Jetlag Cupcakes

So originally, I'd intended on making some hi hat cupcakes as described here but realized upon arriving at home that I only had 2 eggs left so that put a wrench in my plans. Instead of going to the store (I just got back from Japan, I don't want to leave my house!!), I changed my idea.

I started with some cupcakes. The primary complaint I have with cupcakes is that they tend to dry out relatively easily. So to combat this problem, I find oil-based cake recipes. I also needed one that would only require 2 eggs, where most require 3. Fortunately, I found one. 

 I also thought it'd be cute to put some colored chocolate chips in there. This was a dumb decision that I blame on the fact that these were made at 3am (jetlag, how I hate you!). Because I used an oil based batter instead of butter, it was much thinner...and they all sunk to the bottom. Plus, the cake is so dark brown that you couldn't see the colors. They were cute in the box, though!

All baked and ready to go! Don't they look tasty?

I made some buttercream icing but instead of using milk and vanilla to flavor it, I used orange juice and orange extract. Orange and chocolate goes well together, right? Made it in three different colors, got all of my pieces together (I used tip #352 for the leaves/petals and some random star, prolly ~17 for the center):

I need to work on being a better photographer, I think.

First, start with a few leaves. I'm in no way an expert piper, but cupcakes and the people who usually eat my stuff are very forgiving, so here we go:

 Next up, add the yellow. I somehow managed to have two 352 tips, probably an accidental purchase not realizing I already had one, which made this much quicker to do as I made the frosting a little soft and needed to keep cooling it off in the fridge. So I could rotate.

Aww, look how cute it is! Starting to look like a flower! Sorta. A friend of mine stopped by tonight and he didn't really see the resemblance to flowers but I shushed him.

Then, add a little bit of brown. I should've probably used a clean piping bag instead of putting it in the green one, but I'm lazy.

The beautiful finished product:

A basket full of sunflowers! Of course, I'm well aware that sunflowers are a summer/fall flower, not a spring one...but if you can think of a way to pipe a daffodil onto a cupcake, I'd be all ears! :) Now, my friends, it's time for this jetlagged girl to head to bed.

They're quite delicious, by the way. :-)