Showgirl Cupcakes with Buttery Pink & Cocoa Frosting

Showgirl Cupcakes with Buttery Pink & Cocoa Frosting

On the actual day of my brother’s birthday (yes, his name is Jeremy), I thought I’d make some cupcakes and I chose Showgirl Cupcakes, which was written about by none other than David Lebovitz. Have I mentioned that I love this man? Well, I do! Anyway, I’ve had this crazy craving for good ol’ vanilla cupcakes, and having made these babies before, I thought that they would do just fine. Okay, I lied, they would be super fine indeed.

Showgirl Cupcakes in the Making

I didn’t make any variations to the cupcakes so you can follow the link, except for the frosting as mascarpone is not certainly not something that I have lying around. Quite frankly, it’s too costly at about $5 per 250 gram tub, so I chose to substitute this with a simple buttery frosting, which I divided into two portions so I have a bright pink version, as well as another with a smattering of cocoa powder which produced this light chocolate tinge and flavour. Mom and I then frosted these cupcakes using these makeshift piping bags made of baking paper, and topped them with silver cachous.

Frosting the cupcakes - yummy!

Yes, it was my brother’s 21st, but there really isn’t a way to man up these cupcakes and still have them look pretty, is there? And if cupcakes aren’t pretty, then I don’t know what are.

Buttery Pink & Cocoa Frosting

Frosts 12 cupcakes (and your fingers, of course)

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 drops red food colouring

Using a mixer or food processor, beat the butter, vanilla essence and sugar until creamy. 
Pour in the milk and continue mixing, one tablespoon at a time. Depending on your preference, add more milk in gradually to make the frosting runnier (say, 1/2 tbsp at a time).
Divide the portion into two.
Add in the red food colouring to one portion and mix thoroughly. Repeat for the other portion with cocoa powder.
Frost the cupcakes with a piping bag or butter knife.
Lick the mixing bowl. No, really, you should.