WAR, HUH, YEAH What is it good for??

There is a really good show that I'm sure if you LOVE cupcakes you watch religiously.

and that is CUPCAKE WARS!! on the Food Network

If you live in America or have American TV then you should definitely watch this

talented baker's from America come and compete and try and create the best cupcakes with the ingredients given and an objective in mind, like the cupcake may need to be elegant or fun. They start with four and each round they are eliminated until two are left. These two then remake the cupcakes they have made (but better and in bulk) and create a stand for an event. Whoever wins get to go to the event and show off their cupcakes obviously boosting their business.

So I'm gonna share extra yummy recipe from the show and you can find others on the website that I believe you should try and wow all your friends.

Its a complete sugar rush!! (Just remember when doing it, if are new to this take your time it will be worth the wait)

Chocolate Cherry Cola Cupcakes with Red Licorice Filling and Marshmallow Frosting 
(taken from Food Network)

Recipe courtesy Bake You Happy, Cupcake Wars, 2010

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup cherry cola, warmed in microwave for 1 minute
• Red Licorice Filling, recipe follows
• 2 cups crushed yogurt-covered pretzels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 regular size cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, half-and-half, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the warmed cherry cola until fully combined.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cupcakes spring back when touched with your finger, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pans for a few minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Red Licorice Filling

• 5 ounces red licorice (about 10 jumbo pieces) (recommended: Red Vines)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

Tear the licorice into 1 inch pieces and place in a saucepan with the water over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool. Whisk in the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly. Continue to cook for 1 minute, and then remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature.

Marshmallow Frosting

• 8 egg whites
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan with boiling water. Whisk constantly over the heat for 1 to 3 minutes. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks have formed, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Cherry Cola Glaze

• 3 to 5 teaspoons cherry cola
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Add the cherry cola, 1 teaspoon at a time, to the powdered sugar until it has a good consistency to drizzle on cupcakes. 

Fill each of the cupcakes with Red Licorice Filling. Sprinkle the crushed yogurt covered pretzels on top. Top with Marshmallow Frosting and drizzle with Cherry Cola Glaze.  

I hope it send your taste buds wild!! Explore the website and be bold and try a recipe 

Cupcake in Training =x

Cupcake Style

Today I'm kinda stuck on what to write so I thought I would tell you about stuff I've found on the internet.

When I first thought of getting into the cupcake business my first thought is where am I gonna get supplies??? Especially living in London

So here's a website I found called Cupcake Style for all my british people out there
They have things ranging from glitter, icing pens, food colouring and tons more!

Shimmer Violet Decorating Sugar

Assorted Butterfly Sugar Sprinkles

Blue & White Star Sprinkles

Red & White Heart Mix Cupcake Wrappers

Tulip Muffin Wraps Red

Assorted Pastel Easter Egg Sugar decorations

White and Plain Chocolate Triangles

I'll post other site I find, but check this one out its full of cute and handy stuff

Ta Ta for now

Cupcake in Training

Blooming Pretty =]

My ultimate dream when it comes to getting into the cupcake business is to design for a wedding.

From since I was young I have always planned my wedding. And roses have always been apart of that.
So I'm always looking online at lovely creations using roses.

Here are a few pictures I've found with lovely designs. They definately inspire me and hopefully you too.

Hopefully one day i create some thing just as lovely for someone elses wedding or mine =D

www.ratemycakes.com

http://bakerella.blogspot.com (My favourite)

 

 

www.thecupcakeblog.com

www.thelittlecupcakecompany.co.uk (Another favourite)

There are so many I could put on but I think maybe I'll leave it to another blog

I hope you like and maybe try some for your self =]

Cupcake in Training

Mango-licious

At the moment I am on holiday and we have a few ripe mango's in the kitchen ready to eat and for long while I have been craving pancakes, soo.....I decided to combine the two =D

So I looked online and food two lovely recipes both with two different ideas on what to do with the mango's and also one healthy and the other not so healthy (two seems to be the word of the day). So I thought I would share it with you x


Raspberry & Mango Pancake's

www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

 Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped mango 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, canola oil, egg , and vanilla extract.
3. Pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Whisk until combined. Don't over mix. Gently fold in the raspberries and mango chunks.
4. Heat a griddle pan or non stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or lightly brush with oil. Pour about 1/4 of a cup of pancake batter onto the hot pan. When the pancakes start to bubble up, flip and cook until pancakes are lightly browned.
5. Serve pancakes warm with maple syrup and extra raspberries and mango chunks, if desired.

Mango Pancakes with Mango Syrup  

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 cup mango puree 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup skimmed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon butter,melted

Pancakes

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. In another bowl, whisk egg along with milk and mango puree. Add wet mixture to dry mixture.
3. Heat non stick pan on medium flame. Grease it lightly with oil. Ladle about 3 tablespoon of the batter onto pan for each pancake. Cook until the top is bubbly and bottom is light brown, flip, and continue cooking for about 30 seconds. Repeat the same for the rest of the batter.

