Christmas Cupcake Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “Thanks for the coffee and cupcake, Hannah.” Janice stood up from her stool. “I have to get over to the community center and put out the crayons and make sure that Danny Jeffries has a new green in his box. We’re coloring a picture of a kitten today and I know that Danny will want to color it green.”

  “Green?” Hannah asked. “Why green?”

  “I’ll bet it’s his favorite color,” Andrea answered before Janice could.

  “You’re right!” Janice gave her a thumbs-up and headed toward the back door. “I’ll let myself out, and thanks again, Hannah.”

  When Janice had left, Hannah turned to her sister. “How did you guess that green was Danny’s favorite color?”

  Andrea gave a little shrug. “Because it had to be. Why else would a child color a kitten green?”

  Hannah smiled as she nodded. That made sense. Once Tracey was old enough to color a picture, Andrea would undoubtedly turn into a super mom!

  HOLIDAY CHEER CHERRY CUPCAKES

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

  1 cup dried cherries (if you can’t find them, use Cherry Craisins)

  ¼ cup cherry liqueur (or cherry juice)

  ¼ cup pineapple juice (apple juice will also work just fine)

  4 large eggs

  ½ cup vegetable oil

  1 cup (8 ounces by weight) sour cream

  1 box of white or yellow cake mix, the kind that makes a 9-inch by 13-inch cake or a 2-layer cake (I used Duncan Hines)

  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  5.1-ounce package of DRY instant vanilla pudding and pie filling (I used Jell-O)

  12-ounce (by weight) bag of white cholate or vanilla baking chips (11-ounce package will do, too—I used Nestlé)

  Prepare your cupcake pans. You’ll need two 12-cup cupcake or muffin pans lined with double cupcake papers.

  Place the cup of dried cherries in a 2-cup or larger, microwave-safe bowl. (I used my Pyrex 2-cup measuring cup.)

  Pour the quarter-cup of cherry liqueur over the cherries.

  Pour the quarter-cup pineapple juice over the cherry liqueur.

  Stir the dried cherries with the liquid.

  Place the measuring cup or bowl in the microwave and heat on HIGH for one minute. Open the microwave and stir the cherries and liquids again.

  Heat the cherries and liquid again on HIGH for 30 seconds.

  Let the measuring cup sit in the microwave for another minute.

  Using potholders or oven gloves, remove the measuring cup or bowl from the microwave and set it on a towel on the kitchen counter to cool.

  Crack the eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix them up on LOW speed until they are light and fluffy, and are a uniform color.

  Pour in the half-cup of vegetable oil and mix it in with the eggs on LOW speed. Continue to mix for one minute or until it is thoroughly mixed.

  Shut off the mixer and add the cup (8 ounces) of sour cream. Mix it in on LOW speed.

  Feel the measuring cup or bowl with the cherries and liquid. If they’re not so hot they might cook the eggs, add them to your mixer bowl.

  Mix on LOW speed for one minute or until the cherries and liquid are thoroughly mixed in.

  When everything is well-combined, shut off the mixer and open the box of dry cake mix.

  Add HALF of the dry cake mix to the mixer bowl, but don’t turn on the mixer quite yet.

  Sprinkle the teaspoon of ground cinnamon over the cake mix in the mixer bowl.

  Turn the mixer on LOW speed and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until everything is well combined.

  Shut off the mixer and sprinkle in the 2nd HALF of the dry cake mix. Mix it in thoroughly on LOW speed.

  Shut off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

  Open the package of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling and sprinkle in the contents. Mix that in on LOW speed.

  Shut off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and remove it from the mixer. Set it on the counter.

  Sprinkle the white chocolate or vanilla baking chips into your bowl and stir them in by hand with the rubber spatula.

  Use the rubber spatula or a scooper to transfer the cake batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Fill the cups three-quarters full.

  Smooth the top of your cupcakes with the spatula and place them in the center of your preheated oven.

  Bake your Holiday Cheer Cherry Cupcakes at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes.

  Before you take your cupcakes out of the oven, test it for doneness by inserting a cake tester, thin wooden skewer, or long toothpick into the middle of a cupcake. If the tester comes out clean and with no cupcake batter sticking to it, your cupcakes are done. If there is still unbaked batter clinging to the tester, shut the oven door and bake your cupcakes for 5 minutes longer.

  Take your cupcakes out of the oven and set the pans on cold stovetop burners or wire racks. Let them cool in the pans until they reach room temperature and then refrigerate them for 30 minutes before you frost them. (Overnight is fine too.)

  Frost your cupcakes with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting. (Recipe and instructions follow.)

  Yield: Approximately 18 to 24 cupcakes, depending on cupcake size.

  To Serve: These cupcakes can be served at room temperature or chilled. They’re very rich so be sure to accompany them with tall glasses of icy cold milk or cups of strong hot coffee.

  CHERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temperature

  8-ounce (net weight) package softened, brick-style cream cheese (I used Philadelphia in the silver package.)

