In my mind, there is this thing I have created called a Hierarchy of Errands.
What it is, is a pretend pyramid of hypothetical errands, paired with a corresponding color and stress equivalent. For instance–grocery shopping is a 1 on the pyramid, which is a color light pink and stress equivalent of watching a documentary on the History Channel. However–there are variables. If said grocery shopping trip includes bringing my husband OR it is raining out (thereby requiring me to carry bags in the rain), the color goes to light orange with a stress equivalent of clipping a strangers toenails.
I assume this is all making sense, right?
It should come as no surprise that I have been putting off a few particularly stressful errands–getting new tires for my Jeep and having the oil changed–both of which are 10 RED on the Pyramid individually– with a stress equivalent of posing for photos while wearing an unflattering turtleneck in front of a room full of strangers.
However, I decided to do both errands in the same morning instead of dragging it out which increased the stress factor to Eleventy Zillion on the pyramid, which is neon red-orange, and a stress equivalent of walking on glass while on fire and listening to Gilbert Gottfried sing Mary Had a Little Lamb on repeat.
It was basically one of the worst days ever. Not to mention expensive.
Why do tires cost so much? Is there a layer of gold under the rubber? Is there diamond dust sprinkled on them? I just don’t understand. I keep thinking that maybe they come with a magic elf who pops out to change the tire and sing a cheerful medley if I get a flat, but I don’t want to risk getting a flat to find out.
Seriously, women who get flat tires usually end up murdered. It’s like a proven fact.
Needless to say, cupcakes really help on days Neon Red-Orange Days.
Especially brownie cupcakes with lots of chocolate and marshmallow and candy in them.
Want the recipe? (youdoyoudoyoudo)
These cupcakes will make any Red-Orange Day just a bit more tolerable. Enjoy!Malted Rocky Road Brownie Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 7 oz jar marshmallow creme (0r fluff)
- For Almond Bark:
- 2/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped
- 16 oz milk chocolate candy coating (I used CandiQuik)
- For Frosting:
- 2 sticks butter, slightly softened
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup chocolate malt powder (like Ovaltine)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Malted milk balls for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. First make almond bark: Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Melt candy coating according to package directions. Stir in chopped almonds. Spread over wax paper. Place pan in the fridge to firm up.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, oil, and water. Stir with a wooden spoon until completely combined. Divide batter into the 12 muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on baking sheet.
4. Using a small knife, cut a circle out of each cupcake, going 1/3 – 1/2 of the way down. Fill with marshmallow creme and set aside.
5. Make frosting: Beat butter and milk on medium-low speed until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and malt powder, beating until mixed. Increase speed to high and beat for a minute or until light and fluffy. Pipe or frost cupcakes, covering the marshmallow.
6. Using a sharp knife, break up the almond bark. Top cupcakes with almond bark and malted milk balls.
Have a happy Monday!!
Yummmm!!!!! These look so good that I wanted to lick my computer screen!! AND, I had the ‘privilage’ of buying new tires for my van-at Christmas time-I only got 2 cuz I would have sell a kidney to get all four done at once! Have a great week! =)
I think one of the worst things (it would be top of my stress pyramid) is appliance shopping. I find it so tedious. And everything just looks the same to me. Car stuff would be pretty close, though. These cupcakes look delicious!! The perfect way to combat having to run unpleasant errands!
Your pictures always amaze me but these? These have given me such a craving for chocolate that I won’t rest until I make them! Easy ingredients and beautiful presentation. Thank You!
These cupcakes are so beautiful! But making them would be neon-red on my stress pyramid.
Tire shopping is THE worst. My hubby and I bought some for our ridiculously un-green SUV this Thanksgiving and I shed a tear when I was told the cost…
Those look like a whole lotta yummy goodness!
Speaking as a woman who HAS had a flat…there’s no elf. There IS, however, a very judgmental-sounding customer service person at the insurance company who asks if you’re “in a safe area” while waiting for the man with the tow truck to come change the tire for you because the spare is for some unknown reason bolted to the undercarriage.
They’re not amused when you ask them to define “safe”.
Turns out “on the side of the interstate in broad daylight” is safe as houses. Gotta wonder what they would consider “unsafe”.
Suppose they’d come faster if I told them I had cupcakes?
So sorry about your day, your tires, all of it. Ugh.
But that cross-section last cupcake picture is a work of ART! Amazing work on these!
they look amazing :)
Yumola!
I need to have these on hand for the next time I have a chocolate craving… oh who am I kidding, I need to just make them and eat them now!
Oh my Gosh. These look like insanity in cupcake form! What COULDN’T they fix?
You are too funny! I’d think these cupcakes would make any neon-orange/red errand a baby pink! Can’t wait to try them :)
Laughing out loud1 Thanks for a great start to my morning. Love, Love, Love your writing. Walking on glass while on fire just wasn’t enough? You had to elevate it to the Gottfried level. Ha! You really need to write a cookbook. Not only is your writing charming, your recipe photos are mouth watering and the names are delicious. I know I’d buy one!
You just made me spit my coffee. But I have to say that I would wear a gillion unflattering turtlenecks while singing karaoke before I would ever EVER clip a stranger’s toenails. ack!
