Chocolate Malted Cuppycakes and Vanilla Cuppycakes with Butterscotch Frosting

(aka my first semi-professional cupcake gig)

I baked these for my Dad's 60th birthday party, which was last night. I was really happy with how they came out. As always, Mike piped on the frosting for me. I'm still too scared to use the piping bag.


Chocolate Malted Cuppycakes (topped with Whoppers candies)


Vanilla Cuppycakes with Butterscotch Frosting (topped with Butterfinger minis)

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes (originally from Martha Stewart's cupcake cookbook)
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1-1/4 cup Carnation malted milk powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs (room temp)
1 cup sour cream (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 degrees if using a dark or nonstick pan). Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugars, baking soda & salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until powder is dissolved.

2. With mixer on Medium High, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filled halfway (NOTE: I actually filled them about 2/3 full). Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until until cake tester comes out clean or baked about 20 minutes.


Chocolate Malted Frosting (I stole the idea from a nice girl on LJ - see my previous blog post)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 oz Lindt 85% Cacao bar, melted
6 tbsp Carnation malted milk powder (I think it actually needs more than this)

NOTE: I updated this frosting recipe to use 6 tablespoons of malt instead of the 4 I used last time. It was much yummier this way.


Magnolia's Famous Vanilla Cupcakes (with a little help from me)
I have used this vanilla cupcake recipe before, and my only complete was that the cupcakes were a little too dry. This time around, I fixed that problem by substituting heavy cream for milk. The more I bake, the more evil and fattening my baked goods seem to become. But they are also becoming yummier! :)

1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk cream and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.


Butterscotch Frosting (adapted from here)
2 sticks of butter, softened
3/4 cup butterscotch chips, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5-1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons cream
1/4 tsp salt

Melt butterscotch chips in the microwave along on low heat along with 2 tablespoons of cream. Mike and I did this by heating it for a few seconds, stirring a bit, and then heating some more. We originally tried melting it in a double boiler (which is how I melted the chocolate for the chocolate malted frosting), but it seemed to be melting too slowly and the first time we made this frosting we ended up with weird butterscotch chunks. Also, the frosting was a bit too sweet (so said my taste testers), which wasn't too surprising since (I failed to notice this initially) the original recipe did not include any salt. I do not believe in buttercream that does not include salt. Oh well.

In a bowl, beat butter, melted butterscotch chips, vanilla extract and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. It will be dry. Add cream 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time and combine. Continue adding milk and beating until you get your desired frosting consistency.

Chocolate Malted Cuppycakes

These were a test run for a cupcake recipe I'm hoping to use when I bake (OMG) 4 dozen cuppycakes for my dad's 60th birthday party in a couple weeks. I "borrowed" this recipe from a nice girl who I met in the "curiouscupcakes" LiveJournal community. The cupcake recipe came from Martha Stewart's cupcake cookbook, and the frosting is a recipe she made up herself (which I then tweaked). The cuppycakes are topped with Whoppers candies.



I really liked the way the cake part turned out. So moist! And the frosting was yummy, too... though I think I want a stronger malt taste when I do the "real" batch of cuppycakes for my dad's party.

Here are a couple of pics of the cuppycakes pre-frosting and pre-Whoppers.






Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1-1/4 cup Carnation malted milk powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs (room temp)
1 cup sour cream (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 degrees if using a dark or nonstick pan). Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugars, baking soda & salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until powder is dissolved.

2. With mixer on Medium High, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filled halfway (NOTE: I actually filled them about 2/3 full). Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until until cake tester comes out clean or baked about 20 minutes.


Chocolate Malted Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/8 - 1/4 tsp salt
3 oz Lindt 85% Cacao bar, melted
4 tbsp Carnation malted milk powder (I think it actually needs more than this)

Beat half of the sugar and all of the other ingredients on low until just combined. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and beat on low until combined. Beat on medium until fluffy and uniformly blended.

(NOTE: The girl from whom I borrowed this recipe made up this frosting recipe herself but didn't note the exact amounts of the ingredients she used. She just remembered that she used "powdered sugar, pinch of salt, 3 oz of melted chocolate, 2 sticks of butter, and a few tablespoons of malted milk powder." As I am becoming ever more adventurous with my frosting escapades, I decided to try to guess at the correct proportions.

The ingredients above are what I ended up using. I think that next time, I need to use 2 and a half sticks of butter because Mike said the texture was a little rough when he was piping the frosting. Also, I had to add milk because it was too clumpy without it. This probably means that I used more sugar than I "should" have, but I liked the frosting otherwise, so more butter it is.

I also want to add more malt next time. I feel that the frosting could be more "malty.")

