Cupcake Challenge: Wrap Up

This is the final week of Cupcake Challenge over at Hoosier Homemade. I sure hope you have taken the time to go check it out! I have had a blast this past month working on all of the challenges and I hope that there will be another one in the future. Liz - you rock! Thank you so much for hosting this competition!

This week is a wrap up of each of my entries. I hope you have enjoyed these ideas. I had a lot of fun creating them!

Week #1 - Peach-Rum Cupcakes

For this challenge we were required to pick a flavor that makes us think of summer and incorporate it into a cupcake.

Week #2 - Beach Cupcakes

This time our cupcakes needed to look like a summertime activity.

Week #3 - Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

This week was all about taking a box of cake mix and adapting it to create a cupcake with a homemade flavor.

Week #4 - Candy Flower Cupcakes

Using candy, we were asked to decorate our cupcakes with the summertime fun theme in mind.

Judging for the Cupcake Challenge will be taking place soon. I will keep you posted regarding the results. I really hope I have a chance at winning!

Lemon Basil Cupcakes

I was worried that the basil would be overpowering in this cupcake but I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, unless you eat the candied basil leaf on top, the basil only enhances the sweetness of the lemon. These were very tasty and I am sure you will enjoy them as well.

Again, I adapted a Taste of Home recipe to suit my needs. I like to be inspired by other bakers and then tweak things to make them more of my own. Please feel free to do the same with any of my recipes and post how things worked for you!

Don't forget about Cupcake Tuesday!

Lemon Basil Cupcakes
(Makes 24 regular cupcakes)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
¾ teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredient mixture in thirds, alternating with two additions of sour cream. The batter will be very thick.

Scoop ¼ cup of the batter into each liner. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon Basil Syrup

1 cup water
¾ cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
8 fresh basil leaves
1 strip lemon peel (1 ½ inches by ½ inch)

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Strain and discard lemon peel and basil. Allow to cool completely.

Using a toothpick, poke holes into the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Once the syrup has reached room temperature, spoon 1 teaspoon syrup over each cupcake. Allow to soak in and repeat. Reserve remaining syrup for frosting.

Lemon Mousse Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon basil syrup
1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

In a large bowl, beat together powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon basil syrup until smooth. Whisk into the already whipped cream until well blended. Top cupcakes with frosting and candied basil leaf.

Candied Basil Leaves

2 teaspoons light corn syrup
¼ cup sugar
24 small fresh basil leaves

Using a new paintbrush (or one specifically used for food), brush corn syrup onto a basil leaf. Dip painted side into the sugar and set aside to dry. Repeat with remaining basil.

Cupcake Challenge: Candy Flower Cupcakes

Well it is week #4 over at Hoosier Homemade's Cupcake Challenge. This is the last week we will actually present a cupcake. Our challenge this time was to decorate the cupcakes with candy while maintaining the summertime theme.

I chose to make flowers because really, who doesn't love to see gorgeous flowers in the summer? Around here we have a wonderful botanical garden with a great kids area and some of my friends are there a few times each week!

Now I am painfully aware that my flowers are far from gorgeous. But in all fairness, it's a little hard to pipe Candy Melts when you can't even see straight due to a bout of vertigo!

To make them I printed out three different pictures of flowers. I taped them to a cutting board and placed a piece of wax paper over it. I then melted the Candy Melts and put them in a piping bag. Just follow your template and fill them in with whatever colors you choose. I kept the center open so that I could fill them with Sixlets after they were on the cupcakes. Place the flowers (still on the cutting board) in the fridge until they are firm. Gently remove them from the wax paper and place on top of the cupcakes.

You are not limited to flowers with this technique! You can do any design you can think of! Sometime soon I plan to make a monogram cupcake with a chocolate letter made this way.

Now the actual cupcake was a "Birthday Cake" cupcake. It was just your basic yellow cake topped with vanilla buttercream. There is actually a reason why I chose this flavor. Did you know that more people have an August birthday than any other month? The recipe I used is listed below, but feel free to use your favorite recipe or even a mix.

