Sleep. Eat. Work. Run. Eat. Sleep.
Eat. Work. Run. Eat. Sleep.
Work. Eat. Yoga. Eat. Run. Sleep.
That was the jist of my life over the past week. Half-marathon training started with a bang and I’m pushing myself to establish a steady running schedule. It feels so good to be running again. Runner’s high, indeed!
The only problem is the weather. The last few days have brought temperatures as low as minus 44 degrees (celsius!) with the wind chill. Hello Winter!
I’m committed to this training. I really am. But a girl’s gotta draw the line somewhere, and for me the line gets drawn at about minus 25 degrees. Following a 7.5km run last weekend in minus 30 degree temperatures, I had a chill that I couldn’t shake for several days. Days. Thank goodness for a couple of local indoor tracks – I was able to keep up with the training schedule and get in a couple of indoor runs this week. Running indoors is a bit mundane, but it’s reassuring to know that I’ll still have all of my fingers and toes by the end of the run! I appreciate my extremities. 🙂
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), all this running has kicked my metabolism into overdrive. I am hungry all. the. time. And whether it’s wrong or right, I feel that eating cupcakes (I’m thinking right) and drinking red wine (yep, definitely right) is totally 100% justified by all of this exercise. It’s probably wrong…but if eating rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a swirl of salted caramel buttercream and then drizzled with more salted caramel is wrong, I don’t give a rough one about being right. Ever.
Plus, becoming a better cupcake decorator was one of my new year’s goals, and to become better at something, one must practice, practice, practice. I’m quite certain that taste-testing is mandatory.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
24 chocolate cupcakes – I used this, my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. It’s vegan too!
Salted Caramel Buttercream (from Good Thymes and Good Food)
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
3 TBSP. salted caramel sauce + more for drizzling (I used store-bought, but you could make your own!)
2 TBSP. heavy cream
In a standing mixer, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add in the icing sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is combined, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until the mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla, caramel sauce, and heavy cream. Beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Frost the cupcakes however you wish (I used a pastry bag with a star attachment), and then drizzle with more salted caramel sauce. Filling a small Ziploc bag with the caramel and cutting a teeny, tiny hole in one of the corners worked beautifully for me. Devour!
I’m starving. What’s for lunch?
Please tell me it’s cupcakes.
Love the new recipe and love the photos. You have a good eye for food photography – I wanted to eat the photographs.
Thanks Gabe! 🙂
Aloha! I love your blog but was just wondering if you were aware that instead of your blog name in the From in my mailbox, it just says WordPress? Have a great week! Mynda
Thanks Mynda! PS. I have no idea how to change that!
It looks like you are already a pretty good cupcake decorator!! That flavour combo sounds amazing – I’ve never been much of a cupcake maker but this looks totally like the sort of recipe I would like to start with. I’ve just spent the day baking muffins – 4 different recipe trials so fingers crossed my metabolism is in overdrive 🙂
Aww, thanks Em! Truth be told, this is a pretty straightforward cupcake! Definitely a good beginner recipe! I look forward to reading about your muffin trials! 🙂
Those are so pretty. Nice one on all the exercise. I skipped the jog I had planned today because of blogging, but I shall do it after work tomorrow. Good luck on the continued prep!
Thanks buddy! 🙂
These look soooo good. But what I’m really impressed with is the fact that you run outside when it is THAT COLD! I don’t know how you run in weather like that. I complain when I have to run in weather that is colder than say, 50 degrees. I’m pretty sure I wined about the weather at least 10 times this morning and I think it was about 40-45 degrees out. I feel like such a baby in comparison! By the way, I just realized after your last comment on my blog that we have the same first name! 🙂 Happy running!
I’m a bit crazy, I know. 🙂
Happy running to you too!
Love these cupcakes! And yes, taste testing is mandatory! 😉
Thanks Tracy! 🙂
Wow these look delicious! Good luck with your running 🙂
Great story and treats to go along with it.
Mhmmmmm….
they look very yummy C:
I bet, you get a sugar shock after eating those ;D
Mabey you wanna try my Choclate Muffins or rather translate the recipe ^^
It’s not that I can’t, it’s not difficult, but I guess, your english is better than mine.
I’m only interested in your opinion.
Is it simply to follow the pictures?
It would be great of you to take a brief look at it.
http://ieleftheria.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/rezept-schokomuffins/
taste testing cupcakes is never the wrong choice 😉 especially with all that running! these sound delish!
Cindy, I like the way you think. 😉 Thanks!
Oh my goodness, I can’t even imagine running in those temps! Props to you for even going outside… I would not have gotten that far!
So becoming a better cupcake decorator was one of your new year’s resolution? I’d say you’re already pretty good at it! These cupcakes look wonderful.
Well thank you! Investing in a pastry bag and a few tips was a good start! 🙂
I could so go for one of these right now!
: ))
Jen
Come on over girl! 😉
Ok, these looks simply delish. I love the salted carmel on top. My daughter would devour these cupcakes in one sitting.
I think you can strike off becoming a better cupcake decorator off your list- these cupcakes look as perfect (and indulgent) as they come to me!
Good luck with all that running and stay warm!
Aww thanks my dear! 🙂
I love salted carmels! I would never even think of combining it with chocolate for some reason though. These look really really good.
Let me assure you that it is a fantastic combination. 🙂