Simply Divine Cupcakes

Something's Cooking

2024-03-23T11:39:00.002-04:00

You know that feeling when you're just tired of the same ole, same old? You've had all the pasta you can handle and you've cooked all the ground beef in 20 million different ways. What's even more challenging is that now you have food allergies and your oldest became a vegetarian who grumbles at every dessert left waiting in the refrigerator.

Goodness. I simply want something different, yet the same.

I want the same reaction when dinner was served and we ate as a family.

I want the same reaction when "what's for dessert?" was asked.

I want the same reaction when everyone was fed and done and I would hear, "thanks mami, that was yummy!"

But time does continue to move forward and things do change and you do run out of ideas and space and the chairs that once held seats for your family are empty. But before this sounds like a sad story of an empty nester single mom, I do remember one thing that has remained the same.

I embrace moments of clarity.

I had the same single thought yesterday, and then last night, and then again this morning when I read a previous post I accidentally came across while looking for a recipe.

I still cook. I still enjoy eating delicious meals and I very much enjoy company and hearing others share about their days, lives, families...or whatever. I also really enjoy reading what I have written to capture a moment, either what is noted in my journal or skimming blog posts from the past.

To me they have become therapeutic and healing to my mind and soul, just like comfort food or even a favored dessert is to my taste buds. They are different, but the same. Why not write and share again?

So I've dusted off some cobwebs and browsed the life that surrounds me. I'm looking forward to the new in the old and what lies ahead. So if you are also tired of everything feeling repetitive and you're wishing for a change, there may just be a new perspective or a moment of clarity over the horizon, corner store or journal entry.

Something is definitely cooking and I'm looking forward to participating.

Hope your day is Simply Divine!

Not mine...but a giveaway none the less!

2012-03-14T11:13:00.000-04:00

Only if you have been hiding under a rock do you have any excuse to not know who The Pioneer Woman is. Just in case you don't know who she is and so you don't think I'm judging you harshly, I'm sure the rock you were under is a pretty one and very comfy :)

For the thousands of men, women and children (and my 16 readers) who know who Ree Drummond is, you probably know about her giveaways. And if you don't, this is your lucky day!

Now, why am I sharing another blogger's post? Well, just look at this:

(Beautiful, custom mixer designed by Nicole at Un Amore )

Can you believe she is giving away THREE of these! How cool is that?!!

Plus, she is also including her cookbook in the giveaway:

Go over to her site. You'll love it. And enter the contest. I hope you win! Well, I hope I win but if I don't...I hope it's YOU! :)

Click here => Enter to win Orange Floral Mixer

I'm giddy just looking at it!

Happy Baking!

Love is in the air

2012-01-25T19:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, you don't see me very much anymore. I know. I know. Sad face. But I'm still here. I still love to bake and I especially love being inspired by the million, billion, zillion cupcake decorators out there.

I think even aliens are joining the cupcake craze.

Aren't they so cute?!!! They tasted even better. I loved making them.

Today in my browsing around and looking for inspiration for a potential upcoming wedding, I either found Super Bowl cupcakes or Valentine's Day cupcakes.

I thought to myself..."I want one."

So instead, I'm going to share mine with you.

Ahhhh....Isn't it just dreamy?

Happy Baking!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

2012-01-05T19:51:00.000-05:00

We celebrate Christmas all the way through January 6th, which is when the festivities surrounding the birth of Christ traditionally end. It is known as the Epiphany, or when the Magi visited Jesus approximately two years after his birth. This is when the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were given to the family.

In a large portion of the world, this is also when gifts are traditionally given to children. In our home, we like keeping that tradition because it is something I grew up with.

Point?

I'm SO excited!

I've been baking and finished up my shopping today. One of the plus sides of Americans "finished" with Christmas is the DEEP discounts at the stores. I purchased my goodies at almost 70% off!

Now that's something my pocket can celebrate!

And the good stuff...

