Mini Cupcake

A popular choice for wedding favors in recent times has been cupcakes. Whilst some brides will merely use them as an alternative to a traditional wedding cake, other perhaps more savvy brides are doubling them up as both favors and wedding cake.

But you can also take them a step further by using them as either table centers or by having your guests names iced onto them and using them as place cards. This gives you savings not only on your wedding cake but also in having to purchase and write out hundreds of name cards or in having to order expensive table centerpieces.

To use cupcakes as table centers will depend on the type of cake you order. If you order square or round mini cakes without any fancy sugar work on top you could pile them up pyramid fashion on a decorative plate or single tier cake stand.

If you order cupcakes then you will probably need a multi tiered stand to place them on. You can hire these or your venue maybe happy to provide some for you as part of your wedding package. Another alternative is to purchase disposable cardboard stands which look just as nice and are a fraction of the price of metal, plastic or china versions.

But if your wedding has a touch of vintage chic about it then a nice vintage style cake stand will go along way to coordinating that look and your tables will look fabulous laid out with a pretty stand of cupcakes sitting in the middle!

You can use cupcakes as an alternative to a formal and traditional wedding cake in one of two ways. Firstly you can arrange the cupcakes on a stand and display them as you would a normal wedding cake or you can place them on each place setting. With either of these you should order a smaller cake to cut for your cake cutting ceremony.

If you want to use your cupcake wedding favors as place cards then you will need to arrange to have each guests name iced onto them or at the very least their initials (could be a problem if two guests have the same initials or names!). This may cost you more with the cake maker but they will look lovely and you won’t end up throwing them away after the reception is over.

With any of these ideas you should provide some form of box or bag so your guests can take their wedding favors home with them should they not want to eat them there and then.

Simple and Whimsical Ways To Play with Your Food

We are all guilty of flipping through the latest issue of Parent’s Magazine and admiring the adorable birthday cakes that grace the center pages. They look so cute! They look so delicious! They look simple! That is until we take a glance at the directions . . . and then? They look so “never-gonna-happen”.

If you don’t have the time to devote to fantastical creations that take hours to complete, you aren’t alone. In fact, the last time I cooked a “homemade” cake, I have to admit, it came from the bakery section of our local Wal-Mart. The good news is, there is “homemade” hope for we culinary underachievers.

If you are a stovetop slacker too, read on to find some fabulously simple recipes sure to please.

Caterpillar Cupcakes

Put your patterns and umpteen ingredients away all you chefs of the world. In the eyes of your little ones, our easy as pie caterpillar cupcakes will rival the likes of Emeril’s greatest hits. Bam!

Simply grab a box of cake mix and whip up a dozen cupcakes. While allowing them to cool, mix a few drops of green food coloring into a tub of vanilla icing. Once your cupcakes are cool enough, ice each one.

Now for the fun part, arrange the cupcakes in a wiggly row along the table. Allow the kids to place licorice strands on each cupcake for the legs. Decorate the “face” cupcake using your child’s favorite candies for a nose, eyes and mouth.

Helpful Hint- Have multiple children? Avoid the fight over the candy decorated “face” by dividing the cupcakes into threes to create smaller, multiple caterpillars . . . and happier kids in the process.

Gummy Bear Popcorn

Have a teddy bear that dotes on all things whimsical? Make movie night extra special with this simple recipe that takes all of three minutes to create.

Start by popping a bag of unbuttered popcorn. After cooking time, open the bag and toss in a small bag of chocolate chips. Close the bag and give a good shake. Pour the popcorn into colorful bowls and add a handful of gummy bears to the mix. This treat is a match made in sweet-treat heaven and it’s perfect for sharing!

Dino Dig Sundaes

Looking for a whimsical snack for your little archeologist? Pop in the Land Before Time and whip up these Dino Dig Sundaes for a themed treat he’ll ask for again and again. Simply place a scoop of ice-cream into a bowl, top with smashed Oreo cookies for the “dirt” and finish off with a dino-shaped cookie or gummy.

Can’t find any dinosaur shaped treats? Whoppers make for great dinosaur eggs!

Scrumptious Seaweed Dinner

A lot more appetizing than it sounds, all it takes is a package of ramen noodles, a hotdog and a dollop of mustard.

Start out by warming the hotdog and cooking up the noodles. Drain the noodles well and coat with the provided mix and a few drops of green food coloring. Place them on a plate while you work on your hotdog “Octopus”.

To make the octopus all you need to do is create four slits in the bottom half of the hotdog for “arms.” Spread each one out onto the top of the Ramen and it will stand freely. Finish off with a few dollops of mustard for eyes and viola! You have an instant seaweed dinner your little diver is sure to gulp right up!

