Ladybug Cupcakes!

I got to make the cupcakes for my friend's daughter's 2nd birthday party! My crafty friend, Brenda, was in charge of the decorating.. And they turned out adorable!

We made cookies & cream with oreo sunflowers on top and the others are vanilla bean with a raspberry swirl. Yummy! We had to get creative to make the dome-shaped ladybug cake.. Used one of my small stainless steel mixing bowls to bake it in and it worked out perfectly! Hope you loved them, Melayia!

Next week.... Dora themed birthday party! Keep giving me work, guys.. I have lots of recipes I want to practice with!!

Toffee cupcakes

I am always finding recipes that I want to try but I can't have that many cupcakes just sitting around my house.... Not good for my waistline and not good for my boys's energy level! Please give me work, let me practice! I just baked the cupcakes for my sister's baby shower, I am baking cupcakes for a birthday party in a couple weeks, and baking a cupcake tower for my soon to be sister in law's wedding this summer! I am constantly looking for an excuse to bake so friends for dinner provides a perfect opportunity. Last night I baked a toffee cupcake with a salted caramel buttercream. Oh so good! I loved the cupcake but the frosting was too buttery for my taste. Next time, I will make a little more caramel and use a little less butter.

mini cupcakes

Wow, what a slacker.. I have been baking but not blogging! Time to catch up...

A couple weeks back my coworker had a birthday so I baked her some mini cupcakes.

These were my first attempt at adding another flavor in the core of the cupcake.

I made a simple white cupcake, used a straw to make a hole in the middle and filled the core with Starbucks caramel sauce..yummmmm. 

Topped them with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Redemption Cupcakes

So about a week ago we had some friends over for our monthly get together and I, of course, prepared cupcakes. They were......bad. Really bad. I am still pretty fresh to baking to I guess that is to be expected. But I still felt it necessary to make it up to them with a new batch of cupcakes. I baked up some cookies and cream cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.... Totally redeemed myself!!

Cupcakes for breakfast!

Maple french toast and bacon cupcakes...... Yum!!
This is the recipe I used:

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 3.9-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 strips)

For the Frosting:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Prepare the cupcakes: Combine the flours, pudding mix, baking powder, potato starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars with a mixer on low speed until combined, 6 to 8 minutes. Gradually mix in the vanilla and egg whites. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue mixing until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the maple syrup and half-and-half, mixing after each addition and ending with flour. Mix until the ingredients are just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the bacon.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon; beat until combined. Spread on the cooled cupcakes; top with chopped bacon, if desired.

Anatomy of a cupcake

I love this!



Garrett's cupcakes

My boys LOVE to bake with me. Although sometimes it seems like more of a hassle than a help to let them participate, I don't want to kick them out of the kitchen. So I pre-measure out all the ingredients and let them pour them into the mixer. Then as long presentation is not important, they can also squeeze the frosting bag and cover them with a fun topping. Garrett made some double gooey chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and topped them with crushed Andes mints.....Good job, Garrett!