FROSTED!

Letterpress Printing and a Quest for a Press

2011-02-16T21:34:00.000-06:00

As I expand my letterpress printing offerings, it would be beneficial to own a press. I currently rent time at local studios, but this is limited by operating hours. If I could purchase my own press, I could work with two other printers to produce a complete line of letterpress stationery and wedding invitations.

If you are able, visit my Kickstarter project and become a backer today. I am offering various letterpressed items for each funding level and each item promises to be really great!

Vandercook Press Kickstarter

Valentine Letterpress Giveaway

2011-01-26T12:35:00.000-06:00

I'm doing a little giveaway of Valentine letterpress cards. To enter, become a fan of Frosted on Facebook and write a comment on the cupcake card post. Who do you think is sweet and deserves a card?

I will draw a random winner at the end of the day tomorrow (Jan 27) from all comments and they will receive 5 cupcake letterpress cards! What are you waiting for?

They are also available for purchase in my Etsy shop!

I'm A Mac!

2010-12-27T17:00:00.000-06:00

I have decided that it is time to ditch the PC and go Mac! With my increased interest in letterpress and graphic design, it will be much easier to use Adobe Illustrator on a new Macbook Pro. Also, I am fortunate enough to work for some wonderful people who gave me Amazon.com gift cards for Christmas. I have amazing bosses! I will be selling my pink Dell Inspiron 1525 to recoup a little money to put toward the Mac.

I am really excited to do even more graphic design work and letterpress items. I will soon be listing custom letterpress flat cards. Some lucky folks received these as Christmas presents and the feedback was overwhelming! Look for those soon at frosted.etsy.com.

Live and learn

2010-12-20T12:28:00.000-06:00

Last week, I had one of those nights where I wanted to slap myself on the forehead. I scheduled time to go print personalized letterpress cards for Christmas gifts. Using Illustrator, I designed my very first artboard and submitted it for printing. This print would allow me to make my own photopolymer letterpress plate, which is similar to a rubber stamp. However, I unwrapped my print and discovered none of the adorable layout I had created at home. Instead there was a giant black square and a sad message that told me how I didn't save my file correctly. Frustration set in, but I decided to make the best of it. I was already at the studio so I used their Kutrimmer to cut down 125 notecards and 170 4 bar cards. Luckily the owner said that I could come back this week and try again.

Upcoming Craft Shows

2010-12-08T22:19:00.000-06:00

I have been insanely busy while I prepare for two upcoming Chicago shows this weekend. Come check out my holiday wares at Saturday's Empty Bottle show and Sunday's Elbo Room show.

New snowflake and peppermint bark soaps will be available, as well as new soy candle fragrances.

Tonight, I also had the opportunity to learn polymer plate making at Evanston Print and Paper. This is an adorable shop in Evanston, Illinois and the ladies who run it will teach you all about letterpress, screen printing, and bookbinding. I've been working on some Illustrator designs and hope to feature those in my Etsy shop next year. With the skills I learned tonight, I can use my own sketches and designs to create letterpress cards. It also means that I can produce customized stationary!

I am taking a small break tonight with a glass of merlot and a special broadcast of John Lennon's final interview. He was and will always be my favorite Beatle. I never cease to be touched by the power of his words and the poetry that he wove into his songs.

Wishing you peace and love.

The World's Easiest Veggie Chili

2010-11-15T12:20:00.000-06:00

Winter is creeping into Chicago and I'm cold. I'm always cold, but that is beside the point. When a chill hits the air, I want soup that is comforting, warm and filling. This delicious chili recipe is super easy and ready in about 30 minutes. Seriously, if you can chop one onion and one jalapeno, you can make this. That is, unless you have some difficulty with opening tin cans.

The World's Easiest Veggie (Or Not) Chili
-1 bag soy crumbles (I prefer Morningstar) OR 1 pound ground beef/turkey
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 jalapeno, finely chopped
-1 can black beans
-1 can Great Northern beans
-1 can baked beans
-1 can chopped tomatoes
-1 small can tomato paste
-veggie broth OR water for liquid
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. ground cumin
-1/2 tsp. mixed herbs/spices
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-salt to taste

Chop the onion and jalapeno. Combine all ingredients in a large pan and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. **If you use real meat instead of soy crumbles, brown it before adding any other ingredients.

That's it! It's tasty, healthy and delicious!

Time Flies

2010-10-28T13:17:00.000-05:00

As I waited for the bus this morning, the temperature was a frigid 38 degrees and I wondered where summer went. Sure, I've been busy lately, preparing for holiday craft fairs, decorating our house for Halloween and thinking of Christmas card designs. But this time of year always takes me by surprise. I undoubtedly scramble through the closet in search of a hat or gloves, completely confused as to how they disappeared in a few short months. I also realized that I need a new coat because I donated my old one last year. Luckily, I had some coupons for the Limited and found this beauty. I hope it arrives soon!

My second community garden plot is doing incredibly well. It was planted about six weeks ago and has already produced many delicious salads! I did a more well-designed square foot gardening plan in this one and it has definitely paid off. The bed is 8' by 4' and has eight different veggies growing in it. I added extra bags of organic fertilizer and peat moss to improve the soil texture and that has worked very well.

The first community garden plot has been an exercise in futility. There has been a large amount of theft as there is no fence around the garden. The area is filled with bindweed and I was unaware of this when I built my bed. Sadly, it has choked many of my plants and bindweed is nearly impossible to remove without resorting to chemical methods. I am hoping to at least harvest my sweet potatoes this weekend and make pie. Yum! Then it will be time to close up that plot and focus on the other. I am building a hoop house for the raised bed and that should allow me to continue growing lettuce, spinach, and brassicas for a few extra weeks. It will be disassembled and put back up in March to nurse baby plants in the spring.

Before I think too far ahead, I need to focus on production for my upcoming holiday craft fairs. I have been building inventory of 100% soy candles in reusable aluminum tins. So much to do, so little time!

Handmade Market Chicago and a new letterpress card

2010-10-01T10:48:00.000-05:00

I've been busy preparing for the October edition of Handmade Market Chicago at Empty Bottle. If you are in the city, stop by and check out the artisans. I'll be there with soy candles, glycerin soaps, a few aprons and letterpress cards. Preparing inventory is always difficult when juggling a full-time job and crafting.

Training the new puppy has also taken up much of my free time. He's progressing, but there are still days when he thinks the remote control battery cover is a nice chew toy. I've been assured by the trainer that this is just a phase and he should grow out of it in a year or so. Let's hope she was joking!

I was able to get into the letterpress studio last night and make these thank you cards. They feature a two color print and will be available in my Etsy shop and at the Handmade market. I still have to pick up the coordinating envelopes at Paper Source and get better photos. Hope they make someone smile!

Fall Gardening Square Foot Style

2010-08-24T11:34:00.000-05:00

I really love fall. Crisp mornings and changing leaves are a welcome change from oppressive heat. It is sad to know that the painful cold of winter is lurking around the corner, but I try to enjoy fall while I have the chance.

My grandfather was a farmer and followed the Farmers' Almanac with care. He always insisted on planting his fall crops on particular days, like beets on July 22. My mother still remembers his planting schedule and we are working together to follow something similar. Nothing is perfect though and I'm already tweaking it for next season.

This is the first year that I have followed a full schedule of planting. The spring crops were planted in mid-April, which is actually a bit late for Chicago. Fella and I were able to harvest a nice amount of radish, romaine lettuce, spinach and bok choy by late May. Some of my summer crops did very well, but my fennel never developed the customary bulb. I had handfuls of carrots, which were promptly cooked into Carrot Cake Jam. This stuff is magical.

Many people fail to realize that fall is one of the best times to grow veggies. Most brassicas (cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi) will thrive in cool weather. I decided to make the most of my 4' x 8' raised bed and designed a growing plan in Excel. This is a great idea because it allows me to see my space and plan accordingly. I took small nails and bright acrylic yarn to the raised bed and made a growing grid. This should maximize space and growing efficiency.

My biggest frustration now is the influx of morning glory/bindweed in my raised bed. The garden is built on an old railway line and bindweed is everywhere. Placing prohibitive fabric under my bed before adding soil did nothing. It has grown and taken over. For the time being, my only solution is to weed, weed, weed. Planting crops in nice orderly rows does seem to help as it minimizes the space available. It's still driving me crazy!

Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw

2010-08-16T11:37:00.000-05:00

One of my friends is a fellower gardener and crafter. She and her boyfriend recently had the opportunity to move to Pennsylvania to start an organic CSA farm. Although I will miss having her here in Chicago, I'm excited for them to begin this great food adventure. It was only appropriate to have a going away party that revolved around food and friends.

I wanted to bring a dish made out of my garden's produce, but it had to be suitable for brunch. There was one cabbage left in my fridge and I had just picked up a copy of Food Network's magazine. Lo and behold, I found this recipe inside and decided that a cilantro and lime cole slaw sounded like the winner. I was able to use my own cilantro and cabbage for the recipe. It filled a 9" x 13" pan, which I brought home completely empty. I'm calling this one a winner.

For the best flavor, make it the night before and let it sit in the fridge. Delicious!

Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw from The Food Network

Some Etsy Goodies

2010-08-15T10:14:00.002-05:00

I've been cleaning my apartment this weekend and rewarded myself with a little Etsy window shopping break. One of my friends is a talented artist and created this painting of colorful French bulldogs.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53534931/frenchie-family-portrait-gouache

She makes other cool art and might be selling some of her items as cards. I hope so because I would love to receive these cute pups in my mailbox!

