Cupcake South

Red Velvet Cupcakes with WHITE Chocolate Amaretto Frosting: Christmas Cupcake

2011-12-13T16:13:00.001-08:00

This is the cupcake we’re making this Christmas. Thank you Southern Living for the Recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in food coloring and vanilla until blended.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir together buttermilk, vinegar, and baking soda in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Place 24 paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans; spoon batter into cups, filling three-fourths full.
3. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks, and let cool completely (about 45 minutes).
4. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Garnish, if desired.

Printable Snowflake Stencil for White Chocolate Snowflake

Frosting Ingredients

2 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bars
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup almond liqueur

Preparation

Break white chocolate baking bars into pieces. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. (Do not overheat.) Let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add 5 cups powdered sugar alternately with almond liqueur, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add white chocolate mixture; beat at medium speed until spreading consistency.

4 Cute Halloween Cupcakes to Copy

2011-10-31T12:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

We at Cupcake South have been toiling around with Halloween cupcake ideas. Had no ideas. Everything was..um… nasty to us (eyeballs, etc.) I’m sorry. We’re girly girls over here. We wanted something pretty, romantic Halloweenish. Can’t Halloween also have pretty cakes? So we searched the blogosphere and look what we found.!!

The Cake Blog’s Pudgy Mummy. Cute and Mouth Watering. Yum!

The chocolate pumpkin cupcake above is from Good Life Eats.

from Family Spice Blog These are cute!

Baking Junkie’s Halloween Oreo Cupcakes. They look yummy. This may be our winner tonight.

What We’ve Been Working On

2011-10-01T15:10:00.001-07:00

Strawberry Hand Pie Step by Step in Pictures Recipe

2011-10-01T14:09:00.001-07:00

Strawberry hand pies recipe photo recipe

1/3 fresh strawberries diced

use real unsalted butter in dough #oldfashionisbetter

make dough with ice water, butter and all purpose flour

cut dough in half, place one half in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you roll out and cut this dough in circles. i use a glass (old fashioned) to cut out my dough

put dough in saran wrap and place in fridge for at least an hour. i love the strawberry saran wrap. it's pretty

laid cut out crust on waxed paper

Two dollops of strawberry mixture on top of bottom layer crust

Fresh out the oven, about to removed to cooling rack

2011 National Read a Book Day Shana Burton’s Catt Chasin

2011-09-05T22:14:00.001-07:00

Today, September 6, 2011 is National Read a Book Day. The holiday is designed to encourage us to take time from our busy lives and relax with a great book. This year we have selected Shana Burton’s Catt Chasin’(Urban Books) as our 2011 Read a Book Day Pick.

Why did we choose this book?

Catt Chasin’ the story of Jamal Ford. He has narrowed his love life down to a science through the creation of his 30-Day Dating Plan, a guide intended to weed out the drama queens, gold-diggers, and baby mamas from his ideal: a part goddess, part sex kitten, and part Stepford Wife mate. The shallow, fun-loving 33-year-old knows he’s one of Charlotte, North Carolina’s most eligible bachelors, and he won’t settle for anything less than the trophy wife of his dreams.Catherine “Catt” Cason has never let anything slow her down. The brilliant chemist takes being labeled “the cute fat girl” in stride as she fast-tracks her way to a top position with her cosmetic company, Telegenic. While she would enjoy the love of a good man, Catt refuses to risk heartbreak again just to have a warm body at her side. Besides, why settle for the love of an earthly man when she is the fiancée of Christ?

When Jamal is paired with Catt to launch a new product for work, it’s loathe at first sight. She thinks he’s arrogant and incompetent; he thinks she’s a sanctimonious kill-joy. However, what each believes they want may not be what God knows they need. In this game of love, rules don’t exist, and no heart is safe. The Lord is speaking, but will they be too caught up in their own agendas to listen?

Doesn’t the sound like fun?

We will be talking about the book all September and chatting with the author, Shana Burton, too.

Would you like to join us?

To join us is an easy three step process:

Join us all month long on Facebook by clicking here (http://on.fb.me/bookmonth).
If you do not own a copy, click here to purchase one (http://amzn.to/cattchase )
Share http://amzn.to/cattchase with your friends on Facebook or Twitter/

Once you’re done, please check in here. Our Goal is to get 50 readers reading Shana Burton Catt Chasin on September 6 and throughout the month. That’s not a Hard Goal. Right?!

Thanks for participating!

Elegant Memorial Day Cupcake

2011-05-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

This weekend I’m still undecided on what kind of cupcake to make for Memorial Day. I’m leaning toward a vanilla cupcake with blue butter cream icing and a strawberry wedge. While I decide I wanted to share some beautiful cupcakes you can try for Memorial Day.

