Quick Tip #6 - Decorative Paper Cupcake Liners

It's amazing how many fun and colourful decorative paper cupcake liners you can buy these days.  Not only are they cute, but they can really add to the fanciness of your cupcakes!

The sad part about baking with them is that you often loose the design from the oil and moisture seeping into the paper.  But don't worry, with this quick tip you get the full effect of your decorative paper cupcake liners.  All you need to do is double up!

If you use two cupcake liners per cupcake, the outside liner will stay pretty much exactly as it looks before baking.  I don't know about you, but I personally believe that if you use two of your decorative liners you're just wasting a perfectly fun pattern.  If you feel the same way as me, all you need to do is pick up plain cupcake liners that are the exact same size as your decorative paper cupcake liners.  When you bake your cupcakes, simply put your decorative paper cupcake liners in first and then the plain cupcake liner second.  That way, you'll spoon directly into the plain liner and save your decorative paper cupcake liners.  I know, I'm a genius!

The next cupcake I'll be posting is another personal favourite...my Turtle Cupcake.

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Berry-Lemony Cupcake

Pavlova is a popular Easter/Spring dessert.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of meringue, so here's my take on a pavlova cupcake, minus the meringue.  If you wanted, you could top your cupcake with whip cream, but I opted for vanilla icing.  Here's what you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• 1/2 cup of Lemon Curd (the store bought stuff is perfect)
• 1 tin of Wild Berry Pie Filling
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

On to the recipe...

Step 1: Follow the directions of your White Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc.  Typically, White Cake Mixes call for egg whites only and not the whole egg... I just add the whole egg.  Mix together the batter until smooth. 

Step 2: Here's where we add some refreshing lemon flavour.  Add 1/2 cup of Lemon Curd and mix it into the batter until fully incorporated. Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners, around 3/4 of the way to the top. But wait,  you still need to add your Wild Berry Pie Filling before baking.

Step 3: Spoon around one tablespoon of Wild Perry Pie Filling and in the middle of your cupcake.  To do all 24 cupcakes, you'll use around 1/2 of the tin.  But don't worry, you'll be using the rest of your Pie Filling in just 10 minutes.

Step 4: Bake your cupcakes for 10 minutes.  The cupcakes will start to rise and the Pie Filling will start to sink into the centre.  After 10 minutes, remove your cupcakes and spoon another tablespoon or so on the middle of each cupcake.  Try to do this as quickly as you can. 

Step 5: Place your cupcakes back in the oven and  bake them for the remaining time as per your Cake Mix package directions.  So, for instance, if your cake mix tells you to bake your cupcakes for 24 minutes, bake for 10 minutes and then 14 minutes.  You may need to bake your cupcakes for 2-4 minutes longer since you interrupted the baking process.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 6: On to the icing.  Mix your vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Try your icing and if it's too buttery for your liking, add in some icing sugar.  You can ice your cupcakes how ever you want.  I'd recommend either spooning it on or using a piping bag so that you don't break the seal on your filling.  And there you have it!  Happy Easter and...   

Happy Faking!

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Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake

When I think of Easter I think of chocolate and fresh berries.  This delicious cupcake combines the best of both worlds - raspberries and chocolate!  Who wouldn't want to find this delicious treat next to their Easter basket?  What a treat!  For this chocolaty spring delight you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing 
• Store bought Chocolate Icing 
• 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup of Raspberry Jam
  
• Butter (room temperate...around 1 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional) 
• Garnish (optional): Fresh Raspberry

And on to the steps to create deliciousness...

Step 1: Follow the directions of your Chocolate Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc.  Add 1/2 cup of Raspberry Jam.  Mix together the batter until smooth.  Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 2:   For your icing you'll need to make two different batches  - a chocolate icing and a raspberry icing.  For the chocolate icing mix together the chocolate icing and around 1/2 cup of butter on high until smooth. As per usual, give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking, add in some icing sugar.

Step 4: Now on to your raspberry icing.  Mix together the vanilla icing, 1/3 cup of Raspberry Jam and around 1/2 cup of butter on high until smooth. To thicken it to the right consistency add in some icing sugar.

Step 5: You can ice these cupcakes a few different ways with the two icing flavours, but I chose to create a swirl effect.  To do this you'll need a piping bag and the tip of your choice.  Holding your icing bag sideways, put in your chocolate icing so that it only fills half of the side of the bag.  Then, carefully turn the bag over and full the other half of the bag with the raspberry icing.  When you squeeze out the icing it will swirl together  - FUN and YUM.  To top off your cupcakes you could use a fresh raspberry to top it off.

