Cupcakes for Party

July 4th Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2012-06-01T19:01:00.002+07:00

Looking for 4th of July desserts recipes? These red, white, and blue strawberries are awesome enough to impress. And they are super-easy to make.

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
with Blue Sugar & Nonpareils
Recipe & Photos: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie Roach); licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs fresh strawberries with fresh green caps attached
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 spoon shortening
blue sugar crystals
blue nonpareils

DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry the strawberries, leaving the green caps:

Melt one cup of white chocolate chips and one tablespoon of shortening in a metal bowl placed over some simmering water, and stir until smooth.

Pour blue sugar crystals and blue nonpareils in small bowls:

Dip the strawberries in the melted white chocolate:

Then in the sugar or nonpareils. Then place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet until they harden:

Recipe inspired by a photo of patriotic strawberries that Lorie Roach's friend Beth made and has posted on her Facebook.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Father's Day Golf Cupcakes Tutorials

2012-05-29T18:30:00.000+07:00

The golf cupcakes you are seeing are of vanilla almond cupcakes with green grass made from green-colored vanilla buttercream and a homemade white chocolate golf ball. They are just divine for a Father's Day celebration.

These cupcakes were made and photographed by Flickr user tawest6. {Photos licensed under a CC BY 2.0 license.} To me, these cupcakes are mesmerizing; I want you readers to admire them like I do.

And now, the tutorials. Five different ones from five superb bloggers.

Golf Ball Cupcakes Recipes & Tutorials
1. This how-to is titled: "Father's Day Golf Cupcakes for 'Fab Dad.' " And it is so true. These are golf cupcakes served in martini glasses. — EventTrender

2.Green grass icing detailed how-to — Celebrate It

3. You know these cupcakes are super-yummy because the recipe calls for chocolate cookies, white chocolate melts, and dark chocolate melts, among other things. — Mega•Crafty

4. For the cupcakes, the blogger recommends Martha Stewart's one-bowl chocolate cake recipe. And for golf balls, she recommends yogurt-covered raisins. — SweetHome

5. Chocolate cupcakes with white buttercream frosting. The "putting green" made from fondant. The blogger did not have a cookie cutter for the shape she wanted, so she came up with a substitution which "worked like a charm." — A Turtle's Life for Me

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Flag Cake Decorating: 5 Easy Ideas

2012-05-25T20:42:00.003+07:00

It's amazing how creatively beautiful flag cakes can be. And always, each one is different from one another.

Check out these five decorating ideas of flag cakes with icing and blueberries and strawberries, or blueberries and raspberries. They are quick and easy-to-make. And they are superb for Memorial Day or Fourth of July. {For photos credits, links, and photos Terms of Use, see end of post.}

1. (Above) The cake is covered with off-white buttercream icing, and decorated with rows of ridges buttercream icing and rows of raspberries. "Stars" are made of blueberries of which some are topped with buttercream icing tiny stars. This style is definitely for a casual elegant party.

2. White buttercream icing, blueberries, and strawberries — cut in halves or quarters. The style says effortless charm.

3. Individual cakes. White buttercream icing, with ridges design, blueberries, raspberries, and sliced toasted almonds. Stylish, classy, sophisticated.

4. The cake was baked in a foil pan. The icing was easily spread on top of the cake, and then garnished with blueberries and strawberries — whole. Ideal for a picnic.

5. The cake is covered with very thickly spread white buttercream icing. The garnishing — blueberries and slices of strawberries are placed in an unorderly fashion. Of course, the result is a cool-looking cake.

Sources: Flickr users Edgar Zuniga Jr. — photo licensed under a CC BY-ND 2.0 license; The_WB — CC BY-SA 2.0 license; @jbtaylor — CC BY 2.0 license; GoodNCrazy — CC BY 2.0 license; urbanlatinfemale — CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

How to Make Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

2012-05-23T00:36:00.000+07:00

Bright, cheery, and yummy corn on the cob cupcakes for a Memorial Day picnic or barbecue party. You won't believe how easy it is to make them.

A (super)mom blogger, who is talented in, among other things, cupcakes making, baking, decorating, and photographing, shares with us the making process and the yum looking photos ...