Haunted Punch

Perfect for Halloween but magical for anytime of the year, our haunted punch will have your little ones spellbound. Simply take a clean plastic glove and fill it with water or juice, tying it off at the end like a balloon. Then, allow it to freeze overnight.

Mix a little fruit punch into a large bowl along with a can of pineapple juice. Remove the glove from the freezer and peel away the plastic. Ta-da! An instant floating “idle hand” for your punch bowl!

When it comes to culinary fun, a simple creative inch goes a long way. Get the little ones involved. Try new things, dream up new possibilities and if all else fails . . . have a food fight! It’s the most underrated culinary experience of all!

If you are looking for a way to spruce up your baby shower—try getting a creative cake.  Creative baby shower cakes are always a pleasant sight to see and will definitely leave the mother-to-be and her guest smiling. A baby shower cake can fall into two categories: a cake that you eat and diaper cake which acts as a centerpiece or a gift for the new mommy.  In either case they are a lovely sight to see.



Choosing the Perfect Edible Cake for a Baby Shower

When you are out looking for that perfect baby shower cake, take in consideration the theme of the baby shower. If you are having a shower around the rubber ducky theme, it would be great to get a rubber ducky cake, or you can have a baby carriage cake and get it either pink, blue or yellow depending on the sex of the baby. If you already know the baby’s name then you can also have a cake with the baby name on it! However, there are some cakes that can go with any theme. You have the block cake and this particular cake goes with any baby shower theme as long as the cake colors correlate with the baby shower. But remember, having cakes customized can get a bit pricey, so you can go with a nice simple one-layer cake and place a baby rattle on top! We cannot forget about cupcakes! Cupcake towers are also popular for baby showers and can easily take the place of a cake. The cupcakes are fun, adorable and dainty; you can also put a topper on the cupcake tower that fits right into your theme!  The most important thing when picking out that perfect sweet treat for a baby shower is to get creative; your guest and the mother-to-be will be thrilled!

The lowly little cupcake has taken on a life of its own. But you don’t have to buy them at the bakery. Make your own at home with this old fashion cream-filled chocolate cupcake recipe topped with Karen’s Buttercream Frosting. The kids will love them; they make a great after school snack. They are perfect for pitch-ins, reunions, etc. This is an old Iowa cupcake recipe.

CREAM FILLED CUPCAKES

2 1/2 cups unsifted flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk vanilla, and baking soda that has been dissolved in the cup of hot water. Mix thoroughly. Line 36 muffin baking tins with cupcake liners. Fill each liner about 2/3 full. Bake in the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Fill with the filling below using a pastry bag with a large rosette tip attached. Force the cream into the center of the cakes. Frost with the following buttercream icing or sprinkle tops with powdered sugar, if desired.

CREAM FILLING:

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup milk

2/3 cup shortening

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Combine sugar, milk, shortening, salt, water, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat on high speed of electric hand mixer for 7 minutes. Add powdered sugar and continue to beat for another 5 minutes.

KAREN’S BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

pinch of salt

1/4 cup almond flavoring

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the shortening, powdered sugar, milk and salt. When mixture is well blended, add the almond (or vanilla, if you prefer) flavoring. Beat at high speed for 5 minutes. This will frost a layer cake, sheet cake or 24 to 36 cupcakes. Add food coloring, if desired.

Enjoy!

If you’re a parent, you probably find yourself with little ones underfoot several times a week while making dinner. Whether you’re making spaghetti or grilled cheese, kids love to “help”. Unfortunately, sometimes it isn’t feasible to have little hands stirring the alfredo sauce or helping you chop the onions; either because the job is too messy or dangerous, or you’re just too tired to accomplish things efficiently.

Luckily, there are ways you can accommodate your child’s need to “cook” his own meal without having to deal with the mess, heat, and power struggles that often cause problems.

