That's FIERCE | Beantown Baker

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

That’s FIERCE

When CB announced the “Is your cupcake fierce” blog event, I jumped all over it. I have been slacking in the blogging events this month (although in my defense, my key ingredient for CH still hasn’t come and I didn’t really have ~10 hrs to set aside to bake the DB bread this month).

In honor of the viewers choice designer on Project Runway, Christian, CB challenged us to make a fierce cupcake. I think my little guy is quite fierce. It looks like a normal old chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. BUT, when you bite into it, you find that it’s anything but ordinary. You’ll taste the peanut butter and chocolate combination first, and then the chili powder/paprika taste comes in at the end. Hubby thought the flavors were too intense and could only handle one bite (he’s not a big fan of chocolate – weird, I know). I on the other hand ate 2 in a row. I styled up a couple cupcakes with some chocolate “art” on top.

Be sure to tune in to the season finale of Project Runway on March 5th. It’s guaranteed to be fierce.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes – adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take over The World – makes 12
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil – I used applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
12 mini PB cups

Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside a few minutes to get good and curdled.

Add the sugar, oil, vanilla, and almond extract to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain.

Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Put one PB cup into each cupcake (do not press down – I pressed down and they all sank to the bottom). Bake 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Dairy Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Frosting – from FoodNetwork.com – I made a 1/2 batch and it frosted all 12 cupcakes (full batch listed below)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature – I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature – I used Earth Balance Natural margarine
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Using a handheld electric beater, cream the cream cheese and butter together thoroughly.

Add the chili power and cinnamon, mixing to incorporate.

Add the salt, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar.

Finally, mix in the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly until smooth.

If additional thickening is needed, add more sifted confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until a spreadable consistency is reached.

Fierce Cupcake Assembly
After the cupcakes have cooled, pipe frosting onto them.

Lightly dust with paprika.

Top with chocolate art (optional, directions below).

Chocolate “art”
I just kind of made this up as I went. If anyone has better ideas, let me know. First got my setup ready. I lined a cookie sheet with foil. I then crinkled the foil into waves (if that makes any sense). Then I took another piece of parchment paper and tore into strips (I made them triangle shapes strips). I laid the strips on the cookie sheet.

Then I melted some chocolate. I spooned a big dollup of chocolate onto the fat part of the strip. Using a spatula, I brushed the chocolate over the triangle. Once the traingles were all covered, I popped the tray into the fridge to let the chocolate set. The “waves” in the foil caused the strips of chocolate to have some movement to them. Once the chocolate was set, the chocolate peeled right off the parchment strips. And VOILA chocolate art to top your cupcakes with!

Cupcakes, Dessert

9 comments »

33 Responses to “Crockpot Pulled Pork”

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1

Taylor — March 24, 2009 at 3:03 pm

I don’t really like pork, but you make it looks so good! 🙂

Happy 250th post. <3

[http://dlishfoods.wordpress.com]
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2

Jen — March 24, 2009 at 3:09 pm

Thanks Taylor! This really is an amazing pulled pork recipe if you are ever in the mood for pork.
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Mermaid Sweets — March 24, 2009 at 3:56 pm

I really need a crock pot – this looks great and I am bookmarking it for when I do get one, my husband loves pulled pork sandwiches.
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Ashley — March 25, 2009 at 12:15 am

This looks awesome! I love making pulled pork in the crockpot 🙂
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Stephanie — March 25, 2009 at 2:27 am

This looks great! I have been in search of a good pulled pork recipe.

Happy 250th post!
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Kerstin — March 25, 2009 at 3:15 am

I love all the spices you used on the pork – it looks so tender and yummy! Congrats on 250 posts!
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Ashley — June 12, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Hey Jen, this is Ashley (formerly) from Performance in Evendale! I found your blog through some others and I love it …. we tried this recipe last night and it. was. amazing. Thank you! Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous, can’t wait to see the final pictures.
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Katrina — June 14, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Hi! I made your recipe last night for my extended family. They RAVED about it! I posted a link back to this post. Thanks again!
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Jen — July 1, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Hey Ashley! I always get a kick out of when people I know in real life find my blog. We LOVE this recipe.
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michelle — October 5, 2009 at 3:09 pm

Well, 6 months later, I come upon your recipe through Google and it is amazing!! I served this up to some dinner guests and we all loved it!! It IS the best pulled pork recipe and I thank you for leaving it here for me to find!
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nupike — February 1, 2010 at 7:13 pm

We tried this recipe over the weekend (with a couple of minor tweaks) and it came out great!