How to Make Corn on the Cob Cupcakes
Tutorials & photos: Gourmet Mom-on-the-Go; altered version licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes, any flavor
Icing, white or yellow
Jelly Belly candies, various colors (I used Buttered Popcorn, Lemon, and Banana)
Sugar, white and black colored
Starburst candies, yellow; or two of Yellow Candy Melts
Corn on the cop picks

DIRECTIONS
Frost two or three cupcakes together so they look like a giant "corn cob" (use plenty of icing and make sure it's pretty thick to fill in the cracks).

Place rows of Jelly Belly candies across the cupcakes to make the "kernels."

Sprinkle with white and black colored sugar for the "salt and pepper."

Melt Starburst candies for a few seconds until it is softened and place it on top as the "butter." Or, if you use two Yellow Candy Melts, cut one into a square shape, and melt and spread out the other to make the melted part of the butter.

Add corn picks on the side and serve 'em up.

NOTE
I saw these corn on the cob cupcakes in my favorite cupcake book: Hello, Cupcake! I whipped these up for a picnic.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Birthday Hamburger Cake How-to

2012-05-20T17:26:00.000+07:00

Fans of Cupcakes for Party knew very well I am mad about hamburger (or burger or cheeseburger) cakes and cupcakes and cake pops.

It is my great pleasure to bring to you a how-to with photos of a giant dessert burger by a blogger whose creativity for desserts and desserts decorations is captivating. Her cheeseburger cake is a(n edible) craft with heart and passion ...

Birthday Burger Cake How-to
Tutorials & Photos: Deezert (Diana Loutfy); altered version licensed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license

It was my friend's birthday, and she — just like me — looooves burgers. So yours truly decided to take up the challenge and make her a burger cake.

It was surprisingly easier and much more fun that I thought it would be.

I made two types of cakes: yellow cake and chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was to be a burger 'meat patty.' I cut the yellow cake into two parts as a burger 'bun.'

Then the fun part, I got out some red, orange and green fondants. I cut the red ones into sliced 'tomatoes.' I made 'cheese' out of the orange fondant, and the green fondant was cut up randomly so it looked exactly like 'lettuce.'

Then I tinted some vanilla frosting in yellow and red in order to make the 'ketchup & mustard' condiments, and in brown for cake topping. Some of the non-coloring frosting was set aside beforehand as 'mayonnaise.'

It was then easy to assemble:
- 'Bun'
- 'Mayonnaise'
- 'Lettuce'
- 'Meat'
- 'Cheese'
- 'Tomatoes'
- 'Ketchup & Mustard'
- 'Bun'
- topped with brown-colored frosting, and garnished with cake crumbs.

Happy Birthday!

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Graduation Party Ideas: Diploma Cupcakes

2012-05-18T14:08:00.001+07:00

This post is sort of a "sequel" to an earlier post about graduation party ideas with elegant fun retro-style. These graduation cupcakes decorated with an edible diploma are to celebrate a happily proud time.

When looking at these cupcakes, all of us who have a passion for cupcake decorations can't help thinking: fondants and ribbons can be the most effective decorating items for cupcakes.

The cupcakes were made and photographed by Flickr user ccdinges101. {Photos licensed under a CC BY-ND 2.0 license.}

And for the details of the cupcakes and the decoration ...

Cupcakes flavors are butter and vanilla; the colors of the cupcakes themselves are white and cream for the decorations to stand out.

Each one of the cupcakes is topped with white swirl buttercream frosting.

And then, each one of the cupcakes is garnished, on top of a swirl of buttercream frosting, with a fondant disc. And each one of the fondant discs is decorated with a fondant diploma, tied with a (non-edible) stylish ribbon.

There are three colors of the fondant discs: white and two other colors which are the school colors.

A phrase to sum these cupcakes up? "Too cute for words."

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sundae scoop; weekend wrap up party.

DIY Candy Buffet Centerpiece

2012-05-17T18:45:00.001+07:00

The centerpiece of lollipops and candy you are seeing was initially made for a wedding candy buffet table. That being said, the decoration piece will look appealing and tempting for a candy buffet table for any occasion. Don't you just want such a centerpiece for your next birthday party?

DIY Lollipop Centerpiece
for a Wedding Candy Buffet Table
Tutorials & Photos: Ana Cabrera - Craftification; licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

Candy buffets are all the rage. For my sister's wedding, I created this fun centerpiece. Super easy, and great for any occasion.

