Happy E-Day! (Expeditus, That Is)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 73 comments

Good Heavens! Cupcakes: a Saint's Day treat

Potius sero quam numquam [Better late than never].
-- Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita 
Yes, it's Earth Day and no, this post is not about that. Instead, I turn your attention to a day not long past and forgotten only so much as no one really noticed it in the first place: Sunday was St. Expeditus' Day.

Valentine and Patrick may get all the mainstream glory and commercial popularity but it's their brother in sainthood, Expeditus, who may be more relevant than many of us realize. As the patron saint of prompt solutions whose official day of observance is April 19, this obscure religious figure is invoked by those seeking protection from the scourge of procrastination. Given that this is a common state for most people (myself included), it's surprising that he is not better known. So, if you've ever wondered which holy being watched over the dawdlers, the slackers and the chronically tardy but haven't gotten around to looking it up, I offer this homage to St. Expeditus - a few days late, naturally. 

Happy Saint Who?
Expeditus' role as patron saint of procrastinators stems from popular legend in which the pious soul was intercepted by Satan disguised as a crow, who tried coaxing him into delaying his conversion to Christianity for another day. Crushing the fowl most foul beneath his foot, Expeditus supposedly declared, "I become a Christian today!" It is a scene repeatedly commemorated in images of him as a Roman soldier holding a cross that reads 'hodie' (Lat., today) and stepping on a crow crying 'cras' (Lat., tomorrow). 

Although a St. Expeditus does appear in the Roman Martyrology, the Catholic Church's official listing of saints, there are more than a few questions about the legitimacy of his existence, with two of the most oft-cited stories attributing his origins to mistaken identity due to an ancient typo and some rather obtuse nuns.

The first explanation centers around a medieval misspelling of the name 'Elpidius', an Armenian Christian who was martyred, along with five companions, in Melitene (now Malatya, Turkey) in AD 303. Some historians believe that a scribe mistakenly assigned the misnomer 'Expeditus' to that 4th century personage in an early catalogue of saints, resulting in today's attribution.

At least this version acknowledges the possibility that Expeditus was a real person. In another apocryphal tale of error, a group of Parisian nuns in the late 1700s received a box containing the relic bones of a saint and mistook the postal instruction 'spedito' (Ital., quick, speedy) for the holy being's name. Et voilà! A saint was born. In dispute, church scholars have pointed out that St. Expeditus was already being venerated in parts of Italy and Germany well before this 18th century event. So if nothing else, the nuns' story might serve as a cautionary tale about the potential drawbacks of monolingualism and cloistering.

Global Expeditiousness

Despite the confusion and outright skepticism surrounding St. Expeditus, he is nonetheless a figure of serious worship in many parts of the world. In the Philippines, the Society of St. Expeditus was established by one family after their prayers for help in selling some property were apparently heard; local churches now celebrate a triduum (three days of religious observances) and conduct a complete novena (nine days of prayer) in honor of his day (Darang). 

A 2004 article in the Wall Street Journal Europe described the growing veneration of Expeditus as the patron saint of urgent causes in Brazil, where numerous churches bearing his name and radio programs broadcasting invocations and prayers attest to his popularity, particularly among the jobless and the financially-crunched in all walks of life:
"The dozens of petitions deposited daily in a wicker basket on the altar of the St. Expeditus Chapel offer a litany of economic distress [and it] isn't just poor people who are seeking out the saint. An unemployed executive left behind his three-page resume . . . "
(Moffett, WSJE)

Roadside shrine for St. Expédit, Réunion Island 

On the French island of La Réunion in the Indian Ocean, 'Saint Expédit' is viewed by some as the national saint. Roadside shrines of all sizes abound, most painted in bright red after the Catholic Church attempted to discourage worship of the historically-dubious figure by stigmatizing it with the scarlet hue associated with sin. Instead, the island's considerable Hindu population found the symbolic color of the goddess Karli appealing and added their influence to St. Expédit's veneration (Goutier). 