Above are Flag Cupcakes courtesy of BakedBree.com.

My daughter wants a BlueBerry Cupcake so bad. This one from Steph Chows looks right up her alley. Here’s the recipe.

Betty’s Cozy Corner used a Paula Deen cake mix to make these beauties. The recipe is here.

Share your Memorial Day Cupcake ideas here. I may change my mind.

Sneak Peak and Excerpt of A Good Excuse to Be Bad Cupcake

2011-05-14T13:24:00.001-07:00

Thursday I finally turned in Someone Bad and Something Blue to my editor. I took Friday off to relax my brain and read. I hope you all will help me write Book 3 (will begin plotting next week.) However, this morning I learned that you could read a sneak peak of A Good Excuse to Be Bad. It releases next month, so I’m pinching myself every day. Would love for you to check out and tell me how you feel. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Excuse-Be-Bad/dp/0758259506

Also, mirandaparker.com is a community site. I built it so that you could register share your stories, books, book clubs, whatever with me and others who like the stories I write and the things I like. So register, tell yourself something about me and let’s have a good excuse to get to know each other!!

Still waiting on some cupcake ideas for my A Good Excuse to Be Bad Cupcake. My book release party is in July, so put your thinking caps on.

Miranda P

Mother’s Day Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

2011-05-05T11:52:00.001-07:00

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes by Dee Stewart

My recipe is a modification of Paula Deen’s Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting. I ditched the frosting for my own key lime cream cheese frosting and graham cracker crust lining the cupcake liner and on top of the cake before iced. My modifications are in blue. Also note I’m on a low sodium diet so if salt is your thing, add it. So here goes…

From Paula Deen:

Cake Ingredients

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaping teaspoon grated key lime zest
1 1/2 tablespoons key lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Swan Cake Flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
~~1/4 teaspoon~~ ~~kosher salt~~
1/2 cup buttermilk (I substituted 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt)
1/4 olive oil
3 limes

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients (Not Paula Deen/Basic)

12 graham crackers, finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
5 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Dee’s Key Lime Butter Cream Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia reduced fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest (from the limes we used in batter)
4 -5 cups powdered sugar Dixie Crystal

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. ~~Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.~~

Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner with 1/2 of the pie crust then fill almost to the top with batter. Use an ice cream scoop to load the batter into the muffin pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting.

Frosting Directions (Dee’s):

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy with hand mixer
Add in lime juice and zest.
Mix in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.

Before you add the frosting add the rest of the graham cracker crust to the muffin tops then pipe the frosting on top. I use the Wilton icing piper kit. You can slice the remaining two lines and wedge them on top of the key lime icing.

For those of you boozy cupcakes I’ll share that recipe later. There’s a trick to getting them drunk.

Dee

Mother’s Day Brunch: Crab & Asparagus Cupcake

2011-05-02T07:37:00.001-07:00

This Crab & Asparagus Cupcake recipe came from Cupcake Project. I made them last week and we enjoyed them all week. I thought it would be great, if you’re hosting a Mother’s Day Brunch at your home.

The Recipe is on Paula Deen’s site here.

I’m thinking of doing a Cupcake Fest for Mother’s Day. My own Keylime Pie Cupcakes, these cupcakes, and something with sugar flowers, or pearls….what would you add?

Paula Deen’s Crab & Asparagus QUiche Breakfast Cupcake

2011-04-22T20:45:00.001-07:00

I wasn’t going to make another thing this weekend until I stumbled upon these beauties from Paula Deen’s website. So…. Here’s the link to the recipe. I’ll be at Publix in the morning.

Chick Magnet & 2 Bite Butterflies for Easter Cupcakes

2011-04-22T20:40:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter! We’ve been making Easter Baskets and baking up an Atlanta Storm. These cupcakes come from the same vanilla cupcake batter. The chick magnet cupcake is a standard size cc with a dollop of my keylime cream cheese icing with a yellow peep on top of the dollop. My younger sister isn’t a fan of icing, but loves cake. She was our muse for the Chick Magnet Cupcake

These 2 Bite Butterflies recipe was given to us by my friend Cathy. We decided to make 2 bites, because Easter is one of those holidays where you can lose a tooth, if you’re not careful. Our butterflies are made from yogurt covered pretzels (Krogers have then on sale for $1.99 a box) and pastel almond M & Ms. Same Key Lime Icing. We had to refrigerate these puppies. The size is a hit. My mom ate them with two bites. pretzel and M &M included. Really.

