Groundhog Day / Go-to Frosting

I realized it was Groundhog Day at about 8 o’clock this morning when I looked at the calendar. Whoops.

I probably would have just gone on with the day without mentioning it, but since we didn’t have anywhere to be this afternoon and Tim has the kind of cold that makes you want to hunker down at home, I mentioned it.

Nothing really came to mind for a project, but then Lily remembered that Sarah Goldschadt’s Craft-a-Day book has an entire week devoted to groundhogs.

So Groundhog Cupcakes it was. I like the twist the girls came up with: If Phil sees his shadow we’ll get six more weeks of winter (powdered sugar) and if not, we’ll get an early spring (pink and green sprinkles).

I know Groundhog Day is just about over, but this seems as good a time as any to mention the delicious frosting that’s become our go-to for cupcakes and cakes and anything else that needs to be drenched in chocolate. The good thing is that this frosting uses ingredients we usually have on hand, so we can spontaneously make groundhog cupcakes. The bad thing is that it takes every bit of willpower I have not to eat the entire bowl.

Chocolate Frosting
from Hello, Cupcake!

Makes 2-1/2 cups

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
1/3-1/2 cup milk

Combine the butter and the chocolate in a small saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer.

Add the confectioners’ sugar alternately with the milk, adding more milk, if necessary, to thin, and beat until fluffy and smooth.