Live Free and Bake

The United States Department of Defense is located in Arlington, Virginia.

Unfortunately, Architect George Bergstrom really missed the mark when he built it in the shape of a Pentagon. A Pentagram would have been way more brutal!

Fortunately, Bobby Liebling, (also from Arlington, VA) got it right when he started the classic Doom Metal band, Pentagram.

Doom metal is heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, but who isn't?

Both the music and lyrics of Doom Metal are intended to fill you with dread, despair, and a sense of impending doom. Witchfinder General and St. Vitus are two amazing Doom Metal bands as well. But back to Pentagram. Since they formed in 1971, they've gone through many line-up changes, with Liebling remaining constant. They've broken up and gotten back together several times over the years. Lately, they've played a few shows to promote the documentary "Last Rites: The Fall & Rise of Bobby Liebling." This film looks really great, I can't wait until it's released!

The amazing Swedish band Witchcraft started as a Pentagram cover band, and look at them now! The moral of this story is that Pentagram is so, so awesome!

This recipe was inspired by their song "Live Free and Burn." It involves some fancy frosting moves. I recommend getting yourself a frosting gun. They're cheap, and thrilling - just like me!

Pentagram:
Live Free and Bake

Makes 12

Metal Constituents:

• 2/3 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose baking flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 fresh strawberries, cut into quarters

For the Frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• Red food coloring
• Black food coloring

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a cupcake tin with baking cups and set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor or blender, and process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and strawberry puree.
5. The bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
6. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.
7. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla. Beat until just blended.
8. With your mixer on low, slowly add half of the flour mixture.
9. Add the milk mixture.
10. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, and mix until just blended.
11. Fold in strawberry quarters.
12. Fill baking cups about 2/3 full.
13. Bake until a toothpick inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.
14. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
15. To make the frosting: Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy
16. Add the cream, vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until light and fluffy.
17. Add remaining powdered sugar or just enough to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like.
18. Divide frosting in half, and dye one portion red.
19. Divide the white frosting in half again, and dye one portion black.
20. Frost completely cooled cupcakes with white frosting first.
21. Using the red frosting, pipe little stars all around the top of the cupcake.
22. Use black frosting to draw a pentagram over the red stars.
23. Now you're gonna bake! Bake! Bake! Bake! Bake! Bake!

Enjoy some classic footage of Pentagram playing "Live Free and Burn:"