Your Cup of Cake

Butterfinger Puppy Chow

Lizzy Mae Early — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:00:20 +0000

The Story:

I remember the first time I ever had this so called “Puppy Chow” or “Muddy Buddies” whatever you want to call it. I was at a wedding reception at my friend’s house and it was this weird looking white-coated powdery stuff served in little souffle cups. But I wasn’t a picky eater, so I decided to give it a shot.

By the end of the night I had about 9 of those little souffle cups stacked on my plate. Empty.

Butterfinger Puppy Chow

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Ingredients

6 C. Rice Chex Cereal

1 C. milk chocolate melts

1/2 C. peanut butter, smooth

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 C. Butterfingers or Chick-O-Sticks, crushed

Directions

1. Measure out your Chex cereal into a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a medium microwave proof bowl, melt milk chocolate melts, peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth. (About 45 seconds, then stir, then 15 more seconds)

3. Pour melted chocolate/peanut butter over cereal and stir until well coated.

4. Dump into a large plastic bag or a tupperware with a lid, add crushed Butterfingers and shake until well coated.

5. Dump onto a cookie sheet to let cool.

6. Hide it all because it will disappear way too fast.

Crushed them in a plastic bag, but you can use a blender too!

Snow Cone Cupcakes

Lizzy Mae Early — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:54 +0000

The Story:

For some reason at every fundraiser fair, I got put at the snow cone stand. It would have been the best job around if it weren’t for all those bees! Every pump of fruity syrup was buzzing with terror. I just moved slowly and hoped for the best.

This recipe comes from my cookbook Your Cup of Cake found on Amazon and book stores across the country.

Snow Cone Cupcakes

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Ingredients

Vanilla Cake:

1 box White Cake mix

4 egg whites

1/3 C. oil

¾ C. milk

¾ C. sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 ½ C. butter, softened

5-7 C. powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp milk

1-2 Tbsp. lemon flavored gelatin

1-2 Tbsp. cherry flavored gelatin

1-2 Tbsp. blue berry flavored gelatin

Coarse sugar sprinkles in yellow, red and blue

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners or use soufflé cups like I did.

2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, use a whisk to gently combine eggs, oil, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract.

4. Add cake mix and stir until smooth.

5. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

6. Frostings: Beat butter for 2 minutes and scrape down the sides of your bowl. Slowly add powdered until you reach your desired consistency. Add a little milk if it become too thick.

7. Use three small bowl and divide up your frosting evenly into each one. Add a different gelatin flavor to each bowl and mix it in. Taste and add more gelatin it needed.

8. To assemble, pipe a strip of yellow frosting across a cupcake. Use a knife to smooth it out into a sort of Mohawk on the cupcake. Roll the top of yellow Mohawk into your yellow sprinkles.

9. Next, pipe red frosting on either side of the yellow strip. Use your knife to smooth out the frosting and fill in the needed area. Roll the red frosting into a small bowl of your red sprinkles. (The red sprinkles will not stick to the yellow area if your yellow area is fully covered in yellow sprinkles.)

10. Repeat step 9 using the blue frosting and blue sprinkles.

11. Once the cupcake is completely covered in sprinkles, use your clean hand to round out the top of the cupcake and to smooth the edges between each flavor Mohawk.

Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Lizzy Mae Early — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:47 +0000

The Story:

I always swore to myself that I wouldn’t start doing cakes until I got married. It’s a whole other set of stuff and I have zero extra room as it is. Well there isn’t a ring on my finger but there will be a cake section in my next cookbook. So I have to start practicing! This was definitely a learning experience. Somehow the cake just kept getting uglier and uglier as I went on. So I have no learned that less is more.

I kept trying to recall episodes I’ve seen on the Food Network. Paula and Sandra make is seem so easy! I want to decorate using no fondant and doing things that normal people like me and probably you. If you are a pastry chef or a professional baker… I don’t consider you “normal.”