Another item that caught my eye is from an artist based in Israel. She has an assortment of unique earrings and other jewelry. I haven't worn my earrings in months, so this would be a good excuse. These turquoise and red earrings are my favorite.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/47198505/turquoise-and-red-branch-earrings

Introducing Geordie

2010-08-03T15:22:00.001-05:00

It has been almost six months since I lost my favorite little dog. She was a giant hairy ball of personality and spunk, even as age and illness pulled her away from us.

She can never be replaced.

This little guy found his way into our home and he seems nice so far. We decided to name him Geordie, pronounced 'Jordy'. His tail moves 100 miles per second and he's very curious about his new surroundings.

Elvis Wedding Cupcake Toppers

2010-07-29T15:59:00.002-05:00

I've always loved unique weddings. The traditional wedding is nice, but every one I've ever attended has seemed to be the same. So it's nice to see a couple step out of the box and plan a really memorable and fun affair. The guests will love you for it!

I was really excited when I received a request for a custom order on Etsy. The couple was getting married in Las Vegas at an Elvis wedding chapel. They wanted Elvis cupcake toppers to go along with the theme of the day. These are my kind of people! The lovely bride, Amy, sent me this photo of the wedding cupcakes complete with Elvis cupcake toppers.

Best wishes and many years of happiness to this great couple!!

Raspberry Jam

2010-07-19T16:48:00.003-05:00

Last week, the fella and I headed out to Seattle for a little holiday. We stayed with some friends who were fantastic hosts and took us out for lots of delicious food. My favorite food ended up being the jam that we made ourselves.

Imagine my excitement when I realized that my friends had a mass of raspberry canes growing in their backyard. For me, raspberries come in a little plastic container and they are not cheap. I told my friends that they could hire me to work as the official raspberry harvester because I took a big bowl out every morning and picked to my heart's delight. I tried to follow the '20-1 Raspberry Rule'. For every 20 raspberries I placed in the bowl, I was allowed to eat one. At some point, it became more like the '5-1 Raspberry Rule' but it's ok because there were plenty.

I love raspberries and jam, so it seemed like a natural fit. Plus, Emily wanted to learn jammaking to use all of those gorgeous berries for gifts. I taught her with an old recipe that doesn't use pectin and the end result was wonderful.

She was even kind enough to send me home with a Ziploc bag of frozen raspberries. I tenderly carried them home in my luggage and can't wait to make even more sweet jam here.

I'll post the recipe later. Start gathering your raspberries now!

The garden on June 17

2010-06-20T15:34:00.000-05:00

I'm glad I have taken photographs because it gives me a chance to look back on the garden's growth.

Here are the cabbages and one large cauliflower in the middle.

My first harvested cauliflower!

Check out these pretty little Florence fennel plants.

I'm going to sew a dress

2010-06-17T11:04:00.000-05:00

It was over 90 degrees in Chicago yesterday, which means it is officially time to start wearing dresses to work almost every day. I love dresses, especially when it is painfully hot outside. When I'm getting ready for work, it is so easy to pick out a dress and go. There is no matching required. There are no worries of whether that cute shirt has a clean pair of pants to go along with it.

There is just one problem...I do not have enough dresses. This is where my sewing machine comes into play. A few months ago, in the depths of a cold winter, I bought this sewing pattern from Hot Patterns. I have lusted over the Kara Janx kimono dresses for many years but couldn't justify the $200+ price tag. This was the closest pattern that I could find, so it's time to try this.

I found some beautiful chocolate brown rayon jersey fabric at JoAnn fabrics, but I still need contrasting fabric for the detail and ties. Orange perhaps?

I really hope this works!

The Birth of a Letterpress Card

2010-06-15T11:05:00.003-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to take a four day intensive letterpress course at Columbia College. I am hopelessly in love...with a Vandercook printing machine.

At first, it seemed like printing would be a breeze. I would add beautiful type to my little tray and have stacks of prints in no time. It didn't quite work out that way. Each letter of every word must be placed individually and then you hope it lines up. The design is tightly placed in the flat tray of the press and inked. Running rollers over loose type doesn't work, trust me. Oops. Part of the appeal of letterpress is its imperfection due to the age of type. It is frustrating when you discover that one of your letters doesn't show up at all. That's where some clear tape is handy.

My final project was a collection of 4bar notecards. I found a beautiful old wooden owl and used it as my inspiration. I added the words "Owl miss you!" and worked with the spacing until it was perfect. A touch of rich turquoise ink was the final touch. After class, I headed to Paper Source to see if I could find a suitable envelope. Lo and behold, they had just introduced a new Peacock color and it matched my cards perfectly!

Find them in my Etsy shop for $4 each.

Fake Chicken and Curry Mashed Sweet Potato

2010-05-18T23:14:00.000-05:00

Last night, I prepared a delicious dinner and then forgot to take pics of it. I was hungry! We don't shop at Whole Foods too often, but I like their selection of fake meat. I'm not totally vegetarian, but avoid meat as much as possible. Quorn is one of my favorites, but I noticed a new Gardein product that was 'chicken' breasts filled with vegan cheese and marinara sauce. Yes please.

I threw those in the oven for a few minutes while the sides were prepared. WF had beautiful green beans, so I grabbed those and steamed them with a bit of sea salt. A dab of butter and a handful of crushed almonds made it delish. Then, I set to work on one of my favorite dishes--curry mashed sweet potato. Simply chop up a sweet potato and microwave for a few minutes, until tender. Mash the potato with a bit of veggie broth or orange juice. Mix in a small spoonful of curry powder and blend thoroughly. The spicy and sweet flavors play off of each other so well. Delish!

Monkey Brains

2010-05-17T15:52:00.001-05:00

One of my big weaknesses is banana Laffy Taffy, so I nearly did backflips when I spotted banana scent for soap. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this scent and some melt and pour glycerin soap base. My new brain-shaped mold was waiting, so it was time to create monkey brains. That's right--they are delightful soaps that smell like sweet banana candy and look like little brains.

Look for a two pack of these little guys in my Etsy shop.

Goodies in my Etsy shop

2010-05-14T10:46:00.002-05:00

I am slightly ADD when it comes to crafting, so I am always making new things. These ceramic drink coasters were created with bathroom tiles, beautiful paper, and heat-safe varnish. They are backed with cork to prevent scratches on that lovely coffee table.

There are kawaii woodland creatures, black and white herringbone, and even Mickey Mouse designs. Find them in my Etsy shop or send me a convo to make you a custom set. I can take family photos or a favorite drawing to create custom drink coasters.

My Etsy Shop

How Does My Garden Grow?

2010-05-13T23:13:00.006-05:00

I was out of town for over a week and couldn't wait to see the garden when I returned. What I found shocked me. The tiny cabbage and cauliflower plants I left behind were replaced by this.

The spinach, which made a delicious little salad before my spaghetti dinner.

Romaine lettuce that is coming up rather patchy. Perhaps I planted some of the seeds a bit deep. Tiny carrots are visible in the bottom of the photo. They seem to be growing well even though some are shaded by the cabbage plants.

The Garden

2010-04-24T21:37:00.007-05:00

My seedlings are growing well! The top picture shows the spinach, romaine lettuce and radishes. Cauliflower and cabbage are visible in the second view. Carrots have been planted around the outer edge of the entire bed, so I look forward to those.

In My Headphones

2010-04-13T13:57:00.007-05:00

I've been on a concert spree lately and wanted to share some of the music I enjoyed last night. Florence + The Machine performed at Chicago's House of Blues and I was lucky enough to score a ticket to this sold out show. Check out the below video I found on YouTube from another one of her performances. In addition to the her gorgeous red hair, she has one hell of a voice. Her entire album "Lungs" is beautiful and well worth a listen.

32 Square Feet

2010-04-07T15:56:00.003-05:00

When I was young, my parents grew a large garden every year. We lived in a small town in central Illinois, so it was easy to come across large sections of land. My mother had a small garden in our back yard and it was an excellent place during summer rainstorms. I have fond memories of squishing my feet until they were covered in muddy goodness. It's a good thing that we had a garden hose!

My parents' larger garden included an assortment of tomato, potato, pepper, rhubarb and beans. It was located in the back of a friend's farm field. We harvested buckets of produce every summer and canned the extras for use during the winter. My mother truly has a green thumb. She can pick up a dead twig and make it grow, while my attempts at gardening seem to die instantaneously.

Two years ago, I decided to change that and have my own garden. I purchased planters, seeds, and fertilizer and waited with endless optimism to plant my tomato and peppers. Apparently Memorial Day is not a good time to start plants. The first produced just as fall and frost descended upon Chicago.

Last summer, I had much better luck as I started my seeds inside in March. We were able to enjoy fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, strawberries, carrots and the most incredible jalapenos on the planet.

This year is my greatest garden endeavor to date. I have a raised bed in a community garden and a concrete backyard jungle behind my house. Join me as I see just how much can be produced from 32 square feet.

Time for a Change

2010-04-02T11:01:00.003-05:00

After some time away from the blog and even baking, I have decided to make a few changes. Although I love cupcakes, I also want to share craft, recipe and gardening ideas. Start looking for new posts!

Can Grown-ups Get a Summer Vacation Too?

2009-08-28T11:05:00.005-05:00

Summertime always seems to be in short supply here in Chicago, so I try to get out and enjoy it as much as possible. This year has been no exception, but it has been difficult. We have experienced some of the coldest summer days in the last century. Hooray...

