Hell Bent for Cupcakes

When I was about 10 years old, I remember watching an episode of 60 Minutes with my parents. The story they were airing was about how 2 kids tried to kill themselves after listening to a Judas Priest record. Apparently the band was accused of putting a subliminal message of "do it" in their song "Better By You, Better Than Me."
The subliminal command in the song was blamed for triggering the suicide attempt.
I remember my parents being shocked and saying, "Now Kathleen, you don't listen to this Judas Priest band, do you?!" I replied that I didn't, but I was totally thinking "Man...I should start!!!" It's funny now to think of how forbidden that was at the time.

In the documentary Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance Vs. Judas Priest, Rob Halford said if they wanted to insert subliminal commands in their music, killing their fans would be counterproductive and they would prefer to insert the command "Buy more of our records."
Good point.
When I listen to Judas Priest, I don't want to kill myself! I want to knock things over, wear leather, and bake!! Fuck Yeah!!

Judas Priest: Hell Bent for Cupcakes





Metal Constituents:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 stick butter (room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk

For the frosting:

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bottle (1oz.) black food coloring

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time
4. Add vanilla.
5. In another bowl, combine flour and baking powder
6. Add to the creamed mixture, and mix well.
7. Add milk and mix until batter is smooth.
8. Pour or spoon batter into the cupcake papers, filling about 2/3 full.
9. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Set cupcakes on a rack to cool.
10. To make the frosting: Over medium heat, cook the flour and milk whisking constantly until thickened. The mixture should be a lot like glue. Let cool.
11. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
12. Beat in the flour mixture.
13. Stir in black food coloring.
14. Frost completely cooled cupcakes. I topped mine with edible silver dragees.
15. Change into chaps, get on your hog, and enjoy these cupcakes. "DO IT!!!"

Here is some footage of Judas Priest playing "Hellbent for Leather." Enjoy!!

Seabeast Cakes

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see Mastodon open for Slayer. They were incredible.
Any band that releases an album with a permeating Moby Dick theme, is alright by me.
This recipe was inspired by the 3rd track on Leviathan entitled "Seabeast."
To make these cupcakes true "beasts," I suggest you use baking cups made by Reynolds. The foil cups allow you to make cupcakes standing alone on a cookie sheet, without using a cupcake tin. They also allow you to add much more batter to each, creating a beast of a dessert.
Brutal.

Mastodon: Seabeast Cakes




Metal Constituents:

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 7 large egg whites

For the Frosting:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Merciless Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baking cups on a cookie sheet, set aside.
2. Wisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
3. Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl, and set aside.
4. Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add sugar in a steady stream, and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low.
5. Add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture - starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful to avoid overbeating.
6. In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a third of the whites into batter until combined. Fold in remaining whites in two batches.
7. Pour batter into baking cups. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the frosting: In a small saucepan, combine the milk and flour. Wisk over medium high heat until boiling. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
10. When the milk mixture is cool, add the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer for 10 to 12 minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally.
11. Frost completely cooled cupcakes.
12. Don't let these beasts pull you towards the east.

Here is the video for "Seabeast." Enjoy!