Homemade Funfetti

I'll spare you my usual diatribe about Funfetti. Suffice to say, while I can understand its appeal I don't feel it is a unique flavor.

A few weeks ago, I wanted to whip up some cupcakes for my husband's friends who were getting together to brew some beer. It probably didn't hurt that I was going to be hanging out with the wives, and wanted something to snack on.

Vanilla cupcakes are something that should be in your back pocket- a recipe you can customize by adding other flavors or ingredients (ie chocolate chips). I don't like making vanilla cupcakes. I feel like they never come out the way I want- they're always too dense for me.

At any rate, I used my current favorite vanilla cupcake recipe (Billy's Vanilla) and to jazz it up I mixed in rainbow sprinkles (jimmies- whatever you want to call them). I think I probably used about 1/2 cup of sprinkles (the recipe makes around 2 doz. cupcakes).

I topped the cupcakes with my favorite Vanilla frosting recipe (from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World). If you haven't used this recipe yet, I could not recommend it more highly. I always make more than I need, so I can eat some directly from the mixing bowl later. In fact, I have some in my fridge right now (from a batch made last night), mmm. Where was I? Right, ok so then I topped the frosting with some rainbow nonpareils because I'd almost exhausted my sprinkle supply on the batter.

Viola! Homemade funfetti.

One housekeeping note: I know I've been very lax in my posting. To be honest, I haven't been doing that much baking or crafting recently. Work is typically very busy for me over the summer, then I went on a nice long vacation, and when I came home I learned I was pregnant. While I can't wait to meet this new little person, I haven't had the energy or the time to devote to baking and crafting that I did previously.

I am working on a number of crafted items for the Holidays, which I will photograph and blog after the recipients have opened their gifts. And, I hope to tackle some new cookies this weekend or next.

In short: even though I'm not posting as much, I'm still here and eating desserts!

Chocolate Butterscotch Chip Cupcakes

Chocolate Butterscotch Chip Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by Cup O'Cake Designs

What do you get when you have to make cupcakes for someone who is celebrating a birthday, but you have absolutely no idea what flavors they like? Apparently, in my world you get Chocolate Butterscotch Chip cupcakes with Vanilla frosting.

I'm not going to give the birthday celebrant a hard time, because I'm the same way- when someone asks me what I like, I say "Oh, I like almost anything related to desserts."

I went to the grocery store hoping inspiration would hit me. I went down the baking isle in search of baking soda (I'd run out the previous week), and BAM! There it was- butterscotch chips. Mmmm.

I didn't want to use vanilla cake, because I wanted the butterscotch to be a hidden surprise, instead of the feature for this cupcake. I used a new chocolate cake recipe (from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook) which turned out amazingly.

After baking up the cupcakes, I decided to go with Vanilla buttercream frosting. I made a half recipe for 24 cupcakes, because I knew I was going to hand frost (as opposed to piping it on) and also because again, I didn't want the frosting to take away from the overall flavor.

They came out pretty darn well. And? The important thing: the birthday celebrant really liked them.

Sometimes going into the kitchen with no ideas does work out favorably.

Faux-stess Cupcakes

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Annnnd....after a brief (hah) 3 month hiatus, we're back! Life kind of got in the way lately (new job, play, the holidays, etc), but I can assure you that I have been baking and crafting over the past three months. I'm going to try to play catch up and post about some things I did in Nov-Feb, but for now how about something current?

My husband and I have been in a play for the past five weeks (closing is this weekend), and last weekend one of our castmates had a party. She decided to have a pot luck, so obviously I chose to bring dessert. Originally I was going to decorate the cupcakes using details from my character, but I ran out of time.

I've been wanting to try my hand at a Faux-stess cupcake (faux Hostess cupcake) for some time now. I love Hostess Cupcakes. I don't think there was ever a time when I didn't like them, but when my husband and I started going on road trips together they were the perfect treat. Two to a pack, so we could split them, and not something we ate on an every day basis.

My husband asked me to make extras (for a coworkers) birthday, so I decided to make the cupcakes in both chocolate and orange flavors (I know the Hostess site says "golden" but I swear those suckers taste orange to me).

I used a Martha Stewart 1 Bowl chocolate cake recipe for the chocolate cupcakes. I was a little iffy on the cupcakes when I put them into the oven- but holy cats were they awesome after baking! This is probably the best chocolate cupcake I have made. They were light, fluffy, and really flavorful.

For the orange cupcakes, I modified a recipe from Wilton for Golden Yellow cupcakes by using 1/2 orange extract and 1/2 vanilla extract (instead of only vanilla). They came out pretty well- light, fluffy, flavorful- but I might cut back a tiny bit on the orange if I make them again.

After baking the cupcakes (each recipe yielded 24 cupcakes), and allowing them to cool, I used the cone method to fill the cupcakes. I definitely need a little more practice with this method but it wasn't hard.

I used a recipe from Baking Bites for the filling, and while it tasted just fine, I'm not sure I would use it again. It called for thickening milk with flour over a medium burner (on the stove) and I hated that method. Just hated it. I would much rather just make a whipped cream frosting for the centers.