Despite the weather, I have attempted to get out and do something.

So what have I been up to?

Gardening

I am really lucky to have a large back patio area at my building, but it is lacking in an important gardening supply--dirt. So I improvised and pulled out lots of planters and bags of Miracle-Gro potting soil with the special water management beads. I tend to baby my plants and overwater them, thus resulting in dead garden. Sad. It is even more depressing considering that I grew up in a virtual jungle. My mother is the proud owner of the world's greenest thumb. She casts a mere glance at a dead twig, and it springs to life, boasting new leaves and flowers. Me? That same dead twig manages to become even more dead...if that's even possible.

But this year, things are different! I consulted my organic gardening book and set to work. I planted cherry and plum tomato, eggplant, cucumber, basil, mesclun lettuce, carrots, oregano (I cheated and bought this one), pumpkin, butternut squash and a variety of peppers. So far, we have enjoyed a little harvest from the garden, but there was a major fail on the squash and probably pumpkin as well. I grew one mini butternut that promptly turned yellow and fell off the next week. Damn. My pumpkin also developed powdery mildew and I think it's a goner. I did have a bumper crop of jalapenos, and you'll hear more about those.

Overall, it has been nice to have a little greenery in my concrete jungle of a yard. I like knowing that there's a little place to sit and read while the dogs run after a tennis ball.

De-cluttering

I spent the early summer helping my brother clean out his house after his wife passed. There was so much stuff and I realized than that I didn't want to spend my life surrounded by too much clutter. So we organized a massive garage sale....think tables upon tables upon tables. It was beyond exhausting. But I managed to clean out the extra junk in my house and sewing studio, and I am so happy!! This leads me to my next "to do"...

Crafting

It's so much easier to sew when you can actually get to the sewing machine. What a novel concept. I have stitched up a few new aprons, including the lovely blue cupcake one below. My birthday present was a new serger, which I love beyond words. I totally underestimated how much a serger would speed up my sewing, so it was a great investment.

I also have been working on ceramic drink coasters and will be posting those on Etsy very soon. Here's a sneak peak at my favorite set so far (delicious beer not included).

Cross your fingers for me. I'm hoping to get into at least one craft fair during this holiday season!

Kitchen Goodies

Of course, I have been baking, although not as much as the colder months. There is one main project that I have experimented with, but that must wait for another day. Here's a hint: it involves an amazing beer. I'm a gal who loves beer!

If you're still reading, this is where I talk about the jalapenos. I haven't done any canning since I was young and making jellies for the 4H County Fair. Don't ask... After reading some of the labels on jams and jellies and wondering why I can't pronounce half of the ingredients, I decided to make my own. The currants from my farmers' market adventure were getting a little sad, so I decided the best course of action was to make jelly. Let me tell you, currant jelly is gorgeous and ridiculously easy to make.

Tonight I plan to make some jalapeno jelly from the little patio garden harvest. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm a big fan of hot food so wish me luck.

Farmers Market and Fundraising

2009-07-14T16:44:00.004-05:00

I was able to sneak out to a fantastic Farmers' Market during my lunch hour today. It always amazes me how Chicago can tuck these amazing little markets between huge skyscrapers. My favorite is the Tuesday market at Adams and Dearborn, near the Federal buildings.

I picked up some lovely red and white currants, which are nearly impossible for me to find, even in the best produce markets. A charming lad of about 12 sold me a lavender plant and told me how working there was much more enjoyable than school. Oh, to be young again and have every summer free! Today's final purchase was my obligatory pack of five heart-shaped brownies made by a fantastic charity called Misericordia. They employ disabled adults in their bakery, restaurant, gift shop, and resale store. I would like to think that these brownies are calorie-free due to their charitable connection, but I'm sure that's wishful thinking.

With the assistance of my good friend Martha, I am trying to determine exactly how to use the currants. So far, I have one recipe for red currant jam and I am stumped. I typically use dried currants for scones, so I need new ideas!

I will be baking this weekend for a darling friend and neighbor. She worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana for two years and is running the Chicago Marathon with the AIDS Foundation. Our friends, co-workers and families have the option to order cupcakes by me to help with her fundraising costs. That should keep me busy most of the day, but hopefully I can snap some pictures of the finished products.

Shameless plug: If you want to help her achieve her fundraising goal and make a difference in the fight against HIV and AIDS, check out her page at http://afc.aidschicago.org/netcommunity/jenschneidman

A Quick Hello

2009-06-12T11:38:00.001-05:00

I have been a blogging slacker lately--bad FROSTED!

Unfortunately, I haven't been baking much lately. I have been spending most of my free time cleaning and packing up my brother's house. Hopefully it will all be ready soon and he can sell the place!

On a sad note, my new pink Dell laptop died last weekend:( Luckily it is covered by the warranty, but this still leaves me without a personal computer for over two weeks.

Back to the insanity and hopefully I'll have time to bake something very soon!

Prepare Yourself for Freedom Cupcakes

2009-04-22T13:24:00.003-05:00

I have been running around like crazy lately, finishing my second half marathon a few weeks ago and working on some custom cupcake topper orders. I need to post pictures of the one order, which was for a 30th birthday party and featured 80's cartoon characters. They were so much fun to make and I found myself singing the Jem theme song a few too many times...truly, truly, truly outrageous.

This weekend is our 2nd annual Freedom Day Braai and I am going to make the damn cupcakes I missed last year. Freedom Day is a South African celebration of the country's first democratic elections and a braai is a traditional barbeque. After checking the evite, I might have 50 people wandering around my backyard for the braai, so I'm gleeful just thinking of all those happy little cupcake taste testers:)

Mango cupcakes sound like the flavor choice, but I'm still debating decorations. I could make S.A. cupcake toppers or possibly attempt to draw the flag on each one. Such decisions!

Lill Studio Sample Sale Finds

2009-03-09T13:58:00.004-05:00

There is a custom purse store here in Chicago and they hosted a sample sale on Saturday morning. Luckily, their warehouse isn't too far from my house, so I decided to check it out. The sale started at 8am, but I wanted to get first dibs at any goodies. At 6:45 am, I was 5th in line.

Fella thought I was crazy when the alarm went off at 6:15. He asked where I was going and I reminded him about the purses. His response? "You're going purse shopping at 6am?" Sigh, men.

I managed to score some pretty great deals, including purse handles, blank headbands and three gigantic bags of fabric!! I am still debating about what projects to start, but I know there will be some key chains/fobs and other little treats for my Etsy shop. Time to fire up the sewing machine and sew away!

They also had a lot of purses for 50% off, which seemed like a great deal, but my budget didn't allow for any new bags. Ok, I lie...I did get one cute little $15 purse for myself. It was originally $62, so I justified it by saying that I was saving 75%.

Lazy Sunday

2009-03-08T12:05:00.005-05:00

It's a rainy Sunday morning in Chicago, so perfect for sleeping in.

Witness the phenomenon known as Croco-dog. Part crocodile, part dog, she lies in wait until food appears. Although, she can often be coaxed out with peanut butter or the promise of a long walk.

No baking today, but I do have a mission for later this week. My vegan friend at work recently discovered that she is also gluten-intolerant (how fun). So I bought some GF baking mix at Whole Foods and will attempt to make her something delicious for her birthday. Wish me luck...

Iron Cupcake February:Coffee

2009-02-24T09:40:00.010-06:00

I was extremely excited when February's Iron Cupcake ingredient was announced. Coffee is one of my absolute favorite things in the world and I just got a new coffee press.

Immediately, I thought about the Bailey's and coffee cupcakes that I created for St. Patrick's Day last year. They were very delicious but I have been thinking of reworking the recipe for a while. I wanted to do something that would bring out more of the Bailey's flavor and have a more tender crumb.

This was also a good excuse to buy a big bottle of Bailey's:)

I altered my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe to make it coffee-tastic (did I actually just write that?).

Makes 12 cupcakes.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white, at room temp
1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup+1tsp STRONG brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pan for 12 cupcakes.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl, use mixer to combine sugar and butter until fluffy (3-5 minutes). Add the egg and egg white slowly and beat well. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add the milk. Add 1/3 more flour mixture and then add the coffee. Mix in the rest of the flour mixture until just combined (don't overbeat your cupcakes or they will be disgusting).

Drink some Bailey's on ice and fill 12 cupcake papers with equal amounts of batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the cupcakes are baking, mix up the Bailey's filling. This portion of the recipe comes from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

One package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons Bailey's (or any brand) Irish creme

Mix all ingredients with electric mixture until it has the consistency of thick pudding. I hate pudding, but for some reason, I'm in love with this stuff. I'm sure that has nothing to do with the Bailey's...

Finally, mix up the frosting and wish for a second Kitchenaid mixer bowl. I made a basic and incredibly light chocolate buttercream:

The measurements are approximate, I usually just add flavorings and powdered sugar until it's the right consistency.

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar

splash of heavy whipping cream (this will give it that light texture)

Using electric mixer, cream butter for approximately 3 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in cocoa powder, powdered sugar and whipping cream.

To assemble the cakes, wait until they are completely cool! I cut out a little cone shape in the tops of each cupcake with a very sharp steak knife. Then I drop in a dollop of Bailey's filling and squish the top back on the cupcake. If it squirts out the sides a bit, no worries! Once the frosting is added, no one will notice.