To create one of your own just follow these simple tips:
1. Use floral foam at the bottom of your container to hold the candies.

2. A little hot glue at the bottom of each stick before you stick it through the foam will help secure the pops.

3. Gumballs and jellybeans make a great filler to cover the foam. I glued the gumballs in place and just poured in the jellybeans into the center.

That's it! Now you have one of your own lollipop centerpiece.

Here is how it looked on the table, fun and simple:

Another close-up look at the centerpiece:

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

How to Make an Ice Cream Sandwich

2012-05-15T21:23:00.001+07:00

Vanilla ice cream on pretzels, plus Nutella and hazelnuts. These bite-sized ice cream sandwiches are yum and fun desserts. Especially for graduation parties and kid's birthday parties.

Mini Ice Cream Pretzel Sandwiches
with Nutella and Hazelnuts
Recipe & Photos: Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate; licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
- Snyder's Butter Snaps Pretzels (or a pretzel with a similiar shape ... the traditional twisted kind probably won't work here)
- Nutella (or peanut butter, if you're in that camp)
- Ice cream (We liked vanilla. It doesn't compete with the Nutella.)
- Crushed hazelnuts

DIRECTIONS
Place a sheet of wax paper on a small freezer-safe plate or pan.

Place about a dozen pretzels on the wax paper. You'll want to work in smallish batches, around 12, because the ice cream melts quickly.

Smear some Nutella on a small amount of pretzels.

Top with about a teaspoon of ice cream and place another pretzel on top.

Freeze for about an hour, or until they're solid.

Again, working in small batches (and quickly) smear a little Nutella on one end and dip in crushed hazelnuts.

You may want to return these to the freezer for a while to re-harden them. Or you can eat them right away.

If you plan on making these and saving them, transfer them to a freezer bag so they don't end up tasting like the inside of your fridge.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Graduation Party Ideas: Retro Cupcakes

2012-05-13T17:16:00.000+07:00

Retro style cupcakes for a retro-loving and style-obsessed graduate. The party theme can be completely retro or adapted retro; you know what I mean.

These cupcakes of a retro look have added charm: fun elegance in a very celebratory feel. And it says a lot: "Happy Graduation" and "Congratulations" and "A Proud Moment" and "We Are So Proud of You" and "You Deserved to Be Proud of Your Achievement" and more.

The cupcakes were made and photographed by Flickr user ccdinges101. {Photos licensed under a CC BY-ND 2.0 license.}

Let's see the ideas.

Cupcakes flavors are butter and vanilla because the colors of the cupcakes themselves are to be white and cream for the decorations to stand out.

Every one of the cupcakes is topped with white buttercream frosting, swirled.

Decorations are of fondants. Every one of the cupcakes is garnished, on top of a swirl of buttercream frosting, with a fondant disc. And the fondant discs are decorated with various graduation themes (pictured above): graduation stars; graduation caps; graduation diplomas; graduation year. When presenting all of these themes together, they look extra good

Now we will take a close look at some of the themes ...

A graduation cap with tassel looks so real and so cute. Can you believe it's made of fondant?

Fondant graduation stars on a black fondant disc.

Another style of a graduation star theme: fondant graduation stars on a white fondant disc.

There are more of the retro graduation cupcakes for you to see. Stay tuned for an upcoming post.

This post is linked up with: get your craft on tuesday; sugar & spice; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Orange Cake Recipe

2012-05-11T20:05:00.000+07:00

This cake looks simply beautiful, and it has a delicious smell and taste. Oh well, it's hard for an orange dessert not to be all that. Especially when it's a layered-cake of which among its ingredients are flavorful citrusy orange zest, orange juice, and orange extract, plus the rich deliciousness from cream cheese, butter, buttermilk, and pecans. This cake is superb for a Mother's Day brunch or lunch party or a Mother's Day afternoon tea.

The cake recipe and photos are by a blogger who certainly has a penchant for fruit desserts and an admiration for all things beautiful ...

Orange Cake
with Orange Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe & photos: KCintheKitchen by KC Quaretti-Lee; licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the orange cake
2 ¾ cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

for the orange pecan cream cheese frosting
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon orange juice
3/4 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
5 cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS
for the cake
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour two 9" round pans, or spray with baking spray.