So what advice do you have? Have a favorite way you like to decorate your cakes? I’m trying to learn the photography as well…

Stay with me, they WILL get prettier. I mean, look at one of my first cupcake posts, they were pretty lame looking…

Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

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Yield: 3 layer of 9-inch rounds

Ingredients

Banana Cake:

2 boxes white cake mix

6 bananas, ripe and mashed well

6 eggs

1/2 C. oil

1 1/3 C. buttermilk or milk

3/4 C. sour cream

3 tsp vanilla extract

3 tsp. cinnamon

Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting:

1 1/4 C. butter, softened

2/3 C. chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

1 C. cocoa powder, unsweetened

4-5 C. powdered sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

2-4 Tbsp. milk

Chopped Hazelnuts to decorate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 345 degrees and line pans with parchment paper on the bottom and grease the sides.

2. Sift cake mixes into a bowl to remove lumps and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine bananas, eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla extract and cinnamon until smooth.

4. Stir in cake mix.

5. Divide evenly into 3 round pans.

6. Bake for about 27-35 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. (I baked two of the pans and then the other one separately.)

7. Let cool completely.

8. To make buttercream beat butter and hazelnut spread. Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and add 1 Tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You will want a looser consistency than you would have for cupcakes.

9. To assemble, center your first layer of baked cake on your cake plate, then frost the top of that cake...then put another layer of cake...then another layer of frosting...then cake...then frost the entire cake! Use chopped hazelnuts to decorate.

Frosting the second layer..

3 Layers…

Take little rectangles of parchment paper and slip them under the cake the keep your cake plate clean when decorating (This really did help)

Pretty…(This is when I started to get prideful and thought I could master this)

Smothered the outside with chopped chocolate… bad idea. I used melts which MELTED in my hands while I did it (I shouldn’t have been surprised) and I think it looked prettier before anyway.

Rimmed the cake with hazelnuts…trying to make it look “fancy”

It took a lot of courage to cut through this thing. I need to use more frosting on the inside next time for a better looking slice.

Like I said, I learned a lot this first time venturing into cakes. Learn with me.

Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Lizzy Mae Early — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:55 +0000

The Story:

Did anyone actually make good money doing a lemonade stand? I remember sitting out in the blistering sun, fighting our little card table that kept collapsing and trying to find the right balance of cute and pathetic so people would stop and buy a drink or two. But I don’t remember any money actually being made.

Blackberry Lemonade Cupcakes

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Ingredients

Lemonade Cake:

1 box white cake mix

3 eggs

1/3 C. oil

zest of 2 lemons

1/4 C. lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 C. milk

1/2 C. sour cream

Lemon Glaze:

zest of half of a lemon

1/4 C. lemon juice

1 2/3 C. powdered sugar

Blackberry Buttercream:

1 C. butter, softened

4-5 C. powdered suagr

1/4 C. blackberry puree (blackberries thrown in the blender, blend, then run through a strainer to remove seeds)

Extra blackberries for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.

2. Sift cake mix into a separate bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine eggs, oil, zest, lemon juice, vanilla, milk and sour cream until smooth.

4. Stir in cake mix.

5. Bake for 17-22 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

6. Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a bowl (using a whisk or fork is easiest).

7. Buttercream: Beat butter until smooth. Add enough powdered sugar to make the frosting stiff, then slowly add in blackberry puree 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

8. Spoon glaze over cooled cupcakes and let set.

9. When glaze is firm, pipe frosting on top and finish with a fresh blackberry.

$100 Albion Swimwear and Fitness Clothing Giveaway!

Lizzy Mae Early — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:00:39 +0000

The Story:
So you didn’t win my Cupcake Care Package Giveaway? That’s alright, because I have another FABULOUS giveaway starting today!

Albion is a fairly new company that has women’s fitness and swimwear. I know, I know I only show photos of their adorable 1-pieces but they have cute tennis skirts, yoga pants and racerback tops as well. But come on! The swimsuits are adorable. Their bikinis have a little retro flare to them and their 1-pieces are just so different from anything else I’ve seen. I wore the grey chevron print suit to the pool the other day and 5 girls came up to me asking where I got it!

If you win you get a $100 gift card from Albion to be used for whatever you want from their site!

How to enter:

1. You MUST like their facebook page found here: https://www.facebook.com/AlbionFitness

AND you must pin something from their site and copy and paste the URL of the pin to your comment below.

