When I was a senior in college, I had a quarter-life crisis and bought a bunny. Literally woke up one day and said, “I can NOT live ONE MORE DAY without a pet”, hopped on the always-reliable Craig’s list, and within a few hours found myself at a totally-standard-and-definitely-not-sketchy upstate NY backyard farm. Llamas and all.
I ended up purchasing a prize-winning “show rabbit” from a 13-year-old 4H all-star. He had perfect black and white markings and I named him Professor Blueberry.
This is my real life.
Never mind the fact that I a.) didn’t yet have a job, b.) was graduating in a month, and c.) had no idea how to care for a bunny. Mere details.
As much as Professor Bluebs was totes the cutest bunny on the block, there’s a couple things I learned during my stint as a pet-owner:
1. Bunnies are cute in theory.
2. Until they poop EV-A-REE-WHERE.
3. Bunnies who still have their…ahem..man bunny parts are not as cute in theory.
a. They can be mean and will try to kick your boyfriend (sorry Mike). True story.
4. You can’t walk a bunny on a leash.
So, after a month of hiding the Blueb from my landlady and cleaning up 2352397523 poop pellets, I said goodbye to Mr. Blueberry. Luckily my 4H prize-winning bunny-owner friend was able to take him back. Word on the street is he lived a long and healthy life as a prize-winning bunny-maker (if ya catch my drift).
True or false: I received pictures in the mail of Bluebz prize-winning offspring?
My most recent cupcake creation is an ode to the Professor. Fluffy and tiny and blueberry buttercream topped, these cupcakes are almost as cute as my ex-bunny-baby. RIP rabbit friend.*
Dark Chocolate Blueberry Cupcakes (cupcake recipe from The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes)
yield: 48 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and allow to incorporate for 30 seconds.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated; turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 20 seconds.
- Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full; if you only have one 24-cup mini-muffin tin (like me), you’ll have to bake in two batches. Bake for 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Top with blueberry buttercream (recipe below).
- 1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 4-6 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In a food processor, grind the thawed blueberries into a puree for about a minute, or until you can only see tiny pieces of blueberry skin. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and shortening on high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the blueberry puree and beat on high until fully incorporated. Add 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and mix on low until it starts to come together, then beat on high for 1 minute.
- Depending on the consistency you want, add up to 2 cups more of confectioner’s sugar. I wanted the buttercream to be somewhat soft, so I only added one additional cup of sugar. Beat on high for 1 minute, then frost your cupcakes!
*Did I take it too far in this post? True life: I’m a w-e-i-r-d-o.
“This cupcake is the fluffiest thing I’ve ever eaten. It’s flufflier than a cotton ball. It’s fluffier than a cloud. I want to eat 15 million.” Direct quote.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Except that I did.
#cottonballcloudcupcakes = #life
Really we only had him for a month?! It felt like so much longer. Sorry I lost him under the car that one time.
See you this weekend!!!!!! Xoxxo
oookkaayyy, 1.5 months. Sorry not sorry?
OK so I read this blog every day. I’ve read all of your posts at least five times … yeah, I’m totally proud of the fact that I read about cupcakes instead of studying for history tests like I should.
I just have to tell you about something that I found this saturday at a candy shop. They had all sorts of awesome toffies in there, even … wait for it … MAPLE BACON TOFFY! I bought one, but it mysteriously disappeared before I could eat it. Don’t know what happened.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for your sweet comment, Alice!! I totally blog about cupcakes instead of studying/writing papers like I should, so we’re on the same page there.
And OMG, that toffy???! By “mysteriously disappeared”, do you mean “into my belly”?? If not, please get more asap so you can tell me about it. YUM!!!
Buying a bunny seems like a perfectly sound decision to me. Sometimes you just need a little pet love, logic be damned. And those cupcakes look sooo delicious. A worthy tribute to the Professor, I’m sure.
I WANT ONE. But seriously, they look tASty tasty.
And this post just all around cracked me up.
Lauren bought a bunny the year before she lived with me and Meg. CrAAzay. And you’re right about the poops. EVERYWHERE.
Yick.
HAHAHAAH BLUEBs! Rhymes with….ugh..no, won’t go there.
Anyway!
Have you ever watched Happy Endings?? Seriously the funniest show ever, and we’ve started talking like them, and you Lady would love the show b/c you’re funny like that.
I think I’m going through my quarter life crisis now, since I really really wanna have a dog cause I don’t know what to do with my life
Maybe I should just go and bake all your cupcake recipes, may be a better idea haha!
Great recipe with awsome photos… Thanks for sharing wit us.
These look so good, thank you!
Tab
my-cliffnotes.blogspot.com
I absolutely adore these little delicious ones! If you agree ! I would like to showcase this recipe on my cupcake recipes & ideas blog .
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