In our home, if you are present with us, you receive a gift. That's just the way it is.

We always have gifts that represent what Jesus received. So how does this pertain to cupcakes that are simply divine? Not sure. But I do know they are small and sweet. They smell great and your taste buds dance!

Here's to tradition and celebrating with family!

Happy Baking!

It's a Winter Wonderland!

2011-12-22T10:31:00.000-05:00

A time for celebration! How very sweet.

Happy baking everyone!

Miss being busy?

2010-12-03T20:27:00.000-05:00

No way.

I am loving all the new challenges this new chapter in my life have brought. Has all of it been easy?

No way.

I am now without children during the day and got a part time job. Has it been fun?

No way.

I do look forward to the time of day I see my little ones run up the sidewalk with arms wide open and yelling "Mommy!" Unfortunately, recent medical issues have kept me from enjoying much time playing with them because of pain. Has any of that stopped me from baking yummy goodness for them?

No way!

Christmastime is here and the time to celebrate the most wonderous reason for the season is approaching fast. Does that cause me to worry that I'm unprepared?

No way.

Taking it slow. One day at a time. One batch of batter at a time.

Now off to eat some pumpkin pie someone else made for me.

YES WAY!

I have not forgotten!

2010-09-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

Do you feel abandoned?

So, so sorry!

I have not forgotten you, my loyal 16 readers! I've been so busy and today I am going to be officially a GRANDMA! At the very moment I write this out, mommy and daddy already know whether its a boy or girl but they're not telling until we arrive at the hospital.

Can't wait to get back home and make a HAPPY BIRTHDAY cake!

See you soon and happy baking,

Tuesday Tip!

2010-09-07T23:51:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh! Why didn't anyone remind me it was Tuesday before I started getting ready for bed?!?!

GASP!

Today was the first day of school and the first day of kindergarten for our littlest one. I cannot believe how fast time has flown by and today certainly was another example of how it will simply slip through your fingers.

Somehow I found myself somewhere between the "walking dead" and "euphoric" stage in this new chapter of my life because I was now at home alone with hours to fill. I could do my "to do" list without needing to worry about feeding another human being or keeping an eye on the clock for naptime.

Guess what happened.

I forgot to eat lunch.

And I didn't notice the clock as I did laundry and cleaned the house.

So I forgot it was Tuesday.

And that you were waiting for me.

Anxiously.

Waiting.

For my tip.

And it never came.

So what I decided to do is to share my Tuesday Tip in a "how to" recipe. But since it's now approaching midnight and I don't have pictures uploaded. And I picked up my mother from the airport today. And I'm now typing this on her bed. And she is trying to get to sleep. And she is kicking me out of my office/guest room.

I'll come back to tell you how to SIFT your way to a wonderful and delicious cake or cupcakes.

Yup. You heard it. That dreaded SIFT word in recipes.

But the thing is I know that you would love for me to tell you how to get something amazing out of a boxed cake mix. And yes, it does require a little extra work. And yes, I know I still have to share the results of the test kitchen fail from last week.

And yes, my mother is now kicking me. Literally.

sift, sift, sift, sift, sift...

This is why I should be in bed already.

Random streams of consciousness should really be me dreaming instead.

Happy Sleeping!

Test Kitchen...redo

2010-09-03T14:28:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I told you about a complete fail I had. I can tell from the amount of traffic to this blog and the lack of comments, generally means there is very little interest in what happened. But as I said when I first started this space of trial and delicious errors, I will include you in on what I learned. This particular one has been a lot of fun.

As of this moment, I've redone the recipe I started yesterday with the kids. We've started all over again and are hoping for success. Every step of the way, both children are reminding me how delicious our "fail" was yesterday.

Oh, and by the way, that very cake was gone by late morning.

Now off I go to pull out the redo from the oven.

One last thing, a huge huggable HELLO to the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Singapore, France and Vietnam! Glad you stopped by to read...even if just a little. Smiles from the USA! I'll be back with the test kitchen results. See you then.

