More on the honeybees

Honey vanilla cupcakes filled to the brim with a bit of “buttercream” will send you buzzing.

And with the leftover crumbs, crumbles, and canines ~honeyed bread pudding seems to be the answer.

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Look at those darling little honeybees.

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And another spoonful of yum!

I’ve mentioned before how I despise the term “failure.” Although I’m highly self-critical (in fact, one of the most self-censorious individuals on earth, believe), I simply will not accept the term in the kitchen. Nothing is a disaster, misplay, flunk, or failure when it comes to my creative canvas. It’s all about experience, experimentation, and fun! Who are we trying to impress anyway?

And, in this instance, I fully blame the pan.
We had such high hopes for the darling little bee bunt cake pan from Williams Sonoma.
We love their “stuff.” In fact, I myself, obsessed with their amazing trinkets and toys (by the way – the ginormous bee hive cookie cutter from the other day was a WS specialty).
In any case, the honeybee pan created the experience this time.
Even sprayed and prepared, those little hives simply would not release.

Honeybee Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup honey
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
“Buttercream” Frosting Filling**

**”Buttercream” Frosting Filling
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a honeybee bunt cake pan or regular cupcake tin with oil and flour.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.
While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients. Then add all the milk and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tin.
Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, rotating the tin about halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes (10 to 12 minutes for minis). Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove from the tin. Cool on the rack completely. 

Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar and vanilla to create the frosting filling.
In order to fill the muffins, slice the top off of each muffin to create an even surface. Using a melon baller, create about a 1″ hole inside the bottom portion of the muffin, below the top. Fill with the “buttercream.” Place the top back on the muffin – OR if you’re using the honeybee bundt pan, perform the same action on the hive end of the muffin (fill both top and bottom) and stick them back together.
Feel free to frost with extra “buttercream” and decorate with extra candied bees and drizzle with honey.

Yummy!

But, what do you do with only a few successful muffins and a whole pile of honey bee crumbs?

You make bread pudding, of course!

Honeyed Bread Pudding – it’s to die for – really.

Honeyed Bread Pudding

2 cups loosely packed leftover Honeybee Cupcake Crumbs
1/4 cup leftover “buttercream” filling
1/4 cup half and half
2 large eggs

Mix and smash all ingredients together, making sure to incorporate and beat the eggs in well. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, covered. Check for “doneness.” Most likely you’ll need another two minutes. Once the pudding has taken the texture of spongy bread, you’re all set! Dig in, dive in…whatever 🙂 And top with a little bit o’ nuts and honey.

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