Those are butterflies, baby!

It's hard to believe, but one of the girls who graduated with my son is having a baby.  Her mom called me up and asked me to make cupcakes.  She asked me for purple and butterflies.  When I initially asked her how many, she said about 30.  That's totally doable.

I scoured through Pinterest for some inspiration and came up with a plan.  I bought my butterfly fondant cutters and all my food coloring.  I stocked up on all my ingredients.  I called Mom again to finalize the numbers.  She quite sheepishly said more people were coming than originally thought....like 78-80!  AAGHHH!  OK, breathe, I can do this.  I said "No problem, piece of cake." On the inside, I was still trembling.

I am a true procrastinator by default.  No matter how I try, I procrastinate.  I drive myself a little batty.  I was determined with this big of an order I was not going to do that.  I cut out all of the butterflies mid week (order was due Saturday) so they would have plenty of time to dry.  I baked all the cupcakes on Friday.  Saturday morning, I frosted all of them.  WOOO, not procrastinating!  I get everything done right away on Saturday morning and I still have lots of time left.  I decide cupcakes are not enough so I make a mini 6-inch cake.  I thought that would be a nice touch and something they could take home after the shower.

I must be crazy.  Why do I do this to myself?  Ugh...here we go.  I make the cake.  While it's baking, I decide the cake will be opposite from the cupcakes.  The cupcakes are frosted with purple and have white butterflies.  That means I have to add food coloring to my leftover fondant to make it purple.  SMH.  Where are the little baking elves to help me?  OK, I colored my remaining fondant purple.  CRAP, I need fondant for the cake.  I make a small batch of fondant to cover the cake.  The cake is cooling, the fondant is resting, the purple butterflies are drying...almost done.  The Heavens were smiling on me because the cake went together beautifully.  By smiling, I think they were just taking pity on me just this once.

I take the cake and cupcakes to the venue with plenty of time to spare, a small miracle again.  I set everything up and take my picture.  Mom is happy, momma-to-be is happy, guests are happy.  I am just too relieved to have any other emotions.

Now that I have had some time to reflect on the way things turned out, I think I'm pretty happy too.

Happy Birthday Mario!

I can't believe, I won't believe it!  My grandson is 3 years old already!

When my daughter called to tell me the party details, I asked her what she wanted for a cake.  She asked my grandson, who screamed MARIO!!!!!!

I did some digging and found a few ideas for cakes.  My daughter had told me there would be several of the neighborhood kids at the party, so I thought cupcakes for little hands might be better.  I decided to do a combination of cupcakes and a smaller cake.

I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe for 1 layer of the cake and half the cupcakes:

2 C flour
2 C sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C warm water
2/3 C oil
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp vanilla (or 1/2 tsp mint) extract

I then went to work trying to find a white cake to match the moisture of the chocolate.  I have tried and tried with little result.  However, this particular cake came close:

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1½ cups sifted cake flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups sugar
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup vegetable shortening at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons good quality vanilla extract (if you want pure white use clear vanilla extract)
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups buttermilk

Instructions

1. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
2. Grease and flour 2 nine inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the vegetable oil, shortening and vanilla. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
6. I always add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
7. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Now I went to work...I made a standard 8-inch, 2-layer cake and a total of 20 cupcakes.  I decorated the cupcakes like the little mushroom people in the video games.  I then made the actual cake to look like a scene from the video game.  Here's the problem!  My grandson's birthday was in late March, and we were still in the middle of very cold weather for the date.  However, my husband insisted that the cake would be destroyed during the trip unless I held it (umm...think I know how to transport cakes, but whatever).  I wanted to leave for the party without incident, so I gave in.  Big mistake!  It was a rare sunny day that day, and the sun beating in the car started to melt the cake!  My green hills were becoming green puddles.  Luckily, I cheated and used a Mario toy for the top of the cake.  I shudder to think of what poor Mario would have looked like after the trip.

When we got to my daughter's house, I put the cake in the fridge for a few minutes and then did my best to reconstruct my scene.  Everyone loved it, but I was still stewing about my poor judgment listening to my husband.  LOL.  I won't make that mistake again!  

At the end of the day, the most important part was the fact that my grandson jumped up and down yelling Mario cake, Mario cake, thank you Mimi! the whole afternoon.  Some day maybe I can learn to look past the imperfections...

Peanut Butter Blossom....cupcakes

My son's class was having a Christmas party earlier in the week, and he volunteered me to make cupcakes.  Thanks!  I never mind baking, but I get nervous when it is for people I do not know.  Also, there is the transportation factor, especially when I am not the one doing the transporting.  

