Cupcakes for Cupid

While some may scoff at this frivolous “greeting card holiday,” we think Feb. 14 offers the perfect opportunity to dig into an extra helping of dessert. Oh, and to let your loved ones know how much you care. You don’t have to break the bank– or score a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant–to wrap your honeys in warm fuzzies. Just a few thoughtful gestures, and you’ll be rewarded with plenty of sugar.

• Start the day on a sweet note: From the time the Rittenhouse kids were mere tots, right up ‘til college called them away, we kicked off Valentine’s Day by gathering around the family breakfast table. At each child’s place (and Dad’s as well!), “Cupid” had left a king-size chocolate bar tucked inside a frilly, homemade card, which was specially designed for the recipient. While the candy bars were saved until after school, the children were distracted with “Eggs in a Hat” (aka Popeyes): our official special occasion breakfast, partly because it’s just so easy to make! (Instructions below)
• Spread the love at lunch: Tuck a few sentimental Post-It notes in lunch boxes, briefcases and bags, or include a small box of Conversation Hearts that have been picked over to include your own special sweet nothings. Homemade Linzer Tarts brimming with raspberry jam are always a hit– and they’re a cinch to make, just be sure to include extra napkins for sticky fingers. Click here for the recipe.
• Sweets from your sweeties: While dinner is reserved for romance, give your children a chance to celebrate Mom and Dad with festive homemade cupcakes. The following recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare, and it’s even speedier if you pre-measure and prep the ingredients first (like a TV cooking show). This way, everything will be ready to go when the kids barrel through the door on a Feb. 14- fueled sugar high.

Wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day from Feast on the Cheap!

 

RECIPE for Devil’s Food Cupcakes
Makes 18 cupcakes or two 8-inch layers for layer cake

Ingredients for the cupcakes:
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups minus 2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cocoa powder mixed with 3-4 Tablespoons hot coffee, to create a paste
1-cup buttermilk

Ingredients for the icing:
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Tablespoons of milk

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. (If you're using tins that have room for 24 cuppies, fill the empty cupcake holders ¾ of the way with water. This prevents uneven baking.) If preparing a layer cake, butter and lightly flour two 8-inch cake pans.

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Slowly add the sugar, beating well until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the eggs.

4. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the cocoa/coffee mixture and the buttermilk. Be careful not to over beat the batter, using the lowest setting on your mixture, or whisk by hand.

6. Divide equally between the lined cupcake pans or two 8-inch prepared cake pans.

7. Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For layer cake, bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

9. Prepare the icing: Cream the butter, using a mixer. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. Very slowly, add the milk until desired consistency for spreading. If you add too much milk and the icing is thin, simply toss in a bit more confectioner’s sugar.

10. Spoon the icing onto the cupcakes or cake, and spread evenly. Top with colored candy sprinkles, candy hearts, or fresh berries.

RECIPE for Eggs in a Hat

Ingredients:
1 egg and 1 slice of buttered bread per serving

Directions: 
1. Melt a pat of butter in a frying pan. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out the center of the buttered bread. The cutout is the “hat”.
 
2. Toast one side of the bread and the heart shaped cutout in the buttered skillet until golden.

3. Flip the bread and heart-hat over, and crack an egg over the “open” heart in the middle of the toasting bread. When the egg is cooked through, transfer to a plate and top with the cutout heart “hat”.

*Note: If you like your eggs over-easy, flip the toast and eggs over for a brief fry on the yolk side.

Click here for more Valentine’s Day menu suggestions.

Mary Anne Rittenhouse and Mariel Rittenhouse Goodson co-host Feast on the Cheap, a food blog dedicated to elucidating the fine art of whipping up fabulous fare on a humble budget. The mother-daughter cooking duo stars a professional caterer with more than 25 years experience and a freelance writer who moonlights as a foodie.