Happy Baking,

Today's Test Kitchen

2010-09-02T15:45:00.000-04:00

Oh no. Not again. Not another fail.

Yup. But this time it was the most fun I've had with my children in the kitchen. Once I get the pictures taken of the final product, I'll upload them and tell you what happened. It just so happens to be cooling right now and yes we are still going to eat it.

Just remember, when you start smelling smoke and the timer still hasn't gone off yet...check the oven. Quick!

I did. But it was too late.

So after turning off the smoke alarm, I gave the children and I sampled the crust I was forced to remove. (Yeah, that's never a good sign. You know, hard crust on a cake.)

They say it's really yummy though.

I agree. Almost like a really nice sweet biscotti.

Just wait until I tell you what happened and why. But first I need to go clear out the air and clean up my oven.

Happy Baking!

Tuesday Tip!

2010-08-31T13:15:00.000-04:00

If there is any truth behind the universe being able to play a joke, then I'm currently the butt of it...and I'm not laughing...well, maybe today I did.

A few weeks ago I told you that I have several tips in cue but then today happened, and I simply stared at the list with absolutely no desire to share any of them. From the number of women I speak with, I have been able to understand that we all go through a period of time when we question everything. Sometimes it's not a matter of low self esteem, it can be simply a matter of feeling unappreciated. That is when the questioning starts.

I wonder if I stopped doing this [insert anything here], would anybody even notice?

The list of questions can go on and on. Some of you may know what I'm talking about.

Goodness. I asked Debbie Downer to move out of my house this morning. She was no longer welcome. I even helped her pack her bags. Then I shouted,

"Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!"

Yes. Yes I did. REAL loud too.

Don't worry. The neighbors had already left for work.

Moving on.

Since lunchtime was upon us, I opted to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches -- a crowd favorite. I reached up for the bread basket and it came tumbling down on me. Flat bread, tortillas, hoagie rolls, sandwich bread, rice cakes...the whole lot of them. When I say "bread basket", I mean family-style-holds-all-of-our-perishable-eat-them-soon-bread.

And we eat a lot of it.

Tumbling.

Down.

On me.

The children thought it was funny.

Maybe I did too.

Next, for some reason I decided to open the freezer. At this point I don't remember why but I do know that I did. Guess what. Our ice maker started spitting ice cubes at me.

Yes. Yes it did.

Now the children are really laughing...and hard.

And so am I.

Needless to say, I never did make those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Instead, I opted to bring out all the cut up fruit we had. I served them into bowls and topped with whipped cream. The children squealed with delight and we had so much fun. As a matter of fact, as I type this out I can still hear them laughing hard and playing.

So my Tuesday Tip is probably the most practicle I can ever give:

Life may be a bowl of cherries but sometimes you really just need a little whipped cream.

No matter what you are doing in the kitchen or out, you need to try to remember to enjoy yourself. Be thankful for everything you have, no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is. Celebrate every success -- even the little ones. Because if you spend your time looking down at what has fallen all around you, you might forget to look up and miss the beauty all around you.

And that's no joke.

Well maybe this Redskin's chef hat is.

Goodness he's so stinkin' cute.

Happy Baking!

Tuesday Tip!

2010-08-24T14:13:00.002-04:00

Is it bad of me that I find today's Tuesday Tip! totally boring. I mean who really wants to wait around for anything that isn't exciting? Not me. But alas...[sigh]

Room temperature.

Yup. That's it. A waiting game.

Waiting for ingredients to come to room temperature is a boring, boring, boring...waiting game. They say (who are "they" anyway?) that great things come to those who wait. And I guess, "they" are correct because waiting is like watching your garden grow...

And then enjoying it's harvest...

Or waiting can be testing to make sure the chocolate is ready...

...not a minute too soon (or late) before the cookies can be added...

then wait some more...

Enjoy!

Or wait until the chocolate sets up...

For fun MANLY birthday cupcakes!