When I bake for those I am not familiar with, I like to eliminate all potential allergens as much as possible.  I made the base cupcakes using a recipe that does not call for milk, eggs, or butter.  I add about 1/2 cup of extra flour to this to make it a bit more sturdy since it will be a cupcake.  I literally just dump everything into the bowl and mix.  

2 C flour
2 C sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C warm water
2/3 C oil
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 tsp vanilla (or 1/2 tsp mint) extract

Put in cupcake liners and fill about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 F for about 10-15 minutes (toothpick will come back clean).  

I made a batch of standard buttercream and decorated with royal icing to look like holly leaves and berries.  I still had some cupcakes left over, so I decided to make peanut butter frosting (no recipe....just 1/2 cup butter, PB to taste, milk and powdered sugar).  I dusted with sanding sugar to mimic the sugar on peanut butter blossom cookies and then topped with a Hershey kiss.  I saved 1-2 for me and packed the rest separately from the holly decorated cupcakes.

I sent my son off with these cupcakes to school.  When he got home that evening, I asked him how everyone like everything.  He fell to his knees and did the "we're not worthy" thing from Wayne's World.  I think it's fair to say everyone liked them!  Mission accomplished!

Mermaid cake and cupcakes

My son's high school marching band did a show about mermaids and how they are thought to have lured sailors to their deaths.  At the end of the marching season, one of the color guard moms asked me to bake some cupcakes for their end-of-season party.  I went to work making up the scene.

I decided to do a small cake to look like a rock with some mermaids sitting on it...and then make cupcakes to surround that rock.  I thought it would be cool to add some fondant in the shape of a shipwreck to put in some of the cupcakes.

I cheated and used box mix cakes.  Our local Walmart sells basic chocolate and vanilla for $1.00 per box.  I doctored up both batters so they wouldn't taste like box mixes.  I made both a vanilla and chocolate cake in a 9 x 13 pan, which I would later use to build my rock.  I then covered it with gray fondant.

I molded some teal fondant for the mermaids and used a piping tip to create the scales.  Then, I used a combination of pink, blue, purple and silver luster dust to paint over the mermaids to give them an iridescent sheen.

I baked my cupcakes and decorated them to look like waves.  I even piped white on some of the cupcakes to look like breakers in the water.  I molded brown fondant in my wooden board mold and then gave it dimension by painting over the brown with some black.

My friend, who ordered the cupcakes, stopped by my house the day I was working on them.  She had no idea what I had up my sleeve and she all but squealed with delight.  She couldn't wait to surprise the girls with their treat.  The next day, she came to pick up the cupcakes and promised to call me and let me know what the girls thought.

Sure enough, my phone rang like a half an hour later.  It was my friend's number.  When I answered, it was the entire color guard, 20 girls strong, saying thank you.  It just made my day.  It fills my heart with joy that I could give them a treat like this.

Here is the final product...

Pumpkin cupcakes - dairy free

I had to do some baking for my son's percussion group today.  The group has a few members with dairy sensitivities.  I am constantly searching for dairy free recipes I can use for their treats.

Upon my search through recipes, I came across a paleo pumpkin cupcake recipe.  I decided I didn't have half the things I needed so I would just wing it.

Here is the original recipe:

• 4 eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons palm shortening
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ⅔ cup sweet potato flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For frosting...
• 1 cup palm shortening
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a standard size cupcake/muffin pan with 8 cupcake liners or grease very well.
2. By hand or with an electric mixer, cream together the eggs, coconut sugar, and shortening.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and combine well.
4. Add sweet potato flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Combine well.
5. Divide batter evenly into eight cupcakes.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, allow to cool completely.
7. Prepare frosting while cupcakes are cooling. Whip together palm shortening, honey, vanilla, and lemon juice. Spread, drop or pipe a generous amount on each cupcake and serve!

Here is my revision:

**  4 eggs

**  1/3 cup granulated sugar

**  2 tablespoons coconut oil

**  1/2 cup pumpkin puree

**  2/3 cup all purpose flour

**  1 tsp baking soda

**  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

**  dash salt

for the frosting

**  1 cup coconut oil

**  1/2 cup honey

**  1 tsp vanilla extract

**  1 tablespoon lemon juice

**  powdered sugar to taste and consistency

for the filling

**  brown sugar

**  coconut oil

**  pumpkin puree    (I mixed this all together on the stove for a few minutes).

I followed all baking instructions as listed above.  My batter made an even dozen cupcakes.

