I love David Sedaris. And after reading “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” and baking these cupcakes I now also have a newfound appreciation for his actress sister Amy.
They’re not like the ones you’d get from the bakery at your local grocery store. These cupcakes are not “yellow cake” cupcakes. They’re truly vanilla cakes in cupcake form. They’re super moist and fabulous. And I recommend that you also use the mocha icing recipe listed on The Cutting Edge of Ordinary, the blog where I found the recipe for the cupcakes.
The slight bitterness of the cocoa and coffee combination in the icing is a perfect contrast to the sweet vanilla flavor of the cake.
Note: The icing isn’t one of those super fluffy fancy ones you see in cupcake shops these days. It’s got a rustic flatness to it, but it also has a rich, dark chocolate color and a glossy finish that would pair nicely with both classic rainbow sprinkles or the trendy ones that look like pearls. Or you don’t have to have sprinkles at all. Even without sprinkles this icing holds its own.
Some ideas for variations on this recipe:
- I’d maybe try to add a white chocolate ganache; as either a filling, icing or drizzle. I like the color contrast between the ganache and the mocha icing. I also just like white chocolate.
- I was thinking of using vanilla bean paste, just because I think it would intensify the vanilla flavor and I’m one of those foodies that just loves seeing those little black vanilla bean specks.
- I also wonder how it would taste with a citrus element: I thought maybe next time I’d either create a white icing with lemon or orange juice flavors. Or maybe I’d add lemon or orange zest to the cake itself.
I hope you get a chance to try out this recipe. Let me know how it goes for you and comment on this post with with your experiences, questions or ideas on how you’d make this recipe better.
Once you do make these cupcakes, do make sure to enjoy them while watching an Amy Sedaris classic: “Strangers with Candy”. Relax with a group of friends, unwrap a cupcake and just let the comedic magic that is Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert wash over you. You won’t regret it.
Have a lovely day!
P.S.: I’d also like to say thanks to Lisa of The Cutting Edge of Ordinary for posting this recipe.
Anita M. George: Journalist, Writer 