In a large bowl combine cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in butter, buttermilk, eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and orange extract.

Beat with mixer on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cooling racks; cool completely before frosting.

for the frosting
Cream together the cream cheese, orange juice, orange zest, and orange extract.

Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy .

to assemble the cake
Spread the frosting over the top of one of the cakes, then top with the other cake. Then, cover the two-layered cake with the frosting. Top with pecans.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; Tea Cup Tuesday; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Coconut Cake Recipe

2012-05-09T10:25:00.002+07:00

A delicious looking and tasting coconut cake for Mother's Day. The cake has sweetened coconut flakes in it, and the frosting is of cream cheese, topped with toasted sweetened coconut flakes.

The recipe and photos are generously shared by, among other things, one talented blogger-baker-photographer ...

Coconut Cake
with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe & photos: Natalie of Perry's Plate; licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the coconut cake
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
⅔ cup buttermilk
1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes

for the cream cheese frosting with toasted coconut
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
for the cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Into a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time until just combined. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Add buttermilk and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Mix in the shredded coconut.  

Pour the cake batter into a 9x13 or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes (see note) or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks before frosting. (Leave the oven on if you plan to toast the coconut.)   

for the frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter together until light and smooth. Add vanilla extract and slowly add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time until thoroughly incorporated.  

Pour coconut flakes evenly onto a baking sheet. Place in oven for 2 to 3 minutes allowing flakes to cook and turn a golden brown color. Watch them so they don't burn.  

to assemble the cake
Assemble and frost the cake with the frosting. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

NOTES
- The baking time above is a very rough estimate. I put all the batter in a high-sided round cake pan, so mine took a long time to cook (about 90 minutes) because it was so deep. Start checking for doneness around 25 minutes and keep an eye on it.
- This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Recipe adapted from a cupcake recipe featured on Food Network's "Down Home with the Neelys."

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Brunch Idea: Bow Cake

2012-05-07T11:24:00.000+07:00

Some cakes are so pretty you can't take your eyes off of them. Like this one, for Mother's Day celebration, you are seeing. Yes, the cake decorating idea, especially the bright hot pink fondant bow with ribbon, is to be marveled at.

I think the cake is just fantastic for a brunch on Mother's Day.

The cake is made, baked, decorated, and photographed by Deezert (Diana Loutfy); photos licensed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Scroll down for more photos and more details about the cake, so you can get an idea to make one of your own.

Diana calls the cake "the cutest and surprisingly one of the simplest (to make) cakes ever!" And we can tell she is absolutely right.

For overall look and color theme, Diana "opted for a bright hot pink" for the bow and ribbon "to contrast with the light colors of the cake itself."

It is a two-layered cake.

The cake flavor is a fluffy moist white cake with added pink coloring.

The cake is covered and filled with Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with some fresh yellow lemons.

The fondant bow with ribbon is not bought but homemade. Want to make it? Diana's suggestion: "I saw a tutorial on one of the most amazing cake blogs you can ever find on how to make a fondant ribbon and did it."

The pink sprinkles on the sides of the cake are also homemade. Diana shares the easy how-to with us: "I just added some sugar with a little pink food gel inside a plastic bag and shook it."

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Strawberry-Rhubarb Shortcake Recipe

2012-05-05T09:52:00.000+07:00

For Mother's Day afternoon tea, be sure to include these sweetly delectable shortcakes. They are of strawberry rhubarb, and they are served with fresh whipped cream with vanilla bean.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Shortcake
Recipe & photos: The Curvy Carrot (Shanon Lacy); used under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the strawberry-rhubarb mixture
1 pound ripe strawberries, about 4 cups, cleaned
1 to about 1 and 1/2 pounds of rhubarb (about 7 stalks), leaves removed, stalks chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar

for the biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg 1/2 vanilla bean, slice it open and then pull your knife across the opening to remove about 1/2 the seeds; save the other half for the whipped cream
1/4 cup heavy cream; plus more for brushing the tops of the biscuits
1/4 cup buttermilk

for the whipped cream
1 and 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean

DIRECTIONS
Chill your mixing bowl for the whipped cream, first.

for the strawberry-rhubarb mixture
In a large sauté pan over low heat, combine the chopped rhubarb and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.