Waiting can even be while the smells make your mouth water and you wonder WHEN OH WHEN will these herb buns be ready to bake?!

And then they are...and you do.

MMMMmmmmm....those are not biscuits ladies and gentlemen. Those are herb rolls I had to do all sorts of things to and....wait. But then when I finally got to bake them and serve them up for dinner HOT with butter...[fainted]

So this is my Tuesday Tip! When getting ready to bake, unless your recipe says otherwise, bring your ingredients to room temperature first before assembling. It really makes a noticeable difference in the end product especially when NOT waiting can actually cause some recipes to completely fail.

Now that my work is done here, I no longer have to wait. Everything is at room temperature, just as it should be. Ahhh...life is good.

Happy Baking!

Cupcakes-O-Plenty

2010-08-21T10:10:00.000-04:00

There are always plenty of cupcakes in our home...especially on birthdays.

And this is how we love to snack...

Who needs hands...?

Especially when all you need is a smile.

Happy Baking!

Tuesday Tip!

2010-08-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

There is so much going on in my little baking world that I cannot imagine what is going to rise next. I even have our daughter making recommendations - without prodding! Both our son and daughter are experimenting with their toys by making imprints on playdough and then bringing it to me with so much joy, "MOMMY! You can do this in fondant and place them on cupcakes!"

Oh.my.goodness. What have I done?

Oh well, at least they are playing and being creative. It never ends around here.

So in keeping in line with childhood and what so many of us loved eating growing up, today's tip will be about: ~~playdough~~ Peanut Butter.

Scared ya didn't I? Eat playdough...yeahhh...why I never...

Anyhoo.

There are so many recipes out there that call for using peanut butter but there is also such a HUGE selection of peanut butter nowadays that it seems easiest to just grab your favorite one and use it. But it's not that easy...or successful in baking.

First of all, I will say that I have a new love for natural peanut butter...and almond butter (thanks Cheryle!) But some of these products require stirring and refrigeration and more often than not, these are not suitable for using in recipes (or in packed lunches). So my tip today actually comes from my test kitchen and I'm going to share with you which product I have found is the best to use...and tastes great.

Skippy Natural Peanut Butter.

This is a natural peanut butter that does not require refrigeration or stirring. However, over time some separation does occur in your cabinet and you should stir a little before using. Also, even though it does have a shelf life it is a natural product, and you should buy only what your family or baking needs require. You know, if you use a lot, buy a big container. If you only use for desserts, buy a small container. If you eat it straight out of the jar morning, noon, and night...buy stock. And so on. You get the point.

The reason I like Skippy is because it has such a rich nutty flavor and they use a minimal amount of real sugar to sweeten instead of molasses like some others. The molasses, when mixed with other ingredients, can make what you are working with a little stiffer and more difficult to manipulate. Molasses is good for gingerbread cookies but not for my peanut butter. And of course, "natural" means it does not have all those unkind unpronounceable words that are famous for making peanut butter live forever on store and home shelves. No thank you.

So try some Skippy Natural when making peanut butter cookies or mix with cream cheese to spread on your favorite treat...yeah even...rice cakes. Or stick to the basics and make a healthier and yummy choice when making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the family that will hold up in the lunchboxes.

That's it peeps. Nothing fancy today. Just some good creamy peanut butter.

MMMmmm....Peanut butter and chocolate. Simply Divine.

...

Happy Baking!

BTW, It makes me so sad to think of those who have peanut allergies today and aren't able to enjoy the dreamy creamy texture of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter cookies, Reese's candies, or even the now popular chocolate cupcakes topped with a rich peanut butter frosting. I have friends whose children are severely allergic and I sincerely hope a cure is found for this food that has issued a death warrant on so many. Someday. Soon.

While we all wait, I will continue to make desserts (whenever asked especially for them) in a thoroughly scrubbed down kitchen with the products and tools I keep separate just for my special "customers". The mommas who follow me know who they are :) LOVE YOU!

