cupcakes

I got to spend a fun morning this morning stamping with some old friends ("old" as in I've known them for a long time, not in terms of their age!!) I held my Annual New Catalog Mystery Hostess Party and...

I was reading this post on A Southern Grace, and it reminded me of these amazing marbled muffins, sold at a gourmet market near my high school. They called them muffins, but I think it's technically more of an un-frosted cupcake. It's over 10 years since I've had these muffin/cupcakes and the store is no longer there so I decided to make something like it, myself. This recipe uses the cream cheese

I sent a close personal friend cupcakes for her birthday and I must share with you how phenomenal the experience was. Being able to actually taste the cupcakes MYSELF would have enhanced the whole thing, but that is a little hard 3000 miles away. I searched far and wide for cupcakes by mail. Mrs. Beasley's kept coming up, until it was undeniable that they would have to be my purveyors. The only r

This weekend, I tried out Washington DC's ode to the cupcake: Couture Cupcakes. They're beautiful, as you can see here, but they may be the most delicious cupcakes I've ever tried. Even better than Sprinkles. My tummy was very appreciative.

quinoa is a powerful little seed. its nutritional value is superb and i think everyone should find their own way of including it in their diet. as wikipedia says...quinoa has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains

i love lavender...i have always, always found it so incredibly relaxing. i love a few drops sprinkled on my pillow to help me sleep at night, i love lavender body cream, i love english lavender perfume every so often sprayed in my wardrobe and delicately scenting my clothes. lavender is pure goodness, uninterrupted serenity, the height of calmness and peace. in making these cupcakes and perusing

I thought it was funny this year, my daughter didn’t want a real cake. She has never done that before, and it just caught me by surprise. She said “I want something different.”, though when asked she didn’t know what that was. I decided to allow her to make her own cupcakes (we already had [...]

Last week, I had made a trip to Cakewalk, a cake supply store in Chicago.  There, I found many small bottles of oil flavorings and the champagne flavor in particular caught my eye.  I didn’t even know such an oil flavor existed, but I knew I had to buy it and use it in something.  [...]

when the summer weather doesn't appear as hoped for, one has to make do with creating their own taste of summer and this is where the idea for these cupcakes came. i love rhubarb...my grandma used to make rhubarb pie when i was younger and home in Ireland for summer holidays and we'd eat big slices of it with fresh cream or ice-cream and i just loved the tartness of the rhubarb with the sweetness

ok, so i'm a BIG fan of millionaire's shortbread. they sell it in the shops here and it's basically a biscuit/shortbread base, layer of toffee, layer of chocolate. it is so good! i could sit and eat square after square with no thought of expanding waistline because the sheer pleasure in the eating eradicates any other negative thoughts.so i thought i'd like to try and recreate it in cupcake form

As you may have noticed we have a certain interest in cakes, chocolate and other sweet treats. Well, after one year of research in that field we see some results that we did not quite anticipate. So in order to get rid of those soft spots in certain body areas and to be prepared to [...]

My kids have been begging me for awhile now to make these cupcakes we saw on the back of the cake mix box. So, today I had $9 free groceries at the store and I used it to purchase the candy and cookies needed to make them. Keaton and Ike were here so we invited them in to make some too. I made a couple and then they each made one to match. After their first one they all experimented and made them

I had some leftover strawberries that were just a couple days away from being unusable and there were no baked items in my apartment, so it was the perfect opportunity to make these chocolate strawberry cupcakes. Originally, I planned on making another white cake, but it’s been a long time since I made chocolate cake.  Strawberries [...]

The Taste and Create event hosted by Nicole is an event that I try not to miss...BY means of this event I have come across some wonderful food blogs which I would have missed otherwise. This month I was paired with Steph of Cupcake Project. Since I just love baking, paired with this wonderful blog of just cupcakes was exciting. Do read the about;her very useful cupcake baking tips, and ofcourse t

I've been plotting and planning my wedding party in a month's time and whilst I'm still fuzzy about LOTS of the details, one thing I am sure about is that I'm having cupcakes - lots of cupcakes. I'm going to...