Stir to coat the rhubarb thoroughly with the sugar, and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb breaks down and becomes sticky and stringy, about 40 minutes to one hour.

Put 1/3 of the strawberries into a medium bowl and mash them until they are crushed.

Add the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to the bowl.

Slice the rest of the strawberries into your desired thickness and add them to the crushed strawberry mixture. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

Once the rhubarb is cooked, add this to the strawberry mixture and set aside.

for the biscuits
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the pieces of cold butter, and using a pastry cutter or your fingers, crush the butter into the dough until it is crumbly and resembles coarse sand.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and the heavy cream.

Add the buttermilk to the mixture and whisk to combine.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the egg mixture into the center.

Mix the dough with a fork until just combined (it will look shaggy).

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until softened and cohesive, adding more cream if necessary.

Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3/4-inch, and using a biscuit cutter (I used a 2 and 1/2-inch diameter round cookie cutter), cut out the biscuits and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, re-rolling and cutting the dough as needed. Fine Cooking stresses not to twist the biscuit cutter when making your cuts-simply push down and pull up the cutter vertically. I did this, and it seemed to work like a charm.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with cream and sprinkle the tops with the remaining granulated sugar.

Bake the biscuits until lightly golden brown, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking process, about 10-15 minutes total.

For the whipped cream
In your mixing bowl, combine the cream, sugar, and 1/2 vanilla bean seeds. Mix on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

To assemble the dessert
Assemble the shortcakes with the biscuits, strawberry-rhubarb mixture, and top with the whipped cream.

Servings: approximately 6

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking, June/July 2011 issue.

This post is linked up with: foodie friday; seasonal sundays; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Truffles Recipe

2012-05-04T11:44:00.000+07:00

Truffles are ideal for Mother's Day — as a gift and/or party sweets. These truffles are made of lemon cookies, flaked coconut, cream cheese, and lemon zest; all dipped in melted white almond bark. Heavenly! And very easy to make yet elegant looking.

Lemon Cookie-Coconut Truffles
Recipe & Photos: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie Roach); used under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
3/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
The zest of 1 lemon
3 cups finely ground lemon sandwich cookies
Melted white almond bark for dipping

DIRECTIONS
Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and coconut extract in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy.

Stir in the flaked coconut, lemon zest, and ground cookies until well mixed.

Roll into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet.

Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Dip balls in melted almond bark, letting excess drip off.

Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet in fridge until coating hardens.

Store in refrigerator.

NOTES
-I used 1/4 teaspoon coconut emulsion which I think is stronger than extract, so you could probably get away with 1/2 teaspoon if you are using regular extract.

-I very finely ground the cookies in a blender. (I do not have a food processor.) I should have counted how many cookies I used, but I forgot. I'm sorry about that.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Mother's Day Recipe: Yogurt Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

2012-05-02T13:10:00.000+07:00

A cake to celebrate Mother's Day. This one is certainly not "just a cake." It is a yogurt cake with chocolate and hazelnuts. Cake filling and topping are chocolate buttercream. And prettily decorated with a heart design and accentuations. Special enough.

Yogurt Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
with Chocolate Buttercream
Recipe & photos: Núria Farregut; altered version licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the yogurt chocolate hazelnut cake
1 non-sugared yogurt
2 yogurt measures of brown cane sugar
3 yogurt measures of cake flour, sifted
1 yogurt measure of olive oil
3 eggs
16 grms baking powder
50 grms blended toasted hazelnuts
2 tbs hazelnut liquor

for the chocolate buttercream
250 grms black chocolate with 70% Cocoa
100 grms butter
125 grms of 35% cream
25 grms hazelnut liquor
1 egg yolk
sugar beads and chocolate candy for decoration

DIRECTIONS
for the yogurt chocolate hazelnut cake
Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt, the sifted flour and the baking powder, also add the hazelnuts and the liquor, mix well and add the oil. Mix again until you get an homogeneous batter.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Grease the baking tin with olive oil, then dust with flour. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Set cake aside to cool completely. Then, cut into two equal parts.

for the chocolate buttercream
Melt the chocolate and butter over a low heat until smooth. Add the cream and mix well.