4th of July Kool-Aid Cuppycakes

I stole this idea from this recipe on "Cupcake Rehab" but tweaked the frosting a bit. I am horrified by the idea of using 4-5 cups of sugar with one stick of butter to make buttercream - that seems WAY too sweet (nothing personal against the original baker - it's just a very strong personal preference). So I doubled the amount of butter and added just a little more sugar. Sorry, but here in the Evans household we do not DO low-fat. ;-D

I was really pleased with the way the frosting came out. I used a larger packet of the blue Kool-Aid than I did with the reddish stuff because it was the only size I could find and I was too lazy to try to weigh out an equal amount. I guess I could try using a larger packet of the red stuff next time to see how it affects the flavor and color.

The taste of the vanilla cupcakes was really yummy, but I feel like they could have been more moist. These cupcakes would be good candidates for using my silicone baking cups next time (I used paper this time around). I also might take them out a little sooner next time (I baked them for 18 minutes).

* Note: I have since found an idea on another blog (Cast Sugar) for making this cake recipe come out more moist. The solution is to use yogurt or sour cream instead of milk. Will have to try that next time.


MAGNOLIA’S FAMOUS VANILLA CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.


CHERRY KOOL-AID FROSTING

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
.13 oz. packet KOOL-AID Black Cherry Flavor Soft Drink Mix
1/8 - 1/4 tsp salt
5-10 drops red food coloring (to make it less pinkish and closer to "red")

Beat half of the sugar and all of the other ingredients on low until just combined. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and beat on low until combined. Beat on medium until fluffy and color is uniformly blended.


ICE BLUE RASPBERRY LEMONADE KOOL-AID FROSTING

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
.22 oz. packet KOOL-AID Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade Flavor Soft Drink Mix
1/8 - 1/4 tsp salt
5-10 drops "neon" blue food coloring

Beat half of the sugar and all of the other ingredients on low until just combined. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and beat on low until combined. Beat on medium until fluffy and color is uniformly blended.


Here are a couple more pics:

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I'm posting the recipe and pictures for some Pink Lemonade Cupcakes I made a few weeks back so I can share them with Tammie on Plurk. Enjoy!

I made two batches of frosting per batch of cupcakes. Double your frosting, double your fun!









Here is the recipe, which I got from here on the Cast Sugar blog.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 or more drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with liners.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth. Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.

Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting (see below).

Pink Lemonade Buttercream:
3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
Red food coloring

Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemon juice, and a few drops of food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

How Your Cat Can Save You Money

In these tough financial times, it seems that everyone is preoccupied with the question of how to save money. TV, newspapers and magazines constantly cover the dilemma of how to decrease your spending and balance your budget. In the face of all this media coverage, it’s easy to become anxious about your financial future. If you’ve spent one too many nights pondering your own monetary fears, I’m happy to say that I have good news to offer you. You may already be in possession of one of the best money-saving devices in the world! Even better, you don’t need a business degree to make the most of this important asset. The financial tool of which I speak is none other than your common housecat.

The first way in which your cat can save you money is by reducing your medical expenses. The Centers for Disease Control website states that owning a pet can decrease your blood pressure as well as lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Additionally, a recent study at the University of Minnesota's Stroke Research Center suggests that people who have owned cats at some point in their lives have significantly lower rates of death due to heart disease. While this study doesn’t actually prove that cats cause a lower risk of heart attacks, it’s worth considering.

Numerous medical experts, including the Surgeon General, have stated that there is an inextricable link between mental and physical health. An exhaustive study of the people in my household (performed by me) proves definitively that owning a cat can improve your mental health. Study participants reported that even after a hard day at work, their cat was always happy to see them… as long as they had food, treats, or a warm lap to sit in. And what cat owner hasn’t experienced a drop in anxiety levels while sitting on the couch with a lapful of purring kitty goodness?

Now that you’ve heard about the undeniable savings you’ll see on your medical bills, I’m sure you need no further reasons to adopt a cat today. But wait… this is only one of the exciting financial benefits of welcoming a cat into your home! A second way that a feline friend can improve your bottom line is by providing free entertainment twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that an animal capable of using its own tail as a toy can be pretty fun to watch and play with.

No expensive accessories are required in order to enable this feature of your cat. Cat toys are generally cheap and easy to obtain. Standard toys such as catnip mice can be purchased at your local pet store for less than a dollar apiece, and can provide hours of entertainment for you and your cat. In fact, most cats will even play with items that are not intended to be toys, such as those plastic rings you pull off your bottles of milk when you open them. Our cat can also be whipped into a playful frenzy with the aid of a laser pointer that we bought for a whopping three dollars at our local drugstore.

