ICE:Chili – VOTING IS NOW OPEN!

Some of you have already noticed that the voting for IC:Earth_Chili Pepper is now open. All cupcakes, links and the ballot can be found at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER. Voting closes at 12 noon central on Sept. 4.

(Ahem. We humbly suggest you consider voting for GIRL FARTS (our entry blogged here), but we would never insist.)

Piggyback

Originally uploaded by Kelly Sue

I am behind on a deadline and couldn’t manage to find a minute to myself to work during the wedding bonanza weekend, so I’m off to the cafe to wrap up a script today. If you need me and you know me, you’ve got my cell number. I won’t check email until this evening, likely.

Until then, enjoy this photo of HL riding a giant piggy bank in my mom’s room.

IMG_4805

Originally uploaded by stuartimmonen

…had Chip somehow snuck into the background, it would have been three.

Matt Fraction

Originally uploaded by hawkeyevsgirl

with Matt Fraction

Originally uploaded by allenerr

One of a couple of fan photos I found on Flickr.

Oy. I don’t expect I’ll participate in many of these, alas, as I just don’t have the time (and frankly, I’m still not entirely sure how it works), but this one was fun, so here we go –

The challenge ingredient was CHILI PEPPER. My first thought, of course, was a Mexican spicy chocolate but I was afraid everyone would go there, so I started trying to think of other options. I considered Chai and from there focused on cinnamon and ginger. I knew pretty early on I wanted to pair a cool icing with a spicy cake so I started thinking about cucumber, but ended up making my way to pears. Damn I love pears. That led me to thinking about pears and cinnamon candies and fresh ginger. I kept thinking about Atomic Fireballs and the hot Jolly Ranchers I loved so much when I was a kid. I dug up an old ginger cake recipe and used it as a starting place. What follows is where it ended up.

Next time I make this I may try subbing out agave nectar for the sugar, we’ll see.

Be warned: there is a bite at the end. It comes after you swallow and it’s just a little burn. I like it, but if that’s not your thing, well, these are not the cupcakes you’re looking for.

Cayenne Ginger Cupcakes
Serves 23

4 1/4 oz fresh ginger, peeled and grated on a microplaner
1 c molasses (I prefer full flavor)
1 c sugar
1 c peanut oil
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 to 3/4 tsp ground cayenne
1 cup water
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, room temp.

I use 3 1/4 oz paper portion cups for my cupcakes (thanks as always, chockylit).

Preheat oven to 350F. Line up portion cups on a sturdy baking sheet.

Combine molasses, sugar and oil in a large bowl. In a food processor, sift together flour, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves.

Bring water to boil in a saucepan, then add baking soda. Mix the hot baking soda water into the molasses/sugar/oil syrup, then add the ginger. When those are well combined, start gradually whisking in the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and keep whisking.

Your finished batter will be disturbingly soupy. That’s okay. It’ll be fine.

Fill portion cups 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for 22 minutes or until cakes pass the toothpick check. Let cakes cool while you prepare the icing.

Pear Nectar Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick unsalted butter
2 8 oz packages of Neufchâtel
1/4 c pear nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 c powdered sugar (approx), sifted

Cream butter in standing mixer for 1 minute, then add Neufchâtel and continue to beat until well-combined. Gradually add pear nectar and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about a minute, then start adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you achieve the desired consistency, should be about 4 cups.

Now, I did two different versions of these cupcakes — one garnished with an atomic fireball and served on a plate with their inspiration, the Red Hot. The other, more grown up version is garnished with candied ginger and star anise and served on a plate with cinnamon. I haven’t decided which to enter as of this post.

Fine Print:

FINAL POSTING DAY IS: FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 12 noon.
All times are CENTRAL time.