Want an extra entry…or 2?

1. Tweet about the giveaway (and make a separate comment below telling me you did)

2. Pin this giveaway (and make a separate comment below telling me you did)

Giveaway ends May 16, 2013 at 11:59 PM Mountain Standard Time

Chocolate Malt Brownies

Lizzy Mae Early — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:00:28 +0000

The Story:

With summer just around the corner, it means tons of picnics, family reunions, friends getting together and neighborhood parties. And what does every party have? A table to desserts. So what do you go for? Is it the Costco cookies that catch your eye, the sheet cake, the last slice of pie? Well for me, it is always the brownies that get me. You just can’t go too wrong with a brownie. Even made from the box they are delicious and chocolatey heaven.

Chocolate Malt Brownies

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Ingredients

Malt Brownies:

1 Box Betty Crocker Brownies

1/2 C. malt powder (Carnation makes a brand)

(eggs, oil, and water called for on the back of the box)

Chocolate Malt Frosting:

1/2 C. butter, softened

1/2 C. cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C. malt powder

Malt balls, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare brownies as directed on the back of the box. You can use whatever brand you want, but Betty Crocker is the BEST for brownies. (You can also replace the water called for with milk.)

2. Stir in 1/2 C. malt powder and pour into a greased pan. The smaller the pan, the thicker the brownie.

3. Cook according to the box directions.

4. Let Cool.

5. Frosting: Beat butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla and malt powder until smooth. Add 1 Tbsp. milk if it is too thick.

6. Frost cooled brownies and top with crushed malt balls for decoration and texture.

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Lizzy Mae Early — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:00:39 +0000

The Story:

Alright, I have seen these bars EVERYWHERE. People are obsessed with them because it only takes 6 ingredients and you don’t have to use an oven. Well la…tee…dah… Guess what? I think the way everyone else has made them is sorta…ugly. They make the peanut butter layer and then dump chocolate on top and call it done. Come on! Just add a few chopped up Reese’s cups, Reese’s Pieces or crunched Butterfingers to the top to make them more special!

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

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Yield: 16-20

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Layer:

1 C. butter

1 C. peanut butter, smooth

2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

2 C. graham cracker crumbs

2 C. powdered sugar

Chocolate Layer:

1 1/4 C. chocolate chips

1/4 C. peanut butter, smooth

Peanut Butter cups, Reese's Pieces, or Butterfingers chopped for decoration

Directions

1. On the stove top, melt butter and peanut butter together. Stir until smooth and remove from heat.

2. Add in vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar and stir until well combined.

3. Spread into a 9 X 9 or 9 X13 pan (I lined mine with parchment to help lift it out easily.

4. Chocolate Layer: Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue to heat in microwave in 20 second intervals until smooth.

5. Pour chocolate over peanut butter layer and shake pan to distribute evenly.

6. Wait for 5 or so minutes and then sprinkle your peanut butter cup (or other candy) on top of the chocolate.

7. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to let set.

Cupcake Care Package Giveaway!

Lizzy Mae Early — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:54 +0000

The Story:

I did it. I finally graduated from college. Only changed my major 5 times and had to survive a few crazy roommates to do it.

I did manage to have some fun along the way though. Dated some interesting boys, went to Hong Kong with a performance group, was the weather girl for our campus news station, was on a reality TV show, had some pretty interesting hair-dos and started this fun blog. But one of my favorite things was always getting care packages in the mail from my mother. They would be filled with clothes, jewelry, cupcake stuff, Trader Joe’s goodies and whatever else she could squeeze in the package. It was like Christmas every time they came, because I didn’t know what was inside but I knew that I would love it.

Now it’s YOUR turn to get a care package from ME.

Mother’s day, graduation and other celebrations are just around the corner. Wouldn’t you love to send someone a Cupcake Care Package? Or you can send it to yourself–there’s no shame in that!

The package will include the cookbook “Your Cup of Cake” signed by yours truly, greaseproof liners, and a ton of other fun goodies for baking cupcakes along with some advice to make the best cupcakes. My plan is just to STUFF this package to it’s limits with KitchenAid products, food scoops, sprinkles and tons to fun things.

