Pumpkin Cupcakes

Hi everyone!

For Labor Day weekend, one of my friends from over at Dark Yet Lovely came to visit me for the weekend. As a fellow baker herself, she wanted to bake something over the weekend. So after many deliberations, she decided on Pumpkin Cupcakes. So I went to the Betty Crocker® website and loosely used the Spiced Pumpkin Cupcake recipe. Then while I was baking, I realized that I did not want to make the same cream cheese frosting I made for the Carrot Cake cupcakes, so I tried something a little lighter. I actually prefer the lighter recipe. It is the right amount of cream cheese and I didn't have a ton of frosting left over. But I want you all to try this recipe and let me know what you think. It is great recipe for fall.

Take care!

Pumpkin Cupcakes



 

Regularly Frosted Pumpkin Cupcakes



Cream Cheese Frosting Filled Pumpkin Cupcake



Ingredients:

• For Cupcakes:
• 1 box of Betty Crocker® SuperMoist®  yellow cake mix
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
• For Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 package (8 oz) package of cream cheese
• 4 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions:

• For cupcakes:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
3. Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• For Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Combine all ingredients and beat with electric mixer until smooth.

Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Hi everyone!!

So last month I received a request from one of my friends to bake them some carrot cake cupcakes. Me being me, I said okay and baked them. But for the frosting, I wanted to make a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting. So I went to the Food Network's website and found a great recipe that Paula Dean uses for Red Velvet Cupcakes. Only thing is that it makes a lot of frosting. But I think you should all try this recipe, especially the frosting. Then let me know what you think.

Take care!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• For Cupcake:
• 1 box of Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix
• Eggs, water, and oil listed on box
• For Frosting:
• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• For Cupcake:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffins cups.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.
3. Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes before frosting.
• For Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.
2. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Enjoy!

Buttercream Frosting

Hi everyone!!

In the Decorated Almond Cake blog post, I mentioned the buttercream icing I used to decorate the cake with. Well after the post, I realized there are so many different types of buttercream icing out there so I should post which one I used and still use to this day. I used the Wilton Buttercream Icing. And I know from my cake decorating course, my instructor still uses this icing and loves it along with my other classmates. So it must be good.

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (or other flavor depending on the flavor you want)
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream)

Directions:

1. Mix vegetable shortening with butter with an electric mixer until it has a creamy consistency.
2. Add vanilla and continue to mix.
3. Add sugar one cup at a time mixing well on medium speed.
4. Once all sugar has been added, the icing will look dry. Add milk and continue to mix until icing is light and fluffy.

This icing just like other icings can be stored in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Note: After you finish making this icing and are ready to clean up, please do not wash this icing down your kitchen sink. It has vegetable shortening and can cause issues with your plumbing. Use a cloth to wipe the frosting off of your tools and bowls and toss it. After you have removed most, if not all, of the frosting, wash your tools and bowls as you normally would. Save your pipes!

Decorated Almond Cake

Hey everyone!

Now you know from my last blog post that I took the Wilton Cake Decorating Basics class in August. So one of the things we had to do in class was decorate a cake. Actually, for this class we had to take an 8 inch cake that we baked at home, split it into two layers, add a filling, frost the cake, then learn how to do the gel overlays (the technique you use to add a design outline to the top of a cake so you can trace it with frosting). If you think it was a busy class you do not know the half of it. I only told you part of what we were supposed to do. But it doesn't matter if you don't finish decorating in class because as long as you have the techniques, you can practice or finish your decorations at home.

So because it was a busy class,  I was not able to finish my decorations in class and had to finish it at home. The only problem is that I was tired, had a messy kitchen to clean, and had a lot of frosting left over. Although, it sounds like I probably sat in front of the TV relaxing, I didn't. I actually decided to finish decorating my cake to get rid of the leftover frosting. Therefore, I thought about adding the cupcake design everyone was adding to their cake during the class to my cake. S I added it. But I should mention that I did not do it the correct way with the gel overlay. Instead, I did it freehand. LOL. And as you can see below, it did not come out that bad especially considering that I am not an artist.

Decorated Almond Cake

If you are wondering what type of cake this is, it is a Double Almond Cake. I used the Double Almond Cupcake recipe I blogged about a few months ago. I just added the batter to an 8 inch Wilton cake pan (love that pan now). As for the icing, I made buttercream icing and added almond flavoring. To make the yellow icing, I added Wilton yellow food coloring to the original white almond buttercream icing. For the creamy white top part of the cupcake decoration, I used some of the cream cheese frosting I made for the Carrot Cake Cupcakes I made earlier in the day.

Take care!

Cake Decorating Classes!!

Hey everyone!!