so today is the first day of my favourite tennis tournament...Wimbledon. for me, Wimbledon has got class. everything is so old school there...the white outfits, the lack of advertising invasion and that lovely green grass. it inspired me to think of a cupcake that would be perfectly at home there amongst the lords and ladies...and so instantly strawberries and cream come to mind as that is what is

well by now, most of you who read this blog will know that i am a HUGE chocolate fan...i just adore the stuff and one of my favourite ways to enjoy chocolate is in the shape and taste of the humble brownie...A chocolate brownie, also known as a brownie, Bangor brownie or Boston brownie, is a small, rich, chocolate baked cake-slice, named after its brown colour.crikey - what rocket scientist decide

Last week, I received a 1/2 lb. of organic Grade A Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans from eBay…yes, eBay.  The only vanilla beans I find around here are the dry little beans sold two in a jar down at the grocery store for $10.  I think that’s why I rarely used vanilla beans when I baked [...]

so what could possibly be better than seeing life through rose-coloured glasses? taking it one step further of course and enjoying it with rose-flavoured tiramisu cupcakes, of course!i'm off to a friend's house later to help her celebrate her birthday and what better than something slightly pink, pretty and rose-flavoured? as you know i have been dying to use that new rose syrup i just bought and

It’s been a while since I baked a batch of cupcakes, but I started to get the itch for some of the miniature cakes this weekend and pulled out my trusty cupcake pan. Some freshly picked oranges - plucked from the tree before the orange-loving squirrels could get to them - were my inspiration to make some orange and chocolate cupcakes. I used a simple cake recipe that I come back to time and agai

I wonder if it has to be George Bush, which I’m assuming they mean … or would any kind of bush do?  Hmmmmmm.  Regardless, I’m betting this place has given away a ton of free cupcakes. Post from: Steven Humour Share This Post:

I was in the city today for a doctor’s appointment, so I took the opportunity to hit up a couple of cupcake joints I’ve been wanting to visit for the past few months.  I visited Molly’s Cupcakes and Swirlz, both located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.  I’m going to break up each shop into two [...]

If you have paid a visit to the Johnny Cupcakes website recently you may have noticed that you are greeted with a couple new splash screens. A total of 4 new splash pages display a look at the Summer 08′ Womens Tees from Johnny Cupcakes which are set to release later this month on June [...]

Tasty! Indulge! Simply Refreshing! Tasty Treats! But without all the calories! These yummy little treats are for your bath not your mouth, silly! Drop them in your bath and enjoy an oh so yummy smelling, fizzing moisture releasing bath bomb. The above pictured bath cupcake bombs and TONS of other flavors can be found at: Feeling Smitten

Alright, this didn’t turn out exactly as I had planned.  My aim here was to make a cupcake version of the classic bananas foster dessert.  However, as I was making these I forgot two things I wanted to add: rum in the banana cake and a caramel middle.  Forgetting the rum was due to me [...]

This morning I was looking at summer cookie ideas when a link led to a link to a link and I found myself immersed in beautiful cupcake liners. Sold mostly in packages of 12 they also come in larger quantities of 50 per package for graduations, weddings and parties.The prices ran about $12.95 for a 12 pack which isn't exactly budget friendly, but they are so beautiful that for a bridal shower, bab

i have been eyeing the beautiful rosemary plant growing in the garden for a few weeks now. it has grown so well and is just flourishing in this warm summery weather we've been experiencing these past few days. so what better thing to do than pop it in some cupcakes. for me, rosemary and lemon are a perfect combination and i have seen a lot of recipes calling for those two ingredients together. s

The wind-inspired Issey Miyake Spring 2008 collection was a collaboration between Creative Director Dai Fujiwara and James Dyson (of Dyson vacuum fame). According to Fashion Windows, the collection blew "a wind of freshness, bringing a propos poetry to the concern with global warming and making a statement of hope: fashion has an optimistic vision of the future." But when I laid eyes on the collec

Guest blogging for Hippocrene Cooks this week is Cherie Hamilton, Hippocrene's globe-trotting specialist on the food cultures and cuisines of Portuguese-speaking countries around the world. Cherie's much-praised cookbook, Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters, was recently reprinted in an expanded edition (with over 70 new recipes) and truly crosses borders as it examines the distinct cuisines Portugu

i had the wondrous good fortune of living in Bali for a year and a half from July 1998 - November 1999. and while i was there i fell in love with this fabulous restaurant called the 'Dirty Duck' or 'Bebek Benggil' in Indonesian. it was located in Ubud, where i was living and although this was certainly a good thing, it didn't do well for my waistline as my favourite food to eat there was their coc

