Christmas Cupcake Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  Hannah knew she was about to tread on eggshells, but she had to be truthful. “Well . . . yes, it does. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you appear in public without a designer outfit and full makeup before.”

  “Of course you haven’t.” Delores gave a little smile. “I’ve never appeared in public like this before. But I needed to get here early so that I could catch you while you were still baking.”

  “I see,” Hannah said, even though she didn’t.

  “I probably should have called, but I thought it was best to ask you in person.”

  DefCon 4! DefCon 4! her mind alerted, and Hannah came close to groaning. Whatever her mother was about to ask had to be something big. She really didn’t want to know what it entailed, but she had to find out. “What do you want to ask me, Mother?”

  “I know it’s an imposition, but I’m between a rock and a hard place. I need to ask you for a favor . . .” Delores paused and frowned slightly. “Actually, it entails two favors,” she corrected herself.

  “Tell me what you need, Mother.” Hannah knew better than to promise to perform a favor for her mother without knowing what it was. She’d learned her lesson years ago when she’d said yes, and risked permanent ear damage by escorting her younger sister, Andrea, and two of her friends to a punk rock concert in Minneapolis.

  “I need you to help me find the Christmas decorations I bought three years ago at an estate sale,” Delores explained.

  “I’ll be glad to help you with that,” Hannah agreed readily. “Do you have any idea where they are?”

  “Yes. They’re in the antique shed. I think they might be in back of the mahogany davenport I bought at a farm sale in Grey Eagle. As a matter of fact, I’m almost positive that’s where they are. The problem is moving the davenport to look. It’s heavy, and Carrie and I can’t do that by ourselves.”

  Hannah nodded. “I can help you move it, Mother. When do you need the decorations?”

  “That’s another problem. We need them today. We promised Doc we’d decorate the patient rooms and the lobby at the hospital this afternoon.”

  Hannah turned to glance at the baker’s rack. She’d started baking early this morning and it was almost full of baked goods. “No problem, Mother. I finished the baking early and I can help you just as soon as Lisa gets here.”

  “Oh, good! Thank you, dear. You have no idea how happy this makes me! I was afraid I’d have to call Doc and ask him to reschedule the Jordan High Chorale. They’re coming this afternoon to sing Christmas carols for the tree-lighting ceremony.”

  “I’m glad I can help,” Hannah said. The first favor was easy. It just required a bit of heavy lifting. But her mother had said there were two favors and Hannah still didn’t know about the second one. “What’s the second favor, Mother?”

  “It’s a bit more complicated.” Delores paused to take a sip of her coffee. Then she peeled the paper from the cupcake that Hannah had given her and took a bite. A rapturous expression crossed her face as she tasted it and she gave a little mewl of enjoyment. “Superb!” she pronounced. “These are the best cupcakes I’ve ever had, dear. They’re absolutely marvelous! And I see that you baked a lot of them this morning.”

  “Yes, I did,” Hannah said, watching as Delores eyed the baker’s rack. Was her mother mentally calculating the number of cupcakes that Hannah had stored there?

  “My, you’ve been busy this morning!” Delores remarked, turning to smile at her daughter. “Do you really think you’ll sell all those marvelous German Chocolate Cupcakes, dear?”

  She wants your cupcakes, the suspicious part of Hannah’s brain announced.

  Hannah began to smile as she realized that the suspicious part of her mind was correct. Her mother’s second favor definitely involved the German Chocolate Cupcakes. “How many do you need, Mother?” she asked.

  “Oh, dear!” Delores looked properly embarrassed. “Was I that transparent?”

  I told you she wanted your cupcakes! the suspicious part of Hannah’s brain congratulated itself.

  “How did you know, dear?” Delores asked.

  “It was just a guess,” Hannah said quickly. “You told me that you and Carrie are decorating for Doc today and I thought the patients and nurses might like a little sweet treat during the annual tree-lighting ceremony.”