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon cherry liqueur or cherry juice

  4 to 4 and ½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar (no need to sift unless it’s got big lumps)

  To Decorate:

  Maraschino cherry halves or red decorators sugar

  Mix the softened butter with the softened cream cheese until the resulting mixture is well blended.

  Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract and the teaspoon of cherry liqueur. Mix them in thoroughly.

  Hannah’s 1st Note: Do this next step at room temperature. If you heated the cream cheese and the butter to soften them, make sure your mixture has cooled to room temperature before you complete the next step.

  Add the confectioners sugar in half-cup increments, stirring thoroughly after each addition, until the frosting is of proper spreading consistency. (You’ll use all, or almost all, of the powdered sugar.)

  Use a frosting knife or a small rubber spatula to place a dollop of frosting in the center of the top of your cupcakes. Then spread it out almost to the edges of the cupcake paper.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: If you spread the frosting all the way out to the edge of the cupcake, your guests will get frosting on their fingers when they peel off the cupcake paper and they’ll have to wash or lick their fingers. Kids enjoy this. Adults, not so much.

  If you wish to decorate the tops of your cupcakes, use a half maraschino cherry (round side up) or sprinkle with red decorators sugar.

  If you have frosting left over, spread it on graham crackers, soda crackers, or what Great-Grandma Elsa used to call store-boughten cookies. This frosting can also be covered tightly and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you want to use it, let it sit on the kitchen counter, still tightly covered, for an hour or so, or until it reaches room temperature and it is spreadable again.

  This frosting also works well in a pastry bag, which brings up all sorts of interesting possibilities for decorating cakes or cookies.

  MILK CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

  1 cup salted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, ½ pound)

  1 cup white (granulated) sugar

  1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons baking so
da

  2 large eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)

  2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

  1 cup (half of a 12-ounce by weight package) milk chocolate chips (I used Nestlé)

  1 cup dry oatmeal (I used Quaker Quick 1-Minute Oats)

  ⅓ cup white granulated sugar for rolling dough balls.

  Hannah’s 1st Note: This recipe is much easier to make if you use an electric mixer. You can do it by hand, but it will take some muscle.

  Before you start to mix up this cookie dough, prepare your baking sheets by spraying them with Pam or another cooking spray. Alternatively, you can also line them with parchment paper if you prefer.

  Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. (I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup with a spout)

  Turn the microwave on HIGH and heat the butter for 1 minute. Leave it in the microwave for another minute of standing time and then check to see if it’s melted. If it’s not, give it another 15 to 20 seconds on HIGH with an equal amount of standing time.

  When the butter is melted, set the bowl or measuring cup on the kitchen counter.

  Place the 1 cup of white sugar in a large mixing bowl.

  Add one cup of powdered sugar to the bowl and mix the two sugars together.

  Pour the melted butter over the sugars and mix it in. Continue to mix until it is evenly blended.

  Add the vanilla extract and mix that in.

  Add the salt and mix that in.

  Measure out the 2 teaspoons of baking soda and sprinkle that into your bowl. Then mix it in thoroughly.

  Feel the sides of the mixing bowl. If it’s not so hot it might cook the eggs, add them to your bowl.

  Mix the eggs in thoroughly.

  Measure out the flour, making sure to pack it down in your measuring cup when you measure it.

  Add the flour to your mixing bowl in half-cup increments, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

  Add the cup of milk chocolate chips to your mixing bowl. Stir them in thoroughly.

  Measure out the oatmeal and place it in the bowl.

  Mix in the oatmeal until everything is combined.

  Place the ⅓ cup of sugar in a small bowl. You will use this to coat the dough balls.

  Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls.

  Place the balls in the bowl with the sugar to coat them.

  Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls on a prepared cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet. (If it’s too sticky to roll, place the bowl in the refrigerator for thirty minutes and try again.)

  Use the palm of your impeccably clean hand to squash the cookie dough balls down slightly. That way they won’t roll off the cookie sheet on their way to the oven. (Don’t laugh – it’s happened to me!)

  Bake your Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies at 325 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

  Yield: 6 to 7 dozen, depending on cookie size.

  These cookies freeze well if you roll them up in foil and place them in a freezer bag. They also hold together well for shipping.

  RAINBOW PICKLES

  Ingredients:

  1 jar dill pickle spears (I used Claussen Kosher Dill Spears)

  1 cup white (granulated) sugar

  1 cup cold water

  2 packets unsweetened Kool-Aid powder of the same flavor

  Hannah’s 1st Note: The jar of dill pickle spears I bought was 24 ounces by weight.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: I used cherry flavor unsweetened Kool-Aid powder for the first jar of Rainbow Pickles I made. Other Kool-Aid flavors that I’ve used for multiple jars which also work well are orange, raspberry, and lime. I wanted a yellow so I used lemonade Kool-Aid powder, but they weren’t all that different from the original color of the pickle spears. I didn’t have the nerve to try grape.

  Instructions:

  Open the jar of dill pickle spears.

  Pour all of the liquid in the pickle jar into a microwave-safe bowl, leaving the pickle spears and the pickling spices in the jar. (Lisa uses a Pyrex quart measuring cup with a spout.)