If you want to do these with your kids. I prefer homemade batter with Swan Cake Flower, Clabber Girl, etc, but for sake of time sift Pillsbury Butter Cake Mix (Kroger has it for $1 this week). Sift very well. Very well. Follow directions, but mix liquids first then add in dry mix one cup at a time. Add some Wesson Canola oil or olive oil to your batter ala Paula Deen. Cupcake will melt in your mouth.

Enjoy!

Girlee and Mom

What we Been Up to at Cupcake South

2011-03-06T16:51:00.001-08:00

We’ve been prepping for spring cupcake madness and cake pops. yep. we’ll begin featuring them in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Above Selah is piping our Strawberry Cheesecake Buttercream Icing on her Vanilla Cupcakes.

This past weekend I created a strawberry and red velvet birthday cupcake fantasy for a special bride to be. Hope to see you around Atlanta or somewhere in the South. Tomorrow morning I will be in Macon.

More New Year’s Eve CUpcakes

2010-12-30T07:46:00.001-08:00

I found some cutelicious cupcakes I had to feature. So if you’re out shopping for New Year’s Eve goodies, here is some inspiration.

Cupcakes Take the Cake’s Ball Drop Cupcakes

Hoosier Homemade New Year’s Cocktail Cupcakes

Low Fat Strawberry Champagne New Year’s Cupcakes

2010-12-30T07:25:00.001-08:00

Courtesy of DC Cupcakes and Oprah.com

Servings: Serves 12

Ingredients

Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes (36 mini cupcakes, 3 per champagne flute)

1/2 cup fresh strawberries , diced
1/2 Tbsp. good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)
2 1/2 cups flour , sifted
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder , sifted
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. (4 ounces) unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup zero-calorie sweetener (e.g., Splenda)
2 large eggs , at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract plus seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 1/4 cups skim milk , at room temperature

Champagne Buttercream Frosting

16 Tbsp. (8 ounces) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar , sifted
1 tsp. skim milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)

Strawberry Layer

24 fresh strawberries
1 cup good Champagne (sweet rose Champagne suggested)

Chocolate Ganache

2 cups high-quality dark chocolate

Directions

For Serving:
12 glass Champagne flutes
12 long spoons
12 indoor-safe sparkler candles
Step 1: Baking the Mini Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 mini cupcake pans with 36 mini baking cups or grease pans with butter if not using baking cups.
Dice up 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries and soak in 1/2 cup of Champagne. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Mix in applesauce slowly.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
Combine the vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.
Gently fold in the diced Champagne-soaked strawberries, just until incorporated.
Scoop batter into baking cups and bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. If using paper baking cups, peel off all the paper baking cups from the cupcakes at this time.
Step 2: Making the Champagne Buttercream Frosting

Place the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract, milk, salt and Champagne, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Place frosting in a disposable piping bag with a large round tip.
Step 3: Preparing the Strawberries

Slice 24 strawberries lengthwise and soak in 1 cup of Champagne for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4: Melting the Chocolate Ganache
Break the dark chocolate into small pieces. Fill a medium saucepan with an inch or 2 of water and place over medium-low heat. Place the dark chocolate pieces in a medium glass bowl over the saucepan and melt slowly. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the saucepan. Pour the melted chocolate into a plastic squeeze bottle. (If a squeeze bottle is not available, you can drizzle with a spoon.)
Step 5: Assembling Layers in Champagne Flutes
Line up 12 glass Champagne flutes. Insert 1 mini strawberry Champagne cupcake in the bottom of each glass. Next, pipe a swirl of Champagne buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake. Add several slices of Champagne-soaked strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate. Repeat layers. Finally, place a third mini strawberry Champagne cupcake at the top of each glass, pipe with a final "Georgetown Cupcake signature swirl" of Champagne buttercream frosting, and top with a final drizzle of melted chocolate.
Step 6: Serving

Insert 1 indoor-safe sparkler candle in the top of each glass. Light the candles at midnight, serve with spoons, and enjoy!

Christmas Cupcakes Galore

2010-12-23T12:14:00.001-08:00

This year we made red velvet cupcakes for Christmas and topped them with Gingerbread Women and Houses. Would love for me to share your cupcakes on my facebook page. www.facebook.com/dee.stewart. In the meantime here are some of my favorite Christmas cupcake pics I’ve seen online.