The entertainment value of your cat will increase exponentially if you own more than one. In households with multiple cats, play will occur even if the owners don’t initiate it or provide any toys. However, living in a house with multiple cats is similar to renting an apartment above a dance club: there’s no guarantee that the party will stop when you’re ready to go to sleep. Still, that’s nothing a cheap pair of earplugs can’t fix.

As if these astounding features aren’t reason enough to start saving money today by owning a cat, there is a third way that your cat can help you achieve a stable economic profile. Having a cat in your home may decrease the money you spend on common household items. For example, why turn up the heat in the wintertime when you can cuddle with your cat to keep warm? And when your alarm clock breaks, you won’t need to replace it. Get into the habit of feeding your cat every morning before you get ready for work, and you will never need an alarm clock again. Your cat will faithfully wake you up when it is time to get ready for work on weekdays by meowing incessantly. In fact, your cat will work overtime to ensure that you are trained to wake up on time every day, even if your office is closed.

After hearing all the ways a cat can help you become financially solvent, I’m sure you’re ready to run right out and adopt one. After all, your cat can help you save money on medical bills, provide free entertainment, and reduce your spending on common household items. With benefits like these, your cat will pay for itself in less than a year. And by adopting from a shelter, you can get even more savings by reduced overhead on shots and immunizations! Don’t miss out on the savings any longer… welcome a cat into your home today!

A Strange Breed

Welcome to the first lecture in an ongoing series called “Know Your Geeks.” This series aims to educate you about the various types of Geeks found in the wild. Tonight’s talk will focus on a strange and misunderstood breed of Geek, Geekus Programmicus.

Commonly known as the Programmer, this species shares many characteristics with his fellow Geeks. He lives and hunts alone or in small groups. Sensitive to light, he hides in a small burrow called a “cubicle” during daylight hours. He prefers a diet high in caffeine, sugar, and fat. He is generally pale in color, with fat reserves around the midsection and haunches.

The novice observer may confuse the Programmer with his closest genetic relative, Geekus Computus. Also known as the IT Geek, this close cousin has many physical traits in common with the Programmer. Both species use computers as tools and become aggressive when provoked. However, the trained eye can easily tell them apart.

The reclusive Programmer can go days or even weeks without interacting with others. He often sits in the same position for hours at a time, barely moving. In stark contrast, the IT Geek roams freely across the office plains. Though not a social creature, he does form loose alliances with other species in the ecosystem.

Avid Geek Watchers can also tell the two species apart by watching for tool use. Both species use primitive tools such as the computer. However, most Programmers cannot fix a computer or even understand how it works. They also tend to use other tools such as a second monitor or noise-canceling headphones.

Now that you know how to recognize this species, you should learn what to do should you spot a Programmer in the wild. Because of the Programmer’s volatile nature, you should use caution when approaching him. This species can become extremely agitated when cornered.

When treated with respect and patience, Programmers can be rewarding to tame and breed. In order to successfully tame the Programmer, you must understand his environmental needs. Like a spider, he spends most of his days spinning webs. However, while a spider uses silk to create his web, a Programmer spins a material called “code.”

Optimal code production requires a very specific environment. The Programmer can only produce large amounts of code when he is in a trancelike state. In order to produce the best code possible, the coding environment should be free from outside stimuli.

An ideal coding environment has low lighting and little noise. Due to modern climate changes, many Programmers have learned to adapt to fluorescent light. To avoid ambient noise, the Programmer often wears headphones while other office animals are nearby. Music can also help the Programmer achieve the desired dream state.

Once in the dream state and producing code, the Programmer is totally unaware of his surroundings. Loud noises and sudden moves will startle him. If you interrupt the trance state abruptly, he may feel threatened and become aggressive. If possible, avoid all direct contact with a Programmer in the coding state.

In the event that you must approach a Programmer while he is in the coding trance, use extreme caution. Be patient while he emerges from the trance state. Make first contact by approaching the Programmer slowly and standing quietly in his field of vision.

Wait several seconds before attempting any further contact. This will allow the Programmer to adjust to the reminder that other animals exist. This realization is often difficult and confusing. Above all else, do NOT touch the programmer during this phase of contact.

Watch for signs that the Programmer has become aware of your presence, such as a nod, a wave, or a grunt. Such gestures indicate that he has seen you. He may need to finish the task at hand before speaking to you. Allowing him to slowly make his way back to reality will increase the chances of a successful encounter.

If your presence does not elicit any response after several seconds, further intervention may be needed. At this point, a slow and gentle tap on the shoulder is acceptable. Do NOT shout, shake the programmer’s shoulder, or block the screen. These behaviors are a surefire way to provoke a Geek Attack.

Once you have made contact with the Programmer, he will slowly begin to emerge from the Coding Trance. This process may take several minutes. Like a sleepwalker, he may speak to you but be unaware that he is doing so. A Programmer who is ready to listen will stop looking at his screen and cease all typing behaviors. Watch for these signs.

