The Sweetest Curse Cakes

Baroness is made up of childhood friends Peter Adams, Allen Blickle, Summer Welch, and John Baizley. John Baizley is not only the Guitarist/Vocalist, he is also the talented artist behind all of their album artwork. Mr.Baizley has done the album artwork for several other bands as well. My favorites among them include Beyond the Permafrost, Taste the Sin, and Static Tensions. Baizley's artwork fits his own band best. It's as flowing, layered, intense and interesting as their music. If you've never heard Baroness before, you can tell exactly what they sound like by looking at the cover of their album. My favorite song off their second full-length album Blue Record, is "The Sweetest Curse." It kicks off with a gnarly riff and then takes you to a place you never thought you'd end up. This record as a whole is an experience from beginning to end.

To honor Baroness, and John Baizley's artwork, I give you:

Baroness: The Sweetest Curse Cakes



Makes 16

Metal Constituents:

• 1 1/2 cups (about 4) mashed ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
  

For the Frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup blueberry jam
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup White Chocolate chips
• 16 Yellow M&M's
• 16 edible flowers

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, sugar, honey, and butter.
3. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the flour mixture in two parts, mixing well after each addition.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold blueberries into the batter.
7. Spoon the batter into baking cups, filling about 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cupcake comes out clean.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. To make the frosting: Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy
11. Add the cream, vanilla, blueberry jam, and powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until light and fluffy.
12. Pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes.
13. To make the "egg" topping: Place white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl
14. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir.
15. Continue to heat at 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chips are completely melted, but not too hot.
16. Spoon a small amount of melted white chocolate onto the top of one cupcake.
17. Place a yellow M&M in the middle of the chocolate glob to represent the yolk.
18. Once you've placed the M&M, place the cupcake into the fridge to help the chocolate harden, and not melt your frosting.
19. It's best to make one egg at a time, on one cupcake at a time. You want the white chocolate to still be a little melty so that the M&M sticks. If the white chocolate in your bowl gets too cold during the process, just pop it back in the microwave for 10 seconds, and stir.
20. I also topped my cupcakes with an edible flower. I bought these Primrose flowers at Whole Foods (they are pesticide-free).
21. Curse with me, profane and sweet.

Here is some footage of Baroness playing "The Sweetest Curse" under blue gelled lights, perfect!