Be sure to check out what's happening in Cupcake Challenge and keep your fingers crossed that I get that FLIP!

Birthday Cake Cupcakes
(Makes approx 24 regular cupcakes)

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and remaining cup of butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition.

Spoon ¼ cup of batter into each liner. Bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.


Vanilla Buttercream

½ cup vegetable shortening
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
½ cup whole milk

In a large bowl, mix together shortening, salt, vanilla, and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add in remaining sugar, 2 cups at a time and alternate with milk. Add more milk to thin and more sugar to thicken the icing, if needed. Beat on high speed for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.

Another Award!

I have been blessed to be given yet another blog award! This one is the "One Lovely Blog Award" and Two Monkeys and a Washtub was kind enough to pass it on to me. So here are the required seven facts about me in addition to the seven blogs to which I am passing on the award.

Facts:

#1 - I am obsessed with television shows about baking.

#2 - I would love to be a forensic psychologist.

#3 - Red is my favorite color.

#4 - I love the March of Dimes. You can even donate to them in my left sidebar or check out the "March of Dimes" tab.

#5 - Snicker's Ice Cream bars are awesome. I haven't had one in years but I would love one right now!

#6 - I am such a perfectionist when it comes to organizing that if it can't be perfect I give up.

#7 - I really want to visit Paris!

Blogs:

#1 - Design it Chic

#2 - Ellie-Town

#3 - I'm A Lazy Mom

#4 - Mila's Daydreams

#5 - The Very Best Housewife

#6 - Twelve Crafts Till Christmas

#7 - Hoosier Homemade

Please take the time to visit these blogs! It's worth it!

Freedom Friday

Sorry that my blogging has been sporadic over the last week or so. I have been busy taking care of my sick little girl. She is now on an antibiotic for a sinus infection and I hope she is feeling better soon! Hopefully this means I can go back to my regular schedule.

Have you been keeping up with the Cupcake Challenge over at Hoosier Homemade? I am really excited because I just found out that the grand prize is a FLIP camera! I have been wanting one since they came out. We don't have any video of Ella yet and she's 15 months old! Keep your fingers crossed that I am lucky enough to win.

This weekend should be pretty exciting, too! I am attending the 1st birthday party of my local The Mommies Network chapter. With over 300 registered mommies it should be fun! I am taking cupcakes, of course.

I have a project in the works that really needs your prayer support. It involves opening a shop (no, not a bakery). I just need some really great customers. I will keep you posted as things progress.

I hope that you have had a good week and that your weekend is relaxing and refreshing. I will see you back here on Monday! Check out these blog hops as you have the opportunity.

Coca Cola Cupcakes

Let me just tell you, the fudge frosting for these is reason enough to make them! In fact, you may find yourself eating it by the spoonful before it even hits the cupcakes. It really is that good! Now these cupcakes do contain cola, but you don't taste it. It just makes them super moist.

When filling your muffin tins or liners, do not fill past halfway. Trust me! I threw out half of these because they were destroyed. The rest were really ugly which is why they are in mason jars. Since I put them in jars, I decided to add a few extra touches. If you are making them to stand alone, mix the pecans into the fudge before frosting. I cut the cupcakes in half (like a layer cake). I put in a layer of cupcake, then fudge, mini marshmallows, pecans, the other half of the cupcake, more fudge, whipped cream, and finally more pecans. I used pint-sized jars. If you use a larger jar you could fit two cupcakes in each one. As always, just have fun with it!

I hope you enjoy these! I think I may make the fudge by itself in the future to serve over ice cream. Go check out Cupcake Tuesday when you have a chance!


Coca-Cola Cupcakes
(Makes 24 regular cupcakes)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Coca-Cola
½ cup butter
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and baking soda. With an electric mixer, beat in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well mixed. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, mix cola, butter, oil, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add marshmallows. Cover with lid and allow marshmallows to begin to melt. Stir until well mixed. You may have to put back over low heat to completely melt the marshmallows. If so, stir constantly.