Oh, I know all about the errand stress meter, which has me wondering why-oh-why did I save so many of them for a Monday morning?! Maybe a fairy will make me these cupcakes while I am gone. :)
Completely agree-ANYTHING car related is an off the scale stress factor.
Oh, Yum-O. These look good enough to eat right through the monitor
I think I just gained weight looking at the picture of these cupcakes, but it won’t stop me from putting them on my list of cupcakes to try. Thanks for a yummy looking recipe, I will be trying it soon.
Now I want chocolate for breakfast! Thanks friend:)
Dude, I was almost murdered once when my car broke down on the interstate. I mean, no one stopped and outright threatened me, but you should have seen the creepy people driving by and thinking murdery things.
OMG!! Delicioso!
I am forever scarred thinking oh having to clip someone else’s toenails. In other news I have decided that all of my cupcakes from this point forward should include candy stuck to the frosting. Yes.
That is one heck of a cupcake! These look incredibly good and surprisingly simple! Thanks for sharing.
OH MY GOODNESS! Both my husband and I are drooling over these!!! Want!!
My car desperately needs new tires!
I might have to bring a few of these cupcakes a long, they would help deal with the stress for sure – they look amazing!
Right up there next to buying bra’s or bathing suits!!
Oh wow! These look so wonderful I’m sure they must have made everything much much better.
Oh dude. I love you.
Sweet daughters of darkness – do these babies ever look good! And, as usual, you make my water come out of my nose while reading this.
omg these are AMAZING!! love it :)
This is seriously good – I don’t think I would even need to wait for a day when I bought new tires to try this – I could almost get my fill of chocolate. Almost.
The cupcakes look soooo good! I loved it that you said eleventy. I say that too. I learned it watching Fat Albert cartoon as a kid. I always wonder what the women are saying to each other when I am getting a pedicure. They are not speaking english and my toenails are involved. Just sayin.
I am fairly certain that it rains on 8/10 trips that I take to the grocery store…these cupcakes are gorgeous, Kristan!
Ha! I totally hear you on the Hierarchy. I love that the auto shop I take my car to is a Sears one, so I can walk around the mall while I’m waiting…it definitely reduces the stress to go shopping and get some Starbucks!
Love the hierarchy! Sorry about the bad day :/. I put off oil changes ALL the time! It’s the worst. But man {or better say woman!}, these cupcakes can make any day better!
You always make me smile. Maybe it’s sacrilege to say, but the recipes are not why I read every post…it’s you, your stories, and your sense of humor. Even when I get too busy to keep up with other blogs, I always read yours, because it makes me happy. So thank you. :)
OMG those look incredible!!! I just happened to buy 2 Brownie mixes this afternoon(great timing!!!!) I will definitely be making these TOMORROW!!! I’ll probably dream about them all night and wake up bloated!!! LOL
Are you adding an extra egg to the recipe? I bought the Pillsbury’s brand Chocolate Fudge Brownie mix and it requires 2 eggs and the same amount of oil and water as you mentioned.
yes, adding an extra egg so they are more cake-like :)
Wow these cupcakes are crazy, in a good way!
Your posts always make me laugh so much – its like you write what I’m thinking!
um…wow. I love malt! And love that the frosting is piled high and filled with cream. Incredible.
wow do these look awesome! I was just looking for a new cupcake recipe and I think i found it! :)
These look delicious! I’m definitely wanting to try them next time I’m home!!!
OMG! those are so tempting and yummy! I can’t stop my self looking those pics with salivating.. :p
whoa! this looks awesome… esp love the pic where u have cut it open.. the marshmallow creme centre looks absolutly delecious
These cupcakes look and sound delicious!! I make my husband take my car in for service. That way I don’t have to stress out. I figure I do all the shopping, cooking and cleaning so he can handle all of the “hard” stuff!
I made these last night and had a bit of trouble with the recipe. Not sure what I did wrong. But it says to put them in the oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. At 20 minutes mine were very runny in the middle and had to bake another 20 minutes for them to be done (my oven is fairly new). Then when I made the frosting, it was too runny. I followed the recipe to the letter. I made a second batch and had the same problem. I added another cup of powdered sugar to it to thicken it up and it made it more “grainy”. UGH! I ended up putting store bought frosting on it but was disappointed. Any words of wisdom?
I just figured out what I did wrong with the frosting! I used sticks of margarine instead of butter! Makes ALL the difference!
These look INCREDIBLE, Kristan!!! Whadaya say next time you need new tires, I’ll take your car, and when I deliver it back to you, we can eat these cupcakes? Deal?
Holy cow, woman! I wish I lived at your house on neon red/orange days!
And I completely agree about tire shopping. I completely refuse to do it if my husband is not present, and I prefer if he did it without me. In a recent tire-shopping-disaster, I drove my car to the nearest tire shop, and my husband followed me ( I thought ) and got confused and drove to the WRONG tire shop, leaving me standing at the stupid tire store, looking like an idiot, for more than 20 minutes!! It was a bad day… for both of us. I’m keeping this recipe in mind for the next tire-shopping day.
Yea,h these look amazing!