OK Chocolate Cake!

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You may be asking, "WHY on earth did she make an emoji hand gesture cake?!" Well, the answer is simple, really.

Every year I make special birthday cakes for my boys. I've done a Rubik's Cube, skatepark, track and field stadium, all the characters from Super Smash Bros, a ski slope (Vail in particular), the backdrop for the game Portal, a train, and more. This year, I hit a wall. I couldn't think of anything fun or unique for Luke. So I went to him for inspiration.

One day, while we were on our way home from school, I asked, "So Luke, what's your favorite emoji?" I looked in my rear view mirror and he was holding up the OK sign,
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Bingo!!! I had this year's cake!! And, I have to tell you, this birthday cake was the easiest. I made a batch of my famous chocolate cupcakes (to die for), and arranged 22 of them in the shape of the OK emoji. Next, I tinted store-bought vanilla icing with yellow food coloring and iced away. That was it! Think about all the variations you can make for your friends and family!

Here's how to do it:

OK Chocolate Cake!

Note: The recipe makes 24 cupcakes and I used 22 for the hand symbol. That means the chef gets to eat the extra two!

Note: It's important to heat the milk for this recipe. Don't skip that step. First, it helps melt the brown sugar, so there are no clumps. Second, it adds a richer flavor. 

Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
3 containers store-bought vanilla icing (or more if desired)
Yellow food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cups of a muffin pan (or two) with paper liners or spray with cooking spray (I used yellow paper liners).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until blended.
Heat the milk in the microwave or small saucepan until tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Beat the milk into the yogurt mixture. Gradually beat in the flour mixture and mix until blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan(s), filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little moist bits clinging to it.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan, on wire rack.

Arrange the cupcakes (I used 22) in the shape of the OK emoji (or any shape you want!). I placed the cupcakes on a large cake board (designed for a sheet cake). 

Combine the icing an enough yellow food coloring to create the desired shade of yellow. Spoon the icing on the cupcakes. 

Spread the icing out to connect the cupcakes.
If you want, you can also ice the sides - it makes the emoji more authentic, but it's incredibly messy to eat! Trust me...

Makes 24 cupcakes and one emoji cake