Monday, April 30, 2012

The Cupcakes

I had the pleasure of making 4 different cupcakes for our community clean-up day. 


KEY LIME PIE

SUPER sour....just like the real thing!  I made lime flavored cupcakes using a vanilla cake recipe, adding about 2 tablespoons of lime juice.  Baked as usual and topped with real BUTTER buttercream frosting that tasted JUST like you bit into a lime.  LOTS of lime juice in this.  I then piped it onto the cupcakes and sprinkled crushed graham crackers on top along with a tiny candy lime wedge.


GERMAN CHOCOLATE

These are dark chocolate cupcakes topped with home made Coconut Pecan frosting (Ala Cooks.com).  Made chocolate ganache and piped SORRY looking scrolls (really, they look more like snails)around the cupcake. 


Want to know what the other 2 flavors were?  Check back soon to see!



Friday, April 27, 2012

JACKS BIRTHDAY AT SCHOOL ICE CREAM CONE CUPCAKES...whew

That was a mouthful.  Hopefully, his classmates will think the same of the treats we brought for them!



I love making these because you can make them look so realistic, it causes double takes all over the place.  And I am all about double-takes.  And general Tom Foolery.  And Silly....I do silly REALLY well.  Ahem.

Just fill flat bottomed (don'tcha wish you had a flat bottom.  I sure wish I did!) ice cream cones 3/4 of the way full and bake as normal. 

FYI - I suggest doing this in a mini-cupcake pan surrounded by tin foil to keep them from falling over.  Just a small tip learned from a very bad experience....:)

I frosted mine with bubble gum flavored REAL buttercream, sundae sprinkles and a sour cherry candy on top.

Again with the FYI - These things are REALLY DIFFICULT to transport!  If possible, do not introduce them to a moving vehicle.  Disaster will, I promise, ensue!  They are worth the effort, however....looks good and SO tasty!


Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Spring Is In The Air!

Where I live, Spring is a magical time.  After MONTHS of cold, snow and ice, the warmth of the sun and crocus flowers poking through the last of the snow is the unofficial badge of honor proving you have the fortitude to survive all Wisconsin can throw at you. 

Well, in theory anyway.

See, this year we have had 6 months of Spring and on some days, Summer!  Very odd for my neck of the woods.  None the less, April is a welcome sight and is causing me to think of the gardening possibilities!  I made this rose cupcake/gift basket combo with that thought in mind.  Who can resist flowers made from buttercream?


I used a regular (heavy) flowerpot and inserted a styrofoam ball (one that fits TIGHTLY).   I topped that with green tissue paper (if I do it again, I may use green shredded tissue paper.  I didn't like how "bunched up" it looked).  I then used heavy dowels topped with cupcakes and pushed them through both the tissue paper and the styrofoam ball.  I would recommend freezing the cupcakes before doing this to limit any damage to the icing and to also wrap in a clear gift bag to help support the cupcakes.  I then tied a package of flower seeds to the outside of the package so she could reuse the planter.

The recipient, by the way, LOVED it!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

April Fools Part 2

Here are the remaining April Fools pranks as promised!




Lunch was "grilled cheese" and "chips"...AKA pound cake with orange frosting and bags of chips that I opened a TINY bit on the bottom, poured out the chips and refilled with carrots!  I then hot glued the bag back together being careful not to use too much glue (Carrots and hot glue = YUCK).