Brandied Mincemeat Cupcakes From Kuidaore

Hello Cupcake's Maple Brown Pecan

Chocolate Indulgence Santas by Viva La Cupcake

Love Bakery

Southern Vogue who has all the Christmas cupcakes in the world by the looks of this great pic of her Cupcake Exchange Party.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

2010-11-19T09:46:00.001-08:00

Courtesy of Duncan Hines

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ingredients:

12 Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe Spice cupcakes baked in orange paper liners
24 mini Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice cupcakes baked in white paper liners
2 pieces green licorice twists (e.g. Twizzlers rainbow twists)
1 can (16 ounces) plus 1 cup Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
Orange food coloring
1 cup orange decorating sugar
Green licorice laces (e.g. Kellogg's Fruit Streamers, Watermelon Madness)

Baking Instructions:

Cut the licorice twists into 3/4 inch pieces to make the pumpkin stems. Tint the vanilla frosting orange with the food coloring. Tint 1/2 cup of the orange frosting a darker shade of orange with more food coloring. Spoon the darker orange frosting into a ziplock bag; set aside.
Place orange decorating sugar into a shallow bowl. Spread the orange frosting on top of the cupcakes mounding slightly in the center. Starting on the edge, roll the cupcake tops in the sugar to cover completely.
Use a wooden skewer to mark the ridges in the tops of the cupcakes. Starting in the center or slightly off center, lightly press the skewer over the cupcake tops to create 5 to 6 indentations. Snip a very small corner (1/16 inch) from the bag with the darker orange frosting and pipe lines of frosting in the indentations on top of the cupcakes. Insert the cut green twists for the stems and add the green laces, trimmed into shorter pieces, to make the tendrils.

Skeleton Cupcakes & Michael Jackson’s Gloves found in Atlanta

2010-10-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

This has been a busy week, but believe me I haven’t forgotten about Halloween cupcakes, Below is a recipe for these Skeleton Cupcakes from Woman’s Day. If you don’t have time I spotlighted two Atlanta cupcakeries that have great Halloween cupcakes you can order and pickup. If you spot any great cupcakes or would like to share your own drop the link here.

1 box (18.25 oz) devil's food cake mix
1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
3 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
16 oz each) dark chocolate frosting
Decoration: black gel or paste food color, 24 marshmallows, 24 (4-in. ) thin breadsticks (grissini) or lollipop sticks, a clean artist's brush, 24 grape fruit leather snacks (like FruitaBu), black decorating sugar, red nonpareil candies

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. You'll need 24 regular-size muffin cups lined with paper, foil or Halloween-themed liners.

Beat cake mix, buttermilk, eggs and oil in large bowl with mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until just blended. Divide batter between muffin cups (1/4 cup batter per cup).

Bake 24 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes before removing cupcakes to rack to cool completely.

Tint chocolate frosting black with food color; frost cupcakes.

To decorate: Slightly flatten marshmallows with palm of your hand. Insert a broken length of breadstick or lollipop stick into each marshmallow. Place some black frosting in a microwave-safe custard cup and microwave about 5 seconds, until thin and runny. Paint skeleton faces onto marshmallows with a fine paintbrush.

Using the photo as a guide, cut fruit leather into bat wings with scissors; press in decorating sugar to coat. Roll fruit leather scraps into small balls, then shape into bat heads with ears; coat heads in sugar. Attach 2 nonpareil candies for eyes with a dab of frosting.

To assemble: Using photo as guide, stand bat wings upright in frosting on top of cupcakes. Insert a skeleton head behind wings into middle of cupcake. Attach a bat head in middle of wings with frosting.

Plan Ahead: You can bake cupcakes 2 weeks ahead and freeze. Frost and decorate up to 1 day ahead, cover and keep at room temperature.

Halloween Cupcakes from Lenox Cupcakes

Simply Sweet & More’s Michael Jackson glove cupcakes

Twilight Cupcakes

2010-10-07T09:02:00.001-07:00

Halloween’s coming and we got cupcakes on the brain. And a good book, of course. So when I saw these photo of vampire bite cupcakes from Homemaker’s Habit, I got tickled. Twilight is one of my favorite books. My BFF Natasha and I read the whole series and had the nerve to sit through a triple feature with teeny boppers screaming at the top of their lungs. I'll make these for girlee and re-read Breaking Dawn.

Here’s the recipe:
Red Velvet "Vampire Bite" Cupcakes
makes 22 regular size cupcakes

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 oz. red food coloring (one full bottle)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl that can be used with a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.
Next, with the mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beating until well combined, and continuing to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. The mixture will fizz when combined so be sure to use a bowl large enough to contain it. Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Fill cupcake cups with cake batter until they are a little under 3/4 full -- an ice cream scoop measures the perfect size.
Place cupcakes in the oven and bake for approximately 20, rotating pans halfway through. To check doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of a cupcake in the middle of the tin. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are ready. Remove from oven and let cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting (below) and, if desired, decorate with vampire bite marks.
Cream Cheese Frosting
frosts apx. 2 dozen cupcakes
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 8oz. package cream cheese (or lite cream cheese), softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons whipping cream (more or less as needed to acheive the consistency you desire)
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in vanilla. With the mixture on low speed, gradually add in powdered sugar, a little at a time until smooth and fluffy. Add in whipping cream and whip on high until frosting is smooth and creamy. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag (I just use a 1 qt Ziploc bag with the tip sliced off) and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Decorate as desired and enjoy.
Also visit Homemaker’s Habitat. It is a fun blog.