Just as devotion on Réunion has mixed Catholic, Hindu and other folk-religion practices, the worship of 'St. Expedite' in New Orleans incorporates Voodoo practices. The saint is seen as a symbol between life and death and, fittingly, his statue is found in the historic Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, originally built as a mortuary chapel. 

Interestingly, the origins of St. Expeditus' worship in both Réunion and New Orleans are uncannily similar to the nuns' story: mysterious deliveries of saintly relics (in the case of 'Nawlins, a statue) marked only with the word 'spedito' . . . 

The Perfect Saint's Day

Despite these pockets of enthusiastic devotion to St. Expeditus, he doesn't come close to the familiarity enjoyed by other holy names in mainstream culture and that's quite a shame. As the patron saint of procrastinators, his intercession is probably needed by many people at some point throughout the year. In fact, consider this proposal: for each time a person fulfills a long-deferred task and for every moment an action is completed now rather later, it's an occasion for celebration. 
Finally got around to spring cleaning - in August? Happy St. Expeditus' Day!

At last wrote a 'Thank You' note to Aunt Marge for the Christmas gift of crocheted potholders? Happy St. Expeditus' Day!

Cleaned out the litter box before the funk got funkier? Happy St. Expeditus' Day!
We all have a little procrastination inside of us, so if there's something that you've put off completing, do it now and celebrate later.

Feasts for all Saints

And what would a saint's day celebration be without food? Corned beef and cabbage on St. Pat's and chocolates for St. Valentine's come first to mind but many others have foodstuff associated with their memorials, too. Saint Blaise's Day and its attendant ritual 'Blessing of the Throat' (to prevent throat ailments) is marked in Spain by tortas de San Blas, small breads which have been blessed then given to children to guard against choking for the rest of the year (Thompson, 488). In Sicily and among Italian-Americans, La Festa di San Giuseppe (Feast of St. Joseph) is not complete without the deep-fried dough puffs called zeppole, or St. Joseph's Day Cake.

How about St. Expeditus' Day? If you have a recipe that you've been meaning to make, go ahead and finally cook it.  Whether it's a savory or a sweet, the actual completion of your plans to prepare the dish fulfills the purpose of St. Expeditus' patronage, making any such dish the perfect food for the day.

Let those others have their one feast of the year: for those who prefer to wait, every day can be St. Expeditus' Day!


References:
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org) - Saints & Angels/St. Expeditus
Darang, Josephine. "Society of St. Expeditus turns 14 . . . " 
Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 13, 2008.
Dictionary.com
Goutier, Hegel. "Teixera da Mota, Réunion's First Mother . . . " 
The Courier. June/July 2008
Moffett, Matt. "An Obscure Saint Holds Mass Appeal for Brazilians . . . " 
Wall Street Journal Europe. April 15, 2004. pA1.
SPQN Saints Index (www.saints.spqn.com) - Saint Expeditus
Thompson, Sue Ellen. Holiday Symbols. 2nd ed., 2000
Wikipedia.org - Expeditus
Update 4/30/09: I am submitting this post to the Tasty Tools: Muffin Pans event hosted by Joelen of Joelen's Culinary Adventures. Are you surprised to hear that I'm finally doing this on the last day of eligibility?

Good Heavens! Cupcakes
These are a variation of Mr. Noodle's favorite mint-chocolate fudge birthday cake. I intended to make these treats for St. Patrick's Day but never got around to it, which made them the perfect choice to celebrate St. Expeditus' Day. In fact, I baked them on April 19th, the actual day of observance!
The original recipe from the now-defunct Barlow Foods in Rochester, MN called for a cake mix, chocolate fudge ice cream topping and Cool Whip but I've taken it back to the basics and made it from scratch. This dessert is best when served chilled.

Yield:  2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients and instructions:

For the cupcakes:
(Recipe adapted from Pillsbury's The Complete Book of Baking)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
5 egg whites
2 Tbsps crème de menthe 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line muffin pan with cupcake paper cups, spraying with non-stick spray;
2. In large bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powser, salt, milk and butter at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed;
3. Add vanilla, egg whites, and crème de menthe, and continue beating for another 2 minutes;
4. Spoon into cupcake-lined tin until 2/3 full;
5. Bake for 25-27 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean;
6. Cool completely and set aside.