Today's Test Kitchen

2010-08-14T15:01:00.002-04:00

Ever get that sinking feeling? You know the one. You are watching a wreck in process and there is no stopping it or turning back. Yup. I had it. In my kitchen...again.

You'll have to come back and see what happened.

As for me, nothing cheers me up more than a warm, rolled up newborn. And since I don't have one of those laying around here somewhere in this chaotic mess of my test kitchen...

...looking at pretty cupcakes for a baby shower will do for now.

Aren't they so cute!?!

...

Now I'm off to enjoy my little cupcakes...otherwise known as our 7yr old and 4yr old before they head off to school in a couple of weeks. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Happy Baking,

Recipe: Custard Buttermilk Pie

2010-08-13T13:14:00.000-04:00

Gave you a sneaky-peek yesterday at a dessert that is crazy easy to make. Why? Because dessert is always a delight ESPECIALLY if super easy to make!

Welcome back because if you love Crème brûlée, you are going to like this recipe.

Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Bisquick biscuit mix

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled down

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Directions

Preheat over to 350 degrees F.

(Tip: This is not an option. Collect all your ingredients and combine after your oven is ready.)

Coat a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.

(Tip: use our Tuesday Tip! to help)

Combine the sugar, buttermilk, biscuit mix, melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a blender or with a hand held mixer until smooth. (Tip: you want the melted butter slightly cooled so you don't cook the eggs when combining.)

For fun and speed, I use a blender. Notice I placed my eggs in first and the butter last to really keep down the chance of accidentally pre-cooking my eggs.

...

Pour into your prepared pie plate. Tip: you can carry it on a baking sheet to catch any accidental spillage.

...

Bake for about 35 minutes or until browned.

...

Tip: You want your pie to slightly wobble in the center because it will set as it continues to cool once removed from heat. All ovens are different so I would suggest to check at 30 minutes and give your pie plate a little jiggle. I had one girlfriend test this recipe and hers was already completely set at the 30 minute mark. I pulled out mine at 35 minutes because I noticed the top started to crack. However, I found it to have the perfect jiggle and it's texture was wonderful after it set.

I let our pie sit out to continue to cool and set while we ate dinner. Then cut and served it after cleaning up.

...

Serve with raspberries or blueberries...YUM-O!

We found that it tasted so much like a homemade Crème brûlée because of it's dreamy custard texture and never worried about the lack of brûlée.

I hope you find the time to enjoy.

Happy Baking!

Rising with the sun

2010-08-12T10:07:00.000-04:00

Do you ever get up in the morning and immediately start day dreaming? Sometimes I do. Today was one of them. Actually, I went to bed talking to my husband about lasagna. I really, really, really want some. So yes, I'll be making a trip to the store today and prep my items for tomorrow's dinner.

Already my kitchen smells like pizza because I'm making herb rolls. I made my dough with oregano, basil, and garlic. It's been kneaded, shaped, covered, and placed in the refrigerator to pull out in order to let it rise and be baked to be served alongside dinner...tomorrow. Whew.

Talk about kneading to rise with the sun. That's alot of work. And I STILL have to make my sauce for the lasagna! But I'm excited about it. There are days I love to be busy in the kitchen.

BUT, what excites me even more is discovering a way to make something delicious...FAST.

Would you mind sharing with me any of your favorite sweet or savory dish recipes that is so simple others don't believe you? I'll have my family pick one and I'll make it. Then I'll feature it here (giving you credit) under a new page I'm calling "Quick and Easy".

In the meantime, here is a preview of a divine dessert that is so quick and easy!

YUM-O!

...

You won't have to rise with the sun to make this but do come back tomorrow for the recipe!

Happy baking,

Tuesday Tip!

2010-08-10T12:24:00.000-04:00

Hello again!

To be honest with you, I've been getting so excited about these tip posts that anytime I have a thought of something to share...I immediately go to my drafts and make note of them. Ummm...either I have some really good stuff to share or I get way too excited over the simplest things.