The cupcakes were all topped with white whipped cream frosting- because I felt they were already rich enough. Using buttercream would have pushed them over the edge to sickeningly sweet.

Everyone at the party (and my husband's work) loved them. I will definitely be making these again.

I will post a photo of the orange verson as soon as I upload it from my camera.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes

Last weekend I tried out the Magnolia Vanilla cupcake recipe again. I'd gotten a nice new sifter and was hoping it would help make the cupcakes less dense.

I made 2 dozen full size cupcakes (for a coworker's birthday at my husband's office) and still had tons of batter left over. So, I figured I would make some mini's for my office.

I got More from Magnolia as a birthday gift and wanted to try out another recipe from the book. I picked out the Cream Cheese Butterscotch frosting. I was not really very pleased with it. The other cream cheese overpowered the other flavors, and I had wanted something different for the frosting to balance the vanilla cupcake.

I think I overbaked the minis a little- this being my frist time making them. But, I was happier with the Magnolia Vanilla recipe this time. Although I learned that I should halve it next time.

Wilton Class 4

Today I finished my last Wilton class for the first level. Our assignment was to bake and frost (just the crust layer) a cake.

I chose a chocolate cake and I decided to tort the cake because I had not done that before. I was maybe a little over ambitious, but I'm pretty pleased with the results.

In the interest of full disclosure, let me say this: my husband baked the cake. It tastes great and he did a great job. I had a full set of cupcakes to make this weekend, along with three batches of frosting and just could not make myself bake a cake on top of that. So, thank you husband!

I should have practiced torting and the base coat of frosting prior to making the cake for my final class, but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

I'll be posting a more in-depth look at this cake and the process to decorate it on my new website: www.cupocakedesigns.com It will be October's featured project. Please check the website later this week to see even more pictures of the cake.

I start Wilton level 2 next Monday. I'll be learning to make more flowers as well as how to do a basket weave frosting.

Yellow Cupcake Filled with Creme

I made cupcakes for my most recent Wilton class, and then our instructor forgot that she told us to bring in undecorated cupcakes. I stayed after class for about twenty minutes trying out her Wilton Cupcake filling frosting tip. Apparently you can only buy this tip in a Cupcake Decorating set at the store, though it looks like they sell it individually on the Wilton website (but it's sold out at the moment).

I tried out a new Yellow cake recipe. I am still in search of a nice fluffy, light, moist yellow or vanilla recipe. This one? Not it. These little suckers tasted more like pound cake. Don't get me wrong, I love pound cake. I just was not looking to create a pound cake cupcake.

So, I brought them into class and used the Wilton tip to fill them. My instructor told me they probably wouldn't hold much filling for two reasons: 1) they were super dense & 2) the cupcakes fill more when they are still warm. I figured I'd give it a shot anyhow because I wanted to see how the frosting tip worked. As you can see below, it did not fill the cupcake hardly at all. Oh well, next time I will do it while they are warm.

I decorated them at home, colored some of the creme purple to serve as the base frosting and then put some of my buttercream roses on top.

I think the decorations came out pretty nicely (though my roses need a bit of work still), and disappeared from my office in record time.

Wilton Class 3

Yesterday I had my third Wilton class- only one more before I finish the first level.

Above are my best rose attempts. My frosting was a little too stiff, so I was having difficulty getting them to hold together. I plan to do some heavy duty practicing this week in preperation for my final class (and cake).

We also learned how to do drop flowers and shell borders. Then we moved on to the Wilton clowns. I thought these guys were kind of creepy, but I took some pictures anyways, just for fun.

My first clown came out looking a little drunk. Immediately after this picture he fell over.

But, my other Clown turned out pretty well- and was very laid back when I was "cleaning up."

Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes

This weekend I tried out the Magnolia Vanilla Cupcake recipe. I had to make cupcakes for Bachelor and Bachelorette parties and really wanted a nice vanilla cupcake.

I didn't much care for the Amy Sedaris recipe I tried a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd try the Magnolia recipe. I've had Magnolia cupcakes before and wasn't super impressed with them, so my hopes for the recipe weren't high.

I thought they turned out ok, but definitely not that nice moist vanilla cake that I was looking for.

I used the melted frosting technique for the tops and then piped on some decorations. I would share the pictures of the completed cupcakes (the one above is in-progress), but they're a little "adult" in nature and since I have no way of knowing who is looking at these pictures I'd prefer not to share those.

Wilton Class 2

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Last night I had my second Wilton class. This week's class was definitely more fun because it was hands on and I got to try the techniques being modeled. I am definitely a learn by seeing then doing person.

We learned how to make stars (using a star tip), wavy lines, outlines, dots, print, cursive, and then the toughest part of the evening: the base and center petal for the rose.

I knew going in that the rose would be the hardest technique for me to learn. I tried to read ahead in the class book to prepare, but that only made me more confused.