Cocktail Cupcake

2010-09-26T21:52:00.001-07:00

When my editor offered my three book deal for A Good Excuse to Be Bad this spring the first thing that came to my main was I had to throw a Cocktail Cupcake Party. Little did I know at the time that a Cocktail Cupcake Company existed right here in Atlanta. Now I’m not a drinker, but I they’re cute. Hopefully, they could make me some mocktail cupcakes. (hint)

So here’s the scoop:

Website: http://www.cocktailcupcakes.net/

Menu items that peak my interest:

Patron
Lime cake laced with Patron Tequila, Topped with Patron & Lime Buttercream Frosting.

Cosmopolitan
Cranberry Cosmopolitan cake laced with Vodka, topped with Cosmopolitan Buttercream frosting.

Chocolate Martini
Chocolate cake laced with Chocolate Liquer, topped with Chocolate Vodka frosting.

Caramel Appletini
Cinnamon Apple cake laced with Apple Vodka, topped with Apple Vodka frosting.

Party planning underway. I’ll let you know what happens with the book party.

The Great Cupcake Smackdown

2010-07-11T16:54:00.001-07:00

The Great Cupcake Smackdown was Deliciouso!!!!

The Winners in a Nut Cup Shell:

Peoples' Choice:

Red Velvet & Judges' Choice Freestyle (Marie Antoinette) winner: Little Cake Bakery.

Peoples' Choice Freestyle (Better Than Sex) & Judges' Choice Red Velvet winner: Pink Cupcake Dreams.

I will blog in more detail about each participant this week. It was such big fun. My girlee can’t stop talking about it.

The Great Cupcake Smackdown & Two Delicious Divas

2010-07-09T06:20:00.001-07:00

This Sunday, just after church service Girlee and I are attending The Great Cupcake Smackdown. Can’t wait. My favorite Cupcake Eateries here in Atlanta and some of you, who read the blog will be there and so will I.

I’ll live blog from there so stay tuned. If you’re attending, let me know here on on the Smackdown Facebook Page.

Picture: Some Red Velvet & Oreo Cupcakes I made for my graduating Cousins.I’ll post up the recipe soon.

Dee

Grill Cupcakes for Fourth of July Menu

2010-07-02T06:45:00.001-07:00

This cute pic is from Team Sugar

Check out these kabob grill pics from gastronamlies!

Found these cuties in my June/July issue of Family Fun Magazine. I recommend you subscribe.

Ingredients

Brownie batter
Black food coloring
White frosting
Orange sugar

Caramel creams
Red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices
Hot Tamales candies

Instructions

To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.
In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.

Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers

Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick

Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick

O Magazine has Cupcake Decorating Tips in this Issue

2010-06-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Bake Sale Pies. These are cute. The recipe is below. Click here to get more from O Mag or pick a copy. I will tomorrow.

Ingredients:

Bake-Sale Pie Cupcakes

24 vanilla cupcakes , baked in silver foil liners
2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
Yellow food coloring
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup each red and blue candy (M&M's, Jelly Belly)

Directions:
Tint the vanilla frosting with 3 or 4 drops of the yellow food coloring and the cocoa powder to make a light brown for the piecrust. Spread some of the frosting on top of a cupcake, leaving 1/4 inch of the cupcake edge exposed. For the filling, arrange about 25 like-colored candies close together on top of the cupcake. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and like-colored candies.
Spoon the remaining light brown frosting into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air and seal. Snip a small (1/8-inch) corner from the bag. For the lattice crust, pipe 4 or 5 lines across the top of a cupcake, about 1/2 inch apart. Pipe 4 or 5 more lines, on the diagonal. Pipe a beaded edge around the top of the cupcake. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and frosting.
Arrange the cupcakes on a wire rack and make several bake-sale tags to put with the cupcakes.
© 2010 What's New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Just ordered the cookbook. Woot! So cute.

Gingerbread Cupcake Fun Fest

2009-12-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Girlee and I had fun today assembling our Gingerbread Granny Cupcake.