  “You’re absolutely right, dear. How clever of you to think of that! But of course if you don’t have time to bake more cupcakes . . .” Delores stopped speaking and gave a little sigh. “Everyone will be very disappointed, but we’ll all understand.”

  Caught like a rat in a trap!! the rational part of Hannah’s brain announced. This analysis was quite needless since Hannah already realized it. Delores knew full-well that her daughter wouldn’t want to disappoint Doc’s hard-working nurses and hospital staff, and deprive the patients who weren’t well enough to be home for the holidays.

  “I’ll find time to bake for you, Mother,” Hannah promised, “and now I understand why you’re dressed the way you are.”

  Delores laughed. “You mean, like something the cat dragged in, don’t you, dear?”

  “Uh . . .” Hannah began to frown as she found herself stuck for words, an unusual circumstance for her. She gave a little nod to acknowledge her mother’s question and then she sighed deeply. “I totally understand that you have to dress in old clothes to crawl around the big Christmas tree that Cliff always donates for the hospital lobby, not to mention climbing up ladders to hang ornaments and put on lights. You wouldn’t want to damage one of your beautiful outfits.”

  Delores laughed. “That’s a good guess, dear, but these aren’t the clothes I’ll wear for decorating.”

  “They’re not?”

  “No. I have a nice pantsuit for that. I’m wearing this because of the antique shed. Nothing in there has been dusted in ages. And just for your information, I wouldn’t dream of going to the hospital and letting Doc Knight and his staff see me like this! Once Carrie and I are ready to go, I’ll change into the pantsuit I bought especially for Christmas decorating. This is definitely not what I’m wearing! I just hopped in the car and took the chance that I wouldn’t see anyone I knew . . . except you, of course. And I knew you’d understand.”

  Because I always look like something the cat dragged in when I wear a sweatshirt and jeans for baking in the mornings? Hannah’s mind posed the question, but she was wise enough not to ask it aloud. “How many cupcakes do you think you need, Mother?”

  “I called Doc this morning and he thought twelve dozen cookies should do it, but we were figuring on two cookies each. Since cupcakes are bigger, I think six dozen should be fine.”

  “What time do you need them?”

  “At three. That’s usually when the patients have a little mid-afternoon snack.”

  “That won’t be a problem, Mother,” Hannah said quickly. “I got here early this morning and the cookie baking is all done. I can take care of the cupcakes and have them ready by two, if that’s soon enough.”

  “Perfect!” Delores declared, taking another bite of her cupcake. After she’d finished the confection, she smiled and looked very pleased. “I knew I could count on you, Hannah. You always come through for me in a pinch. I’ll ask Doc if he can spare one of the nurses to drive here and pick them up.”

  “No need. I’ll drive them out,” Hannah offered quickly. “I’d like to see your decorations, Mother. Christmas is such a beautiful time of the year.”

  “Yes, it is.” Delores stood up with a smile. “I’d better run before the sun comes out and someone sees me like this. And thank you for everything, dear. And . . . I probably shouldn’t mention this, but . . .”

  Hannah began to smile, anticipating precisely what her mother was struggling to say. “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll change clothes before I come out to the hospital.”

  “Perfect. A little lipstick wouldn’t hurt either, dear. And if you could just run a comb through your hair . . .” She gave a little sigh. “Doc explained it to me
when you were a baby, but I confess I’m still a bit angry about the fact that you inherited your father’s curly red hair.” She stopped to sigh again. “Your sister Andrea’s blond hair is so perfect, and Michelle’s hair is a lovely shade of golden brown. My dark hair would have been wonderful for you, too. Sometimes I blame myself, Hannah, but unruly red hair like yours doesn’t run in my family at all.”

  “It’s all right, Mother,” Hannah told her. “I really don’t mind having hair like Dad’s. It was just luck of the draw, I guess.”

  “You’re probably right, but I wish you had my hair color. It’s still the same shade it was when I was a teenager. ”

  “Yes, it is,” Hannah agreed, not admitting that she knew her mother had a private standing appointment at Bertie’s Cut ’n Curl, their local beauty shop, to cover the grey in her hair.