For the chocolate filling:
My plan was to use a chocolate pudding recipe from Jenni of Online Pastry Chef but I wanted to make half the amount. Naturally, I procrastinated in asking her how best to halve the recipe so I ended up using another one from Mr. Noodle's former co-worker, Tiffany. With this, I was able to use the 5 egg yolks left from making the cupcakes above.

3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsps flour
5 egg yolks
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup half 'n' half
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa

1. Combine sugar and flour in small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, milk, and vanilla extract;
2. Pour liquid ingredients into a sauce pan and add dry ingredients, mixing well;
3. Cook over medium heat, constantly stirring with a whisk, until mixture thickens;
4. Remove from heat and add butter and cocoa powder, mixing so that cocoa is well-blended and leaves no lumps;
5. Transfer to another bowl; place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the pudding to prevent a curdled top layer from forming as it cools. Set aside to cool.


For the whipped cream topping:

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 packet Dr. Oetker 'Whip It' whipped cream stabilizer
1 Tbsp crème de menthe
2 Tbsps powdered sugar (optional)

Combine whipping cream, stabilizer and crème de menthe in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff. Set aside until ready to use.

For garnish:
Dark chocolate, shaved or grated
Sprigs of fresh mint

To assemble cupcakes:

1. Using a melon baller or a tablespoon measure, scoop out the center of each cupcake;
2. Fill each with chocolate pudding until level with the top of the cupcake and arrange on a dish or cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until pudding sets, at least 15-20 minutes;
3. Just before serving, remove cupcakes from the refrigerator and peel off paper liners. Top with a dollop of whipped cream (or use a pastry bag to pipe it on) and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Serve immediately!

Update 4/23/09: If you plan to keep them more than a day or two in the refrigerator, it's best if they are stored in an air-tight container. I replaced them in the muffin pan and covered with plastic wrap - adequate for serving soon after being baked but insufficient to keep them from getting a bit dry due to the 'fridge's cold air.

Happy St. Expeditus' Day!

73 comments:

  • Pearl said...

    you are an incredible writer. are you an author of a book? cause i'd love to read it. i admire your writing SO much.

    your cupcakes look great! i've never tried mint cupcakes (or mint cake, for that matter), so that looks like an excellent treat for "TRY SOMETHING NEW" day. and oh goodness, how I wish St. Expeditus will bless me - so I don't end up staying awake until 4 AM on Friday morning because an assignment is due 6 AM on Friday morning.

  • Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog said...

    Referring about St. Expeditus' Day lovely history work! In the same wavelength are the cupcakes so exquisite!

    These are positively gorgeous, specially make me crazy the picture with all the filling of chocolate inside :)

    Cheers!
    Gera

  • Phyllis said...

    Gorgeous cupcakes - so perfect too!

    And St. Expeditus is definitely my patron saint! I'm celebrating by cooking myself a long overdue guilty pleasure - instant noodles!

  • Anonymous said...

    I didn't know about St. Expeditus - thanks for the info! The cupcakes look just amazing - I love the chocolate pudding in the center! Yum!

  • Jenn said...

    And here I thought I knew my saints! At least now I know there's a saint for procrastination. Happy St. Expeditus Day!!!

    btw...Delish cupcakes How did you get those cupcake tops to be nice and evenly flat?

  • Yarntangler said...

    Finally! a patron saint that understands me! I just blogged about procrastination-again- two days ago.
    And those cupcakes... Chica and I will make those next week diet or no diet~

  • Lori said...

    Wow. You just taught me so much. I was feeling pretty uneducated as I was reading. I'm Catholic and even saw Brazil mentioned in the text and I have to say I don't have much knowledge of this Saint - until now. Very interesting stuff!

    Your cupcakes are fantastic and I was so happy to see you take them back to scratch. That is wonderful! I have a lot of recipes I want to do that with. These flavors sound so good. I need a cupcake! :)

  • Anonymous said...

    Ahhh, Tangled Noodle, when can I come over and help take care of your cupcake leftovers? - Mr. Noodle's Sis

  • Anonymous said...

    Those look wonderful, and since you were celebrating St. Procrastination Day, I certainly understand that putting off my pudding recipe was just in the Spirit of the Holiday!

    Thanks for the history lesson. Isn't his day always tomorrow? ;)

  • Hornsfan said...

    the cupcakes look wonderful. if Expeditus is the patron saint of prompt solutions (and the scourge of procrastination) I'd better jump on the observance bandwagon, I'm pretty good at the procrastination!

  • zerrin said...

    Thanks for the historical information about saint Expeditus. Now Malatya city of Turkey has a different meaning in my mind. I'll ask for if there are any special places for Expeditus (or the misspelled one) in the city on my first trip there.

    I love the combination of chocolate and mint in these incredible cupcakes. Lucky Mr Noodle!

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Thank you, everyone, for all you great comments! I should have been responding earlier but St. Expeditus and I are still working on the whole 'on time' thing . . .

    doggybloggy - Just feel yourself drifting along on minty clouds and cupcake puffs! 8-)

    Christine - Thank you! Coming from the Mistress of Cakes, that's a huge compliment!

    Mediterranean Kiwi - The original recipe called for the chocolate to be on top of the cake then covered with whipped cream. I think this is more fun!

    Taste Traveller - Stack them up with the whipped cream in a separate container and you're good to go! Thanks for stopping by - I just stopped in at your site and now crave some of those 'maulzas' that you made!

    Pearl - Thank you for such sweet comments! Although I've written a few articles for a local paper, I can't claim a book yet. 8-) I am the same as you - I'm always up until the very early morning hours trying to finish a paper or a blog post that I should have done days before!

    Gera - Thank you and it's great to see you back on your blog! I look forward to seeing more of your posts.

    Phyllis - St. Expy is the saint for everyone! 8-) How were your 'guilty pleasure' noodles? I have 2 emergency packets waiting in the pantry - just in case.

    5 Star - Thank you! Although my post was several days late, I was quite proud that I actually baked the cupcakes on the feast day itself! Small steps . . . !

    Claudia - Sorry, none left! Can you blame us? 8-) The mint came from our indoor plant - the only one that survived the winter! For that, it deserved to be showcased.

    ValleyWriter - Thank you! Good thing there's no tradition about saving some until next year's saint's day - like wedding cakes. Saw your post on enjoying your first wedding anniversary - congratulations on that as well as your perfectly preserved, not-freezer-burned cake! 8-)

    Bob - What are you waiting? Start baking - then send me some! It's too dangerous having them all in the house; they're already all gone!

    Jenn - The flat tops just happened: I filled the cups about 3/4 full (it should have been even less, like 2/3) but they really don't puff up. As for the saint, I figured there had to be one for us procrastinators - I just didn't realize that there was such controversy around him!

    Jaime and Jen - Thank you! They were fun to make and delicious to eat. BTW, I just stopped in at your site - I commented on your most recent post but as I went through your archives, I was reduced to drooling idiocy! You have spectacular recipes that I will definitely have to go over when I'm not hungry!

    Chef E - Thanks! I've always loved the term 'enrobed in chocolate' - I wouldn't mind being 'enrobed' in chocolate pudding!

    Jennifer - Thank you! I love cream-filled anything but wasn't sure how to do it with a piping bag, so I scooped away!

    Yarntangler - Thank you! I'm going to try and find a prayer card or something of St. Expeditus (but I'll probably hold off for some reason or another. Boy, do I really need his help!)
    The video you posted on procrastination is beyond funny and so describes me (and a lot of people, I imagine). Definitely try the cupcakes - diets don't have to be about deprivation, right? 8-)

    Elra - Thank you! If we hadn't gobbled them up so quickly, I'd offer you one!