Combine marshmallow mixture and batter with electric mixer until well incorporated. Spoon into liners, filling no more than halfway. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Fudge Frosting

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
½ cup butter
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine powdered sugar and vanilla. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, mix together cocoa powder, cola, and butter. Heat over medium heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add to the powdered sugar mixture (along with pecans if desired) and beat together until frosting is thick and has cooled. Top cupcakes and enjoy!

Cupcake Challenge: Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

This is week #3 in the Cupcake Challenge over at Hoosier Homemade. If you haven't visited her blog yet you really should! Our challenge this week was to take a box of cake mix and add to it to create a cake with a "from scratch" flavor. I decided to go the chocolate raspberry route.

I started with a devil's food cake mix and added a few extra ingredients (see the recipe below). I then filled the cupcake with raspberry jam and topped it with a raspberry buttercream. I must admit that it was pretty tasty even though I am not really a raspberry fan. I hope you enjoy this and be sure to go check out Hoosier Homemade!

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

(Makes 24 regular cupcakes)

1 box devil's food cake mix with pudding (I used Betty Crocker)

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and beat until well mixed. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into each liner and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, fill with seedless raspberry jam and top with raspberry buttercream.

Raspberry Buttercream

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

6 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1/3 cup whole milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat together shortening, jam and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add remaining sugar 2 cups at a time alternating with the milk. When well mixed beat on high for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Cupcake Challenge: Beach Cupcakes

This is week #2 in the Cupcake Challenge going on over at Hoosier Homemade! This week we were to take a fun summertime activity and turn it into a cupcake. I chose to represent the beach. My daughter loved playing in the water and sand and this made me think of her. It's even coconut flavored!

These cupcakes were actually very easy to make. First I spread on the icing with an angled spatula. Then I dipped a portion of the cupcake into blue sugar. I then spread the remaining portion with a mixture of graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. The beach towel is a piece of Fruit-Stripe gum that I cut to size. The final touch was to add a paper umbrella.

Please take the time to visit Hoosier Homemade and see all of the other participants in Cupcake Challenge.


Coconut Cupcakes
(Makes approx. 24 regular cupcakes)

2/3 cup butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons coconut flavoring
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Mix in coconut flavoring. Add the dry ingredient mixture in thirds alternating with two additions of coconut milk. Beat until all ingredients are well blended.

Scoop ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake 13-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 4 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut-Rum Buttercream
(Makes enough for 24 regular cupcakes)

½ cup vegetable shortening
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rum
6 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup coconut milk

Stir rum into the coconut milk and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, salt and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add remaining sugar alternating with the coconut milk mixture until desired texture is reached. You will probably not need all of the liquid. Beat on high for 10 minutes until creamy and fluffy.

Freedom Friday

First I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has inquired about my recovery. I am doing very well and I am pretty much back to normal. In fact, I was even able to bake two sets of cupcakes with only a little assistance from my husband. He went back to work yesterday and I am getting back into the groove of things around here.

While I was recovering I had a lot of time to read. This was amazing because I have a huge pile of books to be read and I actually finished two of them and a few magazines. If you like to read, I highly recommend one of my new favorite websites, Paperback Swap.

This is free and anyone can join. You simply list the books you would like to trade. Then you find other books listed that you would like to read. You pay to ship any of your books that someone wants, but yours get shipped to you for free. If you do Media mail it's only a couple of dollars. They also have hardcover books and audio books. My favorite feature is that you can add money to your account so you can print postage directly off the site on your home printer. Just drop it in your mailbox and you are good to go! I really am addicted to it!

I have also had the time to get back into my local mommies group. The Mommies Network is a free mom's group. They have a chapter in most cities around the nation. Each local group has its own website with an online forum. They also have a calendar of events with play dates and fun things to do. If you are a mom and looking for some new friends (either for you or your kids) The Mommies Network is a wonderful place to go! They are also a great source of information and support.