I top my cupcakes with Wilton icing bags and a star tip, but you can just as easily spread it on with a spoon. Personally, I like the swirls. Add a chocolate-covered espresso bean if you feel inclined.

The winner of Februry's coffee challenge gets all these goodies:

DIANAEVANS - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5599270
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382 As an added bonus for February, SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in a variety of cupcaking supplies, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com/, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com/, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com/; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com/; a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com/ .

Valentine Treats for Everyone

2009-02-14T00:25:00.006-06:00

My furry assistant chef and I spent the evening making Valentine treats for our friends. She even designed a special Valentine card for her pal, Rusty. Tomorrow we'll deliver the treats and post some pics and recipes!

I found a recipe for peanut butter dog cookies, and thought it might be a nice treat. Duchess loves peanut butter and I wanted to make something special for her and Rusty. Rusty's humans are always willing to take care of Duchess when I'm running late or away on vacation.

Disclaimer: In light of the recent salmonella scare, this peanut butter is ok. I have been using this jar for a while and it hasn't killed me yet. It should be safe for the pups!

These little treats were really easy to make and are guaranteed to make any pup happy.

1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky

2 cups wheat flour

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon baking powder

Mix all ingredients, preferably with an electric mixer. You could also mix by hand, if you don't mind smelling like peanut butter all day. Roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick for bigger cookies. If your pup is smaller, roll it out to 1/4 and bake it for a few minutes less. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters--we made bones and hearts. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or 16-17 for smaller cookies.

The best Christmas present ever

2009-02-10T22:40:00.006-06:00

I completely forgot to post about my greatest Christmas present! Almost a year ago, I posted about the elusive Cupcake Cookie Jar at Target that I passed up. I spent the next month calling every Target in the Chicagoland region, hoping for one left on a shelf somewhere. My efforts were in vain and I had almost forgotten about that wonderful little cookie jar.

Come Christmas, my little mommy told me that she had a special present. My mother isn't typically, um, great at buying presents. I usually get strange things, like long johns or a sweater with appliqued reindeer. Instead, she outdid herself!

It isn't the one from Target, but I still love it! She discovered this adorable cookie jar last summer at the local Cracker Barrel and bought it for me. She even found a cute spatula with cupcakes to go along with it.

So, while cleaning out my kitchen during vacation, I found the perfect spot for it next to my straw holder (a gift from my supercool old roomie). In case you were wondering, the cookie jar is holding a stash of Cadbury chocolates and Butterfinger bells.

Thanks Mom!

Voting now open for Iron Cupcake

2009-01-30T12:05:00.003-06:00

Just a reminder that voting is now open for Iron Cupcake at http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/

All of the wine creations look wonderful and they are making me very hungry!

Iron Cupcake Challenge Wine-Pineapple Champagne Punch

2009-01-24T11:06:00.009-06:00

I finally decided to get my act in gear and submit an entry for the Iron Cupcake contest. I'm already baking cupcakes anyway and besides, who wouldn't want to win some awesome prizes?

(The fine print).

Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
DOGBONE ART - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22042
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!As an added bonus for January, our friend at SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com/, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com/, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com/; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com/; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com/. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com/ .

Now onto the good stuff--the cupcake! This month's challenge was to use wine, so I used some basic Korbel champagne that was in the cupboard. Then, I checked out lots of different champagne recipes and chose "Pineapple Champagne Punch". It is a light punch made with pineapple and lemon juices, sugar and champagne. I think that the dry champagne combines nicely with the sweetness of the pineapple and the tartness of the lemon. Try for yourself!

I chose to make a light lemon cake with pineapple glaze and sweet champagne frosting.

For the cake, an altered vanilla cake recipe from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white, at room temp

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract or lemon juice

1/2 cup milk (soy milk is also fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pan for 12 cupcakes.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl, use mixer to combine sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the egg and egg white slowly and beat well. Add lemon extract or juice. Beat well and then add 1/3 of the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Repeat until the flour and milk are all added. Mix until the flour is just combined (don't overbeat your cupcakes).

I always use an ice cream scoop to level out even cupcakes. Fill your 12 cupcake papers and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely before the next step.

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp pineapple juice

1 tsp pineapple

I used a can of crushed pineapple for the glaze and still had plenty left over.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and use immediately. This glaze will harden if left exposed to air, which is great once it's on the cupcakes. To easily glaze the cooled cupcakes, I dip them into the glaze and twist a couple of times. Let the glaze cool while you prepare the frosting.

For the frosting:

1 stick butter or shortening, room temp

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tbsp champagne

Using electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Slowly combine the powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Add champagne to taste and more powdered sugar, if necessary. I used a piping bag to add a small flourish of frosting to the tops of the glazed cupcakes.

Enjoy! I may or may not have eaten one of these for breakfast today. Let's just call it a taste test.
So, try these out and then head over to http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/ and vote for my creation. Come on, I could always use more kitchen utensils that have little bodies on them!

New Pink Computer

2009-01-15T11:58:00.004-06:00

My old laptop computer has been chugging along on its last legs for over a year. I still had tons of songs and files saved on it, so those were backed up and the computer was left tucked under the bed.

I decided that it was time to have my own computer and stop stealing Fella's all of the time. He has his own work to finish and probably doesn't understand why I need to check out Etsy for hours on end. The research began and I finally decided on Dell's Outlet section because they had a great selection of "previously ordered new" computers with lots of memory. I had my heart set on a sunshine yellow computer, but went with a flamingo pink one that had the best memory and hard drive for the price.

"She" arrived and has found a home in the crafty room. I look forward to listing more items on Etsy and designing as well. My tech-saavy big brother sent me Adobe Photoshop and some other fun software to use in my creations. To keep with tradition, I named her ('cause I'm sure it's a she) Princess.

The old laptop is still in good enough condition to donate to a charity, and I found a women's shelter that can use it. Everyone wins! I get a new computer and some deserving women get a second chance at life.

Holy Smokes, it's 2009!

2009-01-06T12:27:00.002-06:00

I'm convinced that time goes faster as I get older. That or I just have a lot more to do, so it seems like the time moves.

Anyhow, Happiest 2009 to you! I celebrated in fine Frosted fashion...on the couch with a Shiner Holiday Cheer beer and a movie. Then, I moved to the nightmare of a sewing/craft room and turned it into a workable space for my creative endeavors. There is still work to be done in the crafty haven, such as photos and organizing of some fabric bins. Overall, I am happy. Fella is also excited at the prospect of a fabric-scrap-free living room.

The kitchen is my next item on the to-do list, but that requires a trip to Ikea first. We all know that Ikea runs are not small events. There are multitudes of goodies for a shopaholic like me, so I need to stick to my plan and purchase only the needed items.

Happy Christmas!

2008-12-24T13:33:00.001-06:00

Have a very happy Christmas!

Madison Craftacular Recap

2008-12-10T08:48:00.003-06:00

We had a great time at the Madison Holiday Craftacular! There were so many talented artists there and I found quite a few things that I absolutely NEED. The fella will be getting my holiday wish list soon. As someone who is new to these shows, I was amazed by everyone's displays and cute creations. I can't wait to design a better booth and do more shows!

Thanks again to Naomi at Glitter Workshop for organizing such a wonderful event and to everyone who stopped by!

Madison Holiday Craftacular

2008-11-25T16:54:00.003-06:00

If you live anywhere near Madison, you need to visit the Holiday Craftacular on December 6! I'll be there with my aprons, Gocco cards and maybe some cupcake toppers. (We'll see how much I can finish before then).

Remember, December 6 from 10-6 at the Madison Masonic Center at 301 Wisconsin Avenue!!

I was a busy little bee this holiday weekend, stitching up a few new aprons. My personal favorite is the reversible flames/hot shirtless firemen apron that could be yours!

Apples and Spice and Some Caramel for good measure

2008-11-25T16:50:00.006-06:00

I had these lovely apples sitting on my kitchen counter. What should I do with them?

I'm making good on my promise of fall cupcakes with these Spiced Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream. We started a new tradition of a pre-Thanksgiving party and I decided to bring, surprise, cupcakes. Now, this is a hard crowd to please. Many have tried my other cupcake varieties, so I couldn't fall back on any old standby. Plus, I had some Granny Smith apples sitting on my counter. I figured I might as well use them before they turned into mushy applesauce.

So, the Spiced Apple Cupcake was born! Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice are the stars of this cupcake show.

Update: The camera cord has been located, so I can finally upload some pics.

Election Day

2008-11-04T11:09:00.004-06:00

I won't tell you who to vote for today, but I do encourage you to make your voice heard. Get out and vote!

I made these little beauties for some friends at the Chicago Obama headquarters. They were quite a hit with the volunteers!

I freakin' love fall!

2008-09-29T16:49:00.003-05:00

I don't know what it is, but autumn is my favorite time of the year. Sure, I love hot weather and afternoons on the Chicago lakefront. But fall always feels like a carpe diem season...seize the days before they slip away into the darkness of winter (which I hate).

So, in honor of my favorite season, let the autumn cupcake baking begin. One of my favorite recipes comes from Bake and Destroy (seriously, I've never met her, but I would probably die from excitement if I ever did). She featured these tasty little pumpkin cupcakes on her blog last year, so check them out and save some for me.

I am also planning on making special Halloween treats for the kiddies in my neighborhood. They are really great kids and always visit with me when I walk Duchess. They have dubbed themselves "The Duchess Fan Club" so I think they deserve something special just for that! I found some awesome 3D cookie cutters on the clearance rack at Williams Sonoma last year and will attempt to make those.

