Mojito Cupcake

This cupcake requires no muddling, only mixing. It's tangy flavour with a minty finish is a great after dinner dessert or patio palate pleaser...in other words, it's pretty fancy and fun.  If you choose to garnish with fresh mint, like I did, don't garnish the night before as it will wilt....not that I'm speaking from experience.  For this cupcake you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• 1 Cup of Soda Water infused with Fresh Mint (replace most of the water your recipe calls for)
• 2 Limes (Zest and Juice)
  
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Limenade Drink Powder
  
• Fresh Mint

And now the recipe...

Step 1: Before you do this recipe, you should infuse your Soda Water with some Fresh Mint.  I did mine over night, but as long as it sits for a few hours, you should be fine.  Now on to the actual mixing directions...

Step 2: Kind of follow the direction of your White Cake Mix. You'll want to preheat your oven  and add the eggs and oil, but hold the water.  Zest two of your limes and add them to you batter.  Squeeze both limes into a measuring cup and top it off with your Mint Infused Soda Water until you reach the amount of water you're suppose to add.

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

Step 4: Time to whip together the tangy mojito icing.  Mix together your vanilla icing, butter and Limenade Drink Powder on high until smooth.  Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar.  Once you're happy with the taste, layer it onto you cupcake. To garnish, I used fresh mint.  But as I mentioned above, don't garnish the night before because your mint will wilt.

Happy Faking!

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Rum and Coke Cupcake

Already a classic combo in the drink world, I decided to make it a cupcake classic too.  This is a tasty, cola infused cupcake that I decided to make with a white cake mix base, but you can use a vanilla or chocolate base instead if you want!  To make my version all you'll need is...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Cola (replace the amount water it calls for)
• Store bought Chocolate Icing
• 2 Tablespoons of Rum (you can use more of less...it's up to you)
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Mini Straw or Cola Candy

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 replace the water with your choice of Cola.  Also, I usually just throw all three whole eggs in and don't separating as directed on the package. Also, your cake mix won't turn black, so don't worry when you see that it's still white..

Step 2: Mix all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.  Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely before icing 

Step 3: And now it's time to add some kick to your icing. Mix together your vanilla icing, butter and Rum on high until smooth. Feel free to use any type of Rum that's in your cupboard or liquor cabinet. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste or needs to be thickened, add some icing sugar.  Once you're happy with the taste and consistency it's time to ice your cupcakes! .

Step 4: Layer on as much or as little of your icing as you'd like.  To garnish your cupcake try cutting a straw down to size or top it off with a cola candy.

Happy Faking!

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Chai Tea Latte Cupcake

mmmmm... Chai Tea Latte - enough said.  I don't know if it's the warm milk or the equally warming spice of the chai tea, but there is something about the combo that makes everything all better.  Here's the yummy drink in cupcake form complete with a sweet
shortbread treat! For this delight all you'll need is...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Brewed Chai Tea
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Shortbread, Sprinkle of Cinnamon, Sprinkle of Nutmeg

Here's the recipe...

Step 1: Sort of follow the direction of your White Cake Mix...go ahead and preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with brewed chai tea.  I usually just throw all three whole eggs in and don't separating as directed on the package - it just seems like more hassles than needed. Mix all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.

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

Step 3: For the  icing, mix together your vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar.  Once you're happy with the taste, layer it on to your cupcakes.

Step 4: For a garnish, I decided to use a shortbread, but feel free to use anything you like to top off this soul-warming treat!

Happy Faking!

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Deliciousness for a Donation

It seems like every fundraising events these days all have an entry fee to participate.  I don't do too many fundraising events each year, but I do participate in a few.  After hitting people up once, it's hard to ask them again for money. To make it a little easier to ask for the cash, I've started to offer up a cupcake for a donation instead.  It has been a HUGE success - if I do say so myself.  I've raised more money than my usual begging and I also have another reason to bake and experiment in the kitchen.

One of my annual fundraising events is just around the corner and I plan to bake up a storm!  To all my colleagues out there, bring your money on Monday and be rewarded with deliciousness!  Up on my experimental cupcake list are three new flavours: Rum and Coke Cupcake, Chai Tea Latte Cupcake and, last but not least, a Mojito Cupcake.  Recipes to come after I actually make them!

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Mint Chocolate Cupcake

Without a doubt, mint combined with chocolate is one of the smoothest and most soothing flavour combinations out there.  Whether it's winter and you're looking for something warm, or summer and you're looking for something refreshing, this combo always hits the spot.  There are a few twists on this recipe that can really change the texture of the cupcake, so it's up to you to decide how you'd like to enjoy this sweet-minty treat.  To create this cupcake you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Chocolate Icing
• 1 teaspoon of Mint Extract
• 1 bag of mini Peppermint Patties 
• 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 on your White Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc. Personally, when it comes to White Cake Mixes, I just throw in the whole egg rather than using the egg whites only - but it's up to you.  Mix together the batter until smooth.

Step 2 (Optional): Depending on if you like to have some added crunch in your cupcake, feel free to chop up some of your Peppermint Patties and mix it through your batter. You'll need to chop it pretty fine to keep it from sinking to the bottom. Or, chop some Peppermint Patties and sprinkle them on the top of your cupcakes once you spoon in the batter for a clear layering effect like I did.   

Step 3: Whether you decide to do step two or not, either way you'll need to eventually spoon your cupcake batter into your cupcake pan liners.  And then, place them in the oven and bake as directed on package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 4: For the icing, we're gonna flavour and jazz up the store bought Chocolate Icing. Combine the butter and a few drops of Mint Extract with your store bought Chocolate Icing and mix until smooth.  Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for you, add some icing sugar until you're happy with the taste. If you want it to be mintier, just add more Mint Extract - but remember, a little goes a long way.

Step 5: To frost your cupcakes, feel free to use any frosting technique like the classic knife spread, heaping a pile on with a spoon, or using a piping bag.  To top it off, feel free to use a full, halved, or quartered Peppermint Patty.  And that's it!

Happy Faking!

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Salted Butter, Unsalted Butter, Margarine - OH MY

I've been asked many times if I use REAL butter when I bake or if margarine is just as good.  I have a very simple answer - butter is better!  Sorry margarine, you're just not delicious enough in my baking.   I'm not sure if it's the consistency or flavour of margarine, but it just doesn't cut it.  Butter adds a level of deliciousness that can't be beat!

So on to the salted versus unsalted butter.  I know that bakers around the world would gasp, but I usually use salted butter even when it specifically calls for unsalted butter.  To compensate, I just use a pinch of the salt that the recipe calls for, and not the full dosage.  Why do I use salted butter instead of unsalted?  Well, I often bake on the fly and usually don't have unsalted butter on hand.  BUT, I do use unsalted butter with finicky recipes like pastry or shortbread.  I'm not completely foolish when it comes to the science of baking ... but I like to cut a couple of corners whenever I can get away with it.

If you decide to use unsalted butter, you can get it at most grocery stores and will often find it in the freezer section.  This is because it gets moldy without salt to preserve it.  Whether you bought it frozen or not, be sure to stick your unsalted butter in the freezer if you don't plan to use it soon, or you'll discover something pretty gross the next time you go to use it.

In the end, it's really up to you.  But that's my opinion on butter and its artificial cousin margarine.  Up next on my cupcake list, the refreshing Mint Chocolate Cupcake.

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