I hope you guys have a great weekend. Things will be pretty normal around here: grocery shopping, church and visiting my father-in-law. I am glad to be getting back into my normal routine! If you get a chance, check out these blog hops I am participating in today.

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

These cupcakes are great for an after dinner treat, especially in the summer. They are light and fluffy and have the cooling flavor of the peppermint. It's hard to eat just one!

They start with a sponge cake base. A sponge cake is a little bit more involved than a standard butter cake. It involves beating egg whites and very gently folding the other ingredients in to them. Don't be intimidated though. Just move quickly and use a light touch.

I then topped the cupcakes with a peppermint whipped cream and a miniature peppermint patty. Homemade whipped cream far surpasses the flavor of anything store-bought and it's really easy to make. For other desserts, simply swap the peppermint flavoring for vanilla extract.

Let me know if you try these out, especially if you have any questions regarding the sponge cake. Enjoy!


Chocolate Sponge Cupcakes
(Makes approx. 24 regular cupcakes)

7 eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
½ cup cake flour
½ cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together sugar, flour and cocoa powder. Repeat two more times. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth and lemon colored, about one minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites and salt and beat until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold the beaten egg yolks into the egg whites gently but quickly. Gently fold in dry ingredient mixture. Do not over mix. Scoop the batter into liners. Hit the pan on counter several times to pop any air bubbles. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely before decorating.


Peppermint Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint flavoring

In a large bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and beat until well mixed and thick with formed peaks. Do not over beat or you will end up with butter. Frost the cupcakes just before serving and top with mini peppermint patty.

Look What I Found!

This week I wanted to share a few of my favorite cupcake books with you. Not only do they share unique recipes but they have very creative decorating ideas. I was able to find all three at my public library so they are easy to find. I hope you enjoy them!

This book has one-of-a-kind cupcake designs using candy and equipment found in any kitchen. No special tools required!

This book has over 150 ideas for amazing cupcakes and includes recipes, tips and detailed how-to photos.

This book offers many intricate ideas for the more experienced baker. It has wonderful step-by-step instructions that make it easy to understand.

Cupcake Challenge: Peach-Rum Cupcakes

The amazing Liz over at Hoosier Homemade is hosting a Cupcake Challenge during the month of August. The theme is Summertime Fun and each week there is a different way you must incorporate this into your cupcake. This week is all about flavor.

Even though I don't like peaches, they always make me think of summertime. And what better to pair them with than rum! You feel like you are basking in the sun on a white, sandy beach with an ice-cold drink in your hand.

Below I have posted the recipe. Please be sure to check out Hoosier Homemade as well as my future cupcakes for her challenge.

What flavors make you think of summertime?

Peach-Rum Cupcakes
(Makes about 30 regular cupcakes)

15 ounce can of peaches in water, drained
8 ounce can of mangoes in water or light syrup, drained
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons rum flavoring
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside.

In a food processor, puree the peaches and mangoes until smooth. You should have about 1 ½ cups. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Beat in rum flavoring. Add the dry mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition. Beat in the pureed peaches and mangoes.

Spoon ¼ cup of batter into each liner. Bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Peach-Rum Syrup

2/3 cup rum
½ powdered sugar
½ of a fresh peach, cut into thin wedges

In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients. Heat until sugar is melted and peaches are tender, stirring frequently. With a potato masher, carefully smash peaches into small bits. Heat mixture until boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain syrup, smashing peaches to get out all of the juice. When mixture is thoroughly cooled, poke holes in top of cupcakes with a toothpick. Pour 1 teaspoon of syrup over each cupcake. Reserve the remaining syrup for the frosting.

Peach-Rum Frosting

½ cup vegetable shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ fresh peaches, finely grated to a pulp
Remaining peach-rum syrup
Additional rum if needed.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening, salt and 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add in half of the remaining syrup along with 2 more cups of powdered sugar. Beat well. Mix in the rest of the syrup, powdered sugar and peaches. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, thinning with additional rum if needed to create the right consistency. Spread over the cupcakes after they have been soaked with the syrup.