"There’s more to life than chocolate, but not right now." Cocoa Cupcakes...with Icy Cool Hearts & Icy Cool Toppings too! Chanced upon 'The Cupcake Hero' theme while perusing random blogs & saw that COCOA was the theme for the month. The crew there say..."Well, let’s see your skills! Each month a theme ingredient will be named. The theme ingredient must be used in either the cupcake,

These cupcakes made from cocoa and applesauce are low in saturated fat and make a great occasional treat! 1 Cooking Spray, original, 1/3 sec spray 1 cup Margarine, 80% fat, unsalted, tub (or butter) 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder, unsweetened 1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 3/4 cup Flour, all purpose, unbleached, enriched 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking [...]

Persian Love Cake. Sounds sexy huh? That’s exactly what I thought when I saw this over at Couture Cupcakes. Minko (of Couture Cupcakes) entered this cake in a blog event. Minko even made her cake in the shape of hearts! If you have never gone to Minko’s than you have been missing out on some awesome cupcakes! At Couture Cupcakes it’s all about hot men and even hotter cupcakes. She b

And isn't a great neighborhood half about the bakeries? What's the Lower East Side without these? While out walking along Grand Street and East Broadway on the Lower East Side this morning, I couldn't help myself from wandering into the local bakeries and picking out a little something to take home. Or a few somethings. Another reason why I have to walk so much.Several of the shopkeepers struck up

so i recently saw a food blog event that seemed to tie in perfectly with my camomile tea project that i've been thinking about for a few days now. it's hosted by Skinny Gourmet and is all about tea. so if you're a big fan of the stuff then get over there and check out the event before it closes! some time ago i discovered the most wonderful blend of tea by Twinings...camomile, honey and vanilla te

The latest ad for Electrolux taps into the the growing cupcake trend that some say has already jumped the shark. Old hat or not, the commercial claims to have "McHotties" knocking at your door with cupcake cravings if you have the perfect cupcake baking appliance. We only wish there was some truth to this advertising.[Thanks, Steve!]

via farm4.static.flickr.com These yummy cupcakes from Clever Cupcakes in Montreal are really a sure hit to all! Cupcakes come in three choices: classic, creative, and wholesome. Various selections on cake, frosting, fillings and sprinkles for your classic cupcakes; go creative a la Mario Bros.; or keep it health(ier) with the whole-grained goodness of a wholesome cake. The wholesome cakes are made

COME TO THE DARK SIDE - WE HAVE CUPCAKES! T-Shirt, Adult XL (Apparel)By Cool Custom Design Buy new: $14.00 Customer Rating: First tagged “star wars” by Lovin’ retirement Customer tags: dark side, [...]

Okay, before you get those brain cells busy, let me tell you that I’m referring to the cupcakes Heidi gifted Victoria Beckham on her 34th birthday. And guess what- stick thin Victoria is actually eating them everyday! Wow, talk about miracles. But then Heidi is a Victoria’s Secret angel after all. An unlikelier mum-pal pair you couldn’t have! But getting back to business, Heidi Klum’

This is some thing nice for our mother this year!I bought it from Eunice at Dolce~, a mad baker who blog about her skill on what she bake and sell. Lol! It taste great, as she really does have a good skill on baking but.. not on 'direction or location', especially she wanted us to COD [Collect On Delivery] if we bought from her.I recommend you ask your grandmother or just Google'd it, rather than

Cupcakes are my favourites. They look really very cute. I admire the way cupcakes come out of my oven. Yummy! It makes my mouth water. Cupcakes can be made in many different flavours. Taking about flavours, Vanilla is my favourite flavour. Be it a milkshake, Ice cream, cake or a cupcake, Vanilla is my first choice. Cupcakes are very easy to make and can be served as dessert or a snack in tea parti

Cupcakes are my favourites. They look really very cute. I admire the way cupcakes come out of my oven. Yummy! It makes my mouth water. Cupcakes can be made in many different flavours. Taking about flavours, Vanilla is my favourite flavour. Be it a milkshake, Ice cream, cake or a cupcake, Vanilla is my first choice. Cupcakes are very easy to make and can be served as dessert or a snack in tea parti

Cupcake cars Originally uploaded by busybeingborn This is quite possibly one of the funniest, oddest, and cutest things I’ve run across recently. These are cupcake cars and they make the rounds at events such as The Maker Faire and Burning Man. I’ve tried finding background information on these, but I haven’t had much luck. [...]