Yeahhh.

Today's tip wasn't actually in cue but I got so excited over it that I moved it to the top of the line. For some odd reason I just couldn't wait to share it with you!

Baking spray.

Yup. That's it! Sort of. Read on...

I love using baking spray on my pans for some of my brownie recipes because I have found that it works even better than greasing and flouring. When I make cakes, I do grease the bottom of the pan only. Then I place a piece of parchment paper over it and lightly spray the paper. I love how this is the muscle behind my cakes and brownies not sticking to the pan.

But our Tuesday Tip! cannot end there.

First...If you don't know what baking spray is then all you need to know is that it's basically cooking spray with flour and is a life saver in time when baking.

So which brand do I like best?

Pam.

Pam is actually the first of the baking sprays I ever used and when I tried others, I simply did not like them as much.

Would you believe me that I still have not reached the part of the tip I am most excited over?

So thank you for unsticking with me because here it is.

Anybody who uses baking spray knows it can be quite messy when preparing your pans because it just seems to get everywhere. Time after time, I have found myself cleaning my sink, counters, and even floor after using the stuff. BUT NO MORE! Open your dishwasher door and spray your pan over it. That way any over spray goes into the dishwasher and gets washed off during the next cycle. BRILLIANT!

I so wish I had thought of that years ago.

And now...you have it!

Happy Baking,

Taste test

2010-08-09T22:39:00.006-04:00

The results are finally in!

Unfortunately, like I told you in my last posting on Saturday, my taste testers disappeared on me! Who gives up free cupcakes?! Well, their loss was certainly my "gain"...if you catch what I'm saying. At least I didn't make the Coconut Buttercream icing I was going to test on the cupcakes. I don't think I could handle another pound of butter...or two...or more...cause "these hips don't lie". And I'm not Shakira.

BUT I DO SPEAK SPANISH!

Does that count?

No?

~~Butter~~. I mean bummer.

But seriously though. I promised you descriptions, pictures and results.

Here we go.

First of all, you may remember I was using coconut to bring a rich flavor to these cupcakes. Well, the coconut milk didn't do much for adding their distinct flavor but it sure did give a rich and velvety texture. That is when I decided to go ahead with a whipped butterscotch topping and try them out in three different ways.

Buttery yellow cake with whipped Butterscotch topping. Even in this "plain Jane" look...SO YUM!

...

Next up, I added caramel to the topping. This certainly took it up a notch in flavor!

Oh, so ooey and gooey. Not the prettiest I've ever made but no regrets. None.

...

And lastly, I added coarsely chopped PECANS and finely chopped PECANS

(yes, yes, I know I misspelled peacans on the last post)

S.C.R.U.M.P.T.I.O.U.S.

...

The truth is I did end up having six taste testers (which included myself). They all just happened to be in my family but they are used to me asking for the complete truth and these are the results:

Plain Jane Butterscotch: Delicious. Liked by all. No complaints.
Caramel Love: Definitely a WIN! After tasting this one, nobody else wanted a "plain" one.
Pecan Nut: I was surprised that only two liked this and two completely rejected. Both of the ones who didn't want the nuts said the exact same thing on completely separate occasions. They mentioned they needed to be "in the mood" for the texture of the pecans. The two that did like the final addition mentioned that it tasted like Butter Pecan ice cream, which is the flavor I was going for. The last two testers were indifferent.

Huh. Very interesting.

So, thank you for reading and if you don't mind too much let me know what you think.

Happy Baking!

Testers are M.I.A

2010-08-07T09:25:00.000-04:00

You may be thinking that I've forgotten about you AND the pictures AND the results of this week's test kitchen. I have not. The truth is my ~~biased~~ taste testers are missing. We simply were unable to meet up to slowly ~~devour~~ eat and critique my latest scrumptious goodness.

I will tell you that my family had some samples.

