Cupcakes Rock!

I'm not sure why I always feel my baking is disastrous. Last night I took my delicious mini-cakes to my friends house and they loved them. They were very complimentary of my icing and the tastiness of the little morsels. I too have to agree. I think when I'm baking I'm just to close to the project during the actual process. I eat too much batter and pay too much attention that I don't appreciate them when they are completed. Next time I make cupcakes I will not taste the batter and wait until they are cooled and completed to taste and critique. I forgot the post the recipe for the White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes. This recipe comes compliments of cupcakeblog.com.

Cupcakes
7 ounces white chocolate (make sure it's baking chocolate)
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries

1.Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer
2. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
3. Remove from heat and stire in sugar. Note that when you add the sugar the mixture will separate and look pretty funky. This is ok, the butter will rise to the top.
4. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
5. Add teh vanilla. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Mixture will thicken and you should no longer see butter floating on top.
6. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 10 seconds between each.
7. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture. Return to the electric mixer and mix until blended.
8. Roughly chip the cranberries and coat with a thin layer of flour (this is important because of the thinness of the batter. The cranberries will fall to the bottom of each cake). Stir into the batter.
9. Scoop into cupcake cups 2/3s full and transfer to a 375 F oven.
10. Set your timer for 5 minutes. When the 5 minutes is up, turn down the oven to 350 F.
11. Set your timer for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up rotate the pans.
12. Set your timer for 7 minutes more. Test the centers with a toothpick and remove the cupcakes once it comes out clean.

The Icing
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) Cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar (possibly more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1. In a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the white chocolate. Allow to cool for 2 minutes.
2. Using and electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy.
3. Beat in the melted white chocolate.
3. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla, and clove and beat at low speed scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl until light and fluffy. Add more powedered suger to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like.

To assemble just top the cooled cupcakes with the frosting and decorate with dried cranberries.