If you didn’t know Heidi Klum is one of Victoria Beckham’s friends. Being Victoria’s birthday last month Heidi Klum thought making a very sweet present to Posh. So she gave her a dozen cupcakes from Sprinkles and she even made it possible that the treats will be delivered every Friday for a year. This must [...]

Heidi Klum gave pal Victoria Beckham a dozen cupcakes from Sprinkles in LA for her 34th birthday — and has arranged for the same to be delivered everyday for a year! “It will cost Heidi around $2,000,” an insider tells In Touch magazine. “The card said ‘Happy Birthday — expect a dozen every Friday! Love, Heidi’.” The [...]

Before I begin this post, I first want to say “thank you” to all the lovely people who have visited this blog and left comments on my first Daring Bakers challenge. I never expected so many people to come see what I made and leave such nice thoughts. I’ve also really enjoyed looking [...]

oh Terry, Terry, wherefore art thou, Terry? you are always there when i need you, through thick and thin, in celebrations and commiserations in good moods and bad and so, in humble tribute, i offer you the chocolate orange cupcake, in thanks for all those moments when i have taken pleasure from your delicious chocolate orange...for those of you already acquainted with Terry, well then, you will CO

Just another "I should have been writing my paper, but instead I baked" mistakes: dark chocolate cupcake with wattle seed icing. Anyone got a spare two thousand words? The old dissertation is looking a bit skinny at the moment, and after six straight months working on one paper, I have to be honest--I have nothing left to say. I'm spent. Over it. Done. And yet it is still here, demanding words from me that I don't have like a nagging housewife. I am married to my freaking dissertation...and I think it is time to start seeing other papers. Read more! »

Just another "I should have been writing my paper, but instead I baked" mistakes: dark chocolate cupcake with wattle seed icing. Anyone got a spare two thousand words? The old dissertation is looking a bit skinny at the moment, and after six straight months working on one paper, I have to be honest--I have nothing left to say. I'm spent. Over it. Done. And yet it is still here, demanding w

Port, St. Lucie, FL (ThaLunatic Daily) -- Kelly L. Barber, a 47 year old woman who was conducting a Weight Watcher's product demonstration has been arrested and accused of shoplifting cup cakes and other items, according to Port St. Lucie authorities.Barber, who was reportedly demonstrating the weight loss products at a Port St. Lucie Publix Supermarket, was spotted by store security concealing the items in a blue bin. She then exited the store without paying for the items.The items Barber allegedly stole, included Weight Watcher's cupcakes, a book and a box of teeth whitening strips.According to a police affidavit, Barber admitted to the theft of the items, explaining that she "Just wanted to whiten her teeth". She also admitting that it was stupid she stole the items.No explanation

Thank you to everyone who posted yesterday about blogrolls. I was overwhelmed by the great responses. Thank you and feel free to visit my little Adventures anytime and I will be returning the favor :)So after being inside or running wedding errands the last two Saturdays, today I made up for it with an ultra-productive day.Because of ridiculous movie prices in Chicago ($10.50 for evening shows? Are you kidding?), Anne and I got up early and saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall at the AMC for the first showing price of $6 (a steal!). Then despite my best attempts to get to the gym after the movie, I ended up exercising my wallet and legs walking from store to store. We noshed at Noodles for lunch (love the flatbread), and then hit Old Navy where I stocked up on my favorite tanks at 20 percent off

Apparently those Weight Watchers meals that Kirstie Alley is always hocking must not be that satisfying. Kelly Barber was caught shoplifiting cupcakes and a few other things after demonstrating Weight Watchers products at a local grocery store in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Really, no shit? Florida, I would have never guessed. A loss prevention official (Read: [...]

so there has been this bag of palm sugar sitting in our cupboard for ages (because i think hubby bought it to use in an asian dish and just never did) and every time i open the cupboard i see it looking like little bee hives sitting in there patiently waiting to be turned into something scrumptious! it just also happened that i discovered that the Sugar High Friday food event was having Asian Swee

so what DO you make with cheeky chocolate sauce? CHEEKY CHOCOLATE cupcakes, of course! this were a whizz to make (i seem to be on a bit of an easy-baking trip after all that banana bread!) i used the magnolia bakery vanilla cupcake recipe (but any favourite vanilla cupcake recipe will do) and after i had spooned the batter into the cupcake cases i then just swirled on the top a tablespoon of cheek

Cupcakes! (Paperback)By Elinor Klivans Buy new: $16.95$11.5340 used and new from $6.49 Customer Rating: First tagged “parties” by Jonna Isaac Customer tags: cupcakes(2), cookbook(2), party, fun, cooking, baking, frosting, adorable, parties, lovely, [...]

