Cupcake Bouquet



 

Hand crafted for:

This bouquet was made for all of my friends that I love and adore for Valentines Day. I cherish each of you in your own special way. Like petals on a rose, you each help make me who I am.

 

How It's made:

The Bouquet:

*Flower pot

*round Styrofoam ball

*1 pack of wooden skewers

cupcake papers

*decor (extra flowers, ribbon, and leaves)

 

Make sure ball fits into the flower pot enough to where it's secure (about half way).

I used the empty cupcake papers to figure out where I would place the cakes. I then added three , cut to size, skewers per cake. I made sure it was decorated first then added the decorated cakes, and a few leaves at the end.

 

Cakes:

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (normally 

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of butter milk

 3 cups of gluten free Bisquick Or whatever GF flour you use (or regular flour)

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

1. 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 until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each

1. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Lemon frosting ingredients:
2 C Icing sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
2 tbsp lemon juice
 
I cheated and mixed this with some store bought lemon flavour icing, to help stiffen the frosting.
 
I piped the frosting on the cupcake using  a large rose petal decorating tip, just as in this demonstration:

 
You can make the rose then add it to your cupcake (using scissors to place it) or pipe it straight onto the cupcake, as I did.
I placed the decorated frosted cakes in the refrigerator to help harden the frosting enough keep the shape as it sits sideways on the bouquet.
 
Information:
This was hard work for sure but rewarding in the end. I suggest when piping the frosting on that you make sure your frosting has been refrigerated. It helps stiffen the frosting to help keep each petal standing. Two toned frosting: Just add to the piping bag (with a skewer) gel colour from the top of the tip up. The key is that everything's cold.
 

Brain cupcakes

Happy Halloween!!

Brains!! Brains!!

For all hallows eve try some tasty meat,

Brains, brains a  sweet delicious treat....

 

 

How these creepies are Made:

3 cups of Pumpkin guts

1 scoop of candy corn poo

2 small pops of green witches drops

4 big balls of spider crawls

Topping:

8 drains of zombie brains

A few toddies of live spider bodies

 

Mix together in a witches cauldron until smooth and bubbly.

Poor batter into 12 shrunken head skulls. Bake in a body oven til nice and golden.

Top with zombie brains and live spider bodies.

 

Info:

The frosting you can make with a very small drop of red food colouring to turn it pink.

You pipe a line down the middle then squiggle a line down the side. Repeat in the opposite direction. 

This was actually a regular yellow cake (boxed) that I added raspberry preserves into. Then just added the frosting as usual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apple Pie

The First Pie Of The Season!

 "Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower."

Autumn is my fave part of year. Scarfs come out, warm drinks are enjoyed, and cuddling feels extra cozy. This Pie is made for all of the Autumn cuddlers. 

How it's made:

1 Box of Gluten Free Pantry pie crust

2 cans of Libby's  Apple Pie Filling

Allspice

Cinnamon

Sugar

Cream

This time I cheated! I used not one thing from scratch. I used the boxed Gluten Free Pantry pie crust and followed directions. I used allot less shortening then it asked for and it turned out just fine. My friend Elvia and I cut out the pie "crust" with little leaf cookie cutters and layered them on the top making sure to seal the edges. I added cream to the top . Cream will give a medium golden look to the top (Will not shine but gluten free doesn't anyways). I then sprinkled a little sugar on the top.

I used 2 of Libby's canned apples and just added a bit of Allspice and Cinnamon.

Put them together and baked it at 425 degrees for about 45 mins. 

Information:

Gluten free crust is pretty much like dealing with really thick mashed potatoes. That's why I cut the top into little leafs. Its allot easier then trying to roll it out and magically place it on top.

Was it yummy?

Yes it was but never as good as anything made from scratch.

The first of many pies this year.

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

Lemon Raspberry (Lemon curd filled) Cupcakes

Made for:

Spring has sprung. The sunshine pops out and the fresh fruit pops up. This is what this spring taste like... Fresh Meyer lemon, and raspberries.

How it's made:

1 Cup (2sticks) unsalted butter, room temp, plus more for pans

2 1/2 cups Gluten free Bisquick (or all purpose flour for non celiacs),plus more for pans

1/2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1tsp salt

1 tbl lemon zest

2 cups of sugar

2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tbls fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer)

1 Cup low-fat buttermilk

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

Lemon Curd:

3 Large eggs

3/4 Of granulated sugar

1/3 Cup of fresh lemon juice

1 tbls of room temp butter cubes

1 tbls of lemon zest

Add 3 large eggs to a bowl (glass or metal it"s going to be used as a double boiler) whisk together. Add sugar whisk together. Add lemon juice whisk together. Put bowl over sauce pan of simmering water.Whisk constantly until it becomes really thick like a soft sour cream or 160c on a candy thermometer. It takes about ten minutes or so. when its ready remove from heat add 4 tbls of cut up, room temp butter and 1 tbls of lemon zest.. Stir together until well mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap until it touches the curd and place in the refrigerator. When it has thickened pipe into cupcakes.

