Birthday Dinner for Terry

Yesterday was the husband's 33rd birthday. Originally I planned an elaborate meal. Then I realized he'd probably rather have his favorite homemade pizza with pepperonis and jalapenos.

Here's what we had:


sausage stuffed mushrooms

Pepperoni and jalapeno pizza. (See below for Terry's crust recipe.)

an interesting Shiraz-Viognier blend recommended by a gentleman at our local Spec's store

black-bottom cupcakes

RECIPES

Sausage stuffed mushrooms from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Black-bottom cupcake recipe is from David Lebovitz as seen on Smitten Kitchen.

Perfect pizza dough is adapted by Terry from the recipe book that came with our KitchenAid stand mixer. Click here for printable recipe.

Beer and Pretzels Cupcakes

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across C&C Cakery's Movember Manly Cupcake Challenge, and I knew immediately that I wanted to enter. After a brainstorming session with the husband, some recipe writing and testing, and a full day of baking, I'm ready to share the recipe for Beer and Pretzels Cupcakes.

These cupcakes feature a rich, spicy brown ale cake with a brown ale custard filling. They're topped with caramel buttercream and homemade soft pretzels.

 

Why are these cupcakes so manly? Three reasons:

• They bring that classic pair of manly comestibles--beer and pretzels--together in a delicious baked good.

• They're bigger and badder than your usual cupcake recipe. When I think about how the men in my life cook, I visualize the vast quantities of food they prepare. They like to cook for crowds. I picture my father-in-law grilling steaks for the whole family on a Friday night, and I picture the five-gallon pot of chili my husband cooks every fall when he invites 40 to 60 of his closest friends over. In that quintessentially manly more-is-more spirit, this recipe yields 24 ultra-rich cupcakes and 32 soft pretzels.

• They feature some of my favorite man's favorite flavors. My husband loves caramel, loves soft pretzels, and loves a good micro-brew. This cupcake has all of that and more.