NOTE:  I do not eat pumpkin so I did not try them.  I had my husband try them and he said they were dry....and didn't taste like cupcakes.  I took them with me to my son's rehearsal and had the director try one.  She said it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake but said it was good.  (I love her, she's my favorite).  I believe using butter would have made the consistency more like a cupcake.

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

When my daughter was in high school, she had this little group of girls she would hang around with.  There were 2 of them that were especially close to her.  Now that they are in their mid 20's, they are still very close.  The third amigo is getting married at the end of summer, and the other two were throwing her a bridal shower.  The colors for the wedding are yellow and blue.  Her wedding dress is almost all lace, so I wanted to reflect that in the cupcake theme.

I made both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, put pale yellow buttercream frosting on them all and then decorated them with a blue flower and some pearl dragees.  The girls had given me an idea for a bridal dress on the top of the cupcake tower, so I made a cake using a Pyrex bowl.  I then covered that with white fondant and pressed my lace mold over the bottom of the dress to mimic the lace in the actual gown.

I heard rave reviews from the bride-to-be, as well as the two girls throwing the party.  I don't think I have ever been more nervous or more proud of something I've created.

Here is the final product...

Cupcake bouquet

I have a friend going through chemo for breast cancer.  Several of our friends have prepared meals that are oven ready and easy to serve.  Several have dropped by with flowers and well wishes.  I decided to do a bit of both...I made a cupcake bouquet.

I wanted to mindful of the fact she was having chemo and may not be feeling well.  I decided to go with a chocolate cake with no milk or eggs.

Here's the recipe:  http://tastycheapskate.blogspot.com/2011/01/wacky-cake.html

I added some buttercream piped like flowers to complete the cupcakes.

To build the bouquet, find a vase or basket of your choice.  Get some plastic cups and some clear Scotch tape.  I'm sure there is some scientific method to putting the cups together, but I just taped them together at the bottom of the cup and then fit them into the basket.  Once you have that completed, cut tissue paper into squares.  Put a square of tissue paper into each cup and then put a cupcake in the cup.  Once you have all your cups filled with paper and cupcakes, fill in any blank spots with additional tissue paper squares.

Voila!

I had my husband deliver the bouquet to my friend's house.  I got a note from her immediately following thanking me.  Knowing that I lifted her spirits just for a minute was gratitude enough for me.

Pitter patter of little feet

My daughter asked me to bake cupcakes for her boss’ baby shower.  I asked my daughter what kind of cupcakes she wanted, but there was no real answer other than “she’s having a boy, she likes teal and she’t not a girlie girl.”  So….this is what I came up with.

I made chocolate cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes.  When they cooled, I colored the buttercream frosting and then put it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.  This made is somewhat of a glaze consistency.  I dipped the cupcakes in the frosting and then put them in the refrigerator to harden a bit.

I got a packet of stencils at the store a while back, and I found some baby stuff on one of the stencils.  I could not get the other things to come out in a manner that would be recognizable; so after much trial and error, I decided to make “pitter patter of little feet” cupcakes.  I took white buttercream, put it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and then poured it into a squeeze bottle (you could also use a piping bag and a small round tip).  I held the stencil over the cupcake and then filled it in with the white buttercream (think Royal Icing on cookies). 

I thought they were just about as cute as the day is long…I hope they went over well at the shower.

Hot Chocolate cupcakes...take 1

Have you heard of the movie "A Series of Unfortunate Events" from a few years ago?  This could very easily describe my adventures in baking this morning.  I have been wanting to do a hot chocolate cupcake for some time, so I decided today was the day.  The powers that be in baking world had other plans.

I am still on the hunt for the perfect yellow cake recipe, so I decided to use a box mix and jack it up with butter and milk instead of vegetable oil and water.  That was fine.  They still taste box mix to me, but that's just me.

I tried to put together a chocolate mousse for the filling...and it broke.  I tried to fix it with more cream, and it broke again.  It did, however, taste really good.

Now came the marshmallow frosting.  I found an easy recipe with butter, marshmallow creme, powdered sugar and vanilla.  What could go wrong?  Yep, you guessed it....it did not set up.  I did not have the marshmallow creme, so I went to plan B and just melted marshmallows.  That was fine except I added too many.  Many scoops of powdered sugar later and adding some milk...I finally got something usable.  Again, tasted pretty good.

After all of these unfortunate events, I was feeling pretty defeated but I decided to soldier on and put this mess together.  I hollowed out the center of the cupcakes and dumped in my chocolate mousse mess.  Smeared some over the top of the cupcake.  I then topped that off with the soft marshmallow frosting.  I drizzled on some leftover chocolate sauce from my mousse attempt.  I frosted a few cupcakes, drizzled on the chocolate sauce and threw them in the refrigerator before they melted down over the cupcake.

