This Might Be Personal, But Are You a Partier?

It's no secret that I like to drink. But I've also toned it down. A LOT. Instead of drinking only on days that end in Y, I now drink only on days that contain an S....

Seriously though, all kidding aside, this aging thing sucks; I can no longer battle a hangover in less hours than it took to acquire, and realizing that my pant size was growing and my wallet was shrinking, made me think I might be doing it wrong - just a little bit.

However, along this same train of thought, it's also no secret that I like to bake. I enjoy mixing my booze with my baked goods, it's the perfect adult accompaniment to almost anything. Really it is.

Since I've started this position, Dude has slowly tried to get to know me... which is totes understandable. Although, I should probably come with  package labeling that reads something along the lines of  "Not warm and cuddly; Wears her face on her face; Slightly judgmental." And knowing that I'm like this, I make a conscious effort to not come across as a First Class B.... immediately.

ANYWAY, I was in the mood to bake something; earlier in the day, my friend shared a recipe for Blue Moon Cupcakes. I like Blue Moon. I like cuppycakes. Grand. It was settled, I was making these. Of course, upon baking, I had a plethora of deliciousness in my house. Trying to be nice, and also in attempt to lessen the abundance on the dining room table, I brought some into work to share with Dude.After staring at the plate for a solid 10 minutes, he took one (it wasn't a nice take either. No. It was a snatch. "Thank You" didn't accompany the treat neither). These cupcakes don't have an overwhelming wheat beer taste, but, it is there; I also thought he should know what he was about to eat. I'd hate to be the cause of an allergic reaction, regardless of how much I dislike you. Once I told him, he attempted to crack a joke, and asked if I was trying to get him drunk.

Fast-forward a few hours later, and he stops in my office and randomly asks, "this might be personal, but are you a partier?" Slightly confused about why he would ask, and then reasoned that his question was probably sparked by the beer-y cupcakes, I answered honestly. Not during the week. I was mistaken to think that my short answer would have been enough to suffice him. He continued to try to pry deeper, but I wasn't having it. After an awkward silence, he left. We both knew he was coming back tomorrow loaded up with personal question ammo, and was going to fire away...

The cake recipe I used, was borrowed from Sorakeem. The frosting recipe was borrowed from Cupcake Project. Both recipes are below:

Blue Moon Cupcakes

(yields 24 cupcakes)

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temp

3 Eggs, room temp

1 Cup Blue Moon Beer

1/4 Cup Milk

2 1/2 Cups Flour

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 Cup Sugar (I substituted 1 1/2 tsp + a pinch of stevia)

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Line a cupcake tin. 
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. In a small bowl, combine the milk and beer. 
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, and slowly add the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. 
6. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. 
7. Add your orange zest and vanilla. 
8. Next, reduce the speed of your mixer and add in your dry ingredients, alternating with your wet ingredients. You should start and end with your flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated. 
9. To make sure my cupcakes were uniform in size, I used an ice scream scoop to fill each, however, a 1/4 cup measuring cup works just as well. 
10. Pop in the oven for 18 minutes, they should be a light golden color, and toothpick should com out clean.
11. Place on a wire rack and let cool.

Orange -Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temp (1 Stick)

1 1/2 Cups Confectioners' sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

1 Tbs Milk

1 Tbs Orange Juice

1. Beat the butter until creamy. 
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix until creamy and smooth. 
3. Add in the vanilla bean paste, milk, and orange juice. Beat together for another minute. 
4. If it is too thin, add more sugar until the right consistency is achieved. Frost  your cupcakes.

Eat. Enjoy.