Easter Cookies

Another set of Easter cookies, this time in pastels. :)

Butterfly Cupcakes

These are the cupcakes that I made using the royal icing butterflies.

Royal Icing Butterflies

Let me start off my saying that I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post but I was sick. Sick, sick, sick! Very sick! Ok 'nuff said.

I learned how to make these butterflies from a Flickr member. If you ever want to find a picture of something (anything) go to the Flickr sight and search and you'll find it. It's one of my favorite websites. You can really make any design using this method.

First make a batch of royal icing. Then draw out the butterfly template several times onto a sheet of paper. Cover the paper with wax paper and trace over the design with the royal icing that has been put into a pastry bag or ziplock bag.

You can see the butterflies better in this picture. Leave them like this until they're dry.

Then tint the royal icing different colors and fill in with the designs. I took a toothpick and swirled some of the colors together while they were still wet to make a pretty design.

Let them dry completely (about a day) then gently peel off of the wax paper. To attach the wings together I use part of a cardboard box. Bend a piece of cardboard in half lengthwise to form a "V" then place a piece of wax paper in the "V". Pipe the body of the butterfly (just a line) and push the wings into the sides and let dry completely and then you have a beautiful butterfly. I'll show you how I used them next time.

Spring Cupcakes

Spring is here so I wanted to make some cupcakes to reflect that. I made toad stools, bees and flowers out of fondant and tinted some icing green for the "grass". I think they're cute.

Poppy Birthday Cake

My mother and best customer asked me to make a cake for a dear friend's birthday. She didn't really give me a direction, she just said to make it pretty. Here's what I came up with. Originally I was going for a bright red poppy but somewhere it kind of went into a deep mauve color. I still think it's pretty.

Pineapple Carrot Nut Bread

My parents often visit an Amish run store in Oklahoma called Nellie Ann's Bakery. Last weekend my mom called me from there and was listing all the wonderful things they had for sale. I was so excited to see what she would come home with. Well she bought me...a jar of grape jelly, some ground cinnamon, sprinkles, dehydrated orange peel, chocolate chip cookies, instant clear jel, double acting baking powder, an April Fool's deviled egg (I'll show you that later), jalapeno cheese bread and this fabulous loaf of pineapple, carrot nut bread. It is a weird combo but it works! I have been munching on it every afternoon since I got it.

If you are ever anywhere near Chouteau Oklahoma you have to stop in and check it out.

Easter Cookies

Easter Cookies inspired by Mary Engelbreit. She is a fabulous artist. I bought a flower pot that was painted with dots and flowers and I thought it would be cute on cookies. I was pretty happy with how they turned out.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

A cake that you can make in your microwave in 5 minutes or less? Sounds fantastic (and dangerous) right? Well that's what I thought when someone emailed me the recipe. I went home that night and tried it and let me tell you it wasn't fantastic. Far from it. While it was in the microwave cooking it almost smelled like it was burning. I took it out and let it cool for a minute, while it cooked all of the chocolate chips sank to the bottom of the mug. It was really, really dense and thick and wasn't sweet. I like my cake to be light and fluffy. Maybe it's asking to much for a five minute cake you cook in the microwave to actually taste good. Oh well it was a fun little experiment. I think if I played with the recipe and tweaked it, it might be good but I don't want to invest that much time in it. Here's the recipe if you want to try it.

All the chips stuck in the bottom

The cake dumped out on a plate

My confusion after taking a bite. I was even a little scared to try it.

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar (I would try maybe 5 tbsps)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

a small splash of vanilla

1 large microwave safe coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla and mix again. Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. (I have no idea how you know the watts?) The cake will rise over the top of the mug but don't be alarmed. Allow to cool for a minute and then tip out onto a plate if desired.

Snickerdoodles

Who doesn't love a good snickerdoodle? All the guys at work loved them but they love any food item I bring. I got the recipe from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. Warning: These cookies have to chill before you can bake them. I didn't read the recipe all the way through before I started making them. I'm very impatient and I hate to wait for stuff to chill. So make these before you really want to bake and eat them.

Snickerdoodles

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter-room temp

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs-room temp

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon for sprinkling

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet, leaving several inches between for expansion. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Bake for about 9 minutes for chewy cookies and 12 minutes for crunchy cookies. Cool the cookies on the sheet for about 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.