I'm BACK!!!!

Sort of... i don't promise to be as active as i was before but i DO promise to blog finally if i make something that is blogable. Now did i make something last night that fits into this category? Not unless you think this fits:
What? No? Doesn't count? Well shoot... what IS what i ate last night... Hey i'm pregnant and Chris was working late so kill me!
But i do have a little treat to welcome you all back to this blog and we should all thank Cooking and Eating in the Windy City for posting this b/c without her i wouldn't have had this idea.
So here's how it went down. We were invited to a Memorial Day party and were asked to bring a side of sorts. Well when i saw these little doosies i KNEW i had to make them. Hey i have standards to uphold with these guys (Chris's friends) plus i figured it was good practice for all the future birthday day parties that we'll be throwing. And without further anticipation... Burger Cupcakes!

These little suckers were pretty easy to make and really knocked the socks off people.... they really thought they were burgers until they picked them up! Here's what you do.

Make mini Yellow cupcakes. Don't fill the cups too much because you want a dome, not a muffin look. When they are cooled cut them in half and use kitchen sissors to trim up the tops if needed.

Make mini chocolate cupcakes. Same with filling the tins. Now cut these in half and trim the sides to give a rounded, burger look.

Make the lettuce: Get a bag of shredded coconut and mix in green good coloring with a fork until it looks like lettuce shreds.

Now you Layer: bottom bun, layer of icing (red or yellow) slice of chocolate cupcake, layer of icing (whichever color you didn't already use) and then sprinkle the coconut on. Top with the Top part of your "bun". Now to help the seseme seeds to stick i brushed a little bit of lemon juice on top.

BAM! Just like that you have tasty Cupcake Burgers!

Womanly Craving for Cupcakes

So right about now i see in your eyes that if you're a woman you're thinking "Right On Sister! Cupcakes and Chocolate... perfect filler for a craving" and if you're a man you're think "Sweet, food" and let me tell you think is sweetness and quite deceiving! lol!
So This Cupcake baking story begins with Chris coming to me and saying that he would REALLY like me to make a lemon cake. I'm thinking on it, begin searching for recipes... then BAM! Craving hits me like a mac truck (no i'm not pregnant i'm getting a visit from... okay TMI you get the point, moving on...) i NEEDED raspberries and chocolate! I don't mean i wanted.. it was a DIRE NEED!! BUT i also knew i didn't want to overwhelm my "not a huge sweet fan" husband with a raspberry chocolate overload, so i decided to throw in his lemon cake! Oooh YEA!
So since we all like simple servings i decided to make cupcakes! I found a lemon cake recipe that was a former first ladies i believe... and she must have been a democrat because it was full of it! HA, not funny? ok ok you can laugh at ME later...
well honestly this was NOT a very good recipe so i'm not posting it... the cupcake was VERY heavy and sort of hard... so it wasnt bad, tasted good, just not fluffy deliousness.
Directions
So Make a cake batter (mine might be boxed next time!) and make your cupcakes. Once they have cooled, scoop out a small amount of the center... kinda of the size of one of those slugger marbles (you know the big ones you used to knock the little ones out of the circle, never played marbles.. oh well guess you'll have to guesstimate!)
Then pour raspberry preserves in the center (i used oh wonderful store bought kind and stirred them until it became more liquidy) then i covered the preserves with some of the cake i scooped out and then topped it with Whipped creamy chocolate icing *uh yea no recipe for this either b/c it was store bought...(whatever i just wanted CHOCOLATE)!
These are amazing (minus the heaviness of the cupcake) Chris said if they were a fluffier cupcake it would be his favorite desert, so i'll be making these again... with a recipe i like hopefully! So enjoy my cupcakes that are full if it (yes it was my idea for the filling and i'm a republican so i guess i'm full of it now... oh well)!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I contributed these little babies to my in office Holiday party! And while everyone enjoyed them, they LOVED the thought of taking them home to their kids even more! So away they went! I can't wait to hear what the kids thought! Now I really wish i could give credit where credit is due but I can't remember who Posted this... so if you're reading this and know, let me know!
Ingredients
1 box white cake mix (and the ingredients the box calls for, eggs, oil, etc)
1 tub white frosting
1 package of cookie dough in set circles
1 package of tube of cookie dough

Make the box per instructions.
Place a little batter in the bottom of each cup
Place one pre set cookie circle in the middle of each cup
Top with more batter
Bake according to Box's instructions
Let cool
Mix cookie dough tube in with white icing (the ration depends on your taste preference, do you want to taste more icing or more cookie?)
Ice Cupcakes
Take some leftover cookie dough and roll in into the smallest balls you've ever made and place in over set on 350
cook and watch VERY VERY closely!
Once cooked and cooled place on top of cupcakes.