Happy Faking!

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Easter Cupcake Ideas

The Easter Bunny will be hopping through in just a few days and what better way to celebrate than with cupcakes.  You really can't go wrong with any cupcake flavour.  But there are some that may be more Easter in theme and taste.  To jump start your Easter celebrations, I'll be posting two great recipes that you can quickly whip up for any planned (or potentially unplanned) guests.

The two recipes you'll see over the next two days will give you a taste of both worlds - chocolate and vanilla!  The first will be the yummy Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake and the other is my take on a Pavlova that I call my Berry-Lemony Cupcake...of course my cupcake is minus the meringue.  In the mean time, if you're looking for a great Easter cupcake recipe for right now, check out my Lemon Coconut Cupcake. To make it even more Easter-ey, sprinkle the top with Coconut and add three mini eggs in the centre so it looks like eggs in a nest - very cute!

Coming up next, my Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake followed shortly by my Berry-Lemony Cupcake. Yeah Easter!

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Apple Pie Cupcake

The most classic of pies, in my opinion of course, is the apple pie.  It's comforting and tasty - who could ask more of a dessert.  Well, I am asking more. I want my pie and cake...and I want to eat it too!  So I merged the best of both worlds with the Apple Pie Cupcake complete with my version of à la mode.  And here's what you'll need,...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• 1 Apple Flip or four small Apple Tarts
• 1 cup of Cool Whip
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish (optional): More Cinnamon

Time to combine and WOW...

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.  In my usual lazy fashion, I just throw the whole egg in - minus the egg shell of course.  Mix together the batter until smooth. 

Step 2: On a cutting board, chop up your Apple Flip or Apple Tarts into small pieces.  Add the chopped Apple and Pastry bits to your batter and slowly fold in until it's mixed through.  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, why not make your à la mode...I mean icing!  Using your mixer, mix together the Vanilla Icing, Butter, Cool Whip, and Cinnamon and mix on high until smooth.  You'll likely need to thicken your icing with icing sugar.  Just add enough until it gets to the right consistency and taste.  I like to keep this icing just a little runnier than usual so it's more à la mode.

Step 4: Once your cupcakes have cooled, feel free to add some à la mode!  It's easier if you use a piping bag, but you can also just spoon it on.  I used tip #12 and then topped them off with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.  Et voilà!

Happy Faking!

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Quick Tip #5 - Flakier Pastry

I love to bake cupcakes and lots of other delicious things.  Recently I experimented with mixing pie crust into my batter and it was delicious!  I started to tell a friend about my pastry adventure and she shared some great pie pastry tips that her chef co-worker had passed along to her. Naturally, I felt the need to share them with you!

First, keep everything nice and cold.  Second, don't overwork the dough.  The trickiest part is definitely keeping it nice and cold.  So here are three great tips to keep your dough nice and cold for lighter and flakier pastry results! 

• Freeze EVERYTHING.  Put anything and everything is the freezer, from your food processor blade to your butter.
•  Substitute some or most of the water your recipe calls for with Vodka.  Yes, Vodka.  And put that in the freezer too!
• Use plastic wrap or wax paper to roll out your dough to keep your hands from coming into contact with the dough.

There you have it!  Nice and simple.  And in honour of pie, I will post my Apple Pie Cupcake recipe next.

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Café au Lait Cupcake

Just when you thought chocolate couldn't taste any more delicious, mix in some Java and heaven becomes even more heavenly!  This is a great cupcake if you're looking for a caffeine jolt in the form of a sweet treat. It's really easy, but looks pretty fancy.  Plus the name is kind of fancy too being in French and all.  For this recipe 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
• Coffee (enough to replace the water your cake mix calls for)
• 2 Tablespoons Coffee Flavoured Spirit or Liqueur
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Options: Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean or a Coffee Bean

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 Coffee. You can use perked coffee or instant coffee, what ever you have on hand. 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: Now for the yummy coffee flavoured icing…mmm. Using you mixer, throw in the vanilla icing, butter, and Coffee Flavoured Spirit or Liqueur and mix on high until smooth. If you don’t want to add alcohol, feel free to substitute it with coffee, but you’ll probably want to add more than 2 tablespoons to get the flavour in the icing.  Give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking or too runny, add in some icing sugar.

Step 4: It's time to ice your cupcakes.  I used a piping bag and tip #12.  To top off this Chocolate Java treat, you can garnish it with a chocolate covered coffee bean or even a single coffee bean..

Happy Faking!

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