paging dr pepper!

my boyfriend loves his sweets. there is one thing in particular that he is very well known for loving (other than me)- and that is dr pepper soda. i knew i wanted to make him something with dr pepper- and a dr pepper cake seemed like a great option. i have had chocolate coca-cola cake before, and boy, did i love it. for these cupcakes i used a coca-cola chocolate cake recipe and added dr pepper instead. the batter seemed a bit runny when i first filled the cups, but the end product was rich and moist. i am happy i decided to make a simple vanilla frosting to go with it, because the flavor of the cake itself shouldn't compete with anything too rich. these cupcakes were a huge hit at sheep station. in fact, they went over so well with the bar staff that i got a few free drinks out of it! most importantly, boyfriend loved them too :)


i call these sweeney-pie's cocoa pepper cola cakes :)

CAKE:

1 1/2 cup dr. pepper soda
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 stick salted butter (good quality)
4 tablespoons cocoa powder (i used some i got as a gift from belgium- any high quality cocoa works)
2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

oven to 350° F

combine the dr. pepper, oil, butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat. when it comes to a simmer, mix well and turn stove off.

mix dry ingredients together - then add to mixture in saucepan and mix well, by hand. don’t over mix.

in a separate small bowl lightly beat the eggs and buttermilk together, and add them to the cocoa cola mixture and mix lightly- not too much.

pour into cupcake cups and bake at 350° for approx. 20-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

cool on rack. put in fridge till cool.



FROSTIN:

2 sticks of unsalted butter - very soft
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cup confectioner sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon of buttermilk


beat butter 3 minutes, slowly add sugar

in saucepan, simmer milk, buttermilk and flour till it forms a warm paste. stir constantly- it will burn otherwise.

add warm mixture to butter/sugar. mix well.

put in fridge for 30 minutes.






FROST CUPCAKES. EAT, ENJOY!