Cupcakes in London

2008-09-29T11:23:00.005-05:00

I spent the last 1.5 weeks in London on holiday and sadly missed out on English cupcakes:( I did find one cute shop called Candy Cakes, which was right down the street from the Cambridge Theatre. We were running in to catch Chicago and I stopped and drooled on the window. Of course, we didn't have time to stop in before the show and I promised myself I'd buy a shiny colorful cake afterwards.

They were closed. Damn. I was left to stand there, staring through the glass like a hungry kid, leaving little face marks on the glass.

On my UK adventure next summer, I will check it out! The cakes were super colorful, almost neon and very shiny. I'm adding DayGlo cupcakes to my list of things to attempt. I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried their cakes.

I'm Baaaack

2008-08-18T16:47:00.003-05:00

I took a little blog vacation, as well as a real vacation! I have been baking quite a lot lately, and finished up an order of Cincinnati Bengals cupcakes yesterday. Although I'm a Bears fan, the customer gets what they want:)

I have been preparing for my upcoming London vacation by checking out all of the potential cupcake shops. So far, I have a short list and plan on trying as many as possible. Yum.

For Ollie

2008-07-18T08:04:00.005-05:00

I know this is a blog about cupcakes and other fun desserts, but I wanted to take a moment to remember our furry family members. For the last few months, Ollie has been living upstairs with our friends and spending his time hanging out with my dog, Duchess. He was the only dog she ever warmed to and it was fun to watch them play together on the front porch. They loved to go for walks together and compete for attention. It was quite the comical sight--the old lady dog who plods along and stops to sniff everything and the rambunctious youngster who jumps and leaps. Recently, he started going for runs with me and was an excellent training partner.

I am sad to say that he passed away yesterday. Goodbye, little friend. You will be missed!

Come find me at Pitchfork Music Fest

2008-07-07T19:27:00.005-05:00

If you're in the market for a cute apron for cooking, cleaning, gardening or simply prancing around the house, then you're in luck! I will be selling my Frosted aprons at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. I have been MIA lately because I'm chained to my sewing machine and still freaking out that I don't have enough stuff to sell.,

My latest creation was a special order for my friend, Rachel, who is one of the cool people at work. She loves skulls and Dia de los Muertos, so I fashioned her an apron out of Alexander Henry's "Los Novios" fabric with orange accents. Here she is, styling the apron while whipping up a delicious vegan gluten-free feast!

I am working on some special pin-up girl, skull, cupcake and camo aprons for Pitchfork, so come on by if you'll be in the Windy City!! There will be tons of cool, crafted goods from other awesome people too. Get a sneak preview here.

Miss American Cupcake Contest

2008-06-30T17:10:00.013-05:00

Illinois is the home to many great foods--deep dish pizza, Chicago style hot dogs (no ketchup please!), and my favorite, the horseshoe sandwich. However, none of those things would really make a great cupcake. Try as I may, I just can't envision a cupcake made of Vienna Beef...

We Illinoisans love our food, so much that we even have a weeklong festival entitled "Taste of Chicago". Tourists come from near and far to sample the wide array of fat-laden treats.
I am proud to represent Illinois, a vast and varied state, from the glitz of Chicago's Magnificent Mile to the peaceful farms of rural towns. I looked far and wide across our lovely to find a variety of tastes and inspiration and created my little piece of Illinois:

Frango Mint Chocolate with Vanilla Buttercream and Oreo Crumble

"Give the lady what she wants" is a popular catchphrase for anyone who has shopped at the Chicago department store. Marshall Field and Company covers an entire city block and is home to the iconic Frango mints. These tasty little chocolates make an excellent cupcake!

If you enjoy tofu, be sure to thank Illinois for being the nation's top producer of soy. Look for some delicious soy yogurt in these cuppycakes.

Market researchers have often chosen Peoria as a typical American city and Illinois has been described as the nation's most average state. Jealous, aren't you? I chose a basic vanilla buttercream to represent this fact and to show that "average" can still be delicious.

As a topping, I added crushed Oreo cookies. Why is that? Glad you asked...
Chicago's Nabisco factory is the world's largest cookie factory and where those delicious cream-filled Oreos are made. The crumbled Oreos also represent southern Illinois' active coal mining industry. (Little Oreo crumbs=lumps of coal...humor me).

Finally, Illinois isn't Illinois without sports. We may not agree about which baseball team is best (Cubs) but most of cheer for the same football team, the Chicago Bears. Orange and blue are team colors for the Bears, as well as the University of Illinois, which is my alma mater. My buttercream is striped orange and blue to show my loyalty to the state's premier public university. ILL-INI!!

Here's the recipe. Feel free to dance around your kitchen and sing "Illinois Loyalty". I did.

Frango Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

3 oz. Frango mints (approximately 12 pieces)
1 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 c. soy or regular vanilla yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 c. water

Using a double boiler, melt mints until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl (or electric mixer bowl), beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended. On lower speed, mix in the melted mints. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and blend. Add the vanilla and mix until the batter is creamy and slightly lighter. Mix in the soy yogurt until no white streaks remain. On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated.

Fill cupcake papers to just below the top. These cupcakes do not rise as high.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream
1 stick butter, at room temp
3 c. powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Blend butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly until completely mixed. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

For the orange and blue buttercream, I dyed the icing orange and made stripes inside the pastry bag with blue gel food coloring. I used a toothpick to draw stripes down the side and then filled the bag and let it sit while the cupcakes cooled.

Top cupcakes with buttercream. Sprinkle crushed Oreos on top just before serving, to prevent them from becoming soggy.

Happy Birthday to Meeeee!

2008-06-24T14:31:00.006-05:00

Yes, today is my birthday! Hopefully I will have some time tonight to whip up treats for myself:)

I am still planning the birthday celebration for Duchess as well. She actually turned 12 near the beginning of June, but I wanted to have a little doggy party for her. Yes, I'm weird like that. No, I don't make her wear clothes. At least not that often...

Black and White Cupcakes

2008-06-13T10:28:00.005-05:00

Black and White Cupcakes, or as I prefer to call them, Ebony and Ivory. These were a special treat for my co-workers last week and I topped them with a raspberry buttercream.
YUM!

For the recipe, check out Martha. The easiest way to make these is by mixing both batters at once. I set out two sets of bowls and measured out the ingredients into each as I went along. This way, the batter didn't set out too long and get gooey. I used a medium scoop to place the vanilla batter in each cupcake paper. Then, I washed it quickly and went back with the chocolate.

Next time, I'll use two scoops to avoid any spillover between the flavors.

Here are some delicious white cakes for my friend, Elizabeth's, birthday BBQ!

Surprises In Store

2008-05-19T11:40:00.008-05:00

It was a busy weekend, full of chocolate and mint cupcakes. If you like Andes mints, then you'll want to check back for the recipe. The picture didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but it's hard to get good photos when hungry friends are surrounding you. These cupcakes are my go-to sour cream chocolate cupcake recipe with a mint buttercream. To make your own minty fresh buttercream:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco (I ran out of butter, )
3 cups powdered sugar
spearmint flavoring (I found mine at Sur la Table)

Cream the butter (and/or Crisco) using an electric mixer for approximately 2 minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar, flavoring and a few drops of green food coloring.

I used an open star tip to pipe on the icing. For a little fancy flourish, I melted some leftover chocolate ganache and drizzled it over the tops of these sweet treats.

The end result was like eating a giant Andes mint. Super creamy buttercream and rich chocolate cupcakes make any BBQ awesome!

Also, I've been plotting some new recipes lately, one being a very unique birthday treat for someone very special. I have noticed a lot of traffic lately from Google by those searching for dog-shaped cupcakes. Fine, I'll break down and do it. I will make canine cakes. Happy now?

Martha's at it again

2008-05-14T15:06:00.003-05:00

I recently found this gem of a book, titled "Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes". I'm not in the market for a wedding cake, but this book was on the new book shelf at my local library. This is a great book, complete with full-color photos of each cake and tips on decorating and baking.

Of course, I would never pay $60 for my own copy, so I will be waiting until the book is at Michael's and I have a 50% off coupon. My personal favorite is the honeybee cake, so I am trying to find an excuse to make a cake. Anyone, anyone?

Find it on Amazon here! Don't forget to order me a copy too!!

You can never have too much chocolate

2008-05-05T11:00:00.009-05:00

These are some delicious chocolate cupcakes with a creamy chocolate ganache topping. Based on a recipe from Cupcakes by Elinor Klivans (I'm starting to feel like an Elinor groupie, but her recipes are great).

The original recipe calls for a mousse filling, but I left that out because the cupcakes were too crumbly.

Cupcakes (18 regular, 12 jumbo or 60 minis):
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. water

Using a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl (or electric mixer bowl), beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended. On lower speed, mix in the melted chocolate. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and blend. Add the vanilla and mix until the batter is creamy and slightly lighter. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not overmix!
Fill cupcake papers to just below the top. These cupcakes do not rise as high.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan before you remove them.

Ganache:
I made this in a double boiler, but it can also be made in a small saucepan.
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter. Add the whipping cream and continue heating until little bubbles form. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit 1 minute to allow chocolate to melt. Add the vanilla and whisk mixture until melted thoroughly.

The verdict:
The flavor on these was delicious! The cake was moist and very chocolately, but also crumbly. I was going to cut off the tops of the cupcakes and fill with mousse. However, I think they would have fallen apart, as some cupcakes did when I removed them from the pan. I will try them again with an extra tablespoon of flour to thicken the batter.