Although Programmers can learn human languages, their native tongue is TechnicalSpeak. A passionate Programmer may lapse into this language. It’s okay to tell him that you don’t understand – he probably doesn’t realize that he isn’t speaking English. For best results, point out specific words or phrases that confuse you.

Be especially careful when approaching a Programmer about a problem with his code. Programmers have a natural curiosity and an aptitude for finding and fixing problems. They are often grateful for the chance to correct their mistakes. However, they may become confused and agitated by vague statements such as, “Your code isn’t working.” Be specific.

Once you have conveyed what you need from the Programmer, back away slowly and allow him to focus on his work. He may need time to switch from one task to the next. Do not attempt to make small talk with a Programmer who has recently been in a coding trance.

In conclusion, Programmers are the arachnids of the office environment. They are often feared and avoided due to their frightening, sometimes hairy appearance. Like spiders, they create complex webs of code that can rid your environment of pesky bugs. Though daunting at first, with proper care and feeding, a Programmer can be a wonderful addition to your office environment.

(by Sarah G. Evans, May 2009)

Dark Chocolate Cuppycakes with Vanilla Buttercream

I had people coming over for a scrapbooking group on Saturday, so I decided to try this recipe. I frosted them with vanilla buttercream that I made based on the recipe here.






These came out pretty good... as the Cast Sugar blog mentions, they are sort of like brownies in cupcake form.

Cupcake recipe thoughts:
- I used 85% cacao Lindt chocolate because I had no time to go anywhere besides my local grocery, but will probably try the Trader Joe's Valrhona chocolate recommended in the recipe if I make these again. They came out really good, so I probably will.
- The chocolate mixture in this recipe requires a little bit of fussing, so don't try this one if you have never ever baked anything before. Pick a simpler one first. :)
- I used cupcake pans with silicone baking cups and did not use any parchment paper as the recipe suggested. My cuppycakes seemed to come out fine.
- I might want to tweak this recipe a little bit next time to see if I can get the cupcakes a little more moist... maybe 2 sticks of butter instead of one and a half?

Frosting recipe thoughts:
- The frosting recipe calls for 2 tsp of vanilla extract, but I ended up using 2 and a quarter tsp because it was too sweet and not vanilla-y enough for my taste. I would have happily gone up to 2.5 tsp or more, but I didn't want to keep mixing the stuff and make it all funky. I want to use ground vanilla beans in the frosting next time.
- I used about 6 cups of confectioner's sugar in the frosting. The recipe calls for 6-8. I am going for 8 next time in order to make it thicker, but I think it needs REAL vanilla in order to do this and not be overly sweet, at least on these rich, chocolatey cuppycakes.

General baking thoughts:
- At first, I felt like the vanilla buttercream was too sweet for these cupcakes, but in the end it kinda grew on me.
- I think these cuppycakes would also be good with the really yummy cocoa cream cheese frosting that I've made in the past. May have to try that sometime.
- I have switched washing methods for my silicone baking cups due to feedback from that she could taste soap residue on my pink lemonade cuppycakes. I thought maybe she was just REALLY sensitive to soap taste (because I ate another one of the cupcakes after that and failed to detect the soap taste). Then later, I got a cupcake that tasted soapy to me as well. Apparently, a couple of the baking cups did not get adequately de-soaped. Ew! I did not notice any soapiness with these chocolate ones after switching washing methods... but I think you might only really notice with something like the pink lemonade ones that have a more delicate flavor. Hopefully the issue is resolved now. *blush*

For posterity, in case the blogs I linked to ever happen to go away, here are the recipes...

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3 to 4 oz. Valrhona 85% cacao (or any bittersweet chocolate)

12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 1/8 c. sugar

4 eggs

5/8 c. flour

1/8 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

3/4 tsp. baking powder

Pinch salt

Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper and laying out cupcake cups. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Chop chocolate and transfer into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add butter to the chocolate and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Let mixture cool for 10 minutes. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for 10 seconds between each.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into the mixture, return to the electric mixer, and mix until blended.

Scoop batter into cupcake cups and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
6-8 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup milk

1. Sift powdered sugar into a bowl or onto parchment
2. Beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy
3. Add half of the sugar, the vanilla and the milk. Beat until combined
4. Gradually add remaining sugar until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like.

EDITED TO ADD:

We had a few extra cupcakes with no frosting because we ran out. So I tried another recipe for vanilla buttercream this evening on the remaining cuppycakes.


Vanilla Buttercream Frosting #2:

3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

This is just a variation on the buttercream recipe I liked so much with the pink lemonade cupcakes. It turned out much better than the first vanilla buttercream, in my opinion. I want to try using heavy whipping cream next time instead of milk. :)