Now, I am exhausted, but I take solace in the fact that they do not look terrible...and they don't taste terrible either.

Butterfly cupcakes

Butterfly cupcakes

BUTTERFLY CUPCAKES

When my daughter had her second child, I decided that instead of having the traditional girls-only baby shower, I would do a big family party.  As it turns out, she delivered the baby 3 weeks early, so it turned into a “meet the new baby” party.  We also did not want to leave our granddaughter out of the celebration, so we combined “meet Baby Chase” with “Maddie’s a big sister.” 

Since there would be several small children at the party, I decided against a cake.  Instead, I thought about making cupcakes, of course.  I made a chocolate box mix cake (since I had so much else to do to prepare) and then made a basic buttercream frosting.  I used Wilton green gel food coloring to tint the buttercream.  I then used Wilton Candy Melts in light cocoa to trace the outline of the butterflies.  Once these were set, I used more of the candy melts and tinted them with Wilton gel food coloring in pink and blue.  I filled in the outlines with the pink or blue and then tapped the counter to smooth out the tinted chocolate and get out any bubbles.  I then detailed the wings with more melted light cocoa.  The final step was to make the butterfly bodies by making a small line on wax paper with the light cocoa melt and adding the wings. 

Coconut creme cupcakes

I like to take other desserts and turn them into cupcakes. I did it with bananas foster (which I will post later) and I just did it with coconut creme pie.

My husband loves his mother's coconut creme pie. I'm not going to try to compete with that. It's a no win for me...or for my husband.  Who do you tell that the other's was better?  All I will say about that is he LIVES with me.

Ok...back to the cupcakes.




Step 1:  line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Spread a layer do coconut on the sheet and toast it up.  I did about 250 degrees Fahrenheit just until it turns brown and...we'll toasty.

Step 2:  Make the creme filling. I cheated when I made this and used instant vanilla pudding. I'm sure using the creme designed for the coconut creme pie would make it even better.  At any rate, I added a handful of untasted coconut to the pudding.

Step3:  Make your cupcakes. Again, I'm such a cheater. I was just experimenting so I used a regular vanilla box cake mix. I do boost my box cakes by adding an additional egg, substitute butter for the vegetable oil and substitute milk for the water. It makes a big difference in the taste.

Step 4:  Once your cupcakes are completely cool, dig out the center of each cupcake and fill with the pudding.

Step 5:  Add a buttercream frosting (any white buttercream will do). Then, sprinkle the toasted coconut on the top.

As hard as it is to believe...I do not like coconut. Do you remember the Whitman candy sampler? The one without the little guide?  Yep...nothing was a bigger disappointment in my young life than biting down on what I thought was a peanut butter filled candy and finding coconut.  Ugh!  Anyway, since I don't have any way of confirming that these are good personally, I had to enlist the help of my dear husband. He could not stop eating them. He didn't try to compare them to his mother's pie, but he obviously thought they were good. He gets to stay!

Snicker Doodles aren't just cookies anymore!!

My husband and son are cinnamon addicts.  They go absolutely crazy for anything with cinnamon in it.  In stark contrast, my husband does not like things too sweet.  What a dilemma for someone who wants to pursue baking!  I wanted to surprise them with a cupcake packed with cinnamon, and I found this recipe on Pinterest.  Let me just tell you, they did not last more than 2 hours in my house!  My husband told me I could make these often if I wanted.  

Cinnamon is not my favorite, but I tried one of these cupcakes anyway.  Oh my…it was good. Considering you put cinnamon in the cupcake batter, brush the still warm cupcake with melted butter and dunk it into sugar and cinnamon and THEN put cinnamon in the frosting..I thought it would be cinnamon overkill.  However, it was quite the contrary.  The cake was moist and the flavor subtle.  

You can find the recipe here

I guess I’m going to have to put this in the regular rotation….only I might just have to double the recipe so they last the day!

Chocolate, caramel and peanut butter...a perfect blend

What could be better than chocolate, caramel and peanut butter?  To me, not much. I have a particular fondness for all things peanut butter.  A very dear friend has the same affection for caramel. When deciding what to bake for her birthday, I stumbled upon makingitwithdanielle.com, and there it was.....Snickers cupcakes!

They were a bit labor-intensive, but to say they were worth it would be an understatement!  Oh my goodness, I got so many compliments.  Inside the cupcake is a caramel filling.  The frosting is peanut butter.  Drizzle more caramel over that and top with chocolate shavings.

Here is the recipe from makingitwithdanielle.com...
http://makingitwithdanielle.com/2012/08/13/snickers-cupcakes/