You can find the chocolate brown cupcake papers at www.confectioneryhouse.com
They have a nice variety of colors for about $3.50 a pack.

When Good Bakers Go Bad

2008-04-29T15:01:00.004-05:00

It's not the title of a bad horror film, just the events in my kitchen last week. I had an order for a theme party and she asked for Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes. I knew that I had a recipe for them at home, but I forgot that it was vegan and required me to purchase a bunch of odd ingredients.

First oops.

So, while I should have been baking, I headed online to find a quick recipe. I stumbled onto "I Heart Cuppycakes" and her amazing Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes! There were lots of great comments, so I figured that they would be a surefire hit.

Of course, I had waited until late at night to start baking, so I hurried through the recipe, poured the batter into my pretty red, blue and orange cupcake papers, and put them in the oven.

Second oops.

I used her Cuppycakes' cinnamon frosting recipe and it tasted great. Just a hint of flavor without too much sweetness, and I second her recommendation of using less powdered sugar.
So, with my Wilton bag full of buttercream and the dishes in the sink, I peer into my oven...

My Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes are not rising! GASP! They are almost done and yet they sit 1/3 inch from the top of the cupcake paper. What am I going to do?? I can't possibly top them with THAT much buttercream, can I? When I finally pull them from the oven, they have the consistency of fudge, but the taste is good.

It is now 11 PM and I am distraught. I go through the recipe, trying to figure out what went wrong...I forgot to add baking soda.

Third oops.

Well, I quickly re-made another half batch and gleefully watched them grow to the size of normal cupcakes. They cooled overnight and headed to work with me in the morning, where my friend was delighted with the end result. I ended up making more for my BBQ on Saturday and they were amazing.

So, what have I learned from this ordeal?

-Don't rush while baking.
-Do measure out all ingredients ahead of time and set them out.
-Do read the entire recipe first.
-Don't be a doofus because you will waste ingredients and cupcake papers.
-Do make these cupcakes for your friends and family because they are very delicious!

Farewell Old Oven

2008-04-22T14:13:00.003-05:00

I need a new fridge and my landlord promised me that she would get it. So, I was pleasantly surprised when she called me to say that she had my new fridge--and my new oven! Apparently the new oven even has this fantastic control where you can regulate the temperature...my old oven was in sad shape. My landlord is the funniest because she doesn't cook and joked that she didn't even notice the missing knob on the oven for the entire time she lived in my apartment. She says that the new oven is quiet impressive and descibes it as "a cook's dream".

Of course, I found out that the new appliances are coming on the day that we planned a big BBQ! I had also just gone to the grocery store and loaded up on food, so that will all have to be moved over to the new fridge.

Cross your fingers that my favorite Chicago Metallic 24 cupcake pan fits in the new oven!!

I plan to send the old oven out in style by baking chocolate cupcakes tonight and more special treats later this week.

Here's a hint:
This weekend is a very special holiday around my house. It is the 14th celebration of this holiday and we plan to mark the occasion with a traditional cookout. Any guesses?

Stitching up a storm!

2008-04-15T16:00:00.003-05:00

I gave myself an ultimatum--start working on the fabric stash or else! With all of the bright colors and array of fun fabrics, places like Joann's and Hancock Fabrics are my weakness. I can't walk out empty-handed.

So, it's time to do something with all of that fabric that is neatly tucked into plastic bins in my craft room. I've been sewing and making some fun little reversible aprons to sell in my Etsy shop.

The above apron is a reversible turquoise and chocolate brown half style. I designed it to fit a size "Xtra Xtra Lovely" lady (coined by my friend, Jeni) because plus-sized women need cute stuff too! The reverse side is a turquoise striped pattern without pockets. You can't see from the pic, but this light turquoise fabric has cute little brown polka dots.

Find it in my Etsy shop here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10928451

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

2008-04-14T22:25:00.007-05:00

My latest cupcake creation was inspired by one of my favorite foods...Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. When I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking, I often make this nostalgic treat for dinner. A little toast, some creamy peanut butter and strawberry jelly makes me super happy! Yes, I eat like a 3 year old sometimes...

I also love that video clip of a dancing banana who sings, "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time" and this cupcake reminds me of that.

I found a great peanut butter cupcake recipe in Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans and started from there. I couldn't decide whether to fill the cupcakes with jelly or mix it into the frosting. I decided to top my PB cupcakes with a delicious jelly buttercream. Sounds good, eh?

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter at room temp
1 cup packed brown sugar (recipe says dark, but light worked fine)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. (I never sift anything, so do as you wish).
Using the electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until blended and creamy. Mix in the egg. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute, or until batter is smooth. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions. Mix until the flour is just incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

These cupcakes do not rise as much as some others, so you can fill the liners a bit fuller. Bake until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned, about 22 minutes. If you overbake, the cupcakes will shrink. There will be a few small cracks on top.

For the frosting:

I decided against doing a jelly filling and whipped up this random little Raspberry Mango Jelly Buttercream! I found a jar of this lovely jelly at my local Aldi and incorporated it into a standard buttercream recipe.

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp

1 small jar raspberry or strawberry jelly or about 6 oz.

powdered sugar (approximately 2.5 cups)

Using stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip the butter until it is fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add jelly and powdered sugar, continue mixing. I used my favorite star tip and icing bag to make the cute swirls.

Should you be one of those people who likes grape jelly on your PBJ sandwiches, you could probably also use that in the frosting. Me? I think grape jelly is actually just purple slime, so I won't be trying it anytime soon.

The cupcakes turned out great! I refrigerated them overnight and thought that the flavor was even better the next day. I was very nervous about the combination, but my taste test team gave it two thumbs up! Pour a glass of cold milk, and you have the best afterschool, um afterwork treat.

Martha Stewart Cupcake Week

2008-03-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

Oh the joy! Next week, March 31-April 4, is Cupcake Week on Martha Stewart's show. As much as I adore the Martha and her awesome cookbooks, I never watch her show. Hey, some of us have to work all day and miss out on all the fun.

But I will have to figure out my VCR and tape the episodes. (Yes, I'm a dinosaur who doesn't have cable or a fancy Tivo). I'm not even sure if I have blank VHS tapes, so I may have to stop at Walgreen's on the way home from work.

And we all love contests, so be sure to check out Martha's cupcake decorating contest and a chance to win a cupcake tree. I've been wanting one of these for a while, but can't justify it. I only have so much kitchen and cabinet space...
http://www.marthastewart.com/contest-and-gallery?rsc=todaysidea_Homepage_Homepage_p3

Cupcake Book Addiction

2008-03-27T15:24:00.005-05:00

I seem to have amassed a little collection of cupcake books over the last year. After seeing them all together on my bookcase shelf, I decided that I should stop buying them. Here are some of my favorites:

Unfortunately, it seems like many of the books in stores have the same few recipes or are merely decorating books. Don't get me wrong--I think that dog-shaped cupcakes are adorable, but I don't need an entire book to show me how to turn Lassie into a vanilla cupcake. I have enough trouble keeping my real dog away from the cupcakes!!

My favorite cupcake book has been "Cupcakes!" by Elinor Klivans. Every one of her recipes that I've tried has been amazing and I am attempting to try the entire book. I stumbled upon her "Cupcake Deck" at the Paper Source last fall. It was cute and I couldn't resist. Now, I am developing my willpower and saying, "Slow down with the cupcake books!!"

Unless, of course, someone else wants to buy them for me!

Cupcakes and Marathons

2008-03-27T12:05:00.003-05:00

This post is less about cupcakes and more about running.

I was very excited this week to find out that I was picked in the random drawing for the 2008 Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. Ok, I'm only doing the half marathon portion, but I'm going to need a lot of fuel for those 13.1 miles. That's where cupcakes come in:) I think that the extra exercise means that I can eat more little sweet cakes.

For Easter, I ended up going with chocolate caramel cookies, which were eaten before I could take pictures! I guess I will just have to make more.

I fell off the face of the Earth...

2008-03-17T16:21:00.002-05:00

I realized that I haven't written anything in a couple of weeks. Life has been pretty hectic and cupcake time has been hard to come by.

This past weekend, we went downtown to watch them dye the Chicago River green and see the St. Patrick's Day parade. I made miniature Bailey's Cupcakes and topped them with Coffee Cream Cheese frosting which went over very well.

I will be working on a special little Easter cupcake which uses my other favorite snack, Jelly Belly beans. YUM!

DRUMROLL PLEASE...Presenting the Carrot Cupcakes

2008-02-27T09:09:00.007-06:00

I always think it sounds redundant to say Carrot "Cake" Cupcake. Anyway, here they are--straight from my oven to you. I had to laugh as I walked to work with these today because it seemed like cupcakes really brought joy. Even the people who don't get to eat them were smiling--my bus driver asked if they were for him and a typically grumpy co-worker started chatting with me in the elevator. It amazes me that a small baked good can bring a smile to the faces of strangers.

The recipe is from my favorite, Elinor Klivan's Cupcake Deck.

Carrot, Orange and Golden Raisin Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 cup finely chopped carrots
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp (I usually use the full 8 oz.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (this is the best part--don't leave it out)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the oil, vanilla and orange zest until blended. Mix in the flour mixture to incorporate it. Mix in the carrots, raisins and walnuts.

Fill each paper liner 3/4 full and bake until the top feels firm. This takes about 28 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly blended. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, about 1 minute, then beat on high speed for 1 minute to lighten the frosting further.

