Paddy's Day

 

     “You can make green cupcakes for Paddy’s Day” my husband said. He rarely chimes in with his own creative ideas but didn’t hold back that day. Cannot be ignored when an Irish (and half French) spouse makes special requests to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!  This would also give me an opportunity to start a Paddy’s Day family tradition that little Saira could grow up with. Happy (and very doable) thoughts!!! That was three weeks ago …

     Three weeks is the same as three months to me.  Paddy’s Day had arrived with no green cupcakes in sight! Motherhood has its effects.  There are times I don’t remember my own cell number or why I opened the fridge or even if I ate lunch that day. The most frustrating experience of entering a room and not remembering why I am there is a near-daily occurrence.  No matter what, all such inconveniences are forgotten once again at the sight of that sweet little face that lights up our life.  Fortunately, I am not alone.

     I finally remembered around 6 pm, when I was about to feed Saira supper.  Paddy’s Day isn’t over yet, I thought … still time for green cupcakes!  I had about an hour before Saira’s bedtime, so I quickly decided to do something less ambitious but equally good. Cupcakes made out of a box with chocolate, salted pistachios, and green food colouring, that would be nice!  Nothing big, just simple and sweet and - most importantly - a promise keeper.

     Duncan Hynes came to my rescue. Now, it is honestly not that much of a cake if you make it straight out of a box. I tweaked the recipe a bit, adding this and that to make it taste less generic or factory produced.  And there it soon was:  an effortless little cupcake that was deliciously moist and oh so easy!  “Green felt” rather than “red velvet” in a nod to St. Patrick.

GREEN FELTS

Ingredients:

Duncan Hynes or Betty Crocker White Cake mix: 1 box

Substitutions: ½ cup melted butter instead of oil, and homogenized milk instead of water

Green food colour:  2 Tbsp

Dark Chocolate Chips: ½ cup

Unsalted Butter: ¼ cup

Heavy Cream: 2 Tbsp

Salted Pistachios: 34 count, very slightly crushed

Directions:

Make cake as per directions on box, making substitutions as suggested above. Mix  green food colouring to milk before adding to make cake batter. Follow directions on box.

To make the dark chocolate drizzle, heat chocolate and butter on a double boiler, stirring continuously until half of the chocolate is melted. Take off boiler and stir in cream and whisk until smooth and glossy. Cool slightly before piping.

When the cupcakes are cooled drizzle dark chocolate frosting and sprinkle with salted pistachios.

Enjoy!