Beat the mixture with an electric mixer until thick. Add the liquor and the egg yolk, and beat again until well blended. Set mixture aside to cool completely.

to assemble the cake
Spread the chocolate buttercream over the top of one of the cakes, then top with the other cake.

Spoon the chocolate buttercream over the top of the cake. Decorate with sugar beads for a heart design, and accentuated with chocolate candy.

Refrigerate until serving time.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes Recipes

2012-04-28T01:19:00.000+07:00

We can never get enough of recipes and decorating ideas for ice cream cone cupcakes. Apparently. Cruising the Internet, I have chosen five of those for you. They suit most occasions, from a graduation party to a birthday party.

Here are the five recipes and decorating ideas ...

1. "Rich" chocolate cupcakes, baked in ice cream cones, topped with white frosting or chocolate frosting, and garnished with tiny sugar sprinkles — Taste.com.au

2. Vanilla cake-mix cupcakes, baked in ice cream cones, topped with vanilla buttercream frosting, and garnished with sugar crystals — Serious Eats

3. Vanilla cupcakes, baked in ice cream cones, topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and your favorite ice cream-sauces, and decorated with mini chocolate flakes and sprinkles — The Pink Whisk

4. Chocolate mud cupcakes, baked in ice cream cones, topped with Swiss meringue vanilla buttercream frosting, garnished with a chocolate bar and colorful sprinkles — Off the Spork

5. Yellow or white cake-mix cupcakes, baked in ice cream cones, topped with vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting, and decorated with assorted sprinkles — Good Housekeeping

Photos: Flickr user colchu; used under a CC BY 2.0 license

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Graduation Party Appetizers

2012-04-22T01:55:00.000+07:00

Delicious, fun-looking, easy-to-make appetizers for a graduation party. Exactly. Head over to these five recipes:

(Pictured) Pretzel Crisp Sandwiches, with Jalapeño and cheese — 1 Fine Cookie by Jasmin Fine
Buffalo Wings, served with ranch blue cheese dip and celery and carrot sticks — The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond
Crispy Potato Skins, filled with melty cheddar cheese, and topped with bacon bits, sour cream and green onions — Simply Recipes by Elise Bauer
Cheese Straws — Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain
Pizza with Bacon, Onions and Cream (Alsatian Pizza) — Smitten Kitchen by Deb

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.
Photo © Jasmin Fine of 1 Fine Cookie. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Recipe: Bananas Foster Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

2012-04-18T23:33:00.002+07:00

It can be said that these cupcakes are for and from the love of classic bananas foster, classic Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and, of course, cupcakes. With the pluses of cinnamon and rum. Let's all be completely charmed by this creation of an amazing blogger whose talents in baking, desserts and party decorations, photography, and blogging have made all her fans so happy (and even after a meal, hungry) when visiting her blog.

Bananas Foster Cupcakes
with Swiss Meringue Cinnamon Rum Buttercream
Recipe & Photos: The Curvy Carrot (Shanon Lacy); used under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the actual Bananas Foster
3/4 cups (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 firm but ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch thick cross-section slices
2 tablespoons spiced rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the rest of the cupcakes
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon spiced rum
3/4 cup sour cream

for the Cinnamon Rum Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5 large egg whites
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 sticks (yes, I know, I know….) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons spiced rum
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Special equipment: a candy thermometer

DIRECTIONS
for the Bananas Foster
Over medium heat in a large sauté pan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, stirring frequently.

Once the brown sugar is completely dissolved, add the sliced bananas and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes, making sure to evenly coat the bananas with the butter "sauce".

Add the rum and vanilla to the pan.

Turn off the heat (especially if you have a gas flame), and very carefully, using a long match, light the rum near the outer edge of your pan.

Shake the pan and flame very gently from side to side. The flame should only last about 10 seconds, at the most.

Once the flame is out, stir the mixture to evenly coat the bananas, and set aside.

for the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line your cupcake pan with the desired liners.

In your standing mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, mixing well until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the vanilla and rum to the wet ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Very carefully (it will still be hot) and with the mixer off, add the Bananas Foster mixture to the standing mixer bowl. Resume mixing at low speed until mixed well.

Add the flour mixture and the sour cream in thirds, mixing alternatively with each other. Mix the batter until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pan.

