101 Dalmation Cupcakes for Cupcakes Spectacular 2008 event

I didn’t really feel like spending much time in the kitchen today. But since yesterday the snow is hasn’t stopped! After playing in the snow with my two years old son, he had so much fun out there. After he came in I decide to make cupcakes while he was quietly sleeping.

These cupcakes are specially decorated for the event “CUPCAKES SPECTACULER 2008” hosted by Arfi Binsted from HomeMades. I don’t make cupcakes from scratch but I usually rather make them from “Chocolate Devil Cake Mix” and mix them with chocolate chips. The icing is regular vanilla icing which I buy from the grocery store. The 101 Dalmation is hand decorated by me using Fondant. Also my son loves doggie that is why I choose doggie as my decoration today.

As far as about decorating cake or cupcakes, I would rather decorate them using “FONDANT” rather than regular icing. For me icing is more difficult to use and I tend to make a lot of mistakes. But with the Fondant is easy to apply.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes for Halloween

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart, she has a great recipe of making pumpkin pie cupcakes. Of course everyone in America know her “Martha Stewart”, I do like her television program and always look for a good recipe on her website. I am not good of cooking if I can judge my self. This blog I make that because I am learning to cook and bake. And by reading her website it helps me lot.

Instead of making pumpkin pie, I choose this recipe “Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes”. It sounds good to me though as I have a plan to decorate it for Halloween event. It is very easy and quick as well as the decoration. Instead of frosting I use whipping cream and gummy Halloween candy on the top.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to wire rack; let cool completely before decorate.

Hope this simple pumpkin pie cupcakes will complete the Halloween dinner.

Easter Cup Cake

Easter is coming soon. As you might notice there are all kind of Easter candy and chocolate sell in the grocery store. I try to pass by the candy and chocolate isle every time I go shopping. But it is very hard! I always end up buying more chocolate. Oh well here we go again, I spoil my diet.
Next week I will be going back to my homeland for visit. This week of Easter it is going to be my last time I go and cook in the kitchen. I need to keep my kitchen clean before I left. So to celebrate Easter, I am making CUP CAKES. Just recently I love making cup cakes. I think it is very easy and the fun part is decorating the cup cake. It always looks simple and cute.

I try to keep the Easter theme as simple as possible. I bought Easter gummies candy, the candy it self come about 6 gummies in one skewer. They look so adorable. I bought this candy at Wegwans local grocery store in Erie. As I said before, I try to keep everything simple so for cake this time I don’t make from the stretch. I bought ready mix white pudding cake brand Pillsbury.

How to make Abstract shapes chocolates:

1. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt chocolate ( I use chocolate wafer milk). Pour the chocolate on the top parchment paper.

2. Spread the chocolate evenly with a spatula. Allow to stand until the surface is firm enough to cut, but not so hard that it will break. It should no longer feel sticky when touched with your finger.

3. Cut the chocolate with a sharp knife freehand.

All right, lets now we talk about putting all together and make pretty adorable cup cakes..

1. Decorate cup cakes with little bit of white butter cream icing on the top.
2. Put some of abstract shapes chocolates on the top of icing.
3. Insert one gummy candy.

I think you and I agree that making this Easter cup cakes are very easy. HAPPY EASTER!

Easy Cupcake Fun

I can’t wait to make cupcakes for my friend Fitri who was going to have a baby boy! I promised her I would make her something special to welcome her beautiful boy. Ayden is his name. I though that is very lovely name.

Then, a baby boy was here! We were scheduled to see her on Saturday. I have lot of ideas in my mind of making cupcakes. Some projects and techniques that I never done it before and I think this is the right time to make it come true.

But Oh well, Saturday morning I didn’t feel right at all. I started experiencing soar trout and runny nose. OH NO, I am sick! Wake up in the morning; I didn’t fell to do anything else the only thing that makes me get going was because my son needs breakfast.

So poor Fitri, I didn’t give her the best of decorating cupcake like what I had in my mind. In the very last minute I chose very simple and easy cupcakes. I made white butter cream icing. Applied blue food color to the inside of the featherweight bag with brush. Fill the bag with white butter cream icing and as the icing is squeezed past the color, out comes striped decorations. To make decoration look prettier and simple I sprinkle snowflake on the top and inserted toothpicks decoration.

This is cupcakes is very simple to make. If you have cold and don’t have energy to spend plenty time in the kitchen make a simple one like this which it is not bad cupcake after all.

MONSTER CUPCAKE

I have to make cupcakes for Cameron’s birthday. He was going to be two years old. Thinking hard what kind of design I shall make for him which he will love and smile when he looks at it.
WILTON is always my best rescue. I saw a design of MONSTER CUPCAKE. Ah ha that’s it! I must make them.

For cupcake it self, I make white pudding cake. It is not fancy cake though. I did more concentrate on cupcake decorating. Using butter cream icing for furry monster, gumballs for eyes and nose and licorice for antenna. It is very easy to make, believe me.

That is a picture of birthday boy CAMERON and a thank you note from his mom Julie. Well little Cammy, I am happy that you love your cupcakes. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR!