Cupcake Carrier Count...Three

I love baking cupcakes and eating cupcakes, but I love sharing cupcakes the most. But they can be tricky to transport in a tin or a cake carrier.  I remember back in the day when my mom would make cupcakes for the bake sale at school and trying to find a container to bring them in.  The worse part about transport them was that the icing would either end up wasted along the sides of the tin or all over the plastic wrap cover.

These days, cupcake transportation is easy with cupcake specific carriers.  Thanks to my family and friends, I have three GREAT cupcake carriers. The first one I received was the collapsible carrier that fits 24 (thanks SR).  It's a great carrier that is easy to store and has two tiers with individual cupcake holders.  Warning - be careful when you expand the carrier.  The handle isn't all that strong and can easily break, so push it out from the inside.

The second carrier I got was a a three tiered rectangle carrier.  This carrier is not only great because it holds 36 cupcakes, but it also fits square and rectangle cakes (thanks SM and RD).  The trays are really easy to stack and very stable.  It also has individual cupcake holders in each tier.

The last of my cupcake carriers was just recently given to me by a friend of mine (thanks JH).  This carrier is key to work or school survival - the single cupcake carrier.  It fits one cupcake, perfect for a lunch surprise for someone special OR just for yourself.

All in all, I love, love, love all of my cupcake carriers!  They are essential for any baker and I use mine regularly. They are also great just for storing your cupcakes at home.

One of the many cupcakes that have been transported in my cupcake carriers is my Café au Lait Cupcake - recipe coming soon!

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Strawberry Short-Cupcake

Believe it or not, I have never been a fan any dessert whip topping.  It's weird, I know.  I love ice cream, cream sauces and even whip cream on hot drinks, but on or next to a dessert, no thanks.  But I do LOVE strawberries and tarts, so I've often created versions of strawberry shortcake desserts, minus the whip.  This is my version of a  Strawberry Short-Cupcake.  To make this berry-delicious treat you'll need...

• Vanilla Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store Bought Vanilla Icing
• 1 package of Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 cups of Freeze Dried Strawberries (1 cup for the cake and 1/2 cup for the icing)
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (enough to thicken your icing)
• 1 cup of Cool Whip

Recipe time...

Step 1: To start, use the amount of water your cake mix package calls for, but use warm water.  Dissolve your Active Dry Yeast into the warm water. Once the Active Dry Yeast is fully dissolved, follow the rest of the directions for your Vanilla Cake Mix except for the preheating your oven part.

Step 2: Mix the batter until smooth.  Gently fold in 1 cup of the Freeze Dried Strawberries and let your batter thicken for a little while (I've waited as long as 30 minutes).

Step 3: Once your batter has thickened, spoon it into the cupcake liners.  Place in the oven and bake as directed on package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 4: Before you start making your icing, grind 1/2 cup of Freeze Dried Strawberries into a fine powder using a food processor or mortar & pestle.  Now it's time to make your icing.

Step 5: In a mixing bowl add the 1/2 cup of powdered Freeze Dried Strawberries, Cool Whip, Store Bought Vanilla Icing, and Butter.  Mix on high until smooth.  Add icing sugar to thicken the icing to the desired consistency. 

Step 6: To ice your cupcakes, feel free to use a piping bag, spoon, or knife.  I used a piping bag with tip #12.  You can garnish your cupcake with a chocolate covered strawberry or a strawberry candy, but I thought it looked yummy with it's light pink icing alone.  And that's it! 

Happy Faking!

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Quick Tip #4 - Delightfully Dense Cake Mix

Have you ever noticed how light and fluffy every cake mix seems to be?  Sometimes it's great, but other times it's nice to have a delightfully dense cake that will let you add in a few delicious mix-ins to the batter without having them sink to the bottom.  Don't worry, I have just the fix for your cake mix to create a deliciously dense cake...YEAST.  One package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast turns your moist, bouncy cake mix into a compressed, pound cake like texture.  And if you don't have active dry yeast in the house, beer will also do the trick!

So, how do you do it?  Measure out the amount of water the recipe calls for, but make sure it's warm.  Add your yeast and mix it in until it dissolves.  Now add everything else as per usual (eggs, cake mix, oil, etc).  Now that your batter is ready, pre-heat your oven as directed on the package.  In the time it takes your oven to pre-heat, your batter will thicken up.  Bake you cupcakes as directed and you're done.  If you're using beer, just substitute beer for all or most of the water called for on the cake mix package.

