Cupcakes!

Hello everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!!  Mine was busy, but a lot of what kept me busy today was crafting so I can't complain!  Only one more week til Christmas - are you ready yet?!?

My sweetie's father hosts a Christmas caroling party every year, which we attended yesterday.  Family and friends get together, then we drive to a couple of nursing homes in the area and a couple of homes of older friends of the family to sing Christmas carols.  I am in no way a singer, but I enjoy this event every year.  It's nice to see the joy on the faces of the people in the homes and they are always very thankful that we came to visit.

After we make our caroling stops, we all head back to my sweetie's father's house to eat and spend time together.  This year I decided to make chocolate cupcakes with peppermint icing and I sprinkled crushed up candy canes on top.  I found the recipe for these by searching on the internet and of course now don't remember where I found them.  I apologize for not being able to give anyone the credit they are due - and they deserve it because the cupcakes were a hit!  Here's the recipe for anyone who's interested.  Thanks for coming by!

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer for about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Add the boiling water and beat, just until blended.  Don't be alarmed - the batter appears watery.  Pour the batter into lined cupcake pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, until the center of the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.

Peppermint Icing
1 cup (2 sticks) butter of margarine, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp to 2 tbsp milk

Beat the butter until pale and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the peppermint extract and mix well.  Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, making sure the icing is smooth before adding the next cup.  After all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, beat in the milk one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached (I used about 3 tsp).