Butchcakes for Movember!

I have a little Cupcake company  I do for fun called Ani & Lulu's and love coming up with new cupcake ideas so here are my very manly butchcakes perfect for the first Annual Manly Cupcake Challenge! The challenge is to raise awareness of  Movember and other men's charities and encourages men everywhere to grow a moustache for the month of November which should always be encouraged really! They are made completely from scratch with a stout and chocolate sponge, a deliciously rich chocolate buttercream and topped with crushed pretzels for that perfect salty sweet combination. Any man would be proud to eat a butchcake such as this... especially Lumberjacks, fishermen and John McClane-types.

C&C Cakery are running a little competition to raise awareness of men's charities and you should check out their page to enter here

Chocolate, Stout and Pretzel Butchcakes
2 cups sugar
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup guiness or other stout
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract


Frosting
When it comes to frostings i usually just make them to taste so it is hard to write down the recipe but the approx measures for the chocolate buttercream are...
1 cup butter
150 grams dark chocolate
2 cups icing sugar
milk to taste
cocoa 3/4 tablespoons
crushed pretzels


Chocolate Ganache drizzle 
2/3 cup double cream
7 ounces dark chocolate


Directions


Preheat oven to 175C and put your cupcake liners into your pan.
Combine sugar and flour in a bowl and set aside. (If you have a mixer like my kitchenaid dreamboat put it straight into that bowl)
In a medium sized saucepan mix butter, oil, cocoa and stout. Put over a medium heat and bring to a boil.
Once brought to a boil, leave to cool slightly and then mix with your flour/sugar mixture. blend well and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides to make sure you get it all mixed.
Meanwhile drop your baking soda into the buttermilk and once dissolved add to the mix along with your eggs and the vanilla.
Mix well and try your best not to dip your fingers in it.
Now pour into your cupcake liners, about 3/4 full.
Use rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and if you have managed to get this far. Well done lick away!
Bake for 25 mins or until a cocktail stick (end of a teaspoon in my case) comes out clean.
leave to cool while you make your frosting!


Now onto the frosting!


break up your chocolate and melt in the microwave. (1 min, stir, 30 secs)
while it is in there mix your butter, icing sugar and a small amount of milk.
Leave chocolate to cool slightly and then add to your butter mix.
Add cocoa and more milk or icing sugar until you get your preferred texture.


take your cooled cupcakes and use a palate knife to spread on a good layer of your buttercream and then dip in your crushed pretzels. Repeat until all covered and then onto the last delicious step.


the ganache is rich and yummy and so much fun to drizzle!


warm your double cream in a heavy bottomed pan until bubbles begin to form around the edge.
Chop your chocolate up small and place in a bowl.
Pour around half the cream over the chocolate and leave for about 30 seconds until the chocolate melts and then start whisking. Gradually add the rest of the cream until the ganache is all smooth and delicious!
using a spoon, dip into the ganache and then swing (gently) over your cupcakes for a rather haphazard but wonderful drizzle effect!
I have added moustache toppers by printing off cute moustached and then attaching them to cocktail sticks.

Okay so it seems like there are a lot of steps to this but it really isn't too hard and creates something really special! Try them out for Movember!

The Manly Cupcake Contest Prize Sponsor's Include:

        
• Blush Printables- a $15 electronic gift card
        
• Hello Hanna - A pack of Sweet Stands (for every finalist)
        
• Elise Steven’s Illustration and Design - a hand-painted ornament featuring our mascot, Colonel Cupcake.
        
• Taraduff - a handmade bearded beanie
        
• Miss Kitty Creations -  a special edition Tuxedo Cupcake Charm
        
• Bella Cupcake Couture - one pack of Cupcake Wrappers for each finalist and one extra for our grand prize winner
        
• Drama Llama - a handmade secret stuffie
• My Creative Side - Two dozen Mustaches on sticks