Super-Duper Cupcakes: Kids’ Creations from the Cupcake Caboose (Spiral-bound)By Elaine Cohen Buy new: $9.95$9.9544 used and new from $5.73 Customer Rating: First tagged “parties” by Elaine Cohen Customer tags: cupcakes(4), creativity(2), children(2), [...]

I was not going to post these cupcakes at first that is until Laurie of Quirky Cupcake convinced me to. You see, while I was waiting for the oven timer to go off, I decided to browse the net. And as luck would have it, I discovered Laurie’s Black Bottom Cupcakes! I leave her a comment stating that mine are in the oven as “we speak”. Laurie leaves me a comment to make sure that I go ahead and post them anyway. So here I am, posting Laurie’s world famous Black Bottom Cupcakes courtesy of David Lebovitz.This is the second time this has happened to me. Not too long ago Katie of Apple and Spice baked a batch of cookies that I was going to post. Because of these lovely bakers beating me to the oven, I am going to keep next week’s post top secret.I have not even decided on what t

so yesterday I went to meet with the fashion house, which I now realize was just a bad idea, being that they wouldn't return my calls for about a week, the girl who was suppose to call me back did only when my friend called her and asked her wtf is going on? And what's worse is when the girl called she actually asked me for my number. like omfg how did you call me in the first place? What kind of morons are working there? That and the fact that the receptionist was a total snot and was completely rude to me on the phone. yes you'd think they'd want to be professional and be nice. So yesterday I go, I get dressed up, i wear a skirt and heels, which were pretty damn cute but freaking painful, even with foot petals and such. Let me tell you what happened when I got there. Some guy greets me

My friend Lily is moving away so I had to send her off with a treat. I love mini cupcakes and I love giving mini cupcakes. So, I decided on an apple/carrot spice flavor but you can't taste the apple so I'm calling them Carrot Spice Cupcakes. I am so impressed with this recipe, as a first try. I would only change one thing, remove the nuts. The texture of the cupcakes is so light and tender that the crunch of nuts seems not to fit in. I will definitely be making these again (sans nuts).Mini Carrot Spice Cupcakes~makes about 40 mini cupcakes2 eggs, lightly beaten1 cups white sugar1/3 cup packed light brown sugar1/2 cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups shredded carrots1/2 cup packed shredded apple1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teasp

Cupcakes: (adapted from Recipezaar)1 1/2 cups flour1 cup sugar2/3 tsp backing powder1/4 tsp salt1/4 cup oil1/2 cup milk1/4 cup fresh orange juicezest of one orange1 eggSift flour, salt and backing powder in a bowl. Add 7/8 cup sugar, oil, milk and beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add orange juice, zest, egg yolk and beat for another minute.In another bowl beat egg white with the remaining sugar (1/8 cup), and then carefully fold it with a spoon into the dough.Bake in a preheated oven on 180°C for about 15-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are done.Frosting:1 egg whitea pinch of salt1/2 cup of green pine needles syrup Beat the egg white with salt and set aside. Boil syrup for just a few minutes.While syrup is still hot, pour it carefully into the egg whites while beating with an elect

This is a recent photo of my daughter, Rima, which I used in this morning's post on AlmostFit (18 perfect excuses to avoid buying good food). She just turned one, and even if you can't tell from this shot, she LOVES cupcakes. However, it turns out that she needs to be eating a few more of them. On a recent visit to the pediatrician for a checkup, we found out that her weight has dropped fairly significantly on the development curve - It wasn't entirely a shock since she really is tiny, but at the same time we were surprised that it had dropped that much. The Pediatrician wasn't terribly alarmed, but she was taking it seriously. Her advice was to bulk the baby up with some high calorie foods, see how that goes, and check back in a month or so to make sure things look fine. The irony of cou

Tomorrow is Easter... do you need a last minute dessert? Children and adults alike can't resist a tempting cupcake! And really, they are so easy to make, why not whip some up today and surprise your crew for Easter dinner tomorrow?Make your favorite cake recipe or use a box mix. Make it into cupcakes (as you can see from the photo I made both large cupcakes and 24 mini cupcakes). Let cool completely and top with your favorite frosting recipe (I have a bunch to choose from on my side bar!). Sprinkle with non perils or colored sugar and wha-la! You are done!

