Candy Cake!

I'm calling it early, March is going to be a fantastic month!

Nothing is better than creating a cake that is a success (since last week, my other cake project was a complete disaster. OK well for me it was. Any little mistake tips me off. If I'm not pleased with the way it turns out I secretly want to destroy it with a baseball bat in an alley and start over. When I tell my mom that she tells me that I shouldn't waste cake or "insert other dessert term here" because you shouldn't just waste food. I know, I know I shouldn't waste food...its a hard habit to break but I'm trying :)

Also, I should mention that finishing a cake successfully AND watching the Lakers play (and beating the #1 seed Beat the Heat!) completes an awesome day in my book!

My source and inspiration for this "Candy Cake" came from pinterest.com, which is an extremely addicting website where you can make individual boards and pin awesome pictures of your favorite things from arts and crafts to scrumptious dessert recipes! Love, love, love.

So back to the Candy Cake, here is what you will need to make it:

-A frosted layer cake (can be square, round, oval etc.)
-Kit-Kat bars (the number depends on how large your cake is. I ended up using 3 large bars for a 6 inch cake)
- M&M's or any chocolate similar in size (again, the number of m&m's depend on how large your cake is).
-Ribbon, one that is long enough to wrap around the cake.
-Any other decorations you use to decorate your cake with (sprinkles, melted candy melts etc.)

I love that this cake is super simple AND that it hides any mishaps you have with the cake. Amateurs welcome!

Directions:

Once you have successfully frosted the cake, start breaking your kit kat bars into increments of 2 wafer bars. Use the frosting as an adhesive and attach the kit kats on the edges of your cake. Sprinkle the M&M's to outline the cake. Then take a ribbon and wrap it around the cake sealed with a pretty bow! I've also seen this done as a wedding cake, so it works well if you plan to make tiers. Enjoy!

Awesome, no?

Well I should also mention that this post is dedicated to my cousin Kelly! Happy Birthday, here's to another amazing year! Love you! :)

Happy Monday!

Hello Kitty Cupcakes!

Hi ho my fellow readers and bloggers,

This coming weekend is one of my dear friend's birthday Yi-ki! This post is dedicated to you, I wish you another amazing year full of good health and happiness. Happy Birthday! Love ya! :)

While reading Yi-ki's blog, I saw a mocha milkshake picture she put up and I knew her flavor of cupcake would be mocha! And of course the Hello Kitty design is pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy!

Here is the recipe:

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream

Yields 12 regular sized cupcakes.

1-1/3 all-purpose flour

1/6 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/6 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
½ cup strong brewed coffee
1½ teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature

1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.

3. Whisk together the flour, both sets of cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

(This recipe for the cupcakes and buttercream frosting has been adapted and the original source is from My Baking Addiction and browneyedbaker--- thanks so much!)

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons espresso powder

1 teaspoon of milk or heavy whipping cream

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated. For a more creamy frosting, I added a teaspoon of milk. 

The frosting is super yummy if I do say so myself! I ended up eating the frosting straight from the bowl! The cupcake is light and moist with a hint of coffee and chocolate! What can be better?

Here is what you need to make the Hello Kitty toppers:

-Candy Melts in assorted colors (I used Wilton Candy Melts)
-Plastic Bags or Squeegee bottles
-Microwaveable Bowls
-Spoons
-Wax Paper
-Outline of Hello Kitty (2 inches or so)
-Tape
-White Sprinkles

1. Take your Outline of Hello Kitty, lay on a flat surface. Take a sheet of wax paper and tape it over the paper outline of Hello Kitty.
2. Melt your Candy Melts in the microwave. Let them cool for about a few minutes but no longer than that. They tend to harden really quickly.
3. Transfer your cooled candy melts into a plastic bag with the tip cut off or in squeegee bottles.
4. Now start with the bow and follow your outline squeezing with enough pressure to get the desired look. You may sprinkle some white polka dot sprinkles on top.
5. Continue with a different color and trace Hello Kitty's face. Finish with her eyes and mouth.
6. Let the design cool for about 1 hour or til candy has hardened.
7. Remove the wax paper and place onto your cupcake!

*You will need to work fairly quick because the candy can get hard fast, if it does get to hard to pipe you will need to reheat your candy melts.

