This month’s Avid Bakers Challenge is a quick one. I love quick recipes. The ones that utilize one bowl come together pretty quickly and end up being a delicious treat.

In this recipe, these cupcakes are made in the blender.

Yep, you read it right - in.the.blender. The one you use to make smoothies in. But, in this case, we will use it to make cupcake batter.

And these cupcakes fit all of the above and more. They also fit my desire to send a happy birthday to three of my favorite people today with virtual cupcakes!

Happy Birthday NYBoy 1!

Happy Birthday (belated) NYBoy 2!

Happy Birthday soon to be brother-in-Law!

As you can see there was CAKE on my mind since early this morning. Actually since last night, when I started sending birthday wishes.

Yes, I’m one of those people that send you a text at 12:01am on your special day, because I’m competitive and like to be first at things.

Like sending birthday wishes.

I’m also the one that would bake you a cake (or cupcakes) and make you blow the full amount of candles needed to mark your special day.

Even if I have to have the fire extinguisher nearby.

What is the point of having cake, (or cupcakes) if you are not going to cover it in an obscene amount of candles?

So guys HAPPY BIRTHDAY to each of you. I will eat some cupcakes on your behalf, and tell you that they are gooey, chocolaty, moist and plain full of deliciousness.

And if you don’t believe me, you can grab your blender and make these. It will take you like 5 minutes tops. Plus the 17 that you will need to bake them in your oven. Then add another 5 to make the frosting and you can have these in your mouth in less than one-hours’ time.

Then you can call me with your mouth full of chocolate cupcakes and we can compare notes.

The recipe can be found in Abby Dodge’s web site. The original recipe calls for a chocolate frosting, but these are the type of chocolate cupcakes that go with pretty much any frosting that you can think of.

Since I was already being lazy and made these in the “blender” why not get lazy with he frosting? I had made some fudge based on a Brazilian recipe called Brigadeiros this past weekend, which did not come out as expected, but it was the perfect caramel/chocolate flavor to top these cupcakes.

Score!

BRIGADEIROS FROSTING

4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Bring butter, cream, and milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and cocoa powder, and reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is the consistency of dense, fudgy batter, about 16 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.

Use to frost your cupcakes. And top with hazelnuts, or walnuts, or chocolate sprinkles, how about with nothing - they are just as good, with a big cold glass of milk.

You can check out the rest of the ABC baker creations here