Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

"Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other." - Rainer Maria Rilke

Having worked at my job for quite some time now, I've gotten to know someone - R for matters of privacy - really well. I've overheard many conversations that R and I can both say "never existed" or "never happened." I've heard this person's opinions on work matters and non-work matters, I've shared some pretty hilarious moments with R, and I've even heard R curse (mind you, R never curses). R even made me sign a contract saying how I will not let a certain trip and a certain boy stop me from getting my degree, this stemming from a freak out I gave this person last year after meeting the certain boy. Regardless of your proximity to R, everyone that has met R can safely say that R loves everything that has to do with his/her family: kids and spouse, quirks included. Going back to how I've closely worked with R, when the spouse calls or texts or emails, they never ever forget to say "I love you" to each other. They've been together for 7 years, and yet, I don't know how to describe it. You know that beginning stage of a relationship, or I guess the newlywed phase of a marriage, where the 2 people are so in love or so ooey-gooey with each other that it resembles a cheesy soap-opera romance? That's how they are. Still. After having kids, and well, I'm assuming they do have their fights like normal people, R's face always lights up when the spouse calls. Whenever R and F say "I love you" to each other, it still sounds completely honest and genuine. How do they keep it up? Does it really come that naturally to them? I know I'm still young, but I had a rough relationship with someone that sadly isn't worth the time and thought. My whole saga with him probably lasted a good 5 years, and what did I end up with? Doubt, fear, huge walls, and trust issues. Now that I maybe have something with a certain boy, I wonder, could things end up as well for us as they have for R and F?

Oh, woops, kind of forgot about mentioning the holiday that's coming up: Halloween! What's everyone doing this year? Any cool costume ideas? Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine :)

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream
adapted from: Cupcakes: Luscious Bakeshop Favorites From Your Home Kitchen

"Rich, tender, buttery yellow cupcakes are always crowd pleasers. The classic pairing for yellow cupcakes is a smooth and silky chocolate buttercream, but, really, just about any flavor of frosting would be a good match."

makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)

Directions:
1) Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2) In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium-high speed just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not over-beat.
3) Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
4) Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream and serve.

Chocolate Buttercream

makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, at room temperature
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:
1) In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch, about 160F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white mixture until it is fluffy, cooled to room temperature, and holds stiff peaks (the mixture should not look dry), about 6 minutes.
2) With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and the butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter is added, continue to beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy, 3-5 minutes more. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder into the cooled melted semisweet chocolate. Add this to the butter mixture and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use right away.