Summer Activities: A Lakeside Coolor of Dr. Pepper Cupcakes

This week at Hoosier Homemade Summer Cupcake Challenge (week 2 of 4)-the theme is summer activities.  My summer has been spent at the lake, at the lake, and I've gone to the lake a few times.  No particular lake....every lake from East Texas to Michigan, and back again.  I blogged all about it in June, I was too busy floating at the lake to continue ALL the lake adventures on the blog in July.   No matter what other assortment of things I bring with me to the lake....I always have two things:  a camera, and a cooler of soda.  Always.  There is always Dr. Pepper in the cooler, with a large side of Diet Coke.  I'm certain Dr Pepper runs through my blood....it's been pumped through my blood stream since pre-birth.  My Mom....and the family she springs from are addicted to the 'stuff.'  It's Texas.  It's family.  It's sweet goodness.  I used to drink it until I went on a diet....when I was about 11....and 20 years later I'm mainly drinking Diet Coke.  Maybe I'll drink Dr Pepper again if I ever get off this diet.  As long as there are cupcakes in my life, this probably won't be happening anytime soon.  So, I'll sneak it in via Dr Pepper Cupcakes.  I'm almost positive cupcakes are healthier than a canned Dr Pepper....I mean, cupcakes have parts of the food group in it, right...with eggs, oil, flour, and a product of the cocoa bean, I've almost got all the colors covered, right?   As for the recipe idea, I've seen Root Beer Float cupcakes in all shapes and sizes all over the net, and they made me curious, but then I saw this recipe for a Dr. Pepper Cake at SheWearsManyHats....and thought....is there any reason this can't be a cupcake?  I used the cake recipe she gives, but tried out one of my favorite chocolate icings (from a cake baker I know) b/c the one she listed seems like a 'flatter' icing, and I need a little 'poof.'  I'll list the recipes at the end of this post, with some things I learned.  But first....some of the other stuff:  I also decided to make my own cupcake holders.  I'm going to pretend I'm clever, please don't tell me if you've ever seen anyone do this before b/c then I won't feel clever anymore.  I spend most of my days with 12-year-olds....they constantly remind me I'm not clever.  The internet is my escape! 
This is my cupcake holder process. 
Drink Dr Peppers, wash, and save the cans...it's for a good cause. 
Squish in the middle.  Squish-one of my favorite words. 
Cut with scissors...maybe not the same ones you use to cut fabric....

Reshape can....it's the perfect size to drop your cupcakes in when they are baked. 

One thing to mention about the batter, it's really airy when baked....maybe it's the bubbles from the caffeine?  I'm not sure of the scientific process that takes place in the baking process. Expect mini-craters, and don't let them disturb you, it'll be OK. 

These are the supplies I used for decorating so it would be 'bubblie' and caffeinated-looking-ish. 

I cut some straws in half, made some chocolate buttercream icing (recipe below) and bought two sizes of whoppers (bubbles).  I found these mini whoppers at CVS...they were almost the same size as the 'regular whopper.'  I also planned to use brown Sixlets, but then I realized I'd need to eat all the other colors in the package that weren't brown (it's in the fine print on the back of the package, trust me), and I decided this was not a good idea. 

A few of the cupcakes I completely covered with Whoppers (as seen in the first pic), but then I got A)Lazy B) Smart enough to realize there weren't enough to cover 24 like this,  C)  Bored, or D) Lazy and I did this with the rest of them. 

I also did this with a few of them, using a Cola Shaped Gummy I bought at the store. 

I'm pretty sure that just changed someone's life....or not.  I just wanted to assure you....I'm not a one trick pony.  Gummy tricks, I'm the life of most parties with this sort of arsenal.   And now....the recipe:

Dr Pepper Cupcakes

Ingredients:  1 1/2 c. Dr Pepper Soda (one can), 1/2 c. vegetable oil, 1 stick of salted butter, 4 T cocoa powder (she suggest dark cocoa), 2 c. sugar, 2 c. flour, 1 t. baking soda, 2 eggs, 1/2 c. buttermilk

Instructions:

1.  In a pan, combine Dr Pepper, oil, butter, cocoa.  Stir over medium heat.  When it starts to simmer, turn off the stove.  Make sure it is well mixed. 

2.  Add all the dry ingredients, but don't over mix (I took this a LITTLE too seriously and had a few flour flakes left, so....find a middle ground). 

3.  In a separate bowl, beat the buttermilk and eggs, and then add it to the rest of the mix, and blend together. 

4.  Place these in cupcake liners.  *You need to fill the liners almost completely full b/c this does not rise very much!!  I only left about 1/3-1/4 inch of the liner left.  I think chocolate cake is one of the most temperamental, and it doesn't love to rise much, and will happily fall if there is too much noise, or you look at it funny.  It did rise some, but not an excessive amount...so....fill 'em up. 

5.  Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes.  Start checking at 13, you don't want to overcook them.  (Add about five minutes if you are making a cake). 

Buttercream Icing Recipe

Ingredients:  1 lb powdered sugar, 1 1/2 T milk, 1/2 T water, 1 1/2 t vanilla, 1 c. chocolate chips, 1/4 c. cocoa powder, 1/2 stick butter

Instructions: 

1.  Combine sugar, milk, water, and vanilla. 

2.  In a pan, melt and stir together the chocolate, cocoa, and butter. 

3.  Add melted chocolate mix to the sugar mix.  Beat together until smooth and fluffy.  You may need to add more butter, or milk if your mix looks too crumbly. 

Ice....and enjoy....or send them as far away from your house as possible before you enjoy too many.  It's up to you. 

Linking To:

Hoosier Homemade