Fill your favorite pastry bag and use a large round tip to pipe icing onto the cupcakes. I decorated mine with little carrots, created with a Wilton writing tip. This takes a few extra minutes, but gives the cupcakes a cute, whimsical look.

This recipe has been my biggest success by far and I hope you will enjoy it too!!

Man the Ovens!

2008-02-26T15:02:00.002-06:00

Tonight I will be going wild in the kitchen, making the Carrot Cupcakes and attempting a new Chocolate Molten Cupcake. I'm very optimistic about this new recipe, knowing that I have an old standby if it fails.

I will also be making my Carrot Cupcakes in a mini version for the first time, so this will require me to actually pay attention while they bake.

I will get pictures of them before anyone is allowed in the kitchen to steal them all:) This will also be a good way to try out my new 24 cup Chicago Metallic pan from Williams-Sonoma. I received a $100 performance award at work and got to choose from different gift cards. Without any hesitation, I chose W-S and had a fun little shopping spree. The clerks were convinced that the cupcake pan wouldn't fit in my oven. I was nervous the whole way home, lugging my giant bag through the snow and praying that I wouldn't have to return the pan. I ran in my front door and went straight for the kitchen--it fit! Three cheers for my dinosaur oven!!

Some randomness: I was thinking about my mother's way of baking versus my method. She's an excellent cook and seems to be able to make things out of thin air. I swear that she never measures anything, just thows in what "looks right". And it always works for her! Why is that? I can carefully measure out flour, sugar and salt and still sometimes have a baking nightmare. Her mother baked the same way, tossing everything in her big mixing bowl and using an old handpowered mixer.

The Carrot Cupcakes are Coming! plus cupcake boxes

2008-02-25T11:23:00.003-06:00

I got an order for some of my Carrot Cupcakes last week, so this will be my first paid order! I am very excited to slowly make the transition from casual baker to paid cupcaketress. Yes, I just made up that word and I like it!

It seems like I've been slacking with my blog lately, but I've really been doing some spring cleaning around the house. Gotta have my cupcake and baking supplies in order before I can get super creative.

Note: if you are one of my co-workers, this also means that there will be Carrot Cupcakes on Wednesday. Yes, I know that you love me...

Transporting cupcakes is difficult, especially when you need 2 or 3 dozen. Sure, you can use your handy Cupcake Courier, but what if you don't want the hassle? I found these wonderful Cupcake Boxes in various sizes from Big River Packaging. They have single, half dozen, dozen, 2 dozen, and even 3 dozen sizes in white and pink! My first order of half dozen boxes is due to arrive today!! Hooray--unless it's pouring and the UPS man leaves them uncovered...

An Ode to My KitchenAid

2008-02-19T13:37:00.000-06:00

The beauty of baking is that you get to make mistakes. Sometimes they can be fixed, sometimes not, and yet other times, they end up creating a great surprise.

Well, I made a mistake while baking last week that resulted in lots of extra cupcakes. I originally intended to make about 4 dozen chocolate raspberry cupcakes for my co-workers, the fella's co-workers, and my friends' party. I make my recipe and double it, the whole time forgetting that the original recipe only makes 12 cupcakes. I end up with half the cupcakes I need, and decide that this is a good time to try a new recipe--Walnut and Maple Cupcakes from Ms. Martha herself.

I double that batch and have everything mixed together in my KitchenAid mixer when I realize that the original recipe makes 2 dozen. OOPS! I have just made many more cupcakes than I needed...

My KitchenAid, fondly known as the Orange Krush, was working through the giant bowl of batter as though it was air. I remember the days when I used a hand mixer and constantly waited for it to die in a dramatic fashion. Luckily, that never happened. I still use it for mixing frosting in the double boiler, but my KitchenAid is the Queen of Frosted's Kitchen! (Thanks to Mom for the best Christmas present ever!)

Valentine's Day Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

2008-02-18T09:34:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Schmalentine's Day! That pretty much sums up my feelings about this Hallmark holiday. Show your love all year round, folks! Bake your loved ones cupcakes:)

However, it is a good excuse to do a little baking. A co-worker's birthday was Feb. 15 and I had promised chocolate cupcakes for his big day. I used my standard vegan chocolate cupcake recipe, but mixed in some wonderful raspberry syrup. I'm not a fan of the raspberry extract because I think it tastes incredibly fake and not at all raspberry-like. So I was excited to find a bottle of raspberry syrup for coffees and such in the sale bin at Aldi. I substituted 2 tablespoons of the raspberry syrup, which gave the cupcakes a light berry flavor. I whipped up a batch of vegan frosting with the syrup and some hot pink food coloring. The pictures don't do these justice because they were literally glowing PINK! Back in the day, I used to have some spandex bike shorts that were this pink...yikes! But they (the cupcakes, not the spandex) were very delicious and the pink was acceptable since it was Valentine's Day.

Just for fun, I kept a few for myself and decorated them with my Screen Legends cupcake toppers. Nothing goes better with hot pink cupcakes than classic Marilyn and Audrey!!

The Red Velvet Recipe

2008-02-13T22:02:00.000-06:00

I noticed that the link to Better Homes and Gardens makes you sign in to see the recipe, so I decided to post it here. If you make the recipe, I would love to hear how it turns out! This is taken from the February 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens:

3 eggs
3/4 c. butter
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 oz. red food coloring
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar

1. Let eggs and butter stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium-high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla;beat until combined One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
3. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stire together baking soda and vinegar. (Remember that jr. high science project about volcanoes?) Add to batter; beat just until combined.
4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake 15-17 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and place right side up on cooling rack.
6. Frost with Buttercream Frosting (recipe below) if desired or dust with powdered sugar.

Buttercream Frosting
In medium saucepan whisk together 1 1/2 c. whole milk, 1/3 c. flour and dash salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stire 2 minutes more. Transfer to small bowl;cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cooled (do not stir). In large bowl beat 1/1/2 c. softened butter, 1 1/2 c. sugar and tsp. vanilla on medium 5 minutes until light and fluffy and sugar is almost dissolved. Add cooled milk mixture, 1/4 c. at a time; beat on low after each until smooth.

I have 5 dozen cupcakes cooling on my countertop right now and will be sure to get pics of them soon. There are two varieties--chocolate and maple walnut.

Frosting Fascination

2008-02-12T11:45:00.000-06:00

I have a sweet tooth, and have pretty much always been this way. That might explain my 12 cavities (that and the lack of dental insurance for 2 years) but it also alters the way I view certain recipes.

I've been thinking a lot lately about different frostings or icings or glazes--whatever you choose to call them! I prefer a medium-sized amount of frosting on my cupcakes and don't like it to be too sweet. Some of my cupcake crew LOVES the sweeter frostings and can't get enough. On the other hand, my guy thinks everything is too sweet (blame it on his European upbringing).

I'm always worried about finding that perfect frosting balance, that zen of sugar, if you will. This is partially why I typically use cream cheese icing...it is great on sweeter cakes, but not overpowering.

My newest experiment is going to be a flour-based icing, so be on the lookout for that very soon! As soon as I get my new double boiler from Williams Sonoma, I'll be whipping up a batch.

Bailey's Irish Coffee Cupcakes and Bailey's Buttercream

2008-02-06T21:05:00.001-06:00

I have been watching the montly Cupcake Hero contest for a while now, and keep intending to submit an entry. So far, no luck. But this is going to be the month--I promise! I even put them in cute St. Patrick's Day cupcake papers and used my cupcake toppers for extra festive flair.

This recipe comes from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella, which is in my stash of cupcake books. Ok, I have a problem...if it has cupcakes on it, I buy it. Well, except for the cupcake cookie jar at Target, which I stupidly decided to buy on my next visit. Bad move on my part because that $15 cookie jar is going for $50-100 on eBay.

Anyway, back to today's cupcakes, which combine two ingredients I love--coffee and Bailey's Irish cream. The recipe originally was just for Irish cream cupcakes, but I really wanted something that captured the flavor of my favorite winter pub drink. If you don't want coffee, substitute the water and instant coffee granules with milk.

Cupcakes:
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temp of course
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups Bailey's (or your favorite generic Irish cream)
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Insert 24 liners into a cupcake pan.
2. Pour yourself a glass of Bailey's over ice to enjoy while baking.
3. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a stand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the liqueur, water and instant coffee. Mix well.
5. In third bowl, thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, alternating with the liqueur mixture. Beat on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes.
7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

These are very dense and moist cupcakes, so I felt that a regular buttercream would be too sweet. So, I instead opted for a traditional drink garnish--whipped cream. I made my own with the Orange Krush (my persimmon KitchenAid) using:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Using the whisk attachment on the mixer, beat for approximately 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Remember to always chill your mixing bowl and make sure it is thoroughly clean. Drops of water or leftover food can ruin a whipped cream recipe.

I was pleased with the result, but will use less Bailey's and more coffee next time for a more Bailey's and coffee taste. These were really delicious and I can't wait to make more, especially with the cute St. Patrick's Day toppers and cupcake papers.

If you want another option, here's an easy recipe for Bailey's buttercream frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream (any variety is fine)

Cream the butter on high speed for approximately 3 minutes. Add the Bailey's and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the powdered sugar until well blended.

Remember that Bailey's is a dairy product and should therefore be refrigerated!