I had a tough time building the base of the rose. Mine kept coming out more like a witch hat and less like a mountain (what it should have looked like). Part of the problem was that my stiff frosting had sort of wilted (ha ha, no pun intended) in the heat of the classroom. The other part of the problem was all me. I don't think I was putting enough pressure on the piping bag.

Eventually, I got a nice little mountain and then started trying to make the center petal. Above is a photo of the best one I made all night. It's a little hard to see the details because the frosting is so white- but you'll have to believe me when I say this little sucker is not easy to do.

Next week we will finish learning how to build the rose. Our instructor suggested that we bring in a cake pan (or cupcake pan) to take our completed roses home, if we chose to do so. The roses can be made in advance and stored in a cool, dry box (aka tupperware) for a while to use later. They need to crust (the icing should harden a bit) before you place them on the cake, so they do just fine waiting a day or two.

We're also going to decorate cupcakes next week. I volunteered to bring in the cupcakes for everyone (mainly so I can try another recipe), and our instructor offered to let us try filling the cupcakes- which I am super excited about. So not only do I have to bring frosting next week (in three colors- yay!), but I also need a batch of cupcakes and some pudding (to fill the cupcakes). Yum.

Gold Medal Winner!

A few weeks ago I participated in a cook-off at a friend's BBQ. There were several categories, but it should be no surprise to anyone that I chose the dessert category.

When I think BBQ, summer, and outdoors- I think fruity drinks, of the alcoholic variety. I'd had my eye on the Margarita Cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World for quite some time now, and thought this was the perfect occasion.

If you've ever cooked with a Vegan recipe or tried Vegan desserts before they can have a grainy texture that might turn off non-Vegans. I was a little worried about this, but the recipe (and the book for that matter) has great reviews all over the internet. So, I went for it.

Both the cupcakes and the frosting have lime and tequila in them. My frosting wasn't strictly vegan as I used butter (but you can definitely make it vegan frosting).

The cupcakes were a huge hit at the BBQ and as you can see- I won the dessert category. I don't have photographs of the cupcakes because they were a melty divided mess (having had to be cut into pieces to allow everyone to taste them). Just picture a light green frosting with a "rim" of green sugar sprinkles and a candy lime wedge (also not vegan) as a garnish. Mmmmm.

There were only five dessert entries, but given that the rest of them were chocolate, I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing first. My medal is hanging up in my kitchen as inspiration during all future baking sessions.

Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

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Three weeks ago I purchased Hello, Cupcake! and I have been itching to use it. I didn't make anything from the book with this set of cupcakes, but I did use one of the techniques.

The recipe for these cupcakes came from the Cake Mix Doctor, as I saw it on How to Eat a Cupcake. The cupcakes were for the last softball game of the season (for my team) and earned great reviews.

Personally, I thought they were only ok. The recipe calls for Sour Cream, which I really hate. I swear I could taste the sour cream- my husband says I'm crazy. Next time, I think I'll try using vanilla yogurt instead.

Anyhow! The cupcakes have a half of an Oreo cookie baked on the bottom, and cookie crumbs baked throughout. They were super easy to make.

To frost the cupcakes I used store bought vanilla frosting which I melted for a few seconds (10 max) in the microwave. After melting the frosting, I dipped the cupcakes to coat them. Then I used Pull -n-Peel twizzlers cut to size for the "stitching" on the softballs.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

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My husband had a beer bottling party a few weeks back (he brews and bottles his own beer). Everyone brought a different kind of beer to share. I figured it would be a good idea to have something more substantial than chips and dip for food. So, cupcakes it was!

I chose the Pink Lemonade cupcake because Pink Lemonade is one of my all time favorite drinks, especially in the summer. It's crisp and fresh, with just the right amount of sour taste.

I got the recipe online at the Foodie Bride blog. I ultimately cut the lemonade concentrate down (per the recipe) as I would rather have them less tart than overly tart. I think that was a wise choice and they came out perfectly. They were moist and had a great fresh taste- perfect for summer. I added a little bit of red food coloring to the dough to ensure that the cake would come out pink.

The Lemon buttercream was better than I could have imagned. I was worried that the lemon flavor would be strange in a buttercream, but I shouldn't have. It was great, and the perfect compliment to the cake. I added yellow food coloring because I thought the yellow frosting went well with the pink cake. I topped them off with pink sugar sprinkles.

If you like lemonade- these are the perfect cupcakes for you. I imagine they can also be made with limeade concentrate, which sounds delish.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

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My parents had a Mortgage Burning Party this weekend- after 30 years they've finally paid for the house- and I offered to make dessert. I was looking for something that my Dad would like, since he's not into your typical sweets. He loves banana cake, so I looked for a cupcake recipe.

I used the Martha Stewart recipe, as well as her recipe for honey cinnamon frosting. I'd used the recipe once before, but was really unhappy with how the frosting turned out. This time around, I baked the cupcakes a day before frosting them. I think that made a big difference- last time they must have been too hot, which melted the frosting.

My Mom has a Wilton Dessert Decorator which she hadn't tried out yet, so I offered to test it out. It worked great to get the frosting onto the cupcakes. The cupcakes were delish and everyone loved them.