  “All right then, dear.” Delores finished the last of her cupcake and stood up. “Carrie promised to be at my house by nine and I want to be at the hospital by ten-thirty. Can you meet us at my house by nine-thirty?”

  “I’ll be there,” Hannah promised. “I’ll leave for your house right after Lisa comes in. And if we’re not too busy today, I’ll drive out to the hospital early and help you finish up the decorating.”

  “Oh, that would be wonderful!” A wide smile spread over Delores’s face. “You’re so much better on a ladder than either Carrie or I are. Give me a call on my cell phone the moment you know what time you’re coming. If it’s early enough, Carrie and I will save the top part of the tree in the lobby for you to decorate.”

  Wonderful! Hannah thought. That’s all I need!

  Delores stood up and slipped into her parka. “Thank you, dear. You’re always so sweet about doing these little favors for me.”

  When the door had shut behind her mother, Hannah headed back to the work station to finish her coffee. Moving a heavy, antique davenport, baking and decorating six dozen more cupcakes, and climbing a ladder to decorate the fourteen-foot tree in the hospital lobby certainly wasn’t what she’d planned for today. And her mother had called it a small favor?

  “One of these days, I’m going to say no,” she said as she picked up her coffee cup and took a sip of her lukewarm coffee.

  “Were you talking to me?” Lisa asked, pushing through the swinging door that separated the kitchen from the coffee shop just in time to hear Hannah’s disgruntled comment.

  “No!” Hannah reassured her. “It’s just that Mother asked me to bake an extra six dozen cupcakes this morning. ”

  “I thought I saw her car pulling away.” Lisa walked to the coffeepot and poured a cup for herself. “And you agreed?”

  Hannah gave an exasperated sigh. “Yes, I’m afraid I did. And I also agreed to help her look for Christmas decorations in her antique shed, and to help decorate the Christmas tree in the hospital lobby.”

  “Wow!” Lisa looked properly shocked. “Did you resist at all?”

  Hannah shook her head. “Not really. She just put on that sad puppy dog look and I couldn’t say no.”

  Lisa laughed. “My mother used to use that look whenever she wanted me to clean my room.”

  “And it worked?”

  “Like a charm. I think mothers learn that look right after they have their first baby. How long did you manage to resist before you caved in?”

  “No more than a couple of seconds.”

  “That figures.” Lisa walked over to the baker’s rack and took a cupcake. “Are these my mother’s German Chocolate Cupcakes?”

  “Yes. Mother tasted one and loved it. She wants six dozen by this afternoon.”

  “No problem.” Lisa came back to her stool at the work station and peeled the paper from the cupcake. “Rachael is going to be here any minute now and she can bake them for you. My mom taught her to bake the summer she stayed with us.”

  Hannah was puzzled. “Who’s Rachael?”

  “My cousin from Cedar Rapids. She’s spending the holidays with us and she drove up last night. When does your mother need the cupcakes?”

  “I promised to have them ready by two this afternoon. They’re having a tree-lighting ceremony in the hospital lobby again this year.”

  “The way they did last year with the Jordan High Chorale and all?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Oh, that’s nice! Rachael can drive them out there for you. She’s going to nursing school in Cedar Rapids and it’ll give her a chance to talk to some of the nurses.” Lisa glanced up at the clock. “What time are you going to your mother’s house?”

  “As soon as everything’s organized here. I have to help Mother and Carrie move an antique davenport.”

  “It’ll probably take all three of you. Those old sofas are heavy, especially if they’re the kind that lifts out to make a bed. You can go now, Hannah. All I have to do is put up the coffee in the coffee shop and fill the cookie display jars.”

  “Are you sure?” Hannah found herself feeling a bit guilty about leaving all the work to Lisa.

  “I’m sure. It could take you some time to locate those decorations. Your mother once told me she had over a hundred and fifty antiques in that shed.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need me to help you with anything before I leave?”