Bake the cupcakes until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes total, rotating the pans halfway during the baking process.

Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.

for the Cinnamon Rum Swiss Meringue Buttercream
In a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, lightly whisk the egg whites and granulated sugar until well-combined. Using your candy thermometer, heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until the temperature registers 140 degrees (this took me about 20 minutes or so.)

Once hot, pour the mixture into your standing mixer (make sure your mixing bowl is room temperature) bowl and, using the whisk attachment, whisk until the whites have doubled in volume, about 5 minutes or so. The mixture should be thick and creamy in consistency, and it should not move around the bowl once the whisk stops moving.

Remove the whisk attachment and attach the paddle.

Add half of the butter pieces, and, stopping and starting your mixer in 1-2 second pulses, pulse the mixture until the butter pieces are all evenly coated with the meringue.

Add the remaining half of the butter pieces and pulsate the mixer several more times.

Starting with the lowest mixing speed, mix the meringue for about 10 seconds, increasing the speed of your mixer consecutively, at each speed for about 10 seconds, until you reach a medium-high speed.

Continue mixing at a medium-high speed until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add the rum and cinnamon and mix at medium-high speed for another minute or so.

Refrigerate the frosting for about 10 minutes to firm up a little before piping. ***Leftover frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Pipe as desired (I used my go-to Wilton 1M tip) onto the cupcakes.

Makes approximately 32 cupcakes.

Cupcakes adapted from this, originally from this, and frosting adapted from this via this.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Recipe: Chocolate Mice Cookies

2012-04-16T22:18:00.000+07:00

These little mice you are seeing have bodies made from chocolate wafers, chocolate chips, and sour cream. Their ears are made from sliced almonds, eyes made from sprinkles, and tails from licorice strands.

These mice will make an impressive party dessert and a cute edible gift for all seasons.

Let's start making them ...

Chocolate Mice Cookies
Recipe & Photos: The Growing Foodie; used under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
40 chocolate wafers
2/3 cups chocolate chips
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup slice almonds
40 sprinkles
20 black shoestring licorice strands (2-inches each)

DIRECTIONS
Crush the chocolate wafers into crumbs (about 2 cups). Set aside.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 minutes on 50% power). Stir until smooth. Stir in one cup of chocolate crumbs and sour cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (until easy to handle).

For each mouse, roll about 1 tablespoon of the sour cream mixture into a ball and taper one end to resemble a mouse. Roll in remaining chocolate crumbs to coat. Position almond slices for ears and same-colored sprinkles for eyes. Press a licorice strand into the back of each mouse for a tail. Refrigerate until serving.

Serve two matching mice to each person.

Makes 20 mice.

Recipe adapted from this.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

DIY Cupcake Bouquet

2012-04-13T23:22:00.001+07:00

If you have never yet made a cupcake bouquet, and you want to give it a try, just follow this "extremely" easy how-to, and you will come up with your own splendid bouquet of cupcakes.

How to Make a Cupcake Bouquet
Article & Photos: Needful Things; used under a CC BY 3.0 license

Ever wondered how to make one of these cupcake bouquets? It's a perfect gift — anyone would be happy to receive one of these for a birthday or anniversary.

Making a cupcake bouquet is extremely simple. I'll show you how.

WHAT YOU NEED:
- a planter
- a styrofoam ball or blocks of styrofoam
- wooden skewers
- green crepe paper
- a couple of baked and decorated cupcakes

WHAT YOU DO:
- Fit the styrofoam ball or blocks of styrofoam into the planter. Make sure it's a snug fit. Cover completely with green crepe paper.
- Depending on how big you want the bouquet to be, poke wooden skewers through the styrofoam to cover the surface. For this bouquet I used 11.
- In order to assess how many cupcakes and skewers I would need, I did a mock-arrangement with my cupcake liners before poking the skewers in.
- Don't use very moist cupcakes for this - the ones with yellow sprinkles that I used were quite moist and it was very hard to keep them from falling apart. The skewers would just break them in two.
- Now all you need to do is fit your cupcakes over the skewers. You can frost/decorate them either before or after you're done assembling the bouquet.

That's it; it's that simple! And it was so much fun to make the bouquet.