Mango Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup Mango puree
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

1. Pour 1 cup of Mango puree, 1 cup of water to a slow boil and 2 tablespoon of light brown sugar into a saucepan and bring to slow boil.
2. Stir together 1 teaspoon corn starch and 2 teaspoon of water in a cup and pour it in the cooking mango syrup while stirring constantly.
3. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat. Serve the syrup with pancakes

Have fun

Cupcake in Training

Sweet Lavender

I have seen many recipes involving lavender but have never really been brave enough to try it.
I'm sure I'm missing out on something good.

Lavender it self is a pretty flower so why not make a pretty cupcake =]

Last night I was looking online at recipes (as I do) and found this darling recipe 

It was too cute I had share it with you

Lavender Cupcake with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

http://hilarymakes.com

Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour (or substitute all purpose flour + 1.5 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt)
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (190 °C). Prepare 12 paper liners*.
2. Put the sugar and lavender flowers in a food processor. Process briefly to combine. Tip the lavender sugar into a bowl with the butter and beat together until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture, one at a time, then sift in the flour and fold gently. Stir in the milk, then spoon the mixture into paper liners.
4. Bake for about 18 minutes until risen and golden , then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 cups icing sugar
• Lavender flower (for garnish)

1. Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and the butter. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix in.  
2. Add the icing sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Use either a piping bag or Zip lock bag with a hole cut out of it to pipe the icing onto the cool cupcakes. If you don't want to do the pipping you can spoon it on top. 
4. Garnish the topic of the icing with a few lavender flowers.

Enjoy my lovelies

Cupcake in Training

*if you click paper liners it will direct you to a place you can buy them =] 

   

Red Velvet

Red Velvet seems to be a favourite of everyone all over the world and it's one of the recipe's I have yet to try.

I actually stumbled on it one day when my dad came from a get together and brought it home. It looked exactly like fruit cake so I wasn't impressed (don't like fruit cake), but he said its not that but not sure what it is.

So when I tasted it I wished I went with him to get more!

It wasn't until I was looking on the Internet for goodies that I found out it was a Red Velvet cake.

NOW.......to the real reason I wrote this blog. Last night I stumbled across what I thought was a really cool recipe called Red Velvet Cookies. Now as soon as I can I'm gonna try them but I thought I would share it with you =]

Red Velvet Cookies

Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon natural red food coloring
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in egg and beat well. Beat in vanilla and red food coloring.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet.
3. Scoop dough onto a lined cookie sheet using a generous medium scoop (2-3 tablespoons). Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes until centers appear set. Allow to cool sightly. Then pull the liner onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients  

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla. Sift powdered sugar over the wet ingredients and beat in until smooth. Spread in between two cooled red velvet cookies.


Hope you enjoy =] x

Cupcake in Training

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!

I am trying to keep up with my post-a-day.....so regardless of what time it is, here's my third post LUCKY NUMBER 3

So my boyfriend has a very sweet tooth and sometimes at anytime of the day asks me to make cookies with whatever is left in the house and tonight he was in luck because we have peanut butter his favourite.

I googled all the ingredients we had and came up with many recipes and there were two that caught my eye so I decided to combine them inventing....

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL THUMBPRINT COOKIES =] yay!

so I thought I would share my lovely last minute invention with you

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• Jar of Jam

1. In a bowl mix together the butter or margarine, peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add the egg and beat well.
2. Then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir. Then add oatmeal and stir again.
3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press press your thumb into each add the jam in the middle (as much as you desire). Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.

 Hope you enjoy =]

Cupcake in Training

Mayor Cupcake

This week I watched a film called Mayor Cupcake.

At first i thought it was a film about cupcakes but alas no...BUT it turned out to be a lovely film about a cupcake maker is volenterred by her duaghter to become Mayor. Alot people thought just because she makes cupcakes she wasnt fit for the job.

Which made me think if thats what people think of cupcake makers. Cupcakes are an art I believe and it takes alot of brains and patience. Seeing who my Prime Minister is now I think I would like a cupcake maker to run my country...things might be a little sweeter =]

Cupcake in Training

P.S. theres a clip from the movie below, watch it =] 

The Challenge

The Challenge

So after giving it much thought I have decided to start a little (for now) cupcake business and I thought I would start my journey on here even if I am alone (for now). I have no idea where to start but as I learn more I will post what I learn, ideas recipies and anything else to do with cupcakes on here to share.

Now…the reason I call this post the challenge is because  my mum (business partner) and I  are butting heads on whether it is a good idea to take a day class before diving head first. I feel being the creative girl that I am, practice at home will be enough. So! I issued a challenge: she will choose a design for me to do, we will buy all the equipment and ingredients needed and then I will try and replicate it. If i fail then its off to a £100 and over course I go.

You see the way I see it we might as well use that money on equipment than on a class that in the end might not make a fraction of the difference.

Well I’ll keep you posted on how I Do
Cupcake in Training