  Pour the cup of white (granulated) sugar into the bowl or measuring cup with the pickle liquid. Mix with a mixing spoon.

  Add the cup of cold water to the bowl or measuring cup and mix it in.

  Open the packages of unsweetened Kool-Aid powder and add the powder to your bowl or measuring cup. Stir it in with a mixing spoon.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: I would NOT recommend using a wooden spoon to mix. I did this once and the wood of the spoon became colored by the Kool-Aid powder and that’s why I now have a red wooden spoon.

  Place the bowl or measuring cup in the microwave and heat it for 1 minute. Let it sit in the microwave for an additional minute and then, carefully, feel the sides of the bowl.

  If the liquid is warm to the touch, remove the bowl or measuring cup from the microwave, place it on the kitchen counter, and give it a final stir to make sure that the sugar has dissolved.

  If your bowl or measuring cup does not have a spout, use a funnel to pour the liquid back into the jar with the pickle spears and spices. Make sure you cover the pickle spears with the liquid.

  Put the top back on your Rainbow Pickle jar and return it to the refrigerator. Make sure the lid is on tightly and gently shake it once or twice during the week to keep it mixed. The pickles will be brightly colored and ready to eat in a week and they will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

  Hannah’s 4th Note: You may have some liquid left in the bowl after you fill the jar, just pour it down the drain.

  To Serve: If you have made several jars of pickle spears in various Kool-Aid colors and flavors, arrange the Rainbow Pickles on a platter like a sunburst, alternating colors. The kids will be amazed!

  Chapter Eleven

  The drive to the hospital had been chock-full of questions. Hannah had filled Andrea in on the homeless man that they’d found, and Andrea had asked questions that Hannah couldn’t answer. No, she hadn’t asked Joe Smith how he’d learned to fix such a deep scratch on the charge nurse’s desk. As a matter of fact, Hannah didn’t even know if Joe’s repair had worked. Could they find out this afternoon? Hannah wasn’t sure. They’d have to check with Doc. The back and forth had continued right up until Hannah had parked her cookie truck, and plugged the heater into the strip of outlets on the exterior of the hospital building.

  “I think it’s below zero today,” Andrea said, her breath coming out in a white cloud that reminded Hannah of the picture she’d seen of smokestacks on old-fashioned locomotives.

  “I think you’re probably right,” Hannah replied. And then, a bit muffled as she held her warm scarf up over her mouth, she said, “Hurry up, Andrea! I’m practically frozen!”

  “It takes longer than that to freeze a person,” Andrea replied once they’d pulled open the outside door and shut it behind them.

  “How do you know?”

  “I know, because Bill went fishing in Canada with his father, and the fish they caught were flash-frozen on the boat.”

  Hannah turned to look at her sister in surprise. “But what does flash-freezing a fish have to do with freezing a person?”

  “It took them a little over a half-hour to get back to the fishing lodge where Bill and his dad were staying. And when they got off the boat, the fish were completely flash-frozen. They do it at minus eighteen degrees Celsius, you know.”

  “I didn’t know, but you didn’t answer my question. What does this have to do with freezing a person?”

  “I’ve got two answers. You’re a lot bigger than a fish, and we were only out there for a couple of minutes.... So, there’s no way you’re frozen . . . yet.”

  Hannah opened the inner door and thought about Andrea’s answer while they hung up their parkas, took off their boots, and changed to shoes. “Okay. You got me, Sis.”

  “You me
an . . . I’m right?”

  “You are if you’re right about the flash-freezing temperature.”

  “I am. Bill’s dad told me and so did Bill.” Andrea looked proud for a moment, and then she sighed. “But I just guessed about the temperature in the parking lot. I don’t know how to convert Celsius to . . . whatever it is on our thermometers.”

  “Fahrenheit.”

  Andrea nodded. “That’s right. Now I remember. But it’s hard to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, isn’t it?”

  “No, it’s easy, Andrea. All you have to do is multiply the Celsius number by nine-fifths and add thirty-two.”

  “But I can’t do math like that in my head! I don’t even know if I could do it on paper. I’m not that good at math, Hannah.”

  “I know. I saw your grades in algebra.”

  Andrea gave a little sigh. “But, Hannah . . . isn’t there an easier way to convert it?”

  “Sure, there is.”

  “What is it?”

  There had been real excitement in Andrea’s voice, and Hannah almost relented. But her answer was too good to give up.

  “Please tell me what it is,” Andrea pleaded. “I really want to know, Hannah.”

  “Okay. All you have to do is ask a Canadian!”

  “Ask a Cana . . . ?” Andrea stopped in midsentence and groaned. “Oh, Hannah! That’s just awful!” Andrea was clearly vexed, but she laughed anyway. “Okay, that was pretty funny.”

  Hannah slipped an arm around her younger sister and gave her a little hug. “You can use that one on Bill when you get home.”

  Andrea’s ensuing smile was purely sunny. “You’re right! I don’t think he knows the real way to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, either.” She paused and gave a little sigh. “So what’s the real answer?”

  “Minus eighteen degrees Celsius is zero degrees Fahrenheit.”