* Photograph your baking experience and then post about it on your blog.
* Posting your recipe on your blog is optional.
* In your post, please be sure mention that you are competing to win the
following prizes, be sure to include reference and a link to the ETSY artist
CAKESPY, as well as to
our corporate sponsors JESSIE STEELE APRONS;
CUPCAKE COURIER, HEAD CHEFS and TASTE OF HOME. Please verify that all links are active. If you so
choose, you may also include photos of the prizes which will be available at the
IronCupcake:Earth flickr group page.
* Post your favorite shot (two if you are showing a cross-section) of your
cupcake to the Iron Cupcake flickr group, along with a brief summary of your
post. No photos or summaries will be accepted via email.
* E-Mail your recipe, along with your first and last name and blog name to
IronCupcakeEarth@wi.rr.com . In your subject line, please include
IC:IngredientName. Your cupcake recipe must be emailed in order to be eligible
for voting and the prize.
* Voting will begin on Sunday, August 31st at 12 noon at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE
IN A CORNER and will be open through Thursday, September 4 at 12 noon. Send your readers to that address to vote.
* Winner will be posted the night of August 4th, before 11:59 p.m.
* The next ingredient will be posted on Friday, September 5th.
* Please refer your readers to the IronCupcake:Earth cuphub at
http://ironcupcake.blogspot.com to become a part of the excitement.

• Laura Hudson calls my Blog@Newsarama piece “can’t miss.” Nice.
• The Uncanny Matt Fraction – CBR talks X-Men with Fraction
• Fraction and I went to the Kemper last night for Jane Almirall’s slide presentation. I was already a huge fan of Jane’s and coveted one of those hummingbirds-with-red-string paintings, but now? More so.
• We were also treated to presentations by Peregrine Honig and Mike Hill. I was familiar with Peregrine’s work but Mike’s was new to me and OH MY GOD. DUDE. So. Much. Fun. Witness: here and here.
• After a bit of email correspondence, I met Kate Murr in person! (And her lovely family.) She’s considering joining me in the Iron Cupcake Challenge. Neither of us are swimming in free time, but it was fun to talk about it anyway.
• I don’t want to jinx anything, but it seems I am back on the workout wagon. So yay! And also… ow.
• A site overhaul is immanent. I’m doing the work myself (ahem… mostly) with the guidance of Danielle Henderson and the fine people at Squarespace. The goal is to construct it such that I can manage updates and tweaks myself without constantly having to bug my friends for help. [Read: Harold, Merry, Droob, Ariana, Han, Ryan... ] I haaaate that. I always feel like such a leech. Anyway, I didn’t work on it yesterday, but previous to that I was putting in a little time every morning. I ought to have it up and running before too long, I think. More news as I have it.
• Now, I’m going to go scoop the dog poop out of the back yard so that Fraction can mow today. Then, I’m stealing away to a cafe to get a little writing done. I am glamour incarnate.

Found Object Art: "Feathers Foundry" – Detail

Originally uploaded by Modern Artifacts – T2

Nice! Terry and Susan hung their birdhouse (our host/hostess gift to them for their INCREDIBLE graciousness in hosting us for SDCC) and the artist, our friend Kelly Aaron, put it up on her new blog. Win, win, win!

Kelly Sue & Henry Leo (in papoose thingy)

Originally uploaded by Lou O’ Bedlam

Henry and I totally got our picture taken by Lou O’Bedlam in SDCC. Have you seen the people he usually photographs? Suffice it to say there’ll be no living with us now.

• A “Why ‘girl farts’?” link and/or an FAQ.
• Photo with link to kdog site.
• Brief bio.
• Flickr widget.
• Twitter widget.
• Searchable by category and/or tags.
• del.icio.us widget.
• Popular posts widget.
• Search bar.
• amazon links with associates code
• Four columns…?
• I’d like to host kellysue.com and henryleo.com from the same account if possible.
• I’d like to be able to fix/adjust/manage my blog/website without having to ask more technically-gifted friends for help.

GAH! I am trying to download an xml file (export) from my WP blog, but it keeps launching NetNewsWire and subscribing me to my own blog instead.

I’ve got to get up and walk away. I’m grinding my teeth so hard I’m getting a headache.

I hate you, internets. Haaaaaaaaaate you.