I'm a huge fan of Splenda. Our own family has used it since the Spring of 2003 and although we are not sugar free, I like using part Splenda in many things to reduce the amount of sugar in them. I was never aware of the sugar that is in all our foods until I started to really read labels closely. Even frozen green beans have about 2 grams of sugar per serving! Frozen vegetables for pete's sake! LOL.With Easter this weekend we are obviously inundated with sugar treats right now. This cupcake recipe uses mostly splenda with just 1/4 c sugar which helps with flavor and texture of the finished product. I collected this one from my own personal email as I'm signed up to receive recipes from their company.Yellow Cupcakes2 1/4 cups cake flour3/4 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulat

Hibiscus Marshmallows (adapted from Recipezaar)1/2 cup powdered sugar2 Tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp gelatin1/2 cup cold water2 cups granulated sugar1/2 cup corn syrup1/2 cup water1/4 teaspoon salt2 large egg whites2 bags of hibiscus teaOil cupcake pan and dust with some powdered sugar.In a bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand to soften.Boil 1/2 cup of water. To make hibiscus tea concentrate pour it over tea bags and leave covered for 10-15 minutes.In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hibiscus tea, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remov

Random fact: I’ve never made cupcakes. I’m not quite sure why, but I usually shy away from them. Maybe they seemed too basic, maybe I just didn’t see all the fanciful flavors of cupcakes out there these days, or maybe I just never had a decent reason. This week was different. Usually I like to try [...]

Check out this preview of the upcoming Johnny Cupcakes baseball tees that will be on sale hopefully in time for MLB’s Opening Day next month.  Designs include - Grand Slam Banana and Blueberry Basher with all accompanied with its very own Johnny Cupcakes trading card attached to the tag.   Images\Info: TheFeed Tags: Johnny, Cupcakes, Baseball, Tees

Il n'y a pas si longtemps de cela, je ne savais même pas que cela existait loool mais j'ai essayé cette recette et franchement, ils sont délicieux, et tout mignons ! Ils feront de l'effet auprès de vos convives comme ce fut le cas chez moi, c'est sûr ! [...]

St.Patricks's Day is around the corner, and most of the lucky ones are going to enjoy a 3-day weekend in the US! St.Paddy, as he's lovingly called, is supposed to have been responsible for a lot of miracles, and of course, spreading of Christianity in Ireland (though he was born in Britain). March 17th is celebrated worldwide by Irish people and non-Irish too (mainly in Australia, North America, and Ireland) as an annual Feast Day to celebrate the essence of the bishop St. Patrick. Celebrations, including food, are themed around all things Irish, which means anything that is green or orange, and contains a lot of booze!! Curious if you are on how alcohol came to be so much a part of this day's celebrations, here's an ancient legend to read. Chocolate always tops my list of dessert ideas, b

I guess if Nigo can make millions with Apes, then Johnny should be able to do the same with Cupcakes?  Johnny Cupcakes is gaining more and more popularity with these fun and simple designs that are based cupcakes.  The three latest designs will keep fans filled, once they release in-store and here.   Tags: New, Johnny, Cupcakes, [...]

Cupcake batter(adapted from Joy of Baking)113 g butter130 g sugar3 large eggs210 g flour1 1/2 tsp backing powder1/4 tsp salt30 ml milk30 ml cooked root chicory*Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs one by one, and beat well again. In separate bowl combine flour, backing powder and salt, and add to the butter mixture. Mix in milk and chicory.Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes on 180°C.Frosting60 g butter1 cup brown sugar10 Tbsp powdered sugar1/4 cup milk250 ml heavy creamMelt butter on low heat, add brown sugar and cook until it boils. pour in hot milk, remove from heat and gradually stir in powdered sugar. Let cool in the fridge.Beat heavy cream and then beat in the butter mixture.If necessary, add 2 tsp of gelatin dissolved in some water.*Boil 500 ml water and 2 Tbsp root chico

