Baptized in Fire and Frosting

Who likes Viking Metal?
Raise your battle axe!!
Formed in Stockholm in 1983 by the late, great Quorthon, Bathory are absolutely the pioneers of Viking Metal. Featuring a galloping pace, and lyrics that reference Norse Mythology, their album Hammerheart set the standards for Viking Metal.
Other Viking Metal bands worth checking out are Týr, Enslaved, Svartsot and Turisas.

Their name was inspired by Elizabeth (Erzsebet) Bathory. She was a 17th century Hungarian noblewoman, who allegedly enjoyed bathing in the blood of virgin women to keep herself young. Most estimates on the number of girls she killed are between 600 and 700. In 1610, she was imprisoned in Csejte Castle (Čachtice Castle), where she remained on house arrest. She was sealed with bricks into a set of rooms until her death four years later.

While I don't condone bathing in virgin blood, I do condone baking these cupcakes as a tribute to Bathory and Viking Metal.

Bathory: Baptized in Fire and Frosting





Metal Constituents:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup grated blood orange zest (about 4 blood oranges)
• 3 cups+ 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Frosting:

• 8oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• Zest of 1 blood orange
• Juice of 1 blood orange

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a cupcake tin with baking cups
2. Cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer
3. Add eggs, one at a time
4. Add blood orange zest
5. Sift together 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl
6. In another bowl, combine orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla
7. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour
8. Toss the chocolate chips with the 2 tablespoons of flour (this will ensure that they remain evenly distributed throughout the batter)
9. Add chocolate chips to the batter
10. Scoop batter into baking cups, and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
11. Allow cakes to cool in pan for 10 minutes, before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. To make the Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes)
13. Add the cocoa, vanilla, and powder sugar. Beat until well combined.
14. Add zest and continue beating one minute more.
15. Add blood orange juice one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
16. Baptize completely cooled cakes.