Recipe

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick of unsalted butter)
1/4 cup of hot water
1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup of unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup of grated ginger
if you like moist cupcake add 2 tbs apple sauce to mixture

Prep

preheat oven at 350 degrees
combine wets, but be careful of eggs don't want them cooking in the hot water
combine dry
add dry to wet mixture in parts
add final mixture to muffin cups
bake for 18-20 minutes

Cool then Decorate like you want

Frosting Choices

Lemon Cream Cheese is great
Cream Cheese
Chocolate
Molasses Cream Cheese
Mango Buttercream

We added Rudolph to top ours off .

Then Selah and I cut loose on these decorations!!

Halloween Cupcakes Velvet Ghosts

2009-10-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

I love this pic, but I'm thinking White Velvet Cupcakes instead of those Dirt Chocolate Cupcakes topped with Marshmallow Ghosts for the girls this year. I want the entire cupcake to look like a ghost. These cupcakes are easy for Selah and her BFF to make on Saturday. I'm a big fan of cupcake frosting for cupcakes. So here's the recipe.

I'll post what Selah and I create this weekend on Flickr , Facebook, and the blog.
Use sprinkles to make the ghost eyes.

White Velvet Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking power
1 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for the egg whites
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can replace with another flavoring if you prefer: lemon, almond extract, etc.)
3 egg whites
1 cup mini-marshmallows

Marshmallow Frosting(This frosting recipe from Jennifer Shea of Trophy Cupcakes)

Ingredients

Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes

8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Sprinkles Father's Day Cupcake Recipe

2009-06-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sprinkles shares a Yummy Father's Day Cupcake Recipe on ABC last Friday. Watch here and Read the Recipe Below.
Ingredients:

* 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* ¼ tsp salt
* 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
* ¾ cup smooth all natural peanut butter, at room temperature
* ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
* ½ cup sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* ½ cup whole milk
* 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk and vanilla in small bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Beat butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend until smooth. Slowly mix in peanut butter. Add half the flour mixture and blend slowly. When fully incorporated, add milk mixutre. Continue to blend slowly. Add remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips and fold in by hand. Scoop into 12 lined baking cups and bake for about 22 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched and the edges are golden brown.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

* 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter, natural (or if you want a smoother look, go not-natural)
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup whole milk

Directions:

Combine sugar and salt in bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in bowl. Beat butter and peanut butter in mixer until smooth and creamy. Alternately add sugar and milk mixture until fully incorporated. Add additional milk for a softer consistency. Frost on top of cooled cupcakes.

About Candace Nelson, Executive Pastry Chef and owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes
Executive Pastry Chef Candace Nelson comesfrom a strong culinary tradition.Her French-American great grandmother was renowned for the distinctivedesserts she made at her San Francisco restaurant during the 1930s, and her own mother shared a similar passion for cooking. After graduating from the professional pastry program at Tante Maries Cooking School inSan Francisco in 2002, Candace started her own custom baking business,specializing in handcrafted special occasion cakes. Raised in the spirit ofher French relatives, Candace felt that dessert should be a daily pleasure rather than an indulgence reserved for the occasional celebration. This philosophy inspired Candace to open Sprinkles Cupcakes, The Original Cupcake Bakery. Candace has been profiled in the New York Times,featured on The Martha Stewart Show, The Today Show, Nightline andGood Morning America, and appeared as a guest judge on the Food Networks widely popular Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

Sprinkles Cupcakes are a deliciously sophisticated update on an American classic.Baked fresh in small batches throughout the day, Sprinkles Cupcakes are handcrafted from the finest ingredients, including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, freshbananas and carrots, real strawberries and natural citrus zests. Sprinkles Cupcakes contain no preservatives, trans fats or artificial flavors. Sprinklesoffers more than 20 tantalizing flavors from simple vanilla to creativechai latte to satisfy every sweet tooth. Topped with Sprinkles trademark modern dots, rich chocolate sprinkles from France or seasonal sugar decorations, Sprinkles Cupcakes are both playful and elegant perfectfor occasions of any kind.

When Candace and Charles Nelson first opened Sprinkles in April 2005, everyone said they were crazy. Low carb mania was at its peak, and the idea of a cupcakes-onlybakery in the middle of thin city seemed an unlikely success story.Despite naysayers, they sold out within hours of opening, and saleshavent slowed since. Today, Sprinkles is known as much for its longlines and devoted fans as for its delicious cupcakes. Sprinkles iscredited with inspiring a national cupcake craze as reported by theNew York Times, USA Today, the Today Show and Nightline.