"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." Julia Child Frosted Strawberry Orange Chocolate-chips Cupcakes...merging flavours! I was making mini vanilla cupcakes for a friend's daughters' birthday the other day,& had some batter leftover. With Arfi's Cupcake Spectacular 2008 on my mind, I scrabbled around in the fridge looking for something different I could put together...other than a regular vanilla muffin. AHA...found 4 strawberries which were crying out to be used! Further exploration revealed some oranges too, so I set to work. These cupcakes were flavoured beautifully & made luscious little bites...good enough for dessert too; can't go wrong with strawberry, orange & chocolate! Topped them off with a strawberry buttercream & a cho

sunday deb and i were in the mood for an art project so we baked! we made red velvet cupcakes, they were really easy and so yummy.ingredients:cupcake ingredients (this may seem like a lot but you probably have a bit of these in your cabinets already):3.5 cups all purpose flour3 tablespoons cocoa powder1.5 teaspoons baking soda1.5 teaspoons table salt1.5 teaspoons instant espresso2 cups sugar3 eggs2 cups veggie oil2 ounces of red food coloring1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract1.5 cups butter milk1.5 teaspoons of white vinegarfrosting ingredients: 1 lb box of powdered sugar1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1 stick of salted margarinecream cheese to tastewill also need:cupcake sheet (you can also make this as a cake by using a cake pan instead)cupcake linersmeasuring cupa whisk2 bowlssmall plastic bag

Obviously there are a few things that I need to work on to enable my quest for world domination to succeed. But as the founding member of the "Apathetic as all Buggery" club. I really can't be bothered. There is also the fact that I tend to get distracted very easily and once cup-cakes were mentioned that really was the end of what small ambition I possessed.. *sigh* So to all the other

Occasionally on a Saturday weekend, the twins and I will do some bakings. We just did one baking session yesterday - making cupcakes. Kids love cup cakes and they are fun to make.Ingredients (make 12)120g butter, softened120g sugar1 tsp vanilla essence]3 eggs180g flour1 tsp taking powder12 cup cake papersMethodCream butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla essence. Add eggs one at time. Fold in sifted flour and baking powder. Fill cupcake papers or tray 1/2 ful with the mixture and bake at 180 deg C for 10-15 mins until the cakes spring back when touched. The twins love the process of baking. Off course as young kids, they are there for some fun and "messing around" at times. But most importanly, baking with kids is a good time for bonding and you can also see the sat

If you haven't visited Bakerella's blog yet, you have been missing such a treat.Bakerella shares her favorite baking recipes and gives tips on the cutest cupcakes and cakes you can make yourself. She says in her profile she took a cake decorating course last year, and now she is practicing and sharing the cake decorating ideas online in her blog. The baked creations look amazing, and the photography is just unbelievable - looks like Bakerella isn't just a semi-professional homebaker, but also a professional photographer. The photos are absolutely delicious. When you need a low calorie treat during your afternoon - just look at the photos at Bakerella, and you'll can just taste the sweet cupcakes in your mouth. Aren't these Cupcake Lollipops just adorable..? Subscribe

Its Valentine’s week and Zorra from Kochtopf is hosting an event “A Heart for Your Valentine”. I love the idea of such theme events where each person brings in their creativity. Since the time I heard of the event I was eager to participate, and finally made my entry to the event today - Lindt Chocolate Cupcakes.Lindt Chocolate Cupcakes(makes 6) 4 eggs120g sugar200g butte

I made these yesterday for a potluck, and OMG! They're so soft and fluffy and delicious... and the brown sugar gives the outside of the cup a little crust so when you bite into it... the inside is like a cloud! Totally vegan AND gluten free! How can you go wrong, really? :) I opted out of doing the lemon glaze* I usually do with this recipe, but you certainly can!I originally adapted this recipe from a (wheat heavy) vegan chocolate cake recipe found on Vegweb.com, and also substituted coconut milk for the normal oil/water mix, and I'm very pleased. It gives the cake a richness and extra depth of flavour that you rarely find in cakes. I'm so happy to be able to share this with you!!1.5 cups of rice flour5 tablespoons of sifted good quality cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1 cup brown sugar1/2 tea

The second month of this New Year has kicked in, and we all know that February is the month to celebrate love, as people all around the world have begun to plan for the Valentine's Day. Love and chocolate go hand in hand, so its natural that I decided to practise my hand at some chocolate art to prepare for my valentine. I always wanted to make Molten Cupcakes, those sweet delights with a gooey chocalatey center that melts in your mouth! But as I was ready to go all out, I went for combining some raspberry sauce alongwith the chocolate sauce, and also try a hand at making some patterns with white chocolate. The result was this decadent dessert where the sweet chocolate was balanced perfectly by the tartness of the raspberries, giving a spoonful of heaven in every bite!Ingredients3/4 cup se