I've used this trick in many of my cupcake concoctions, like my Strawberry Short-Cupcake.  Curious?  Stay tuned for the recipe later this week.

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Guinness n' Irish Cream Cupcake

Throwing a St. Patrick's Day party?  Why not cheers with a Guinness n' Irish Cream Cupcake this St. Patty's Day?  This cupcake turned out to be DELICIOUS, if I do say so myself - and I'm not even a beer lover.  Although you can't really taste the Guinness, it gives the cake a great consistency.  Plus the Bailey's icing is the perfect topping for this Irish inspired delight.  Alright, here's what you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but you won't need the water for this one!)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• 1 can of Guinness (or any Stout) 
• 1/8 cup Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur (feel free to add more if you want)
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

And here's my easy recipe...

Step 1: Preheat your oven as directed on the cake mix package.  Add all the ingredients your Chocolate Cake Mix calls for EXCEPT for the water.  Instead of the water, replace the called for amount with Guinness. Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: On to the Irish Cream icing!!!  Using you mixer, toss in the vanilla icing, butter, and Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur and mix on high until smooth and fluffy.  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 Bailey's, go for it!  You can always add more icing sugar to thicken it back up if it gets too runny.  If you really want to add some Patty's Day festivity, add in some green food colouring.

Step 4: Now it's time to layer on the icing!  I used a piping bag and tip #1M.  This icing is DELICIOUS, so you'll want to add a lot...or at least I like to add a lot.  You can garnish these with chocolate curls or even a green candy, but I chose to leave them as they were.   

Happy Faking!

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Fancy Flop!

I'm a pretty lucky baker, if I do say so myself.  I love to experiment in the kitchen and I'm usually pretty successful at turning out something edible at the very least!  But, as fate would have it, my lucky streak came to an end this past weekend.  It wasn't disastrous by any stretch, but it has now launched a new recipe search that I'd love your help with.  But first things first, I'll share my fancy flop in hopes of proving that the world doesn't come to an end if you mess up in the kitchen...all you need is a backup plan.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I decided that I wanted to raise a glass cupcake style!  The cake idea was easy: a chocolate and Guinness combo.  I thought the icing should be Irish in spirit and I also wanted to experiment.  So I began to Google in search for a chocolate fudge icing recipe.  I came across one that seemed to fit the bill and started to mix it up.

Now fudge can be a very finicky beast, but surely fudge icing should be easy enough.  Not sure if it was the recipe or me, but this thing I concocted was far from the silky, velvety smooth fudge icing I was hoping for. It was much too grainy and looked less than appetizing, so I decided to do something that I knew wouldn't work, but thought that there was really nothing to loose...I reheated my fudge to make it smoother. Not only did this not work, but it made the once pliable fudge icing rock hard fudge!  Needless to say I spent 15 minutes scraping my pot and said a few choice words.

So now I'm turning to you!  Do you have a yummy, silky smooth chocolate fudge icing recipe to share?  If so, please send it along.  And as for my cupcake icing, don't worry, they didn't stay naked.  I always have a backup plan and made an all time favourite that never fails!  So stay tuned for my Guinness n' Irish Cream Cupcake recipe to be posted just in time for your Patty's Day Festivities.

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Lemon Coconut Cupcake

This zippy cupcake is fun and flavourful.  It's so light and refreshing that you'll catch your friends, and even yourself, sneaking a second for good measure.  You can make this recipe with a few twists, like adding Coconut or Lemon Curd to the icing, but here's how I made this winning treat!  First you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• 1/3 cup of Sweetened Coconut Flakes (plus more to sprinkle on top of your cupcake)
  
• 1 cup of Lemon Curd (some for the batter and some for the top of your cupcake - the store bought stuff is perfect)
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

Now it's time to mix things up...

Step 1: Follow the directions of your White Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc.  You'll notice that White Cake Mixes call for egg whites only and not the whole egg.  I usually don't bother with that and add the whole egg.  Mix together the batter until smooth. 

Step 2: Now it's time to add some tropical flavour.  Add 1/2 cup of Lemon Curd and mix it into the batter until fully incorporated. Add in 1/3 cup of Sweetened Coconut Flakes and mix through batter.  Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: While you're waiting for your cupcakes to cool, you might as well make the icing!  Using you mixer, throw in the vanilla icing and butter and mix on high until smooth.  Feel free to add in some Coconut and or Lemon Curd to flavour your icing - just because I didn't, it doesn't mean you can't!  Give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking, add in some icing sugar.