ATTENTION PORTLAND READERS… I will be having a book signing at the Lake Oswego Deseret Book on Saturday May 11 from 12-2pm

You can enter the giveaway up to 5 times by doing the following: (Remember, enter a separate comment for each of the following telling me what you did)

1. Comment and tell me which cupcake recipe on my site you will make first with the care package AND who you would send this package to!

2. “Like” the Deseret Book-Lake Oswego facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/DeseretBookLakeOswego?ref=ts&fref=ts

3. “Pin” this giveaway

4. Tweet this giveaway

5. Share this giveaway on Facebook

6. Go to the link below and vote for LAKERIDGE in the NORTHWEST region and comment below saying “I voted”(my old high school has an awesome arts program and I want to support it)

http://www.vans.com/customculture/vote/

Giveaway ends Thursday May 9th

Coconut Rice Crispy Treats

Lizzy Mae Early — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:00:44 +0000

The Story:

I loved to go to the grocery store when I was younger. It would just be me and my father, we’d each get a 25 cent soda (usually grape) and we would roam the store. He would always sneak a chocolate covered nut and I could never pass by the coconuts without giving them a good shake to hear the milk slosh around.

Coconut Rice Crispy Treats

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Ingredients

2 1/2 C. shredded coconut

1 bag miniature marshmallows (10 or 12 oz bag)

3 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 tsp. coconut extract

6 C. rice puff cereal

3 C. coconut M&M's

Melted Chocolate and Extra Toasted Coconut for decoration

Directions

1. Spread shredded coconut evenly onto a cookie sheet and broil on low for 2 minutes (watch carefully!). Shake pan to toss and continue to broil for another minute if needed. You want to to be light brown.

2. Prepare a 8X13 pan by greasing with butter or lining with parchment or foil.

3. In a large microwave proof bowl, place marshmallow, butter and coconut extract. Microwave for 1 minute and then stir and continue to microwave in 20 second intervals until smooth.

4. Pour in rice cereal and stir until coated.

5. Add shredded coconut (save a little for decoration at the end if desired) and stir.

6. Fold in M&M's. (You can also break up Almond Joys or Mounds.)

7. Dump into your prepared pan and press with buttered fingers to flatten.

8. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with extra coconut for decoration.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Puppy Chow

Lizzy Mae Early — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:00:30 +0000

The Story:

Most kids got Gushers, Doritos, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in their lunch box. But with a brother allergic to peanut butter… I got cold pesto pasta with tomatoes, cucumbers and capers. I thought I was going to be the loser at lunch with the weird green pasta. I thought about pulling a Charlie Brown and eating with the paper sack over my head to not see the weird looks from Kenzie and Danny.

But miraculously enough, I turned into the girl that everyone wanted to swap with. Three Dorito chips or 5 Gushers for a fork full of my pasta was the running rate.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Puppy Chow

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Ingredients

Peanut Butter Chow:

1 C. peanut butter baking chips

1/3 C. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

8 C. Rice Chex cereal

1 1/4 C. powdered sugar

Jelly Chow:

1 1/2 C. white chocolate melts (or chips, if you use chips add 3 Tbsp. butter)

8 C. Rice Chex cereal

1 C. strawberry cake mix (just the powdered mix)

Directions

1. Peanut Butter Chow: Melt peanut butter chips, peanut butter and vanilla extract together.

2. Place cereal in a large bowl and pour melted peanut butter goodness over it and fold until coated.

3. Put powdered sugar into a large plastic bag or tupperware with a lid and dump in peanut butter coated cereal. Shake until coated in powdered sugar then dump out on a cookie sheet to cool.

4. Jelly Chow: Melt white chocolate until smooth.

5. Place cereal in a large bowl and pour white chocolate over and stir until coated.

6. Put the strawberry cake mix in a large plastic bag or tupperware with a lid and dump chocolate coated cereal into it. Shake until coated and pink from the mix.

7. Pour into a cookie sheet to cool,

8. Mix the two chows together and Ta-Dah!