30 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven 200 gram bar of Valrhona 61% cacao (or any bittersweet chocolate) 3 sticks (343 grams) butter 2-1/4 cups (445 grams) sugar 8 eggs 1-1/4 cup (180 grams) flour 1/4 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder, unsweetened 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) baking powder 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt 3/4 cup (82 grams) goji berries, chopped 1. Chop chocolate and transfer [...]

MAKES TWO DOZENPrep Time: 35 minCook Time: 25 min8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 2 1/2 cups sugar Salt 1 large egg 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 2 1/4 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or foil baking cups. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the egg and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the baking soda and cocoa powder. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the oil, vinegar and vani

Black-Bottom Cupcakes MAKES TWO DOZENPrep Time: 35 minCook Time: 25 min8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 2 1/2 cups sugar Salt 1 large egg 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 2 1/4 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper or foil baking cups. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add the egg and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the baking soda and cocoa powder. Add 1 1/2 c

"'If 'ifs' and 'buts' were candy and nuts, wouldn't it be a Merry Christmas? "Don MeredithVANILLA CUPCAKES FOR CHISTMASOK...am back again. Yesterday & today were busier than I imagined they would be. I got literally talked into volunteering to make , hold your breadth, 80 cupcakes for a Christmas party for a little play school nearby! They were in a bit of a soup, & I eventually volunteered to bake. The only memory of yesterday morning is of the muffin trays going into the oven & out!! There were cupcakes as far as the eye could see. And then the usual rush...off to school to pick the kids after guitar etc. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...this morning went in meeting with teachers before school broke-up for the holidays, and icing stars onto the cupcakes. They've been boxed and delivered!! Always enjoyable after the job has been done! Ingredients: Flour - 2cupsBaking powder - 2 tspSalt - 1/2 tspButter - 1/2 cupSugar - 1 1/4 cupMilk - 1 cupVanilla Essence / extract - 1 tspEggs - 2M

"Let's dance and sing and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year."Sir George Alexander Macfarren CHOCOLATE ORANGE CUPCAKES Festive food for Christmas! In a span of 2 days I baked over a 100 cupcakes & iced them as well. The first 80 were vanilla cupcakes, the ones for the playschool Christmas party. These last batch I had to do a little different for my own experimentation & therapeutic pleasure! The flavours of chocolate & orange complement each other beautifully. I love the way the Christmassy ones turned out with the red, white & green; & also the pink 'n' purple 'very girly ones'. For the chocolate stars & flowers, I drizzled the stars, flowers, zigzags etc onto butter paper, & peeled them off gently once they were set. These can be made in advance and stored in an airtight box in a cool place. Fix them onto the top of the cupcake with a little melted chocolate. Makes the cupcakes look so good & 'dressed up'.Ingredients: Flour -

Last Saturday, I followed through on my promise to make something sweet for the tasting room (which I planned to get double use out of by tripling the recipe and taking one third to a dinner party that night). Waking up early that morning, I got out the ingredients for these cranberry cupcakes with maple cream cheese icing. I followed the insrtuctions, except for adding more cranberries and more maple syrup. Once they were cool and frosted, I loaded them up on plates– with extras in tupperware– and headed over to work. Because they were more like muffins and the only sweetness came from the syrup, I decided to go with the dessert wine with lowest residual sugar: the 2004 Rosenblum Syrah Port from the Castanho Vineyard in San Francisco Bay. The wine showed light spice, smoke, and cherries and cranberries that went quite nicely with the cupcakes. Yum. cranberry cupcakes with maple cream cheese icing, 2004 Rosenblum Syrah Port, Castanho Vineyard

I've heard they are to DIE for but since I am from the east coast, I haven't had the pleasure. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes gave a few hundred friends and associates a sweet treat this holiday season, cupcakes from Sprinkles. YUMMY! Katie even designed the box they sent it in. How creative! Katie personally designed the gift box in a rich shade of brown and selected a chocolate-brown satin ribbon and faux burgundy cranberries to complete the packages, which each contained a dozen of the tasty treats, including milk chocolate, orange, strawberry and pumpkin.