Thanks for posting.
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alamodestuff — February 6, 2010 at 6:07 pm

This is our new favorite pulled pork recipe! Thanks for posting it!
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Joshua and Stacie — March 6, 2010 at 1:23 am

About how many did this serve?
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Jen — March 7, 2010 at 4:29 am

Joshua and Stacie – the recipe says it serves 6, but I’d say it serves more like 8.
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Nichole — August 10, 2010 at 6:42 pm

thanks for the recipe. I’ve been searching for a good one.
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Anonymous — October 18, 2012 at 2:19 am

This was a great recipe! It was my first pork roast, and it was so easy. My 7 lb roast was fork tender in 8 hours.
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MK — June 1, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Started this the other day and had it in the crockpot all day today. So delicious. Very satisfied husband. Thanks for posting this!
- beantownbaker — June 10th, 2013 @ 12:33 pm
  
  So glad your husband enjoyed this. This recipe is in our regular rotation.
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nonniz — July 4, 2013 at 10:52 am
Love this recipe. Have used it many times and it always gets rave reviews. Making it again this weekend.
- beantownbaker — July 4th, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
  
  Glad you enjoy it! We love it too and make it on a regular weekend. Especially since it freezes so well!
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Lauretta Dane — August 22, 2013 at 10:12 am
What Barbeque sauce did you prefer. There are so many different flavors out there these days?
- beantownbaker — August 22nd, 2013 @ 11:16 am
  
  I actually make my own BBQ sauce, but any flavor that you prefer works in this recipe.
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Stephanie Walsh — October 10, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Only complaint from people when I made this was…”Why didn’t you make more??!?!” Love Love Love this recipe!
Thanks for publishing!
- beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:25 am
  
  I get that a lot too! So glad you enjoyed it!!
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Val — October 21, 2013 at 6:36 pm
This recipe is awesome!!! I have only made pulled pork a few times but was never a huge fan as I found them to be too BBQ sauce flavored! I saw this recipe on pinterest and decided to try it tonight for dinner! OMG it is FANTBULOUS!!!!!! I love the rb idea and honestly I could have done without the BBQ sauce as the drippings and sauce in the pot was amazing with the pork on its own! I did add the bq sauce however and was still quite impressed! This recipe had changed my whole opinion of pulled pork! Kudos on a great spice rub blend!!!
- beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:28 am
  
  So glad I was able to convert you to a pulled pork fan! I actually have a batch of this cooking in the crockpot as I type. It’s going to cook overnight for my sister and her husband since they’re new parents and it freezes so well.
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Brooke — October 22, 2013 at 12:21 am
This is the easiest and I’m sure tastiest recipe I’ve ever found. I just rubbed all the spices on the pork and it’s marinating in the fridge right now…. I will cook it tomorrow morning I’m very excited about serving this to my family. I’ll come back and post how it was!
- beantownbaker — October 23rd, 2013 @ 12:29 am
  
  I’ve got a batch cooking in the crockpot right now! I hope you and your family enjoy it.
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Brigette — December 12, 2013 at 10:37 pm
I tried this tonight and OMG it was delicious! That rub really makes it. I couldn’t let it sit in the fridge for days but it was still amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
- beantownbaker — December 17th, 2013 @ 10:55 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it! We really love this recipe and make it all the time.
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Mary — July 3, 2015 at 12:56 pm

Hi. I am making this as we speak for tomorrow. My only concern the spices seem a little over powering. When I opened the crockpot to check on it it seemed very spicey. Is that what you experience?
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Robin — January 17, 2016 at 11:41 am

This is one of the best crockpot pork recipes ever! I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce or make my own secret barbecue sauce. Either way it is the best. We also use the rub when my husband cooks a shoulder on the grill. Great find – thanks!
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Jen Brothers — February 15, 2016 at 7:48 am

Sounds delish! What brand and flavor bbq sauce did you use, exactly?