And in the words of the youngest girl, "Mommy, these are the best ever!"

SCORE!

I have another baking project today and if my testers don't make an appearance, we are going to have cupcakes coming out of every corner of this house!

I'll be back with pictures. Promise.

In the meantime...Happy Baking,

Today's Test Kitchen

2010-08-05T17:05:00.000-04:00

I was getting ready to log onto Simply Divine's facebook page and let everyone know I am working on a new flavor combination. When I remembered that I've been staying off of the facebook screen sucking addiction, I remembered Amy. But not for the reasons you think...nor the reason I might be adding some "Not Me Monday" posts.

So Misty and I decided it would be best to go dancing and leave facebook to those not afraid of the tide.

Ok, no. Not really. But those were some fun plugs! So check out those links when you get a chance.

Seriously though. I was going to post on facebook and thought to myself, "Well then, what is the real purpose of your blog? Post there you silly baking-because-it's-raining fool!"

Ok. I'm actually not sure if I know how to be serious. I do try.

Anyhoo.

I am working on developing a new cupcake. So far, even though the cupcake is delicious and moist and YUM, it does not have enough of the coconut flavor I was working with. If you watch Cupcake Wars, Florian Bellanger would be saying to me:

[frenchie, french accent]

"Aimm sorreee. Shu cupca e goo bu Ai canno fines ze flavo ough ze coconu."

translation:

"I'm sorry. Your cupcake is good but I cannot find the flavor of the coconut."

Yeah, yeah. I need the subtitles too sometimes.

Moving on.

I will work on bringing more of the coconut flavor into the cupcake for a true yummy coconut cupcake. In the meantime I am topping these very buttery and slightly nutty flavored cupcakes with the following combinations.

Butterscotch whipped topping (alone)
Butterscotch whipped topping with caramel
Butterscotch whipped topping with chopped peacans
Butterscotch whipped topping with peacans and caramel
Coconut buttercream.

You have to come back after I take pictures and I'll let you know what my taste testers think. You can also leave me a comment with what YOU think would taste best.

And in the words of Florian Bellanger,

"Happee Baykeen"

Tuesday Tip!

2010-08-03T12:21:00.000-04:00

I think that probably the most difficult thing about writing these Tuesday Tips is to refrain from thinking, "Oh, everybody already knows that!" and then not even attempting the topic flirting in my mind.

The most fun thing I can see for this blog (still in it's infancy), is to have a few pages. Some would be dedicated to "Tuesday Tip", while another would be dedicated to recipes, still another to any awesome wrecks from my kitchen, and the main page would be the landing site...and so on. That way in the future, any new visitors would simply click on a tab and find any previous hidden goodies.

So without further waiting for my loyal ten followers this week...here we go.

Butter.

There is so, so, so, so much I could write about this velvety smooth beauty but I'm going to stay very basic this week. The question I used to ask all the time was: salted or unsalted?

When a recipe was not specific, I honestly had no idea which would be better in my desserts and I had been creating for YEARS!

Now part of it may be that I didn't pay enough attention to my culinary professor (Yeah, I was 19 and only completed four months of formal training. I'll blame it on "teenage short attention disorder". HA!) The other part is that I probably didn't want to store two different types of butter in my fridge. So I always went back and forth between the two.

Ummm...ask me today how many different types of butter I have. Usually no less than three. That's no lie.

Eh, hem...Moving on.

Your best choice for baking is UNSALTED butter. That way you can control how much salt you use in your recipes and it delivers a more consistent end result because there is no variation in the store bought salted item. And when I say "butter", I mean real butter. Unless you have an allergy to dairy, "stick" to the truest form of buttery goodness. Just leave the salted butter for your morning toast.

I know there are so many other things about butter you may have questions over. For instance:

cold vs room temperature
melted vs softened
slow churned vs regular
why real butter over margarine or oil spread?
generic vs national brand
...and so on

If you would like me to give you my suggestions on any of these OR you have something else you've been wondering about, leave a note in the comment section and we'll go from there.

