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Show BY ANNA DRYSDALE /EDITOR IN CHIEF PHOTO BY CONOR BARRY S ometimes making a cake is a big deal. Like when you decide that you're going to make a three-layer chocolate ganache, which involves baking three separate layers of cake and waiting for them to cool, which takes forever. It takes forever because, let's be honest, it's chocolate. You know it's melty from the heat of the oven, and your kitchen smells like heaven, which means that not eating the cake before it's done takes an exhausting amount of willpower. In fact, resisting warm chocolate cake generally takes about sixteen times as much energy as running a mile. Waiting takes forever. This is science. But we don't have time for any of that right now, because we have some celebrating to get to, so that we can eat these cupcakes. The actual reason you're eating cupcakes doesn't matter so much as finding a reason to celebrate, which becomes easier and easier the more you do it. For instance, these could be yay-it's-finally-the-weekend cupcakes, or they could be the-sun-is-shining cupcakes, or it's-your-best-friend's-half-half-birthday cup- cakes. It's up to you. Once you get good at finding things to celebrate, you can make a lot of happiness out of the tiniest ray of sunshine. Or, better yet, you can make cupcakes out of a few pantry staples, and there you have it. A celebration. But if you're doing that, those cupcakes have to be amazing, because they are the whole reason you're having a party. They should be made with melted semisweet chocolate (or darker, I wouldn't complain), and they should be soft enough to melt in your mouth. The buttercream on top should be a blend of butter, powdered sugar and whole milk — and more chocolate, if you like. Follow all those steps, and you'll have what the British would call a perfect batch of fairy cakes. And best of all, you won't even have to wait for them to cool, which is a good thing, because resisting this creamy chocolateness would take more energy than running a marathon. Science. Any Occasion Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes adapted slightly from Maria Helm Sinskey's Family Meals for 16 cupcakes BY BRIAN POWELL /STAFF WRITER GRAPHIC BY DEVIN WAKEFIELD ii nto The Woods" is an essential piece of musical theatre for storytellers and thespians alike. With music written by Stephen Sondheim and a script by James Lapine, it was the winner of Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book in 1988. On Christmas Day 2014, audiences flocked to the cinemas to see a cast of Hollywood stars play the storybook characters we all know and love. The movie is set into motion when the ensemble of fairytale characters make wishes for things missing in their lives. The witch, played by Meryl Streep, visits the childless baker and his wife to reveal that they are cursed with a barren family tree because the baker's father stole magic beans from her precious garden. If they wish to have the curse reversed they must venture into the woods and find a cow as white as milk, a slipper as pure as gold, a cape as red as blood and hair as yellow as corn. The cinematography in this movie is breathtaking and every moment looks like a storybook fantasy scene. For example, when Cinderella, played by Anna Kendrick, cries at the grave of her mother and wishes to attend the king's ball, a swarm of leaves surrounds her, and her peasant garb is replaced with a beautiful gold gown. However, the aesthetic is also gritty and organic, strengthening the themes of wishes gone awry by instilling a dark and ominous atmosphere into the woods. The music of Sondheim is flat-out difficult to sing. A musical with a cast of performers who aren't necessarily known for their singing can be hard to watch, yet that isn't the case with this movie. The singing wasn't "movie singing" — it all appeared natural and not lip-synced. There are many clever choices made by the adapters to help the monologue moments be a part of the onward motion of the story. So instead of stopping everything to hear a song, the music becomes a part of how the characters develop their relationships. Lilla Crawford, who plays Little Red Riding Hood, does this flawlessly and proved throughout the film that she can hold her own despite 4 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015 } being so young. This made it all the more embarrassing for Johnny Depp (playing the Wolf) who proved yet again he can't sing in movies. For the record, can we stop putting Johnny Depp in weird costumes and pretending he's extraordinarily talented because of a weird factor? I miss the days when Johnny Depp played normal characters with real problems. Despite any downfalls this movie has (like changing plot points from the musical) it's a must-see for anyone who has ever read a fairy tale. If you closed your eyes and just listened to the music you would still get your money's worth. Although produced by Disney, it's not necessarily a children's movie and can be enjoyed by all age groups. It was declared one of the top 10 films of 2014 by the American Film Institute even though it came out on Dec. 25. Go feed your inner child with love, dark cynicism and music by seeing this movie. b.powell@chronicle.utah.edu @ChronyArts Cupcakes - 1 1/2 cups flour - 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda - 1/2 cup whole milk - 1/2 cup sour cream - 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature - 1 1/4 cup sugar - 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk - 4 ounces chocolate, melted (bittersweet or darker) - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl, mix dry ingredients together until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk sour cream and milk together. Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy, then pause a moment and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add the eggs and egg yolk. Mix, then add the melted chocolate and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and the milk mixture, alternating between the two. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers and fill each cup about three-fourths of the way. Bake for about 15-17 minutes, until puffed and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool. (Or not.) 1111111111104._ Buttercream - 1 cup salted butter, room temperature - 4 cups powdered sugar - 1 teaspoon kosher salt - 1/4 cup whole milk - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (optional) - 2 teaspoons hot water (if making chocolate) Beat the butter, sugar and salt together on high, until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla, and beat again. There should be some creamy fluffiness going on. You could stop here, spread the buttercream on the cupcakes, and call it a very good day. Or. You could sift the cocoa powder over the buttercream and beat on a low setting. Toss in 2 teaspoons of hot water to wake up the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. Just think of it as turning up the chocolate level. Beat for one minute. Decorate cupcakes with frosting. If you're feeling extra fancy, dot the tops with pearly non-pareils or chocolate shavings. a.drysdale@chronicle.utah.edu @AnnaDrysdale |