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Better Homes and Gardens

2008-01-31T22:20:00.000-06:00

I was browsing through the magazine rack and saw the newest issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Isn't that a magazine for old women, you say? Yeah, I used to think so too, but there were red velvet cupcakes on the front. So I bought it.

Red velvet is an elusive recipe because it seems that today's version is merely a white cake with lots of red food coloring. Not so--there should be cocoa!! I've been looking everywhere for one that is authentic with that distinctive flavor.

This recipe was a learning experience and adventure. It started out with red food coloring all over the place and ended up with one burned thumb.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I made some substitutions to the recipe:
1. If you don't have buttermilk, don't worry. Just add one teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk.
2. This recipe calls for 2 tsp of cocoa powder, but I doubled it for a more authentic red velvet flavor.
3. The recipe ingredients do not list the 3/4 tsp of salt, but it's in the recipe. Keep an eye out for that!

For the red coloring, I prefer to use Wilton Taste Free Red gel icing. In a recipe like this, the last thing you want is food coloring flavored cake. I didn't use the entire bottle since I was experimenting with a recipe--my cupcake team doesn't care if they're bright red.

This recipe made 30 medium cupcakes, but I would recommend only making 24. The texture was a bit tougher than I cared for, but that could be due to the fact that I overmixed it. Be sure to just fold in the vinegar and baking soda mixture with a spatula.

I learned something important as well. Fat Free Cream Cheese is junk!! Do NOT waste your time trying to make cream cheese icing with it because you will end up with a mixing bowl full of runny goo. Not pretty...

Luckily, I went to the store and got real cream cheese for my icing.

8 oz. cream cheese (full o' fat)
1/2 stick butter at room temp
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla

Here's what cream cheese icing should be like:

Typically, red velvet is covered with creamy white icing, but I felt like making mine light pink.

The morale of the story is to use full fat products. Oh, and don't let your hotpad slip off your hand and burn your thumb. Painful stuff, trust me.

Overall, these were good cupcakes, but not the best Red Velvet ever. I'll try them again without overmixing and see how they end up.

Trader Joe's 17 Bean and Barley Soup

2008-01-29T11:53:00.000-06:00

Man cannot live by cupcakes alone. Well, I'm not so sure about that, but I do try to eat other foods sometimes.

We've had some typical cold weather here in the Windy City, so I thought a nice pot of hot soup would hit the spot. I found 17 Bean and Barley Soup mix at Trader Joe's for $1.79 and decided to give it a whirl. With all the ingredients, it ended up costing about $6 total for the pot. I already had some of the ingredients on hand, but still thought it was a good deal for lots of food.

It turned out to be pretty delicious, but took forever to cut up all the vegetables. Here's the recipe:

1 bag Trader Joe's 17 Bean and Barley Mix

4 cups or 32 oz. veggie broth (I used the Dominick's organic brand)

1 cup each:

-chopped onion

-celery

-carrots

-red, yellow or orange peppers

1 or 2 jalapenos

2 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp dried basil (or a few fresh basil from your fantastic herb garden)

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

The package says that it is 8 hearty servings, but I think it's more like 12.

1. Soak bean and barley mix overnight.
2. Drain and rinse. Pour 4 cups of vegetable broth over beans and cook on medium heat for approximately 1 hour. (This would be a nice time to chop the vegetables.)

3. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, assorted peppers (I used 1 each of red, yellow, orange and a jalapeno, for some heat). Press in garlic cloves and basil leaves or dried basil, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and Italian seasoning.
4. Add about 4 more cups of water or vegetable broth and let it all cook on low to medium heat for another 1-2 hours.

Enjoy! It's a hearty meal and tastes great with some garlic toast. If you're a total carnivore, feel free to add some cooked hamburger or chicken strips. Remember, cooking should be fun, so experiment with seasonings, vegetables or meats!!

Be sure to have some cupcakes for dessert though!!

Joe's Stone Crab Key Lime Pie--You ROCK!

2008-01-28T15:52:00.000-06:00

I realize that the lime zest looks funky in this picture. I swear that it's lime and not seaweed or mold!!

My fella has been begging for Key Lime Pie, so I decided to surprise him by making a homemade version. After searching various recipes, I decided to go with the one from Joe's Stone Crab. You can find it here http://www.joesstonecrab.com/recipes/keylime.html

I was thrilled with the way it turned out, as was he, because it disappeared very quickly. I do not recommend using packaged pie crusts, as mine came out all smashed. But the pre-made crust was cheaper than a box of graham crackers, so cheapness wins out. I had to end up breaking it into crumbs and mixing in some melted butter to reshape the crust.

Overall, a very simple recipe (except for the zesting of the limes) and ridiculously delicious! The whipped topping is also fantastic and great to make, especially if you have a Kitchenaid mixer.

St. Patrick's Day Cupcake Toppers

2008-01-28T08:59:00.000-06:00

I created this set of special cupcake toppers for one of my favorite holidays, St. Patrick's Day. They are available for purchase in my Etsy shop, http://www.frosted.etsy.com/ and would make an awesome addition to your festivities. Nothing goes better with green beer than green cupcakes decorated with my little toppers:)

See them adorning some delicious Bailey's Irish Cream and Coffee cupcakes here!

Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes with Sunny (and Tart!) Lemon Buttercream

2008-01-24T12:05:00.000-06:00

Pre-frosting!

These didn't last long!

There's something about gingerbread that always makes me happy. For whatever reason, I always associate it with happy memories of my childhood in the countryside.

Oh wait...that's right, I never lived in the countryside. I grew up in a medium-sized town, along the main highway. See just how powerful this gingerbread is? It will make you do crazy things, like imaging an idealic life you never lived.

Once again, I tried the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World recipe because I thought it might be healthier, thus allowing me to eat many more cupcakes. Always a good thing...

My upstairs neighbors love me and introduce me to all their friends as "the cupcake neighbor". Apparently, I'm some sort of legend because people always seem to know who I am and then get really excited. The neighbors are part of my official tasting crew and therefore, got to try these out. Within minutes of icing the cupcakes, they were almost gone. One sad cupcake remained, so I had to eat it. Delicious!

Try it for yourself:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (I found a can at Williams-Sonoma for $5)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup light molasses (I used dark molasses and it turned out fine)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup soy milk

2 tablespoons soy yogurt

Of course, you can use regular milk and yogurt if you're not vegan.

For the frosting, I used regular butter, so it is NOT vegan. Substitute it with non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, if you want a vegan or healthier option.

1 stick butter (or 1/2 cup shortening)

2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

3 cups powdered sugar

zest of one lemon

This made the icing very tart, so you could use half the amount of lemon juice and substitute the rest with water or milk. I like the lemony kick myself!

Target Cupcake Stuff Part Deux

2008-01-13T00:26:00.000-06:00

I have to stop going to Target because this is getting expensive! Tonight I ran in for some spaghetti and came out with cupcake slippers and underwear. I included pics of the slippers, but will leave the undies my own secret. The slippers will be great for me since my feet are always cold in our old building. They're so pretty that I almost didn't want to wear them, but I figured what the heck PLUS they were only $4.99!!

Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

2008-01-09T22:41:00.000-06:00

I concocted these from the Magnolia Bakery recipe and used fresh raspberries in the buttercream. (Look closely and you might see a raspberry seed or two.) Despite all that, I was disappointed in the recipe. Everyone talks about how fantastic Magnolia cupcakes taste, and I was excited to try this recipe. Even with careful measuring and timing, I won't be baking these again.

You can try the recipe for yourself.

Don't say I didn't warn you. However, if you have better luck with it, let me know.

Cupcakes and Target--What a Combo!

2008-01-08T15:51:00.000-06:00

So two things I love most have combined into one dangerous force...Cupcakes and Target. My wallet will soon be empty because Target has a great collection of Valentine's stuff shaped like my favorite food. I have gathered a cupcake mug, dish scraper (which won't go anywhere near dirty dishes), kitchen and bath towel sets, and Marcella by K scrapbook paper and stickers. I also picked up a set of cupcake-shaped dog toys, which are driving Duchess crazy because she can't have them. I'm lusting after the cupcake cookie jar and should have purchased it the first time I saw it. They also have cute little dessert plates and women's pajama pants.

Perhaps I should just hand over my paycheck now...

Vegan Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

2007-12-04T19:51:00.000-06:00

I'm nowhere near being a vegan. I tried it for three days and was about to kill someone for a piece of cheese. But I was intrigued by this wonderful little book called Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Two of my co-workers are vegan and always miss out on the work treats, so I wanted something that they could share.

These earned rave reviews from my co-workers, so they'll be on my regular baking rotation.

So very easy and so very vegan! Try them for yourself.

1 cup soy milk (or canned coconut milk)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain.
Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

I didn't want to buy a whole 1/2 gallon of soy milk, so I used coconut milk instead and it was delicious. Plus, it was only $1.15 at the cheapo grocery by my house.

I used vegan mocha buttercream frosting, which totally freaked me out. I'm a purist who believes that buttercream needs real butter, but this changed my mind.

1/2 cup margarine (read the label thoroughly because some do contain animal products)
1/2 cup shortening (Spectrum is good, find it at Trader Joe's)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon instant coffee

Mix the water and instant coffee. Mix the margarine and shortening until fluffy, usually a few minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar and coffee until well blended. Spread onto completely cooled cupcakes or pipe on with an icing bag.

Eat until you can't move.

Hey Hey

2007-12-03T12:14:00.000-06:00

Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for cool stuff that you'll totally want to buy.
http://www.frosted.etsy.com/