Malted Milk Chocolate Cupcakes and a Lesson on Anxiety

Malted Milk Chocolate Cupcakes—An Old Fashioned Treat

An Old Recipe for an Old Soul

This weekend, we celebrated a good friend’s fortieth birthday—the “kid” of our group, I’ll note. Although the youngest in age, this friend has an old soul, and not in a stuffy, mothball kind of way. It’s more of a chill, bourbon-and-cigar lounge kind of way—easy and laid-back.

My love language, obviously, is food, so I honor friends with baked treats. Our scotcheroo expert friend already had the birthday boy’s #1 favorite treat covered, so I exercised creative liberty in choosing my contribution to his dessert table.

I was drawn to these cupcakes because malted milk is a nod back to slower times—the old days. It seemed a fitting choice for this friend and for an over-the-hill themed party.

The description of this recipe in Antique Cakes by Julia Richardson relayed the history of malted milk powder, dating back to 1897 for medicinal uses, and how it was later popularized as an addition to good old-fashioned milkshakes.

Although my friend, born in 1986, is not technically antique, this antique recipe seemed appropriate.

License to Chill

The frosting needs a three-hour headstart, due to the required chill time. Note the tie back to the birthday boy and his chill nature—a subtle reminder to take a chill?

The reason for the need to chill (the frosting, not me) is that it’s made primarily with milk chocolate melted in a bath of hot cream and malted milk.

Like many other chocolate cakes, melted chocolate, butter, and whole milk are integral components. As the name indicates, malted milk powder joins the mix. The batter came together quickly and easily. We won’t discuss my inadequacy scooping it into the paper cups.

After preparing the cake batter and nestling the pans in the oven, I actually did chill during the frosting chill time.

Malted Milk Makes It Special

With complete honesty, I didn’t think I enjoyed malted milk. Growing up as a Gen X’er, I recall Ovaltine in every pantry. I also recall that I wasn’t a big fan—didn’t hate it; didn’t love it. To be clear, this recipe specifically states “not Ovaltine”.

Is Ovaltine an imposter malt powder? Not technically, but it’s debatable.

I found and used Carnation malted milk powder, as if it were some novel, fancy ingredient.

I don’t know if it was the malted milk powder or whipping butter into the chilled chocolate mixture, but the frosting was unique. The texture was creamy, light, and not overly sweet. There was a hint of malt that I would say added depth to the flavor. Well done, Julie Richardson!

A Cupcake Worth Spending Time With

More than one person told me that this page in Antique Cakes could be dog-eared for future use. I would have to agree.

The little cakes were scrumptiously dense and chocolatey. The combination with the creamy frosting was perfection. They were the kind of cake that begged for a glass of cold milk on the side.

This recipe nailed it for a good old-fashioned chocolate cupcake—not begging for attention, but inviting one to settle in and ponder—just like your favorite grandpa.

Lest I forget, the finishing touch was, of course, a malted milk ball to top them off. As a side note, we all may be over the hill, but my childish friends and husband couldn’t help but highlight the resemblance to nipples. Now I can’t unsee it!

Malted Milk and Warding Off Anxiety: The Transcend Moment

In full disclosure, and to no surprise of those who know me, I have a deep and unwelcome relationship with anxiety. She sweeps in stealthily and unexpectedly.

Anxiety is something I don’t think I’ll ever truly understand, nor why some have it, and some don’t. However, I’ve resolved that she’s just a visitor and it’s up to me how I respond to her rude intrusions.

Through intention and consistency, I’m learning to recognize and gently guide myself when this party-crasher shows up. To my dismay, anxiety showed up at my friend’s party.

My chill birthday friend never seems to get rattled. It seemed almost ironic to me that here I was at his party, starting to feel the strain of anxiety.

How does this tie in with a cupcake?

This metaphor may seem like a stretch, but it makes sense to me. It seemed so fitting that I’d made these cupcakes for this friend, as an example of a slower time—the smooth milk chocolate—no edge, no bite—depth—a reminder to slow down.

Sometimes the best reminder is to slow down my thoughts; remind myself that it (this party, in particular) was not about me. It was about my chill birthday friend and his day.

The old-fashioned, easygoing nature of these cupcakes reminded me of my birthday friend, but in the end, they also reminded me to chill out.

It turns out that malted milk may, in fact, still have medicinal effects!