  “Not a thing. I’ll have plenty of help. Dad’s coming down here, too, if that’s all right with you.”

  “Of course that’s all right!” Hannah responded quickly. Lisa’s father loved to visit with the customers and everyone had a good time when he was there.

  “Go ahead, Hannah. They’ll be here any minute.”

  “All right . . . if you’re sure . . .”

  “I am. Go help your mother before she decides to try to move that sofa herself and throws out her back.”

  “You’ve got a point,” Hannah said, getting up from her stool and carrying her cup to the sink. “If Carrie gets there early, they might decide to do something like that.”

  “Good luck finding the decorations,” Lisa called after her as Hannah headed for the strip of coat hooks by the back door and grabbed her parka. “And don’t let your mother and Carrie reposition the treetop angel more than two or three times this year.”

  GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

  2 large eggs

  ½ cup vegetable oil (not canola or olive oil)

  ½ cup chocolate milk

  1 cup of sour cream

  1 box chocolate cake mix, with or without pudding in the mix, the kind that makes a 9-inch by 13-inch cake or a 2-layer cake (I used Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge)

  5.1-ounce package of instant chocolate pudding (I used Jell-O, the kind that makes 6 half-cup servings)

  12-ounce (by weight) bag of milk chocolate chips, chopped into smaller pieces

  Prepare 2 cupcake pans, the kind that makes 12 cupcakes each, by lining them with cupcake papers.

  Hannah’s 1st Note: I always use double cupcake papers when I make cupcakes.

  Crack the eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer on LOW speed until they are a uniform color.

  Pour in the half-cup of vegetable oil and mix on LOW speed until it is combined with the eggs.

  Pour in the chocolate milk and mix on LOW speed.

  Measure out the cup of sour cream and use a rubber spatula to add that to your mixer bowl. Mix that in on LOW speed.

  When everything is well mixed, shut off the mixer and open the box of cake mix. (Don’t bother to read the directions on the box—You won’t be using them in these cupcakes.)

  Sprinkle in approximately HALF of the dry cake mix and combine that with the liquid ingredients at LOW speed. Then sprinkle in the rest of the cake mix and mix it all together.

  When the cake mix has been thoroughly incorporated, open the box of instant chocolate pudding and sprinkle it into the bowl of your mixer. Mix that in on LOW speed.

  If you haven’t already done so, chop the milk chocolate chips into smaller pieces. This
is most easily done by placing them in the bowl of a food processor and chopping them in an on-and-off motion with the steel blade.

  Add the chopped milk chocolate chips to the mixer bowl. Combine them with the other ingredients at LOW speed.

  Shut off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and remove the bowl from the mixer.

  Give the bowl a final stir by hand with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.

  Use a scoop or a mixing spoon to transfer the German Chocolate Cupcake batter to the pans you’ve prepared, filling each cupcake paper ¾ full.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: These cupcakes are very dense and do not rise very much in the oven.

  Bake your cupcakes at 350 degrees F. for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted a half-inch from the center comes out clean.

  Remove from the oven and let cool in the cupcake pans on cold stovetop burners or wire racks.

  Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting with German Chocolate Cupcake Frosting. (Recipe follows)

  GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE FROSTING

  Hannah’s 1st Note: This frosting consists of two parts, the Cooked Pecan Coconut Frosting and the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Make the cooked frosting first and let it cool while you make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

  COOKED PECAN COCONUT

  FROSTING

  1 cup evaporated milk

  3 egg yolks, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)

  1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

  ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound) salted butter

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  ½ teaspoon coconut extract

  1 cup flaked coconut

  1 cup pecans (pieces are fine)

  Place the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, and butter in a medium-size saucepan. Turn the burner to MEDIUM heat and stir CONSTANTLY with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: This will take from 12 to 15 minutes.

  Pull the saucepan off the heat, shut off the burner, and stir in the vanilla extract and the coconut extract.