Have a great week everyone! Enjoy this wonderful "winter" weather here we have in SoCal! :)

Happy World Nutella Day!

Not only is today Super Bowl Sunday, but its also World Nutella Day! Who knew?

My first introduction to Nutella, was back in Germany 2005. During breakfast they would serve us rolls of bread with little Nutella packets. I remember giving my little Nutella packets to my friend Wing, who was and still is crazy for this chocolately hazelnut spread. Over time nutella had warmed its way into my heart, because really, who can resist it?

First off, I wanted to combine World Nutella Day with Valentine's Day and give you some fabulous treats to feed your special Valentine this year. If you don't have someone special to share this day with, who cares? I say make treats for your friends, regardless!

Yesterday, I decided to make some peanut butter cookies, you know the one with the Hershey kiss in the middle? And make it holiday appropriate by adding some pink food coloring into the dough, also dipping them in pink granulated sugar to give it that extra sparkle. For a tutorial, please check out the link.

The recipe I used is great, quick, and super easy (especially if you don't have any butter on hand).

Hershey's Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies by AprilShowers @ Food.com 

Ingredients:


½ cup shortening

¾ cup peanut butter

¹⁄₃; cup sugar

¹⁄₃; cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

additional sugar

48 Hershey's chocolate kisses

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In mixer, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended; Blend in sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla; Beat well.
4. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually mix in peanut butter mixture.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and rollin additional sugar.
6. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Immediately place a Hershey's Kiss on each cookie and press down slightly.

For the cupcakes, I used a chocolate base and topped it with a powerful nutella buttercream! Yum.

Click here for the Chocolate Cupcake recipe I used, and the Nutella Buttercream frosting. Thank you Stephanie from 52 Kitchen Adventures for the recipe!

*Please note: The Chocolate Cupcake recipe will slightly sink in the middle, but do not worry it is flippin' delicious and super moist.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday everyone! Go Giants! :)

Bring it on 2012! I'm ready!

Hi readers! Happy 2012!

To start off the brand new spanking year, I had my first order of 2012! Yay! Here are some sparkly New Year's Cupcakes! They are Red Velvet with a tangy cream cheese frosting! Super yummy.

Before I send you off and running (to go and watch the Laker game---yes the NBA is back!), the recipe that I used was fantastic! If you are looking for a very moist and tender red velvet cupcake, you've found it here. For the cream cheese frosting, its not so sweet but has a tang from the added extra cream cheese which makes it really creamy! And its fantastic because its not an overpowering amount of powdered sugar that goes in here. So please check out the linked blogs for great recipes, you won't regret it!

Special thanks to: "Carrot Top" Mom and Our Best Bites blog!

 All of the decorations (besides the sprinkles) are fondant dusted with edible glitter. To make the curls, I cut out strips of fondant (they don't have to be perfectly straight) and used the tip of a small paint brush to get the even curled look. To get the edible glitter to stick to the fondant, the box suggests using lemon juice or clear vanilla extract and mix a small amount of the glitter (because it goes a long way!). I ended up using a water/edible glitter combo to brush it on the fondant (which is cheaper if you don't have the clear extracts on hand).

Thanks for reading! Have a safe, healthy, and happy start to the year! Cheers!

Frosty in a Glass!

Hi everyone,

Christmas is upon us and nothing better to celebrate this holiday season with Frosty in a Glass. While grocery shopping for my Christmas Baking (gift giving for the neighbors), I thought I would make something special for my amazing friends! Baking gingerbread cookies seemed like a great idea but didn't fit my idea of a snowy Christmas treat.  Then it happened.

Several months ago, I remember flipping though the Martha Stewart Cupcake Book. In it was a adorable snowman with marshmallows and a chocolate covered hat. It was simple but so cute! So I recreated it and decided to add a couple more things to my snowy man.

First, I wanted to put Frosty in a glass and make it snow. At the dollar tree, they have an amazing assortment of jars, glasses, and vases. For the snow, I ended up using my extra shredded coconut.

How to make Frosty in a Glass!

