Friday, December 11, 2009

Flavor of the Month- EGGNOG CUPCAKES- YUM!


My flavor of the month is eggnog. I have a wonderful recipe for eggnog cupcakes with an eggnog filling. They are topped of with rum flavored whipped cream and freshly ground nutmeg. I thought I would share the recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Eggnog Cupcakes


Ingredients

• Cake:

• 1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups eggnog

• 1/4 cup melted butter

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon rum flavored extract

• Filling:

• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups eggnog

• 1/2 teaspoon rum flavored extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line your muffin tin with cupcake liners.

For the cupcakes: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, 2 cups eggnog, melted butter, nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp rum flavored extract. Put in cupcake liners. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven until it springs back up at the light touch of finger, about 20 minutes. This recipe can be baked in cake pans as well. Remove from the oven to cool on wire racks.

For the Filling: Mix together the vanilla pudding mix, 2 cups eggnog, and 1/2 teaspoon rum flavored extract in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Using wilton tip #230 and pastry bag fill cupcakes.

Decorate anyway you want. Rum flavored sweet cream is wonderful with this recipe .

Whipped Topping:

• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

• 2 tablespoons cold water

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 1/4 cups sugar

• 1 pinch salt

• 1/2 teaspoon rum flavored extract

For the Whipped Topping: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the cold water, allow to stand for 5 minutes to soften and then stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Whip the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl to soft peaks. Add the sugar, gelatin, and 1/2 teaspoon extract, and continue whipping to stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use. It looks nice to sprinkle the finished cupcake with freshly ground nutmeg.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

One More Pic


Here is one more pic of my recent cuppies.

Christmas Cupcakes



Here are a few Chrsitmas cuppies I have made for the holiday season. I am sure more are to come!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Our Family Kick off to the Christmas Season



Last night my family and I talked more about the Christmas story and about ways to remember what the Christmas Season is all about. We also sang songs- Silent Night is my favorite but I think the kids prefer Jingle Bells, who knows what song is my husband's favorite. Believe by Josh
Groban is probably his favorite but that isn't a song we would attempt to sing as a family! Then we decorated cupcakes and assembled star cookies that I baked early in the day into Christmas trees. We let our little one have a cupcake. Lets just say we don't have to worry about boring cake pics in January for his first Bday, he tore into his little cupcake and would have ate the whole thing if I hadn't taken it away from him to get him all cleaned up.
We had such a great time. Every Monday for the month of December we are going to do something Christmas related. If you have any special traditions you would like to share I would love to hear them!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Pumpkin Pie

My blog is for cake but I was just given a new recipe from my friend Jenny for pie crust and I think it is the easiest and tastiest crust I have ever had! I made a couple of changes and now I am completely in love!
FYI- before this recipe I was pastry crust challenged- very embarrassing for a baker. If you struggle with pie crust this recipe is for you!

2 Pie Crust Recipe

2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cold water

Combine in large bowl flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix and then remove 1/2 cup of flour mixture to small bowl and set aside for later. Cut in shortening and butter(I prefer to use my hands on this step) just until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour water into flour mixture in small bowl, mix until combined and not lumpy. Then pour into large bowl and mix together until it forms a loose ball.
Turn out on to floured counter and gently knead once or twice and then roll to your desired size. Trim edges and bake empty at 350 for 12 minutes or fill and bake according to your recipe.
Hope you like this recipe- I love it!!!

Today I filled mine with a pumpkin pie recipe, last night I filled one with apples and made an upside caramel apple pie- yum! I also baked a pie crust today and made my first french silk pie. I am very excited to taste it!
HAPPY BAKING!!!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Cakes Blues

Lately I have lost all desire to create cakes. I need some inspiration for this Thanksgiving. I'm thinking fun and not fancy but I just can't decide!

I had two fun cakes planned for family members this month and I didn't do either of them- the first one I just decided not to do. It was going to be a cake sculpted to look like a metal pail filled with sugar ice and sugar IBC bottles. Eventually I need to make it because I think it would be a lot of fun to make and a lot of fun to show off!
The second was for my daughter's PJ Party. It was going to be a topsy turvy in bright colors with 3D little girls in jammies sitting all around. I was going to incorporate some of my daughter's favorite things to personalize it even more. Unfortunately, Cold Stone Creamery won in the end- my daughter decided on an ice cream cake instead and I don't make them. Oh well, there is always next year.

I need to get back in the mood for caking so I can get some new pics for all of you to see!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Halloween Treats






Here are the eyeball truffles everyone voted on the other day. They are spice cake with cream cheese frosting dipped in white chocolate. The centers are royal icing in green and dark chocolate colored black. I think everyone liked them at recipe group.



To make my dear friend, Dee, happy I made chocolate cuppies too. They are colored black in the spirit of Halloween. The filling was an orange sweet cream. The decorations are made with fondant. TFL and Happy Halloween!

Guitar Cuppie

Guitar Cuppie
I love how this turned out. I think I am in love with cupcakes!

Ghostbuster Cuppies

Ghostbuster Cuppies

Purse Cuppie

Purse Cuppie