Wednesday, January 30, 2013

National Cupcake Day Countdown: 26 Days


Only two days left in January and 26 days until National Cupcake Day!  I have a team signed up...do you?  My team, M&M Sprinkles, had their kick-off meeting this past Friday, where we enjoyed some Watermelon Cupcakes (courtesy of me) and planned some fun fundraising activities to help support our local SPCA.  I think the Watermelon cupcakes really got the ideas flowing, so to help you get excited about National Cupcake Day too, I'll be posting the recipe later this week.

The team is pretty excited to get rolling with our first big activity planned for February 8.  Not only will we get casual day proceeds from our organization's Friday Jeans Day, but we'll be having some fun with ticket draws and a silent auction to raise a few extra dollars.  Pictures and fund tallies to follow after the event, but feel free to help us out by donating directly to our team online - just click HERE.
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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Tiger Cupcake


With National Cupcake Day and the SPCA's fundraiser just over a month away, I thought it would be fitting to post an animal inspired cupcake! I know that Tiger flavour is usually orange and black licorice, but  most people don't seem to enjoy the flavour of black licorice, so I used chocolate...besides, who's going to complain about getting a cupcake? For this yummy tiger inspired treat you'll need...
  • Marble Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
  • Orange Juice (enough to replace the Water your mix calls for)
  • 2 tbs Orange Zest
  • Orange Gel Food Colouring (optional)
  • Store Bought Chocolate Icing 
  • Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup or one full cup if you decide to make chocolate icing....but it's up to you)
  • Icing Sugar (optional)
  • Garnish Ideas: Orange Coloured Icing, Orange Candy
And now for the recipe...

Step 1: Kind of follow the direction of your Marble Cake Mix.  Go ahead and preheat your oven and add the eggs and oil to the cake mix, but replace the water with Orange Juice. Mix the batter well until smooth.

Step 2: Now, that the batter is mixed you can start following your cake mix directions again.  Portion off 1 cup of the batter into a separate bowl and mix in the cocoa package until smooth. In the remaining batter, mix in some Orange Gel Food Colouring (optional) and the 2 tbs of Orange Zest until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Alright, it's time to get the batter in the cupcake pan liners. Start by spooning in some of your orange batter.  Then add a spoonful of the chocolate batter and top with more orange batter.  To make it swirl together simply take a chopstick and stir it slowly to create a marble/tiger effect.  Place them in the oven and bake as directed on package. Once they are done baking, let them cool completely before icing.

Step 4: While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, why not move onto your icing.  Mix together the store bought Chocolate Icing and around 1/2 a cup of butter on high until smooth.  Mix well and add some icing sugar if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery. Spoon or pipe the chocolate icing onto your cupcake and garnish with either some Orange Icing Zigzags or an Orange Candy.

Happy Faking!
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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Calling All Cupcake & Animal Lovers!!


I have never needed an excuse to bake, but if I ever did need a compelling reason I've certainly found one!  As if National Cupcake Day (February 25) wasn't enough of a reason to preheat the oven...the day has now become a fundraiser for our furry friends!  That's right, the SPCAs and Humane Societies across Canada are using it to raise some much needed funds for all fuzzy friends, big and small, that have been abused, abandoned or are in need of help.

I'll be turning out some new Faking Fancy Cupcake recipes for this fundraiser and may even start a vote on what cupcakes to create.  I'll also be dragging some co-workers into a team and registering within the next few days! Check out their site at www.nationalcupcakeday.ca and get a team together for your workplace or friend group.  It's sure to be fun and delicious - plus it's for a great cause.

Stay tuned as we begin our countdown to National Cupcake Day!
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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Sex on the Beach Cupake


After all that snow that my homeland received over the last couple of days, I couldn't help but think that my next post should be a cupcake with a sunny disposition.  So here it is, my Sex on the Beach Cupcake that tastes like a splash of sunshine!  To make this summer-sunshine inspired treat you'll need...

  • White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
  • Orange Juice (you'll be replacing two-thirds of the water your recipe calls for)
  • Cranberry Juice (you'll be replacing one-third of the water your recipe calls for)
  • Orange Gel food colouring (optional) 
  • Red Gel food colouring (optional)
  • Store bought White Icing
  • Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
  • Icing Sugar (optional)
  • Peach Schnapps (just a splash
  • Garnish Ideas:Drink Umbrella
On to the recipe...

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but wait to add the OJ and Cranberry Juice (the liquids to replace the water). The batter gets pretty stiff before you add the liquids, so don't panic, it's normal.  Mix it together and remove one-third of the batter and place in another bowl. 


Step 2: Add one-third of the called for amount of water with Cranberry juice to the one-third of the batter.  Mix well.  If you'd like it to be red like a Cranberry, add a little Red Gel food colouring and mix well. 


Step 3: Now add two-thirds of the called for amount of water with Orange Juice to the two-thirds of the batter.  Mix well.  If you'd like it to be more orange , add a little Orange Gel food colouring and mix well.

Step 4: With all that measuring, dividing and mixing out of the way, it's time to get the batter in the cupcake liners.  Add some of the orange batter into your cupcake liners.  Using a teaspoon add a spoonful of the pink batter.  Add a little more orange batter and then add a teaspoon on pink batter.  Once you've filled all your cupcake liners, take a toothpick and swirl the batter to make a marbling effect.

Step 5: Put your cupcakes in the oven and bake as directed.


Step 6: Using your mixer, toss in the vanilla icing, butter, and a splash of Peach Schnapps and mix on high until smooth.  Give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking or too runny, add in some icing sugar.  Also, if you want to add more Peach Schnapps, go for it!  You can always add more icing sugar to thicken it back up if it gets too runny.

Step 6: It's finally time to top your cupcakes with icing!  Feel free to ice them how you want - using a piping bag, spoon or a knife.  Garnish your cupcake with whatever makes you smile:)  I used a drink umbrella.

Happy Faking!
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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Hello 2013...you snuck up on me!


Well, it's 2013 and I have been a complete blogger-delinquent.  I apologize for the blackout and infrequent posts and will try to make 2013 a more consistent year of posts.

Even though my cupcakes didn't get officially written down and shared, I never stopped baking so I have several new recipes, gadgets and other fun things to share.

Happy New Year and cheers to many new Faking Fancy Cupcake recipes for you to make and enjoy!
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