Sprinkles cares about its community, a philosophy reflected in its purchasingdecisions and commitment to local charities.Sprinkles bakery boxes, plates, napkins, shopping bags andgiftboxes are made from recycled materials. Sprinkles donatesregularly to charities and events supporting worthy causes andgives all daily leftover cupcakes to local food banks.
Website: http://www.sprinkles.com

Superbowl Cupcales

2009-01-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

Two Parts Sugar have these cute cupcakes online. Check them out. Here

New York Cupcake Contest Today Deadline

2008-10-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

By: Daniel Maurer for New York Magazine

As you probably know by now, we don’t much like cupcakes. Correction: We like ’em just fine (sugar, flour, and eggs, what’s there not to like?), but we don’t get why so many otherwise intelligent folks would glorify such a pedestrian foodstuff, obsessing over its every possible permutation. It’s not like they’re hamburgers! We realize this might be a problem — a food blog that isn’t "coo coo" for cupcakes is like a fashion blog that doesn’t worship Marc Jacobs (to use the Bleecker Street analogy). So we’re asking you, dear readers, to turn our frown upside-down. The person who e-mails us or comments with the most convincing argument — the sort of argument that makes us bring in a box to the office and send out an e-mail saying “Cupcakes!!!!!” — will win the Magnolia Bakery T-shirt you see here (size large, $22 value). Just don’t send us photos of your Halloween cupcakes. We’ll announce the winner at the end of the day tomorrow.

Click here to participate.

2008-10-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

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I got inspiration to make some fun caramel apple cupcakes from chokylit a while back, but didn't do them. This year I remembered to do them. Now I'm a single mom and with this economy I'm using Duncan Hines to make the batter. I added 1/3 cup apple marmalade to the batter. I made a marshmallow icing and added a few chunks of melted then cooled caramel and caramel sauce to the icing. I dipped the cooled cupcakes in the batter, added a cinnamon stick to look like the core and threw some sprinkles ontop. Kids love the sprinkles. This cupcake is very sweet. Drink plenty water.

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:

1/4 cup
1 jar (7 oz)
1 tsp
1 pkg (16 oz)
1 - 2 Tb Margarine or butter, softened
Marshmallow crème
Vanilla
Powdered sugar
Milk, one Tb at a time

Place margarine, marshmallow creme and vanilla in small bowl; beat on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until well blended.
Blend in 1 Tb of the milk. Add remaining 1 Tb milk if necessary for desired spreading consistency.

Turkey Meatloaf Cupcakes w/ Mashed Potato Frosting

2008-09-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Ok. It's fall. It's meat and potatoes time and boy have I found a cupcake that my daughter loves!!. It's the Meatloaf Cupcake. Try it. Although my pic doesn't like as pretty as Fine Furious Life it was cute enough for an eight-year-old to devour. lol

Cooking Time: 45 minutes. Servings: 18 medium size cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey
	1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
	1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
	3 tablespoons ketchup
	1 egg
	1/2 teaspoon celery salt
	1/4 teaspoon pepper

mashed potato icing - two red potatoes(skinned, boiled, mashed) or box of mashed potato flakes

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full).

3. Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Make mashed potatoes. Take a plastic storage bag and snip a corner to use for piping the potato unto the cooled meatloaf cake.

12 cupcakes.

Karen Tack s Corn on the Cob Cupcake

2008-05-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

Karen Tack of Alan Richardson and Karen Tack's "Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make" was on The Today Show today.She uses styorofoam and toothpicks to build her cupcake structures. Here is the sweet corn cupcake recipe.

Makes 8 ears of corn: 24 cupcakes

Our corniest project ever! The ears are bursting with fresh summer flavor. But surprise: Those kernels are jelly beans, the butter pats are fruit chews, and the salt and pepper is black and white sugar.

INGREDIENTS

• 24 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners

• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

• Yellow food coloring

• About 3 1/2 cups small jelly beans (Jelly Bellys) in assorted yellow, cream, and white colors

• 4 pieces yellow fruit chews (Laffy Taffys, Starbursts)

• 1 tablespoon each black and white decorating sugars (available at baking supply stores)

• 8 sets of corn holders (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Tint the vanilla frosting pale yellow with the food coloring.

2. Working with 3 cupcakes at a time, spread yellow frosting on top of each. Arrange about 5 rows of jelly beans, close together, on each cupcake. Place the 3 cupcakes side by side on a corn dish or a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, frosting, and jelly beans.

3. Cut the fruit chews into eight 1-inch squares, and soften the edges slightly by hand so that they look melted. Place 1 square on top of each group of 3 cupcakes. Sprinkle with the sugars. Insert 1 corn holder, if using, in each of the end cupcakes.

More cupcakes recipes to follow.

Finally, Bunny Cupcake Pics!!

2008-05-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

My picture taking skills suck here, but if you squint you will see the pink bunny cupcakes. The recipe is two entries below.

