredients into a bowl. Make a well and add remaining ingredients. Stir only enough to dampen flour; batter should be lumpy. Fill greased muffins pans 2/3 full. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins. 

Blueberry Muffins: Increase sugar to 1/3 cup and add one cup fresh berries to sifted dry ingredients.

Peanut Butter Muffins: Cut 1/2 cup peanut butter into mixed and sifted dry ingredients.

Chocolate: An Anti-Valentine's Must Have

You and Me: Chocolate and Peanut Butter - heaven in delightful morsels. 

This year I will be spending Valentine's Day working, drinking a cheap bottle of red wine, and packing for a sudden and somewhat unexpected move. Last year I think I was doing the same, only I was moving into my house instead of moving out. The point is not that I've yet to find my forever home, it's that I'm alone, without my sweetheart, without A sweetheart. What can a girl do? How about flip on The Golden Girls and eat these little delights! (Chocolate goes great with red wine, too -- perfect for me!)

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

from verybestbaking.com

Prep: 15 mins

Cooking: 2 mins

Level: Easy

Cooling: 60 mins

Yields: 60 bars (5 dozen)

Just beat, melt, stir, and refrigerate...these bars are that simple!

Ingredients

• 2 cups peanut butter, divided
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

GREASE 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

BEAT 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Smooth top with spatula.

MELT remaining 3/4 cup peanut butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups morsels in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. Cut into bars. Store in covered container in refrigerator.