    Duo Dishes - Mr. Noodle loves the pics where it shows the center but this is the only one that wasn't fuzzy. Maybe I was trembling so badly from craving it! 8-D

    Girlichef - Thank you! I've got the glasses and I'm working on my stern 'teacher' look but I'm having too much fun with posts like this!

    Lori - I honestly didn't know about St. Expeditus (I read that there are well over 10,000 'named' saints) and I don't even recall how I stumbled across him. But now, I really need his help! 8-)
    I think that Mr. Noodle might prefer this version of his b-day cake from now on. I was really pleased with how easy it was to make, including the pudding. It's no more 'healthy' (lots of eggs, butter and cream) but at least I know what went into them.
    Please let us know when you convert any recipes to 'scratch' - that might actually be a neat little category of posts!

    Reeni - Thank you! They were fun to make and delicious to eat!

    Anon/SIL - We finished them! There was zero control in the household as soon as we had a first taste but I promise that I'll make them again for you!

    Michele - Thank you! It was a fun post, meant to be a little more goofy but once I started looking up info on St. Expeditus, I went into 'research paper' mode and had to fight being too serious. Glad you enjoyed it!

    Sarah - Thank you so much!

    OPC - As I commented on your blog, I will make your chocolate pudding properly and it will be center stage! And when I do, it'll be, "Happy St. Expeditus Day!"

    MrsLavendula - The recipe for the cupcakes is really wonderful, light but moist. When they first come out of the oven, they have a slightly crunchy, sugary top. The pudding in the center is a delicious surprise!

    Maris - Chocolate and mint make up Mr. Noodle's favorite sweet combo! If he had his way, ALL desserts would be these flavors!

    Heather - I'm glad you enjoyed it! These cupcakes disappeared as soon as they were assembled - at that's with just 2 people! 8-)

    Selba - Thank you! I enjoyed making them and Mr. Noodle was quite happy to eat them!

    Foodie with Little Thyme - Thanks! The cake turned out nice and moist with a slightly crunchy, sugary top. But cream and fluffy are two of my favorite food textures! 8-)

    Hornsfan - Being such major procrastinator, it's no wonder it's taken me this long to find out about St. Expy! Now, it's just a matter of time before I come around to actually petitioning him for help. 8-)

    Joelen - Thank you and thanks for the head's up! I'm going to check it out right away.

    Zerrin - Oh, that would be great! Please let me know if what you might find. I think the saint who is considered most prominent among the 5 martyrs of Melitene/Malatya is St. Hermogenes.
    As for the cupcakes, Mr. Noodle definitely loved them - it's his favorite combination of flavors!

  • The Diva on a Diet said...

    Needless to say, those cupcakes look amazing, Noodle! Well done!

    More than that, I'm fascinated by the information on St. Expeditus. I've never heard of him ... yet clearly I need him. I'm a world class procrastinator. You've not only educated but inspired me. Thanks again for a wonderful post! :)

  • Anonymous said...

    Great story, I do not think I ever learned of St Expeditus and I went to Catholic School - maybe they thought they had time to get around to him.

    I can only imagine how good those cupcakes taste as I have first hand knowledge of Mr. Noodle's favorite cake. Wow, now I have to make it.

  • Daily Spud said...

    Ms. Noodle, I laughed my socks off at the discovery of a patron saint of procrastination - I mean, that's my guy. How many times over the past couple of days have I said that I must catch up on my blog-reading? and must-do about 20 million other things too? Well, Happy St. Expeditus Day, because I'm finally getting around to reading the latest and greatest that the internet has to offer :) As for the cupcakes, you had me at mint+chocolate...

  • Teanna said...

    Patron saint of procrastinators!? I love it! I have finally found a patron saint that is perfect for me! hahah! Those cupcakes look gorgeous, I love creme de menthe!

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Phyllis - You're sweet to share and he did bring you half of that enormous sandwich from Defonte's! Now, it's back to him to share another treat with you . . . !

    Gaby - Thanks! None of us can resist a creamy, chocolate center!

