White Chocolate Confetti Cupcake

Got a kids birthday party coming up or just want a simple but playful cupcake?  This confetti cupcake is perfect!  Sure, you can get a cake mix that already has sprinkles added to the mix, but your guests will be able to tell before they even bite into your cupcake treat and the jig will be up. So really it's best to fake it to get some praise for your treat.  For my White Chocolate Confetti Cupcake you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're replacing the water with Milk)
• Milk (to replace the water)
• 4 ounces of White Chocolate (melted)
• 2/3 Cup Confetti Sprinkles plus more for garnish if you'd like (I used the star shaped sprinkle) 
• Store Bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Sprinkles or fun shaped candles

Here's the recipe...

Step 1: Sort of follow the directions on your White Cake Mix. Start by preheating your oven and add the oil and eggs...but DO NOT add the water.Replace all of the water your cake mix calls for with Milk.  Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Melt down the 4 ounces of White Chocolate and be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate.You may want to use a double boiler instead of your microwave to melt white chocolate.  Mix the melted chocolate into your batter until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Now, that your batter is nice and smooth, stir in 2/3 cup of your Confetti Sprinkles.  It's best to use the chalky textured ones because the colour doesn't bleed into the batter.

Step 4: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 5: On to the icing! For the simple, but yummy, vanilla icing simply mix together the vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Mix well and add some icing sugar if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery. Top your cupcake with the icing using any method you like and to garnish you can use more sprinkles or maybe top it with a fun shaped candle.

Happy Faking!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcake

Love chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes? Then you'll love this mash-up! The soft cake, sweet icing and chewy cookie is a delicious combination that is only made better with a tall glass of milk. You can make them so that the cookie sits in the centre of the cupcake or on the bottom like I did. For this cupcake you'll need...

• Vanilla Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're subbing out the water for this one)
• Milk (to replace the water)
• Store Bought Cookie Dough
• Store Bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Cool Whip
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate 
• Garnish Ideas: Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mini Chocolate Chips, Cookie Dough 

On to the recipe...

Step 1: Follow the direction of your Vanilla Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs and oil BUT replace the water it calls for with Milk.  Mix together the batter until smooth and spoon into cupcake liners.

Step 2a (Cookie on Bottom of Cupcake): To have your cookie sit near the bottom of your cupcake, add one teaspoon of cookie dough on top of each cupcake, place in oven, and bake as directed on package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely. NOTE: This way is way easier and less involved...seriously though, who cares where the cookie is as long as you get to eat it!


Step 2b (Cookie near middle to top of Cupcake): To have your cookie sit closer to the middle-top of your cupcake, add one teaspoon of cookie dough on top of each cupcake half way through the baking process.  So, place your cupcakes in the oven and bake as directed on package, remove half way through and quickly place one teaspoon of cookie dough on top of each half baked cupcake. Put them back in for the remaining time and once they are done baking, let them cool completely. NOTE: You need to be quick putting your dough on your cupcakes because you don't want them to be out of the oven long.

Step 3:  While the cupcakes are cooling you'll want to whip up the glaze and icing.  For the glaze, melt together 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and around a cup of Cool Whip.  Let it cool a little while you make the icing.

Step 4: For my vanilla icing simply mix together the vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Mix well and add some icing sugar if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery.

Step 5: Now it's time to ice your cupcakes and top them with the glaze and garnish.  Ice your cupcake with any method you prefer - piping bag, knife, spoon...whatever.  Place the warm chocolate glaze mixture in a piping bag or a Ziploc bag.  Cut the tip and drizzle as much as you want over the top of each cupcake.  Then top with the garnish of your choice and enjoy.

Happy Faking!

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Baby's First Fancy Cupcake #3

This Baby's First Fancy Cupcake had to travel some distance to get to sweet little NJJB.  It's probably a good thing that I don't live in the same Province because you'd be spoiled with sweet treats! Hope to be home for a visit soon!  xxox

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Strawberry Balsamic Cupcake

Looking for a sweet treat for your Valentine?  This is the perfect cupcake that will wow and woo. Besides, how can you go wrong with chocolate, strawberries and balsamic married together into a cupcake!  For this recipe I used a cupcake corer, but it's not necessary.  But before I get into that, let's get to the ingredients.  For this recipe you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Milk (to replace the water your recipe calls for)
• 2 ounces of Unsweetened Chocolate (melted)
• 2 cups of Fresh Strawberries (cut in quarters length wise)
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar (reduced)
• Pinch of Pepper (optional)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

Alright, here's the recipe...

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your Chocolate Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with Milk.  Melt down the 2 ounces of Unsweetened Chocolate - but be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate.  Mix the melted chocolate into your batter until fully incorporated.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely before icing

Step 3: On to the Strawberry and Balsamic combo - YUM!  Pour 1/2 cup of Balsamic Vinegar in a saucepan and reduce on a low-med heat.  Once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and add a pinch (or more) or pepper if you'd like and stir well. Let cool.

Step 4: Using a cupcake corer or small spoon, make a small hole in the centre of your cooled cupcakes.  If you're using a spoon, you may want to use a knife first to create a small circle and use a spoon to scoop it out.  Make sure you don't go too far down into the centre of your cupcake or your filling will fall out from the bottom when you unwrap it.

Step 5: Lightly toss your Strawberries in the lukewarm Balsamic reduction.  Spoon the Balsamic coated Strawberries into the centre of your cupcakes and SAVE the remaining Balsamic reduction for your icing!

Step 6: Mix together your White Icing, butter and remaining Balsamic reduction on high until smooth. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste or needs to be thickened, add some icing sugar.Pipe your icing on around the outside of your cupcake so that you can still see the Balsamic Strawberries and that's it!  If you aren't eating them right away, you'll need to refrigerate them.

Happy Faking!

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Fancy Stuff Review #3: Cupcake Corere

I was pretty spoiled this past holiday season with some wonderful cupcake and baking inspired gifts. One of those gifts was a cupcake corer. You may be asking yourself... "What the heck is a cupcake corer?" Well, it's a great little contraption that lets you make a medium sized hole in the centre of your cupcake so that you can fill it with all sorts of delicious things like cream, berries, chocolate, custard, etc.  It's also a great tool to have in the kitchen to make your cupcakes seem super fancy and that you slaved over them for hours.  The first time I used it I made a Strawberry Balsamic Cupcake that was not only super yummy, but it's also a great cupcake to make for your Valentine on February 14. Stay tuned for the recipe this week.

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