I refrigerated my cupcake since there is raw cookie dough in the icing~

Wilton I, class III

This is what I did last night. I know kind of sad looking, but please let me explain. We are having a baby shower today for my coworker, so I thought HEY I can bring these to the shower! Well 1. she's having a boy (hence the color selection) and 2. It was flowers or scary looking Chucky clowns (the two things we learned in the class). So I decided "Lets Do Flower Pots!"... yea great idea IN.MY.HEAD! Didn't quite turn out the way I was hoping but HEY, they are still tasty and I'll just let the coworkers eat them now instead of ruining the beautiful shower we have planned with their presence.
So here is my "Flower Garden".

Fall Sunflowers!

My circle in my neighborhood had a BBQ so that we could all get to know each other. We were all asked to bring a dish so I brought deviled eggs (forgot to photograph) and these cupcakes! I tried my best to copy Katie, but alas mine needed more practice. I followed her instructions except that I used a gluten-free cake mix and I nixed the Lady Bugs because it was all I could do to make the freaking petals! Anywho, I will improve and they tasted great and were a huge hit!

For those of you who are gluten-free I used the Cocoa puffs for the center and I had to pick them off... I couldn't find the Cocoa pebbles! Enjoy!

Ginger Lime Cupcakes

Katie brought these wonderful creations to a bible study at my house and my husband fell in love with them. He was so bummed that he only got one, so I promised to get the recipe and make them. Now mine did not turn our nearly as deliciously fluffy as Katie's but they were still amazing!

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 lime
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 c. lowfat buttermilk
3 large egg whites
2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cupcake pan
-In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lime zest, whisk to combine and set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugar and oil, and beat to combine.
-Egg whites one at a time while beating, then ginger, lime juice and extracts, beating to combine thoroughly.
-With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively to combine.
-Spoon into prepared baking cups and bake until toothpick inserted in center of cakes is cleanly removed, about 18-20 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer combine cream cheese, butter, lime juice, and zest, vanilla extract and beat on high until light and fluffy.
-Slowly add in salt and sugar mixing until combined thoroughly.
-Place bowl in fridge until cupcakes are cooled and ready to frost.
-Once cupcakes have cooled completely, remove icing from fridge, frost, and decorate to your liking.

Strawberry Margarita Cup Cakes!

Oh Yum! Who doesn't love something a little special and different. Well I had a work function to cook for and I thought a great summer desert would be these amazing cupcake from Katie's blog. I was right, especially when I also made the Pina Colada Cup Cakes!
So without further ado, here's the cup cakes!

Here's Katie's ingredients: I was lazy and use white cake mix and followed the directions on the box except instead of water i used strawberry Daiquiri mix. Turned out great, I topped it with her icing and then a little slice of lime~

Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant milk powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 c. strawberry margarita/daquari mix (or strawberry puree, strained removing seeds)
1/3 c. water
5 egg whites, at room temperature

3 c. confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 Tbsp milk, plus more, if needed, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 that lime, at room temperature


Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.
-In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, instant milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.
-In small bowl, combine strawberry puree and water and set aside.
-In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until light (about 3 mins).
-Beat in the vanilla extract.
-Reduce the speed to low and, dividing the flour mixture into 3 batches, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the strawberry mixture just until combined.
-In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters and set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the beaten whites into the batter just until incorporated.
-Divide the batter between the cupcake molds.
-Bake about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
-Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.
-Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add lime zest and lime juice and quickly beat on high until whipped (adding more milk if needed), about 30 seconds.
-Remove from oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
-Let cool on racks until completely cool.

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Everyone loves a cupcake that taste like your favorite drink! And what a GREAT summer treat. I made these for a work potluck so i didn't try to make them with liquor but i'm sure that would be taste too! So here's my Pina Colada Cupcakes that is taken from the Coconut Cup Cakes on Katie's Blog.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 (13.5-ounce) milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2ish tsp coconut extract, i did it to taste so not sure how much.
Most of a small can of drained crushed pineapple.

Whipped vanilla frosting
1/2 bag of shredded coconut

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray with flour for baking
-Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
-Place sugar and butter in mixer and mix until well blended (for about 5 minutes).
-Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
-Stir in vanilla and coconut extract.
-Stir in pineapple
-Pour batter into prepared pans.
-Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

-When cupcakes are completely cool, frost with whipped vanilla frosting and roll tops in shredded coconut.
Top with a Cherry and Serve!