Mother's Day CupCake Recipe Wanted

2008-04-23T10:39:00.002-07:00

I want to have a Mother's Day Brunch. I caught between a pear champagne cupcake, but my Mama refuses to eat anything with alcohol in it. :) Help!

Easter Bunny Birthday Cupcake

2008-03-28T11:13:00.001-07:00

I can't believe how I have not posted any of my cupcakes on the blog. Confession: I haven't developed any pictures. I'm archaic. No digital camera. So one day you may come here and it is full of cupcakes I've done since July. Don't slap me. I intend to update regularly and get these pics developed. Lately I've been on a adult cupcake kick. So my new recipes will follow that vein. Poor Selah. She' s on a cupcake diet.

Selah's birthday was last Saturday. We had an Enchanted/American Girl sleepover. I made Pink Peeps Easter Cupcakes. The bunnies and chicks were pink Peeps, marshmallow candies. The icing was edible grass from Walmart mixed with basic marshmallow icing from chocolit and a sprinkle of Kool-Aid green. Picks will be coming soon. Girls thought it was cute. It was way too sweet.

Here is a pic from Quirky Cupcake. My cupcake looked similar except my cupcakes were huge(paper muffin cups) and the icing was green with grass in it instead of sprinkles. Think enchanted, girly.

Wheeler's Scoops Boston

2008-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

Wheelers is excited about opening its South End shop and so is Boston and so are we!!

For five years, Cambridge-based Wheeler (a self-described "ice cream designer" who, in true artiste fashion, rarely uses his last name) and partner Damion Lord (a former Carvel employee, he developed lactose intolerance after eating too much soft-serve) have been selling their soy-based treats by special order. This month, with their planned South End shop Wheeler's Frozen Desserts, they're bringing their product to the open market, offering as many as 20 to 30 rotating varieties. Most spring from Wheeler's imagination, but he's more than happy to create custom flavors like chocolate pretzel crunch and sweet potato on request. "If you told me, ‘When I was in sixth grade, my favorite flavor was marshmallow bubblegum,' I'll do that," he says.
-excerpt from Amy Traverso's Oh Soy Tasty, Boston Magazine April 2008
Congratulations, Wheelers. When are you coming to Atlanta?

Anyone have any great recipes to go with the icecream or any recipes that includes their drinks? I'm looking for some grown folk cupcake ideas.

Mama's Red 55th Birthday

2007-07-27T12:13:00.001-07:00

I made Mama Paula Dean's Red Velvet Cupcake for her 55th birthday last week. I don't have a digital camera, so here's the pic of the cakes from Food Network.

This week I am making three dozen cupcakes for my girlscout troop. Two of our girls are moving away. I haven't decided upon an idea, yet. Does anyway have any idea of a great kid cupcake?

Summer Cupcake Challenge

2007-06-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Ok. I am putting a challenge out to myself to produce some summer sweet cupcakes for my daughter Selah and her friends and my girlscout troop. This cupcake diva has been taking a vacaketion since school closed and scouting is on break'til fall. But there are so many cute cupcakes coming out for the summer and my daughter has so many friends with summer birthdays I can't help, but turn on my hot oven. Any nobake cupcake recipes out there? Its 100 degress in Atlanta today.

Check out this summer cc recipe from Cococonut and Lime. I am too hot to cook from scratch so I will deviate a little from this BettyCrocker keylime cupcakes here. Use Martha Stewart's vanilla cupcake batter with some buttermilk and keylime juice instead of the BC box kind and my quick keylime cream icing. It'll be richer, but isn't that a southern thing.

Quick Key Lime Icing

This recipe makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup of soft butter
3 or more teaspoons of Half & Half
Zest of 1 Key Lime
1 Tablespoon of Key Lime juice

Preparation:
Combine the confectioners’ sugar and the softened butter. Blend well.

Adding 1 teaspoon at a time, beat in 3 or more teaspoons of cream or Half & Half.

Add, Key lime zest and juice and fold into the icing.

Out of the Starting Gate

2007-06-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

I'm an author, not a desserts chef, just a mother in love with cupcakes. My seven-year-old daughter Selah has taken my fascination to a new level. On top of that everywhere I turn a cupcake shop is popping up in Atlanta. So...here I am. My new blog devoted to cupcakes, my writing, southern life, and my lil' girl. (Every now and then I will throw in Rico.:) ) Before I begin. Quick question. What's the best cupcake sites online?

Dee

This photo is a cute cupcake I found at Atlanta Cupcake Factory. Check my sidebar for the link. Isn't that cute and appropriate for my launch?
Related article
Cupcake Dreams: Here