Frosting:

3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temp

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 1/2-4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

pinch of salt

handful of crushed raspberries

Mix together ingredients then spoon a little onto the middle of the cupcake. It will spread. This recipe is quite runny. Top cupcake with a slice of Meyer lemon and a raspberry and you have yourself a taste of spring!

Information:

Meyer lemons taste a little different from a regular lemon. A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin. They aren't as sour. They are a little more spendy then a regular lemon. Make sure to fully cook your Meyer lemon curd or it can taste metallicy. Make sure to store left overs in the fridge.

How they taste:

They taste a bit sweet and fruity! I love the lemon curd in the middle. It was my fave part. But if I had to change it I would make the frosting a little thicker only because it's harder to store leftovers with runny frosting. These were yumminess.

Deviled Eggs (Peepers)

 Made for:

Peeeeepers! What a great way to change up the traditional deviled eggs on Easter. These are made for my family for Easter dinner. I wanted to so something just a little different.

How it's made:

These are mixed up just like you were making regular Deviled eggs:

Mayo

Mustard

Pickle relish (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Eggs

A Few olives

a carrot

Boil Eggs. Cut tips of eggs off. Then carefully scoop out yolk into a bowl. Mix mayo,mustard, relish, salt, and pepper together to taste and until pretty smooth then set aside.  Cut out small eyes from the olives (pieces). Cut out Tiny thin carrot shaped noses from the carrot.

Put yolk mixture into a plastic baggie then cut a small hole into the corner. Big enough to pipe yolk mixture. Pipe yolk mixture into the eggs until over flowing (making the chicks head). Add the olive eyes and carrot nose. Place the tops of the egg crooked on top to make it look as though they are peeking out.  I would add some romaine lettuce leaves (or something along those lines) to the plate to help them stand up. Vwa-La! you have peepers.

Information:

I saw this picture on Pinterest and thought it so cute I had to try. I should have sculpted there faces a bit better but all was well in the end.

How they taste:

Just like a baby chicken... Just kidding. Just like a deviled egg :-). Yummy in my tummy.

Gluten free Huckleberry Beer!

Made for:

HELLO FUN TIMES!

This was made for my Lance and I by fantastic Adam and his beautiful wife.

How it's made:

I don't have an actual recipe but

The main ingredient is sorghum syrup (7lb). Then they added some hops and yeast, and huckleberries for flavour.

Information:

 In its most simple form, beer is made of four basic ingredients: Water, yeast, Malt and hops. Celiacs can not have the hops or malt.

All who are forced to be gluten free have come to the realization that beer will never taste the same again *tears*. Big props to all those working on making a delicious batch!

Thank you Adam and Kyoko for taking time out to make us our gluten free beer!

Double Chocolate Strawberry yummies (Filled with bits of ganache)

Happy Valentine's Day

Everyone knows this is what Valentine's Day taste like! Double dark chocolate strawberry with a hint of chocolate strawberry ganache inside. These are made not just  for all the lovers around the world but for all who are loved.

How they're made:

Cakes:

1/4 cup of hot coffee

1 cup of milk

1 cup of a quality powdered chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)

2 1/2 cups of gluten free bisquick (cake flour for regular cakes)

1/2 Teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp( I used Tillamook sweet cream)

2 cups of sugar

3 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract

4 eggs, room temp

1 package of Ghirardelli chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix together the hot coffee, milk, and cocoa powder. In different bowl mix flour,. salt, and baking soda. Mix butter in large bowl by hand using a rubber spatula until light and fluffy. About three minutes or so. Slowly mix in sugar and vanilla. Slowly add one egg at a time mixing well in between each. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture until mixed well and fluffy. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until just blended. Add chocolate chips. Pour in to muffin tin and bake until tooth pick comes out clean.

Chocolate Strawberry Ganache:

one pound of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate (16 oz.)

One cup of heavy cream

Six strawberries and sugar

1.Thinly slice all chocolate and set aside in a large bowl that can withstand heat. Cut tops off of strawberries and puree them with sugar (how ever much you want) until completely blended. In a sauce pan whisk together cream and strawberry mixture until boils. Pour hot Strawberries and cream into the bowl of chocolate. Set aside until thick enough to add to the middle of cake.

Frosting:

Three cups of powdered sugar

One cup and a half cups of cocoa powder (dark chocolate)

two sticks of butter (room temp)

a splash of cream

1. Mix sugar and cocoa together, add the rest of it and blend together until smooth.

Add the strawberry on top.

Fun Information:

It took me 7 1/2 hours to make these and worth all of the time I put in. My favorite part of cooking/baking is the beauty which unfolds while making every little thing you add come together just so. It's truly a work of art. Every time I'm baking my favourite part is the very moment the butter and sugar become creamy and fluffy. I love the colour, the taste, the smell. I can do anything with creamed butter and sugar.

How they taste:

they are very, very yummy! They have a crumbly texture. you can taste a creamy chocolate when you bite into them. Goes fantastic with the strawberry, creamy, chocolate ganache (my fave part). The frosting was a lighter fluffier chocolate with the bit of strawberry. This was fantastic!!! I will make these again