Dine and Dish

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Don’t Mess With Texas

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Texans are proud people. If you want proof, pass over the border in to Texas, stop at the nearest visitors center and you will be greeted with friendly folks eager to pass out their giant “Don’t Mess With Texas” bumper stickers. You will see big Chevy trucks with the “Lone Star State” emblem on their back windshields. You will find little old ladies, proud of their Texas history, handing out brochures about all of the great things to do in Texas. You will pass by football stadiums, from pee wee to college, packed to the gills with faithful Texas football fans week after week (OK…well this part is solely based off of one of my favorite TV Shows, Friday Night Lights, but I’m sure it is true!). Texans are proud and they like to do things in a big way.

A couple of weeks ago, the newest issue of Taste of Home magazine arrived in my mailbox.  The cover title of this months issue is Crazy for Cupcakes. Well…I’m crazy for cupcakes and the photos on the front had me intrigued. I stopped what I was doing, sat down and opened the issue to browse through it right away. One of the things I like about the magazines put out be Reiman Publications (Taste of Home, Simple and Delicious, Light and Tasty) is that the recipes all seem doable. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to be able to put something tasty on your table every night. Their recipes are for people like you and me… busy and tired yet we enjoy cooking and want to be able to make a home cooked meal each night that won’t take an entire day of preparation. I always can find more than enough recipes in their magazines to keep my menu plan full.

cupakes002.jpgYou are probably wondering what the heck these two paragraphs have to do with each other. What do proud Texans and Taste of Home magazine have in common? To be honest with you, I am really not sure except that in this months issue I found a recipe I couldn’t wait to try called “Texas Chocolate Cupcakes”.The recipe promised to deliver two of my favorite flavors…chocolate and caramel. What could be better?

I do not know where the name “Texas Chocolate Cupcakes” came from as the woman who wrote this recipe is from Virginia. My only guess would be that these are cupcakes to be proud of….Texas proud. If you make these cupcakes you’ll be proud in a big way. They are moist chocolate cupcakes with a sweet whipped caramel frosting. The flavor is big…just like Texas. In fact, I can see the state of Texas changing their marketing materials simply because of these wonderful chocolate cupcakes. The Chevy trucks will now have cupcake emblems instead of the Lone Star. The ladies at the visitors center will be passing these out along with the new bumper stickers that say “Don’t Mess With Texas Cupcakes…they are perfect just the way they are.” Get on the bandwagon now and be one of the first to have that Texas Cupcake proud feeling. Here is the recipe so you can try it out for yourself.

Print

Texas Chocolate Cupcakes

This moist chocolate cupcake will fill your mouth with tons of flavor and make you feel as if you are in Texas!
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate, cupecake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cooling time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup butter cubed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • CARAMEL ICING:
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter cubed
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 to 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients; mix well. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin). Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  • For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small mixing bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cupcakes.

Notes

Yield: 2 dozen.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. My Kitchen in Half Cups says

    That is just really great writting! From a loose to a very tight connection. These must be really great cupcakes!!
    When we first moved to Texas I couldn’t understand all the football facination but it for real in Texas…big time.

  2. Deborah says

    I saw these pictures on flickr and couldn’t wait to hear about them here!! A recipe I will be saving to try out! I love cupcakes because you can make them, keep a few for at home, and deliver the rest to neighbors and co-workers. I love chocolate and caramel, so this is a recipe made in heaven!

    (Oh yeah, and I love Texans. Every time I have visited Texas, I have met the nicest, friendliest people!)

  5. gigi says

    Love it! My brother lives in Texas and is married to "Texan" & his three kids were born in Texas. One year while visiting, we decided to go to Mexico for the day. On the way back customs asked "…are you American?" My nephews replied no. The customs agent said "…what are you?" My nephews said "…we’re TEXAN!" To which the customs agent responded "…well being Texan is better than American, y’all have a great day!" We still chuckle over that story! Texas pride is one of a kind!

  7. Mimi says

    I love cupcakes and I am so happy they are back in style. They are a good way to eat cake in small doses, if you can stop at one.

  8. shawnda says

    ::holding my head up high::

    You’re the first site I visited this morning and I know now that despite the large amount of food I have to cook in 4 short hours that it’s gonna be a good day.

    Why? Because I *love* chocolate AND I’m the proud owner of a black Chevy Silverado – with a Texas flag decal on the Window that says "Don’t Mess With Texas" 🙂

    Nothin’ like a little comment on two of my favorite things to get the day going – thanks for the push out of the starting gate!

  9. Anuhea says

    Hehehehe, funny post, and I know how Texans are, i’m engaged to one. Whenever he gets around other Texans he won’t shuttup about how everything is better there….maybe I shouldn’t show him this recipe….he’ll just have something else to brag about!

  10. pat/mom says

    Well, I can vouch for the fact that Texans are proud, friendly, and totally helpful. As a "Winter Texan" who is planning to see what it is like being a "Summer Texan" I want to add my hoo-rah’s to those who love Texas! The only problem with Texas is that it is so far from one end to the other and back to the United States. The cupcakes look scrumptious!!!

  11. cookie jill says

    As a Californian, I’m skeptical of "Texas" anything…BUT…I "dig" the Texas SIZE muffins and cupcakes! 😉

    (Gentle razzing of course….except for the Texas sized muffins and cupcakes…I’m dead serious about that!)

  12. Susan from Food Blogga says

    I like your theory of the origin of the name. No matter what it is though, they look delightful!

  13. Lisa says

    Oh man those look terrific! I’m having such a chocolate craving right now too.. *sob*

    Happy Easter!
    xoxo

  14. cakegrrl says

    I surfed on over here from your comment on my blog. I absolutely LOVE your blog and I am going to link you up to mine! 🙂
    -cg

  15. Alison says

    Kristen – you’ve caused me to have a revelation….I think my subscription to Taste of Home has expired because I didn’t get this issue!! I’m bad about throwing away those "renew now" letters they start sending 6 months before it actually expires! Oh well I guess I’ll have to pick this one up at the store!

  18. Cheryl says

    These look really really good. That would make me proud to be a Texan too.

    Plus I love anyone who loves a Chevy.

  20. Glamour Mom says

    I have family in Texas, so I totally understand the whole bumpter sticker thing. Everytime I visit, I am bombarded with those stickers.Uh, I can’t really use them for I’m an Oregonian.

    You should have seen the "big hair" days back in the 80’s…yes, everything is bigger in Texas 🙂

    Thank you for sharing this recipe…I will have to share it with my family back in Texas 🙂

  26. Cherrye says

    I loved your post (and I loved, loved, loved your description of my home state.) Thanks for the kind words. Although I am from Texas, I am not too proud to say that I am not sure I can do these cupcakes justice…but I just might try! 🙂

  28. Shar says

    I cannnot wait to try to try these! I find that most recipes with Tx in the name are great. I just found your blog today and am loving it. My husband and I are fellow Texans living in NC b/c of the military. Any taste from home is welcome here. I have the best Tx Chocolate Sheet Cake recipe from my husband’s "Mimi" and will share it with you if you want it, just don’t tell her I gave it to you ;)!!

  29. Amy says

    I tired this recipe over the weekend, and it was to die for. The icing, especially was a major hit.

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