Designate a special place where your child can cook. This can be a small table in the corner with a matching chair, or a specific stool at the bar. Let your child know that this area is “his” area. All other parts of the kitchen are off limits unless you give special permission. With his culinary creations being limited to a set space, you can (hopefully) cut down on the overall mess…and avoid opening the oven door as a pair of tiny hands reach over. Teach your child proper kitchen safety rules BEFORE you begin cooking. This obviously means instructing him to avoid the oven when it’s turned on unless you are there to supervise, but also on the proper method for holding pot holders and using oven mitts. Show him how to pull out the oven racks using mitts. Also, make sure he knows never to run with sharp utensils (Not that you will be letting him anywhere near the knives…but it’s best to be prepared early on), as well as the proper way to handle peelers and other items (when he’s old enough!) For very small children, set up a play area in or close by the kitchen so he or she can “help” you safely. This can include things like toy food, play kitchens, pretend pots and pans, and other fun props. This will allow your child to participate without the risk of injury or sticky messes. A great option for kitchen play is the Bake &Decorate Cupcake Set. It comes with toy cupcakes that wipe clean after each use, as well as dry erase markers that allow children to create and re-create new treats every time. By allow kids to actually create something right along with you, it will give them a sense of accomplishment…just like if they were baking REAL cupcakes with you. Be willing to get messy every now and then. You can’t avoid the occasional spill or scattered cereal, so it’s best to anticipate these things ahead of time. This will not only allow you to keep anger and frustration at bay when messes DO occur, you will already have a plan in mind for cleaning them up. And don’t forget…sometimes a good old fashioned food fight is just what the doctor ordered.

More often than not, every time a person goes on a diet to lose weight, one of the first things to go out of the window are sweets. Yes, cakes, cupcakes, chocolates, cookies, brownies, muffins, and all that is divinely saccharine are branded as forbidden food during the weight loss period. However, depriving one’s self of such delectable pleasures will only add fuel to one’s sweet cravings once the diet is off leading to a vicious diet cycle and a yoyo weight. So how do we lose weight and get to eat our sweets, or in this case, cupcakes, too? Here’s a simple recipe for cupcakes that can very well fit into a weight loss regimen and still taste quite delicious.

Diet Soda Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 egg white 1 can diet soda (preferably a Diet Coke)

Steps:

1) Preheat the oven according to chocolate cake mix directions. Place cupcake liners on the cupcake pan.

2) In a bowl and using an electric mixer with the paddle attached, beat the chocolate cake mix, egg white, and diet soda until smooth in consistency.

3) Pour the cupcake batter into prepared cupcake pans with liners.

4) Bake cupcakes according to chocolate cake mix instructions. Cupcakes are done when you insert a toothpick into the cupcake and it comes out clean.

Variation: If you want your diet cupcakes to be of the vanilla kind or of non-chocolate origin, substitute the chocolate cake mix for white or yellow cake mix and the diet soda for a clear diet one. These diet cupcakes basically have 120 calories or less per piece depending on the cake mix you are using. With such low calorie count for a dessert, these cupcakes are definitely good for weight loss watchers who still want to maintain some normalcy in their diet. Remember, with innovative recipes like these, you can lose weight and still eat your cupcakes too!

There is temptation to overeat everywhere you turn but you can overcome these desires by learning why you get tempting thoughts and how to short-circuit them before they causes you to act in an unwanted way. It is simple once you understand the dirty little secret behind temptation.

The temptation to overeat actual unravels over 4 stages. Once you understand the stages you will see very clearly how you can disrupt the pattern before it leads you to take a destructive action.

Stage 1. Having the thought. Okay, so temptation starts with having a tempting thought…

“It’s the weekend, I deserve to relax and eat whatever I want.”

“Those cupcakes sure look good.”

There is nothing you can do to stop a tempting thought from popping into your head but don’t worry, just having the thought can’t hurt you, unless you allow the thought to stay in your head which is the next stage.

Stage 2:  Feeding the thought. You automatically move into this stage if you allow the thought to linger in your head.  This is what I call feeding the thought because you are giving it your energy and it is growing in strength.

“You know, I did work hard this week, it is only right that I sit back, relax and order a pizza.”

“I can’t even remember the last time I had a cupcake and those are my favorite ones.”

Stage 3:  Here you begin to tell yourself lies and start to convince yourself that the temptation is not such a bad path to take.

“I could take the night off and have a pizza and some beer and then I can get right back on track tomorrow.”

“I can’t imagine one cupcake could hurt.”

Stage 4: You Act. It is all over by the time you reach stage 4 and now you ACT on your temptation.

“I can’t believe I eat the whole thing!”

The dirty little secret behind temptation is that YOU talk yourself into acting on the temptation.  The tempting thought (stage 1) has no power to influence you, it is simply a passing thought but when you feed the thought and move into stage 2 you are sliding down a slippery slope.

To successfully overcome the temptation to overeat you must learn to recognize the tempting thought and then cancel it.  This is a literal statement because what I would like you to do is say to yourself, “CANCEL” when the tempting thought comes.  By doing this you can interrupt the thought before it is able to gather strength.

