This past Saturday, local food bloggers and the top culinary talents in Los Angeles descended upon Coolhaus in Pasadena for the ultimate bake sale: Eat My Blog.
While we were setting up the display with a seemingly endless bounty of sweet and savory treats, a line was already forming outside on East Colorado Boulevard.
The line continued to stretch down the block for the duration of the bake sale, with most of the stock running out within two hours.
I’m not at all squeamish when it comes to consuming unloved odds and ends, but it took some hardcore mental preparation to indulge in Chengdu’s beloved ma la rabbit head.
I chickened out at every opportunity to try this local delicacy up until the last possible moment, while waiting for our departing flight at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. Last call…
The Astronomer and I arrived at the airport with time to spare before catching our early flight to Hangzhou. After exploring the airport’s various breakfast options, we settled on Cheng Du Ming Xiao Chi, a spot specializing in “Cheng Du Famous Snacks.”
I ordered a bowl of dan dan mian, of course. It was a solid rendition, but unavoidably bittersweet.
While slurping my last serving of dan dan mian on Sichuan soil, I perused a picture menu set on the table and saw that rabbit heads were offered here.
After much self-coaxing and reassurances by The Astronomer that he would “help” me eat the thing, I walked up to the cash register to place a second order.
I’ve been cooking and baking up a (quiet) storm these past couple of months, but haven’t shared too many recipes due to the sheer volume of restaurant and travel coverage that needs to be written before the Year in Delicious. It still hasn’t quite sunk in yet that 2014 is literally around the corner.
Since the founding spirit of Eat My Blog was to bring to life the stuff of food porn dreams, it feels appropriate to take a break from my usual material and introduce an exquisite dessert instead.
This recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, which I adapted from The Food Librarian who adapted it from Kitchen Runway who adapted it from Paula Deen, was originally meant to be a sheet cake. Sheet cakes are terrific for feeding a crowd, but Eat My Blog demands a more portable, adorable, and affordable sweet!
Even though Paula Deen sucks, this recipe totally and completely rules. In fact, I’ve made it twice in the past two months and plan on doing so a few more times before pumpkin season comes to a close and peppermint reigns supreme.
The cake’s texture is awesomely moist, with a nice and springy crumb. The frosting is rich yet tangy, thanks to a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I’ve baked a lot of cakes over the years and have never been as pleased with the results as I was with this recipe. It’s the best thing I’ve ever baked.
Say you’ll eat my blog?
For cupcakes
For frosting:
Make cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder & soda, spices, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture into the pumpkin. Stir to combine until completely blended.