Happy baking!

Tuesday Tip!

2010-07-27T11:08:00.018-04:00

Here we go! Here we go! Here we go! Our very first "Tuesday Tip". And like I said in the previous post, this may be old news to many but may be new to some. So this is for you.

Buttermilk.

Let me say it again. Buttermilk. Yes, some people drink it but that is not our purpose today.

Buttermilk is a type of fermented drink that has a tart flavor and gives richness to the end product. When baking (or making pancakes), buttermilk is the better wet ingredient for your recipe. Yes, it is more expensive than regular milk but it is so worth using.

Now if you bake alot like me, you won't have buttermilk left over sitting in your fridge wondering when it will ever see sugar and flour again. You will always be in search of it. As a matter of fact, the dairy section in the supermarket can be a scary place for someone like me because as I turn the corner I always approach with caution.

Do they? Do they? Do they...have...some...today?

[opens eyes slowly as if watching a horror movie]

YES! They do!

And off I go with two of the largest containers I can find, which is usually no more than a half gallon carton.

But this Tuesday Tip is not just about buying buttermilk and using it. It's about how much to use and what to do if you don't have any. Ahhhh...now that is something I always need to remember.

First, in a pinch or if you simply don't bake enough to stock your fridge with even a pint of the sour goodness, you can make a fair enough substitute. Just remember that real buttermilk is always best. Here you go:

Bring 1 cup of milk (preferably whole) to room temperature (30 minutes is actually fine)
Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice (the acid needed to "spoil" the milk)
If you do not have lemon juice handy you can also use apple cider vinegar
Let sit for an additional 10 minute
Milk will have a curdled appearance...because it is :)

Next, how much to use. I have found that replacing the amount of milk called for in a recipe with buttermilk is a good match. Also, I have found that when using a box mix (pancakes, cake, muffins, etc) you can replace the water called for with buttermilk too. The end product comes out tasting wonderful! Buttermilk makes everything better.

Who knew being "spoiled rotten" would be so good! HA!

And that my friends is our first Tuesday Tip. Please let me know what you think or even if you already knew about using buttermilk. I would really appreciate it.

Happy baking!

Something new for me and you!

2010-07-26T20:18:00.000-04:00

Ok, I really need to get this blog going AND get my pictures up! So to get me rolling, I've come up with something that will keep me posting at least once a week. Well, let's hope so anyway.

I'll call it "Tuesday Tip". I know, I know. Everybody has a Tuesday tip. What will make mine any different? I don't know...but it's worth a try anyway. Right?

One thing is for sure. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. The tips I will offer are things I have learned in my test kitchen. They may be old news to many but it may be new to others. In otherwords, I want whatever kitchen tip I give out to be useful to whomever needs it.

And it just may be me who needs it!

So come back tomorrow and hopefully it will be just for you...or even you...or maybe one of the five other followers at the moment :)

Too much cake

2010-07-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

I know this blog isn't rolling yet but I had to sign on to tell you that I just made my entire household bust out laughing.

Normally, when I am getting ready to leave the house with the children, I remind them of all things that need to be done. Usually I say, "Bathroom, socks and shoes!" Then chaos stirs the pot and the energy level rises high enough to power a small country but they usually are ready when I am.

This time I did something a little different...unintentionally.

I've been baking so much lately that all I seem to have on my mind is cupcakes and cake. So this afternoon when I had to go to the store for some more buttermilk and eggs, I announced the directions. Except this time I said,

"Bathroom, cake and shoes!"

I didn't even realize what I had said until the usual whirlwind of activity was filled with shrills and side splitting laugher:

- "MOMMY! YOU SAID CAKE AND SHOES!"
- "YOU want us to put CAKE in our SHOES! HA! HA!"
- "SHOE cakes...not CUPcakes?"
- "You're CRAZY mommy!"

Yes. Yes. I think I am.

And the laughter went on and on...