    Diva - With the way I operate, I should record the novenas to St. Expeditus and play them on a continuous loop! Glad you enjoyed the post. 8-)

    Oysterculture - Yes, the good sisters and priests in our Catholic schools seemed to have skipped over this very interesting saint! I suppose they didn't want us to get any ideas about putting things off . . .

    Since I made pancit for Ate's birthday while she's so far away, you'll have to make these in honor of Mr. Noodle's b-day from afar as well!

    Greg - My noggin simply doesn't have that capacity! I'll form an idea or thesis, then hit the books or online sources for supporting docs/data. Attribution in a research paper for class has rigid guidelines but it's so loose on the web - I'm still trying to figure out the best citation format. In this one, I went with "References" at the end of the post, although in previous entries, I've cited after a paragraph or sentence. Above all, I aim to give proper credit to others who have done the actual legwork in compiling this info.

    Ask a simple 'either/or' question and get an involuntary tour of my convoluted thought processes! 8-D

    Carolyn - Thank you! For my husband, no matter the dessert, if chocolate is involved it must also have mint.

    Justin - Don't we all? (Especially if it's chocolate!)

    Maya - That's what makes every day so interesting!

    Spud - Happy St. Expeditus Day! If I thought my body could handle it, I'd eat one of these cupcakes each time I overcome an instance of procrastination, which would be several times a day. 8-D

    Mint and chocolate - do you think they'd go well in your potato shake? It's a thought . . . !

    Jamie - Thanks! I am so bad (or so good, depending on how you look at it) at putting things off that I seriously am considering buying his prayer card to carry around with me. But it'll have to wait . . .

    Teanna - Exactly! St. Expy is really EverySaint; we could all use his help at some point or another. As for creme de menthe, Mr. Noodle loves it on vanilla ice cream as well. You can't really see it in these pictures but the cupcake and whipped green are tinted a nice shade of green from the CDM.

    Lisa - Thank you! For chronic procrastinators like me, it's such a huge deal to get things done on time but really, I'll take any excuse to have fun and eat cupcakes!

  • Sapuche said...

    I’d never heard of St. Expeditus’ Day until I read your post. But hey, potius sero quam numquam, right? :) I’m going to look into this a little more, I think, because I could personally use a patron saint of prompt solutions. I find it interesting the ways that differing cultural values emerge in countries with the same religious traditions, and I feel kind of badly that I’m not more familiar with these traditions (even though I’m not Catholic). When I lived in Tucson, the Mexican shrines in town were often lit up with votive candles dedicated to various patron saints. I wonder if St. Expeditus was among them. Thank you for bringing all of this to my attention!

    Your cupcakes look incredible, by the way. I’m sure they tasted even better, especially with the chocolate filling!

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend! It's cold and rainy here but it's just as well - I have a text tomorrow so nothing to draw me away from my desk.

    Sapuche - I was totally unaware of St. Expeditus and yet I wasn't surprised that a patron saint of procrastinators existed! There are thousands of saints that the Church recognizes and who knows how many more are venerated w/o sanction.

    I should post the photo of one of Manila's biggest malls which has a shrine to the Virgin Mary smack dab in the middle of it! People stopped to pray in the middle of their consumerism - it was a strange sight. In my anthro class on the rise of civilizations, we briefly explored the idea that religious worship/practices played as huge a role in the development and spread of cultural complexity (manifested in art and architecture) as did the more accepted theories of food production and economic trade.

    The cupcakes were indeed tasty - I don't make them often so when I do, I enjoy them wholeheartedly!

    Cpsanti - Thanks for visiting! I enjoyed your site and look forward to reading the rest of your novel.

    Curiousdomestic - I'm going to invoke him more often: I am notorious for waiting 'til the last day or two to start writing papers, etc. In fact, I have a test tomorrow and I only started typing up my notes this morning! (I beseech you, St. Expeditus, to help me . . . !)

    Chow and Chatter - Thanks for visiting! I'm glad you enjoyed my post as much as I enjoyed the great info on your blog. I look forward to reading more!