Step 4: Take your cooled cupcakes and spread some Lemon Curd over the top.  Now it's time to top them with your icing.  If you wanted, you could use a piping bag to ice your cupcakes, or you can just spoon it on and carefully spread it over top of the Lemon Curd.  Then, take the back of your spoon, press it gently into the icing and lift it quickly to make spikes that look like meringue.  Sprinkle with the rest of your Coconut and you're done!  For added class, you can toast your Coconut before sprinkling it over the top.  And that's it!    

Happy Faking!

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Ultimate Bake Sale

Well, it's official.  No one is safe from my cupcake experimentation.  I have crossed over from friends, family, and coworkers to my fellow Ultimate Frisbee players.  Everyone seems to be more then happy to try my concoctions and voice their opinions, but this past weekend I even managed to help raise a few dollars for Feed Nova Scotia selling these fun, tasty experiments.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the world of Ultimate Frisbee and are EXTREMELY confused as to why it makes perfect sense to have bake sale at a Frisbee tournament, allow me to explain.  As part of a bid (or application) to get your team accepted for a tournament, you usually need to offer to do or bring something to add value to the tournament.  For instance, a team may offer to help organize the tournament, plan an after party, compile a video recapping the tournament, etc.  So, as part of my friends' bid, they organized a bake sale to collect funds for Feed Nova Scotia.  And, although it wasn't my team, I'll never turn down an opportunity to bake and, more importantly, experiment with more recipes!  Plus, the money collected was going to a great cause.

Both the tournament and the bake sale were a great time and great success.  I don't have a tally to share on our fundraising efforts, but I do know that my four new flavours were thoroughly enjoyed.  I promised a few players that I'd post a recipe this week.  And, for those of you who don't know me, I never break a promise.  So, later this week I'll be sharing my Lemon Coconut Cupcake recipe.

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Rocky Road Cupcake

These ooey gooey cupcake will have you licking your fingers and grabbing another for later.  The marshmallows that are added to the batter bubble up to the top of the cupcake and make a sweet chewy top perfect for layering more marshmallow and chocolate icing goodness.  For this recipe you'll need:

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Chocolate Icing
• 3/4 cup of Mini-Marshmallows (plus more to garnish) 
• 1 jar of Fluff
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

And here's the recipe...

Step 1: Surprise! Follow the direction of your Chocolate Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc.  Mix together the batter until smooth..

Step 2: Add 3/4 cup of Mini Marshmallows and stir until fully incorporated.  Spoon the batter into your cupcake pan liners around 3/4 of the way. Don't overfill your cupcake liners because you'll need some space between the cupcake and the top of the liner to act as a barrier to keep the fluff topping from going everywhere.  Place in the oven and bake as directed on package.  Once done, cool completely before icing 

Step 3: And now it is time to top them will ooey gooey fluff and icing - YUM!  But first we need to amp up the chocolate store bought icing by adding butter and mixing it on high until smooth.  Taste the icing and add more icing sugar if it tastes too buttery for your liking.

Step 4: And now it's time to assemble them.  First, spoon around a tablespoon of fluff onto the top of your cupcake.  Then, place your enhanced store bought icing into a piping back and pipe a layer of the chocolate icing over the top of the layer of fluff.  Last, but not least, top it with a mini marshmallow. Enjoy the sticky, but tasty, mess.

Happy Faking! 

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Quick Tip #3 - Fix My Hard Brown Sugar Fast

Have you ever gone to use your brown sugar and noticed that it's as hard as a rock?  Yes, you can try chiseling it with a fork to get it as soft as possible, but there is an easier way.  If you need to use it right way,  put the amount of  brown sugar you need in a  microwave safe container and zap it in the microwave for around 10 seconds to soften it a bit.  If it's extra hard, place the brown sugar in a microwave safe container and fill a separate microwave safe container with water and zap then together for around 15 seconds.  In both cases, if it's still not soft enough, throw it back in the microwave for another few seconds.

To get the rest of your brown sugar back to normal, cut an apple in half and place it in your brown sugar container facing up.  Put the lid on your container and leave the apple in for around 12 hours or so.  It sounds bizarre, but it will bring your brown sugar back to life.  Oh, and on a side note, this week I'll be sharing my recipe for the Rocky Road Cupcake.

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