So how many of you have wanted to either perfect your cake decorating skills, learn how to make frosting correctly, or how to manipulate fondant? Now, I am not ashamed to admit that I've always wanted to learn how to perfect my skills and learn how to make and manipulate fondant. So one day I found the class that will help us all. And it is not expensive because every class is currently 50% off (I think it always is 50% off) and you receive 10% off every item you have to purchase for the class.

Wilton (the makers of almost every baking equipment you may own, want, or NEED to own) has cake decorating classes that everyone can take!! How awesome is that!?  They have the following four different classes for you to choose from: Course1: Wilton Decorating Basics; Course 2: Wilton Flowers and Cake Design; Course 3: Wilton Gum Paste and Fondant; and Course 4: Wilton Advanced Gum Paste Flowers. And the awesome part is that you do not have to take all four. Just take the ones you want to take. However, if you are not really good with the basics, Course 1 ends up being the prerequisite for Course 2 and Course 3...and Course 3 is the prerequisite for Course 4. But I would still recommend taking Course 1 even if you think you know everything about cake decorating basics. I thought I knew all there is to know about making frosting and the techniques used for decorating a cake, but I was wrong. I learned so much from the basics class that it was well worth the money in my book.

Now, if you are even slightly interested in taking one of these cake decorating classes, go to the Wilton website to find the locations near you that have them. I went to Michael's for my first class and will continue to go there for the next 2 classes I want to take.

But before I finish this post, I guess I should also give you all a warning...
Warning:  If you take these classes, you might run out of space to hold your baking equipment. I did! Now all my stuff is in the buffet server I have in my dinning room. And I still want more stuff!! SMH. So I guess you can say walking into a craft store that has every baking item you have ever dreamed of on a weekly basis is bad for your living space and your wallet. But if you go to Michael's, you will have so many coupons that you walk away winning most of the time. For example, I bought a 3-in-1 regular sized cupcake, mini cupcake, sheet cake holder for $8 the other day. It's original price was $20. SMH. Coupons work!!

If you want to find out more about my experience with the class, contact me. :)

Take care!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps (AKA Burritos)

Hi everyone! So last month, I wanted burritos but wanted to make them at home instead of going to my favorite spot, Chipotle. So a few days later I remembered that I pinned a recipe on Pinterest about some burrito recipe. (Honestly, the recipe was for a wrap, but it had all the ingredients as a burrito.) Well I tried the recipe and fell in love. The burrito came out great and the recipe was easy. So I have to thank Mel's Kitchen Cafe for putting up such a wonderful recipe.

I honestly recommend that all of you try this recipe and switch out some of the ingredients for what you already have around the house. Once you make the burrito, let me know how it turned out and if you liked it or not.

Take care!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
• 1/2 red or green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
• 6 burrito-sized flour tortillas
• Sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Hey everyone! So I am still on a roll with my blog posts. (Aren't you proud of me?) LOL. Now, think post is about the chicken noodle soup I made the same day I made the Homemade Chicken Broth. It only made sense to make chicken noodle soup after making the broth. Therefore, if you are making the broth, try this recipe and let me know what you think.

Take care!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• Chicken Broth (homemade or store bought or even water and chicken bullion cubes)
• Chicken, cooked
• Pasta
• Carrots, cut into chunks
• Celery, cut into chunks
• Onions, cut into slices
• Bell Peppers (only if you want them in your soup), cut into slices
• Seasonings: basil, thyme, black pepper, crushed pepper, Adobo, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.

Directions:

•  Crock-Pot Users

1. Place the amount of pasta you would like in your soup into the crock-pot. Note: The pasta will draw in the liquid so do not add to much if you are not making a lot of soup or adding a lot of broth.
2. Add the celery, carrots, onions, and bell peppers that were used for the homemade chicken broth to the crock-pot. 
3. Add the meaty chicken parts to the crock-pot (If you used chicken parts that had meat on them, you can strip it off of the bone and add it here.).
4. Add broth to cover over the ingredients in the pot by about an inch. (Can always add more broth later if you need to.)
5. Add as much seasoning as you need to to ensure the broth will taste the way you would like it.
6. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high (8 hours on low). (If you are not sure if it is seasoned enough, around the third hour, do a taste test and and what seasonings you need.)
   
7. Once the time is up, enjoy!

• Non-Crock-Pot Users

1. Follow steps 1-5 above, just place everything in your dutch oven or stock pot.
2. Once everything is in your pot, slowly bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or until vegetable are tender (if using raw vegetables).
3. Once everything is cooked, enjoy!

 Note: Make as much soup as you would like. I didn't add any exact measurements because I usually make enough for 3-4 servings.