This post is linked up with: chick & crafty party; foodie friday; frugal friday; get your craft on tuesday; just something i whipped up; seasonal sundays; strut your stuff saturday; sugar & spice; sundae scoop; sunday showcase party; table top tuesday; tablescape thursday; tasty tuesday parade of foods; weekend wrap up party; whatever goes wednesday; works for me wednesday; wow us wednesdays.

Recipe: Butterscotch-Oatmeal Skillet Cookie with Butterscotch-Bourbon Sauce

2012-04-11T00:40:00.005+07:00

A comfort dessert for your soul. A super-sized oatmeal cookie, with butterscotch chips and toasted walnuts, baked in a skillet. Served with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with butterscotch-bourbon sauce. Life is good.

Butterscotch-Oatmeal Skillet Cookie
with Butterscotch-Bourbon Sauce
Recipe & photos: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie Roach); licensed under a CC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
for the cookie
1/2 cup butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 cups butterscotch chips
1 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

for the sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small heavy saucepan, heat 1/2 cup butter over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes or until light brown and nutty smelling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. Beat the cooled butter, shortening, 1/3 cup sugar, the dark brown sugar, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, the eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture until combined. Stir in the oats, butterscotch chips and chopped pecans. Spread evenly in an ungreased 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown around edges and on top. Do not overbake. Cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup light brown sugar, the cream, the bourbon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and whisk until well blended. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to rapid simmer and cook for five minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

To serve, slice warm cookie into 8-10 wedges. Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on each slice if desired, then drizzle with the butterscotch-bourbon sauce.

Store any remaining sauce in refrigerator.

NOTES
- If you want to leave the bourbon out, you totally can. You could also adjust the amount of bourbon to your liking.
- Don't overbake because you want the center to be softish.
- The sauce can be made ahead of time and rewarmed on the stove or in the microwave.
- I would take the time to toast the nuts. They are so much better that way.
- Just dump the whole bag of butterscotch chips in. The bag will probably be two cups, more or less.
- The browned butter adds so much flavor. It will take about 3-5 minutes for it to become nutty smelling and brown. Expect for it to be foamy.
- This dessert really is best warm. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, so it will cut easily. It will still be perfectly warm enough to melt the ice cream.

This post is participated in: Chick & Crafty Party; Foodie Friday; Frugal Friday; Get Your Craft On Tuesday; Just Something I Whipped Up; Seasonal Sundays; Strut Your Stuff Saturday; Sugar & Spice; Sundae Scoop; Sunday Showcase Party; Table Top Tuesday; Tablescape Thursday; Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods; Weekend Wrap Up Party; Whatever Goes Wednesday; Works for Me Wednesday; Wow Us Wednesdays.

Easter Cupcakes: Cute Little Chicks

2012-04-07T22:50:00.007+07:00

Perhaps the cutest, easiest, and quickest idea of Easter chicks cupcakes decorating. With yellow frosting and different-colored candy. Effortless style is the key.

Photo: Flickr user WTL photos; used under a CC BY-ND 2.0 license

Easter Chocolate Cupcakes: Chicks and Eggs

2012-04-07T20:10:00.017+07:00

Looking for ideas of chocolate cupcakes for Easter? How about this idea?

With yumminess and decorations of swirl chocolate frosting and chocolate pieces, and mini chocolate candy eggs in pastel colors, and (unedible) decorations of cute chicks toys.

Oh yes, indulge ourselves. It's Easter, after all.

Photos: Flickr user 4nitsirk; used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license

Easter Chicks Cupcakes: Retro and Vintage

2012-04-07T19:32:00.002+07:00

This idea of cupcakes decorations is definitely for all of us retro and vintage lovers.

Cupcakes, butter or vanilla or yellow-cake, are topped with buttercream frosting, in a white or off-white or cream color, and then adorned with fondant discs, in an eye-catching yellow, with a retro style.

Choose a cupcake stand or a plate with a vintage feel, and there you go!

Happy Easter for and by retro and vintage lovers.

Photos: Flickr user Jetske19; used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license

Easter Cupcakes: Marzipan Chicks

2012-04-07T19:05:00.005+07:00

A lovely idea of Easter cupcakes decorating, and it is soooo easy. A marzipan chick, in adorable yellow, topped on homemade frosting.

Photos: Flickr user megan.chromik; used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license