Things you will need:

1. Cupcakes
2. Marshmallows
3. Whipped Cream for Frosting
4. Shredded Coconut
5. Brown or Black Jimmies
6. Orange Fondant, or chewy orange candy like starbursts will do
7. Pearl Sprinkles
8. Junior Mints
9. Toothpicks and Bamboo Skewers
10. Bowl of Water
11. Various Holiday Sprinkles to decorate
12. A jar, glass, or vase
13. Christmas Tag

To start, first sprinkle the shredded coconut at the bottom of your jar. Insert your cupcake (non-frosted) into the jar. Next, dollop your whipped cream frosting on top of the cupcake to make it look like mounds of snow (It's okay if its messy, snow is never perfectly rounded). After your cupcake is frosted,  start to assemble the snowman. Take 2 regular marshmallows and cut one of them in half. Stack the marshmallows, sticky side facing down. Then dip a toothpick in water and make two holes where the eyes should be. Insert the chocolate jimmies into the tiny holes. Next, take the orange fondant and form it into the shape of a carrot. Take another toothpick dipped in water, and make another hole for the nose. Repeat these steps for the buttons on Frosty. Once you have finished, stick a toothpick on the bottom of Frosty and attach the other end of the toothpick inside the cupcake so it stands upright. Finally dab the junior mint with some frosting to complete the hat. Finally, add the Christmas tag and tie them to top of the bamboo skewer. Stick the skewer in the cupcake with the Christmas tag on top. Sprinkle the remaining sprinkles on top or coconut if you'd like. 

Enjoy! Have a fantastic Christmas everyone. Hopefully I'll see you all before 2012 :) Thanks so much for reading!

I'm here. YOUR Welcome."

If it bothers you, just pretend it says "you're welcome".

Anywho, its week 3 of December! Yay! Only a few more weeks til my well deserved vacation! Wheeeee.

My dear friend Stephanie, requested that I make cupcakes again. This time with 3 different flavors and to spell out "I'm here. Your Welcome". My different flavors included:

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with a Vanilla Buttercream
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream and Chocolate Chips (to garnish a lovely Chocolate & Mint combo--- courtesy of Ghirardelli)
Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream and a Dark Chocolate Espresso Bean to garnish!

*All of the cupcakes I made in this post are from recipes taken from Annie's Eats! Thanks Annie! If you haven't already checked out her amazing blog/website please do! Everything I have tried, I absolutely loved!

Here we go...

Thanks for reading! I have a few more orders to do this weekend that I'll be posting soon! Have a wonderful weekend everyone :)

December Madness!

Hi ho folks! I've been looking through my mobile uploads (because I have over a hundred saved) and realized what an amazing year its been so far! When sometimes I'm having a bad day, I love to go through these photos and just remember what a great year its really been. And for that I am so grateful! :)

This year I've decided to conquer the Kransekake Cookie Tower! Seemed simple enough, but I totally underestimated how hard it was to make. Long story short, sugar cookies expand in my oven. I even tried putting them in the refrigerator right before baking (a tip I heard in the online blogger world), but they still ballooned up. Go figure. On the plus side I get to make about ten more towers. One down! I will let you know in my next post if I have succeeded. Let's hope!

Today, I also was psyched to be making more cupcakes for yet another order! It was for a baby shower, for my former CSULA Boss. Oh how I miss those peeps! Anyway, she's having a girl which means tons of super cute girly clothes and a dash of pink in those cupcakes! I really couldn't resist adding pink fondant hearts in the center of the cupcakes (PSL=Pumpkin Spice Latte flavored!).

When I arrived the cupcakes were ready to be dressed up with pink cupcake holders and a cute bird to go in the center. The result? Adorably delicious!

Last but not least, I also made some Mint Chocolate (Chip) Cupcakes. I actually had to experiment with a few recipes but finally I found one that required no eggs or butter. Intrigued? It's true, no eggs, no butter and no MILK. I was psyched, because whenever I do buy milk to put in my cake, I really don't know what to do with the rest of it because I'm lactose-intolerant. Flargh! Anywho, I stumbled upon this Chocolate Cupcake Recipe online, the recipe is here. Really, easy! For the frosting it is a simple buttercream with a hint of peppermint extract (you can also tint the frosting green if you so desire). For the recipe click here! I also topped it with Ghirardelli Chocolate with mint filling on the inside, some green sprinkles, and a sprig of mint! Oh yes, and green fondant letters :)

As always, thanks for reading! Hope everyone is enjoying this month!