your daily cupcake

cupcake decorating party

2009-10-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

i dropped by a little cupcake shop i used to frequent last week, and it was gone! or changed, i guess. i walked inside to check things out and there were masses of children with sticky fingers everywhere i turned. the amount of frosting and toppings on the floor was a site to see....it was a cupcake decorating birthday party. all the little bakers had on chefs hats and were creating there very own cupcake masterpiece. so even though i probably would not want to be the one to clean the floor afterwards, cute idea. www.sweetspotbakery.com

cute as a cupcake

2009-09-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

i want to have a child just so i can buy this hat....is that wrong? found of course on my favorite site, etsy.

birthday cupcakes

2009-09-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

my friend felisa was having a birthday party over the weekend for her one year old daughter, calista. we popped by for a quick birthday wish, some hellos, and of course...some delicious cupcakes. she made them all from scratch....and decorated them with pink girly flowers. so cute, and very yummy. she is so creative and fun.

fond memories

2009-09-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

every friday night during the summer my fiance and i meet friends and family down at the beach. each family brings an item for dinner and we bbq and sit with our feet in the sand eating good food and watching the beautiful sunset...this is truly the meaning of life. anyhow, my point is...this week i brought cupcakes!

i thought i would take a step back in time and try to recreate the chocolate hostess cupake. i found a great recipe from none other than martha stewart. the recipe was for a cream filled chocolate cupcake and it looked like an almost exact match. but it was missing one thing, the yummy chocolate ganache type frosting, which my fiance told me was a must. this is where things went horribly wrong.

after reading the comments on the recipe, most people were saying it was much easier to pipe the filling through the top of the cupcake...i thought great! so i did. however, the chocolate ganache frosting that i made was far to thin to cover up the massive hole that i had created on the top of the cupcake. in order to get the frosting to an acceptable consistancy i had to add two bags of confectioners sugar and a package of cream cheese. i could have frosted our entire house with chocolate frosting....it is still in the fridge, so needless to say my next project will include chocolate frosting. but they were yummy!

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for muffin tins
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

FOR THE FILLING
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (7.5-ounce jar)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 6-cup (each with a 1-cup capacity) jumbo muffin pans; dust with cocoa powder to coat, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add half the flour mixture, followed by sour cream, ending with remaining flour mixture; mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool in pans, 5 minutes; remove cupcakes and cool, right side up, on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, prepare filling: In a medium bowl, whisk marshmallow creme and butter until smooth. Chill until slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes. Transfer mixture to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, and seal; cut off one corner of the bag to make a 1/8-inch opening.

Using a small melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake from the bottom, and reserve (you will use this to plug cupcake after filling). Hollow out each cupcake a bit more, discarding crumbs. Insert tip of plastic bag into each cavity, and squeeze to fill; replace plugs. Using remaining filling in plastic bag, decorate top of cupcakes.

oh so cute cupcake keychain

2009-09-16T11:20:00.001-07:00

oh my gosh, how cute are these? i stumbled across the cutest website today, red velvet art. they promote crafty handmade items, art and more. i will definitely be adding them to my sweet favorites.

talent i will never know

2009-09-14T10:08:00.001-07:00

check out these amazing cupcakes...a friend of mine sent me a link to a woman's day article that she ran across while searching for a cake recipe for her daughters upcoming one year birthday party. i am always in awe of people who posess such talent....i become inspired and think "i can do that", but then i try and realize that this is an artistic talent that i will never have.

this is just one of the photos in the article - the cupcakes were created by naomi of newcastle, australia and the photo is from her flickr account.

you should definitely link to the woman's day article and check out the rest! very cool!

ooey, gooey deliciousness

2009-09-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

these cupcakes were as close to heaven as i've ever been. named "better than banana cream pie cupcakes", they lived up to their name. banana muffin type cupcakes with banana pudding pie filling, and a vanilla pudding frosting rolled in cinnamon graham cracker. they were a little bit of work but well worth it.

i had a little difficulty following the recipe - it kind of leaves you hanging on how to actually assemble the cupcakes. i ended up taking a pairing knive and cutting out a pieces from the center, then filling with banana pudding and replacing the cupcake lid...then frosting. oh yeah, i also had a hard time with the frosting...it turned out very runny. but that could have been due to the fact that i used canned whipping cream instead of the extra creamy whipped topping. so i made my own version of french vanilla frosting and it turned out just fine. but the vanilla pudding frosting sounds delicious, so hopefully it works out for you! This recipe is by Lauren Kirkland of Arden, NC and was and was featured in the quick & simple's best cupcake contest.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cup(s) flour
1 tablespoon(s) baking soda
1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 cup(s) (unsalted) butter, softened
1 cup(s) (granulated) sugar
3/4 cup(s) (packed ) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
4 (very ripe) bananas, mashed
3/4 cup(s) (plain) yogurt
1/2 cup(s) (chopped ) walnuts

Filling:
1 package(s) (instant ) banana pudding
2 cup(s) milk
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 package(s) (instant ) vanilla pudding
1 cup(s) milk
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
8 ounce(s) (container ) extra-creamy whipped topping
3/4 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar

Garnish:
2 cup(s) (crushed) cinnamon graham crackers

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with -bananas and yogurt, mixing on low speed just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not overmix. Gently fold in chopped walnuts.

Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in pan, then remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare filling and frosting. Mix banana pudding with milk according to package directions, adding vanilla. Chill for at least 30 minutes. For frosting, mix vanilla pudding with milk and vanilla; fold in whipped topping and confectioners’ sugar until frosting is creamy. Chill for at least 30 minutes to set.

7 minute frosting update

2009-09-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

i raved about this frosting in my last post, and it was truly good. however, i have to mention that left outside of a sealed container for a few hours the frosting turned a little sugar grainy and dried out a bit leaving some cracks in the beautiful final product. so my recommendation would be to use and serve immediately, or make sure that they are in an air tight container. then, yum!

sugar and spice, and everything nice

2009-09-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

...that's what little girls are made of. today a very good friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. i thought it would be a perfect time to try out the alton brown chiffon cupcakes. a different twist on a cupcake, and not entirely sure if i would make them again (sorry alton). they were good but left me wanting something more in the end. the cupcake was very light and airy with a sort of egg flavor (shocking since there were five eggs in the recipe), but it almost dissolved in your mouth. people were giving reviews on this "dairy free" cupcake...call me crazy, but aren't eggs dairy? when i took them out of the oven they looked beautiful (see exhibit a above).

after about 5 minutes out of the oven, they had deflated (see exhibit b below) hummmmmmm

i did, however, find the most delicious frosting recipe ever. rich and creamy and sweet. why anyone would EVER use a buttercream frosting (crusty crisco powdered sugar product) again would be beyond me. (recipe to follow)

after i covered up the sunken cupcakes with the delicious frosting, they actually looked pretty good.

and the final product, pretty darn cute! too bad little baby girl can't have a taste...she doesn't know what she's missin. and this entire recipe, including the frosting has no butter in it!

7 minute frosting - recipe courtesy of paula dean and the food network.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy). Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

honey, i shrunk the cake

2009-09-09T08:22:00.001-07:00

i am pretty obsessed with the food network, obsessed like i watch it all day long. i was never that into alton brown....kind of a different take on food. too much talking and not enough cooking. last thanksgiving i tried out his turkey recipe and let me tell you....that boy can cook! i have watched his show ever since, and guess what? he has some upcoming episodes on the chiffon cupcake which i will be sure to bake and get back to you. give em a try and let me know what you think!

sep 18, 2009
11:00 pm et/pt
sep 19, 2009
2:00 am et/pt

shmoopy

2009-09-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

and oh yes, my shmoopy liked them too! definition shmoopy: cutest australian shepherd ever, name is montana and she is always happy to test my cupcakes.

holy peanut butter batman

2009-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

things have been a little tense around the house lately.....with me being let go from my job and my fiance had his wisdom tooth pulled (apparently the dentist left one behind) so i thought to lift his spirits i would bake.....cupcakes! his favorite thing in the whole world, next to me, are peanut butter cookies... believe it or not i found a cupcake recipe for peanut butter cookie cupakes, martha stewart of course. if you like peanut butter, i mean REALLY like peanut butter....wish you had peanut butter toothpaste like peanut butter, then this recipe is for you. they were really good....but holy peanut butter!!!

INGREDIENTS
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

FOR THE CUPCAKES
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

FOR THE FROSTING
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for decorating
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
Make the cupcakes: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Mix in peanut butter. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Mix in sour cream.

Spoon scant 3 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup. Bake until pale golden and a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 13 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

Make the frosting: Put cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and butter into the clean bowl of a mixer fitted with the clean paddle attachment; mix on medium- high speed until pale and fluffy. Stir in peanut butter with a rubber spatula.

Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons frosting onto each cupcake. Refrigerate until frosting is firm, about 10 minutes. Using tines of a fork dipped in confectioners' sugar, score each top in a crosshatch pattern. Cupcakes can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 2 days.
From Martha Stewart Living, January 2006

room for improvement

2009-09-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

since the inception of this blog (two whole days ago) i have had the overwhelming desire to bake some yummy cupcakes! i went to Michael's, purchased the necessary ingredients, broke out my mixer and after 3 long hours i had managed to create 24 lumps of dough that I could have creatively used in my morning work out routine, topped off with some crusty white "buttercream" frosting that tasted nothing like "butter" and more like dirt...i'm pretty sure that is not how powdered sugar should taste. anyhow, definitely room for improvement. any buttercream frosting suggestions?

too cute confections

2009-09-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

while cruising around on etsy last night, i ran across the most adorable fondant confection cupcake toppers EVER! The name of the store is Clineffs Confections and you should seriously buy these. These photographs are theirs of course.... but had to share.