Devil's Food Cupcakes

Mix or scratch? That is the question. Whether tis truly nobler to sift and beat and use real buttermilk and sour cream and real cocoa powder OR to empty a box and throw in a couple of eggs and some water...that is the question. I made a batch of white cupcakes from a mix and a batch of the Ad Hoc Devil's Food Cupcakes for a party on Saturday. No one swooned or fainted when they ate the scratch batch, but they did disappear faster. We thought they were very good. The cake was a little denser, a little more intense, not quite as crumbly. Final answer: a mix will do when time is a factor. The truth is that I really like measuring and sifting and all the rest. So when time allows, I will make these again and again. I was actually hoping the cake would be like my mom's devil's food cake. Hers was almost pound-cake dense, but not quite. Still the best devil's food cake I've ever had. Will have to hold a seance to get her recipe.

I did not use the Ad Hoc recipe for the butter-cream icing this time. I discovered the refrigerated carton of pasteurized egg whites I bought was not suitable. The recipe said to beat into soft peaks and the carton said the egg whites would not do that. What to do? What to do? I didn't want to use 6 real egg whites, because I didn't know what to do with the yolks and didn't want to waste them. So I made my mom's standard frosting. It has enough butter and sugar to stop your heart and put you in a sugar coma, but it is so-o-o-o good! I was happy. Good, rich, chocolatey cake; lots of pink frosting; and Valentine sprinkles. Well worth the effort.