    Sophie - Thanks! My husband really enjoyed them and I think he prefers this 'scratch' version now instead of the original which used a lot of boxed mixes. He knows which cake he's getting for his birthday!

  • Dee said...

    I should by now know not to check this blog late at night when I would be craving something sweet...these cupcakes are fabulous & I love your information on this saint. Being a procrastinator I'm all in favor. Great blog.

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Jackie - Thanks! I'm flattered but I've seen the photos on your site: they'll end up on a mag cover way before mine do!

    Gaga - I'm pretty sure, too, that you will! They're really easy to make (even the pudding) and disappear quickly!

    Dee - Thank you! Can you imagine how I felt when I was writing this up and I downloaded the photos late at night? Talk about midnight cravings!

    Deeba - Thank you! I'm such an admirer of your baking (and photography) skills that such a compliment means a lot to me.

    Ricardo - I felt like I was in heaven as I ate these: I don't often indulge in all this cake, cream and pudding but it was in honor of a saint's day ! 8-)

  • Cris said...

    Ohhhhhhh I know who that is! This saint is really famous here, you got it right! Urgent causes! But I prefer to pray in name of Jesus :-)

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Cris - Obrigada! I was surprised that he's so well-known in other countries but here, it's only in one city, New Orleans. With the problems I have with time management, I should have a shrine set up in my backyard for him! 8-)

    Phanitha - You're not alone: I think St. Expeditus is brand new to a lot of us! 8-) Thank so much!

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Nutritiontokitchen - At first, I wished the whipped cream was as smooth as buttercream but then I thought it look 'frosty', like soft serve, which seemed more appropriate for a chilled cupcake! The chocolate center is everyone's favorite and the recipe lends itself well to flavor variations. Ooooh, imagine the possibilities . . . !

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Caryn - Hi! That's so great to hear. My husband really liked this new version of his favorite birthday cake but it's nice to have a completely unbiased and objective person confirm that it tastes good! Thanks for visiting!

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    EDLCG - I'll trade you some cupcakes for any of your Sunday Sale treats!

    E. Lee - Hi and thanks! I saved all the little melon-ball cakes with the intention of dipping them in some kind of batter then deep frying them and having chocolate sauce on the side. But then my husband ate them all . . .

  • Brenda said...

    I'm a little late in commenting, but I couldn't pass this up without saying (given my intimate knowledge of cupcakes due to a past job of mine) how unorthodox and delicious these look. Mint Chocolate Chip is my favorite ice cream ever, and combining that flavoring with a COOL cupcake is sheer genius. :)

  • Tangled Noodle said...

    Brenda - Late commenting? You're in the right place! 8-) Mint Choc Chip is also Mr. Noodle's hands-down fave ice cream flavor, which is why his b-day cakes have been this particular combo. I'm so pleased that these get high marks from someone who knows her cupcakes!

    One thing I've learned since this post and would change with the recipe: as it's served chilled, I'll make a chiffon cupcake since it's supposed to hold up better/not get dry in the fridge.

  • Randee E said...

    I am posting a comment almost 1 1/2years after you wrote this post, but I just had to let you know how much I enjoyed it. I also thought you might get a kick out of how we came to know (and love) St. Expeditus. My 13 yr old son is getting confirmed this coming Saturday. He has been in Catholic Sunday school studying and preparing for this day for almost 2years - much to his chagrin. One of his assignments (and duties as a Catholic being confirmed) was to pick a patron saint and write a paper on who he was and why you chose him as your patron saint. Well in true 13 yr old slug boy style he waited unti the night before the assignment was due and was overwhelmed at the plethora of patron saints available for patronage. So, in true fed up to my eyeballs mom style I grabbed the computer and Googled "Patron Saint of Procrastinators", not even thinking there would actually be one!! My son was a little reluctant at first but as we read on about St. Expy we were kind of intrigued by his story and then (cue Twilight Zone music) we discovered his Saint Day was my sons birthday! It was a perfect match! I think I will make these cupcakes for him and St. Expy this Saturday for his confirmation treat!! Thanks for the recipe and the smiles :0)

 

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