Happy Easter!

For Easter we went to my in-laws for the weekend and I wanted to make some cupcakes to practice. I didnt have time to make home made since I was making them during the week. So I made the cupcakes Wednesday night and iced them Thursday before we hit the road very early Friday morning! Here are some pictures!

Breakfast Cupcakes

They are so simple to make.

• First you spray the cupcake tin with Pam and then take some grands biscuits and line the tin. You can take the pre-made sizes apart to make the dough stretch for the 12 cupcakes. Make sure you are lining the walls of the cupcake tin too. 
• Then scramble up some eggs (4 or 5 should do it) and set aside. 
• Now take your sausage meat and cook it up until brown, adding some cheese if you like. 
• Once the meat is cooked you'll add the eggs to it. Add your meat/egg mixture into the lined cupcake tin. Put in the oven for 13 mins (at 350 just like the grands biscuits container says) and now you have a wonderful, fast and yummy breakfast!

Fabulous Aprons!

When I bake I usually don't wear an apron just because I forget. But last year I found these super cute aprons online at Carolyn's Kitchen they are the cutest things! I bought one for me and I bought one as a bridal shower gift for a friend of mine that was getting married. They have all kinda of prints to fit any personality and been featured all over the place. They also have great customer service! I had accidentally ordered one apron in the child size :-/ my mistake. But Carolyn emailed me letting me know and I asked her if she could just charge the difference. Just a few minutes later I had the pay-pal email asking for the difference! I was so pleased! Don't forget to get the matching gloves too :)

German Chocolate Cupcakes

So for this I used Martha Stewarts recipe. Here are the things you will need to make the cupcakes. They are very yummy! I brought them to work to share with everyone and they all loved them!

 Ingredients for Cup Cakes

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for tins

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush standard muffin tins with butter; dust with cake flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together cake flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in chocolate until combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes. Run a small offset spatula or knife around the edges to loosen; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.
4. To finish, use a serrated knife (and a gentle sawing motion) to split cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each bottom half; replace top halves. Spread more frosting on top of each cupcake. Serve immediately.

Ingedients for Cocnut-Peacan Frosting

3 large egg yolks

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and brought to room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 2/3 cups (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Combine egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.
2. Stir in vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans. Let cool completely. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.

Red Velvet cake?

"You're a human being, you live once and life is wonderful, so eat the damn red velvet cupcake"
- Emma Stone in Glamour Magazine


Like most people, I love sweets! Mainly cookies, cake, and ice cream :) So lately I have been trying to teach myself how to ice cakes and working on my artistic side. Well I decided that I would make a red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting to practice on. When I was growing up I lived in a home where no desert was store bought, spoiled I know. My mother is a wonderful cook and baker! So when I started my cake making adventure I naturally thought, "ok, I'll make this from scratch." And who else to get a good cake recipe from other than Paula Deen right? This is where I messed up, I didnt compare her recipe to anyone else... BIG MISTAKE!!!

Let me show you the difference (these are for cup cakes)
Paula Deen's (from foodnetwork.com)    Martha Stewart's (in red from marthastewart.com)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted)
1 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/2 cups sugar)
1 teaspoon baking soda (1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda)
1 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon salt)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder(2 tablespoons unsweetened process cocoa powder)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (1 1/2 cups vegetable oil)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature(1 cup buttermilk)
2 large eggs, room temperature (2 large eggs, room temperature)
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1/2 teaspoon red gel-paste food color)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar (2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)

I have underlined the differences in the recipes. When I was making it I knew there wasnt enough chocolate. I have not made Martha's recipe yet but it is on my list very soon. I'm not sure if there was a typo online or what but Paula's recipe just tasted like a bland plane cake, people that say it is good have never had a real red velvet cake!