I have been baking this summer. I have made several cobblers and a few dozen cookies, but they have been tailored for the taste buds of my parents. The kids have been fine with that, but nothing has made them want to be in the kitchen with me. I needed something to make the "ohs" turn into "Ahhhs". After much deliberation(two minutes at least), the answer came to me, cupcakes.
Cupcakes and childhood go hand in hand. Just saying the name conjures images of school parties, holidays, and my mom not being able to find her muffin tin. I wanted to bring that magic back home, but I wanted to avoid the synthetic, conveyor belt taste of our local bakeries. I live in rural America, and we sadly lack the gourmet cupcake shops that seem to be springing up everywhere but here. I am not adding extra laps of walking for cardboard covered with sugar.
I turned to the Internet for recipes, and in doing so found Martha Stewart. Not a huge fan of her, but this woman knows her cupcakes.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/peanut-butter-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-frosting-and-jelly
The kids and I made Martha's Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes, and they are amazing. The cake is absolutely delicious and will melt in your mouth; however, in following the recipe, I found the icing had a bitter aftertaste, as mentioned in the reviews. I added more vanilla and sugar, and that took care of that.
This really turned this mundane, cool rainy summer day into an adventure. Both kids were up to their elbows in batter and icing, and they did a great job. They may not look like Martha's, but in my opinion, they are better. They taste as good as they look.
Now you must excuse me. We have earned those extra laps.
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