I'm Siiiiiiiccccckkkkkk

Siiiiiicccccckkkk...

So is Jeannie (roomie).

Blahhhhhh.

I actually took a sick day from work! Me! A sick day!

I feel like such a germbag...especially with all this flu hysteria going on. And it's not every cold/flu that I get a fever. A fever is an understatement. I was soooo hottt the other day. And not in the good looks sort of way. And dizzy. It was an interesting drive home.

I have no idea what kind of sick I have, though, I'm pretty sure I have the flu. Swine or otherwise, who knows. But the good news is that my time off seems to have worked, and with the exception of feeling lethargic and a headache, I'm on the road to recovery.

So I decided to make an apple pie because it did not require me to leave the house. And some chocolate stout cupcakes with vanilla bean buttercream. Well, I made the cupcakes yesterday. Sorry no pics. Did I mention I was tired?

I have yet to sample the pie, but those chocolate stout cupcakes are delicioussssss. Like...maybe my new favorite chocolate cupcake/cake. Who knew...beer and chocolate?

The sad part is that this cold/flu has taken my little (and by little I mean huge) appetite hostage. I'm not even hungry for cupcakes anymore. And if that isn't sick beyond comprehension, I don't know what is.

Assuming you are fine and well, feel free to make these as soon as possible. And save me one. I should be better by then and in the mood for a chocolate cupcake.

Chocolate Stout Cake
As adapted from the Smitten Kitchen from Bon Appetit

This recipe is intended for a bundt cake...and I do not have a bundt pan. Otherwise this makes 2 8-inch rounds...orrrr 18 cupcakes. I like cupcakes. Don't you?

Cupcakes
1 cup stout (Guiness)
2 sticks (1 cup butter)
3/4 cup cocoa powder, Dutch processed, if possible
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream (I used low fat with no problems)

Vanilla Bean Frosting
2 sticks (1 cup butter), at room temperature
1-1.5 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped
vanilla extract, if needed

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners and place on cookie sheet.

2. Melt the butter and stout over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly.

3. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sour cream. Add stout/chocolate mixture. Whisk to combine.

5. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and mix on low speed to combine. Continue to fold batter with a rubber spatula.

6. Fill each little cupcake about 2/3 full.

7. Bake for about 20-24 minutes. Or until a tester comes out clean. Mine took about 22 minutes. Definitely check yours around the 20 minute mark.

8. Cool for 5 minutes in pan, then move to cooling racks to cool completely.

For the frosting:

1. Using an electric mixer, whip the softened, room temperature (this is key) butter until fluffy.

2. Add the salt and scraped vanilla bean.

3. Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup intervals. Taste it after the first cup. Chances are your gonna want the next half a cup or more. I don't like frosting and I definitely don't like cloying sweet frosting. But I do enjoy a good white, vanilla frosting from time to time. So needless to say, this frosting is not a very sweet one. But add more sugar at your own discretion.

4. If it's not vanilla-y enough (as was the case with me), add some vanilla extract by the 1/4 tsp. until your vanilla taste buds are contented.

*Side note: I imagine some orange zest would work well here. Or maybe even the teeniest splash of orange juice