If you struggle with the temptation to overeat know that you are in control of it and with a little practice you will learn to short-circuit it and build your confidence in any eating situation.

The cupcake has taken on a life of its own.  There are bakeries and caterers who specialize in cupcakes or do only cupcakes.  You can learn to make cupcakes at home that are just as good as the ones available commercially.  Try this recipe for Delicious Homemade Cupcakes and Frosting.  Yummy!

DELICIOUS HOMEMADE CUPCAKES AND FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup chocolate liqueur

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line eighteen muffin cups with paper cupcake liners; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend well. Add 1/4 cup of the sour cream; blend. Add the remaining dry ingredients; blend. Add remaining sour cream and the vanilla; blend.

Fill the paper lined muffin tins 3/4s full. Bake for 20 minutes at 325 degrees or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, in the pan, for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Pour the chocolate liqueur into a shallow bowl. Dip tops of cupcakes into the liqueur. Frost cakes with the white frosting recipe below. Top each cupcake with a fresh berry, if desired.

WHITE FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup chocolate liqueur

2 tbsp whipping cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, liqueur, whipping cream, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in powdered sugar until combined.

Yield: 18 cupcakes at 342 calories each

Enjoy!

Children love cakes and nothing makes it more special than a little decoration. From the traditional to the unique, a child’s special cake can be like no one else’s.

Licorice, gum drops and other chewy fruit are versatile decorations because they can be used whole or cut up to make a design. There are many uses for these candies, from flowers to bugs.

Colored decorating gel is useful on its own or in conjunction with other decorations. The child’s name can be written out with this product and pictures can be drawn, too. This gel comes in several different colors. Black is good for bug eyes.

Marshmallows can be used in a number of ways. Cut them into medallions and dip the cut end into colored sugar. Combine five or six of these on top of a cupcake in the shape of a flower. Additionally, marshmallows can be melted as an ingredient in the popular marshmallow frosting.

Candy chips come in a variety of sizes and flavors including chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter and white chocolate. They are available in a few sizes from mini to extra large which makes them perfect for the center of flowers and smiley face eyes.

Cookie crumbs are indispensable when decorating a cake with a road or a path in the theme. One popular type of cupcake named “Worms and Dirt” calls for cookie crumbs.

The ‘cake’ variety of ice cream cones, as opposed to the ‘sugar cone’ type, is good for parties with younger children. By baking the batter directly into the cone the normally crumbly cupcake becomes a neat little hand held package.

After baking and cooling the cake, use frozen yogurt, sherbet or whipped cream that has been partially melted to literally ‘frost’ the cake. Place the cake into the freezer immediately after frosting for four to six hours to set the ice cream frosting.

Sprinkles are a favorite of children around the world. Mention sprinkles to any child and they know they will receive something special. Sprinkles come in a variety of styles from the popular dots to flower shapes to little tubes, which make them invaluable for every celebration.

No birthday cake is complete without candles because the highlight of every child’s party is blowing them out while they are truly the center of attention. Many styles of candles are available from the traditional striped ones to single candles in the shape of a number to trick candles that do not blow out.

Words help identify what the cake is all about. The child’s name or the occasion can be drawn onto the cake with gels or regular frosting, and there is also a product available that allows a design to be designed on the computer, printed out and transferred onto the cake top.

While cake templates are not technically cake decorations, it does help the baker make a more unusual and interesting cake. Templates for printing are available online in many shapes.

When it comes to baking cakes and cupcakes, 8 out of 10 times…I will reach for one of the classic frosting recipes.

Before we get to the recipes, I would like to share a few frosting making tips with you.

* Don’t confuse confectioner’s sugar with granulated sugar as they are 2 different types of sugar and substituting them will have disastrous results.

* If you like the frosting smooth and creamy, use an electric hand mixer. Beating the mixture by hand doesn’t remove all of the lumps.

* It will be easier to spread onto your cooled cake if you let your frosting come to room temperature.

* If you are worried about it sticking to your beaters, lightly spray beaters with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

* To soften cream cheese or butter, let them sit out on your kitchen counter for 20 minutes while you gather and prepare the rest of your ingredients.

Chocolate Frosting

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 egg white

1/2 cup shortening

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold milk

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

In a medium sized bowl, combine the egg white with 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar; beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and beat for an additional 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the milk and confectioner’s sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until icing is cool, light and fluffy.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounce cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk

3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and milk with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, beating in between each addition.

Vanilla Frosting

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup water

2 unbeaten egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a medium sized saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water and cream of tartar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Slowly add in egg whites, one at at time. Using an electric mixer, beat with mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.