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Sunday, June 26, 2011
Summer Time (almost) Fun!
It's finally hit the 70 degree mark in Eastern Washington so you know what that means...time to break out the slip 'n slide! Luke loves water so every afternoon it's out to the yard for some garden hose action. Even Maggie got in on the action.
Upside Down Key Lime Pie Cupcakes
Lime cupcakes with a graham cracker crust, filled with lime curd and topped with graham cracker frosting and a sugared lime slice
I had a few limes lying around and decided to make some key lime pie cupcakes for a neighbor's barbeque. I couldn't find a recipe though that sounded quite right to me so I pieced a few together and came up with this. Let me just say--sooo good! I'm not a big fan of lime but these were so refreshing--the perfect combo of tart and sweet. I didn't quite thicken the curd enough so it was a bit runny but the flavor was amazing!
For the graham cracker crust, mix 1 cup crushed graham crackers with 3 tbsp melted butter and 3 tbsp sugar. Press into the bottom of 12-15 cupcake liners and bake at 325 for 10 minutes. In the mean time, prepare your cupcake batter.
CUPCAKES
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream •
Heat oven to 350
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed 5 to 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lime peel and 1 teaspoon lime juice.
• In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• At low speed, beat sour cream into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture.
• Spoon batter into muffin pan, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
LIME CURD
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Place the sugar, butter, lime juice, lime zest in the top of a double boiler; stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Mix 2 tablespoons hot lime mixture into the eggs and stir to blend.
• Reduce heat to medium until water simmers. Slowly whisk egg mixture into the lime mixture. Cook over the double boiler until lime mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and spoon into a clean, glass jar. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
GRAHAM CRACKER FROSTING
• 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 C finely crushed graham crackers soaked in 1 cup heavy cream
• In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Mix in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Note: You can add more if you prefer a stiffer consistency.
• Mix in vanilla extract.
• Fold in graham crackers.
• Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes
I had a few limes lying around and decided to make some key lime pie cupcakes for a neighbor's barbeque. I couldn't find a recipe though that sounded quite right to me so I pieced a few together and came up with this. Let me just say--sooo good! I'm not a big fan of lime but these were so refreshing--the perfect combo of tart and sweet. I didn't quite thicken the curd enough so it was a bit runny but the flavor was amazing!
For the graham cracker crust, mix 1 cup crushed graham crackers with 3 tbsp melted butter and 3 tbsp sugar. Press into the bottom of 12-15 cupcake liners and bake at 325 for 10 minutes. In the mean time, prepare your cupcake batter.
CUPCAKES
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream •
Heat oven to 350
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed 5 to 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lime peel and 1 teaspoon lime juice.
• In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• At low speed, beat sour cream into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture.
• Spoon batter into muffin pan, filling two-thirds full.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
LIME CURD
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Place the sugar, butter, lime juice, lime zest in the top of a double boiler; stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Mix 2 tablespoons hot lime mixture into the eggs and stir to blend.
• Reduce heat to medium until water simmers. Slowly whisk egg mixture into the lime mixture. Cook over the double boiler until lime mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and spoon into a clean, glass jar. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool.
GRAHAM CRACKER FROSTING
• 1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 C finely crushed graham crackers soaked in 1 cup heavy cream
• In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Mix in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Note: You can add more if you prefer a stiffer consistency.
• Mix in vanilla extract.
• Fold in graham crackers.
• Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Yummy Yummy!
Here are the cupcakes I’ve done over the last couple weekends for the golf course and various get-togethers...enjoy!
Billy’s Vanilla, Vanilla cupcakes with (pink) vanilla buttercream frosting. You can view the recipe at http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006/05/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes-with.html
Vanilla, Vanilla cupcake with dark chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache swirl.
Mochaccino Cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting and a chocolate stick. Recipe available at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/mochaccino-cupcakes/
Cherry-Almond Vanilla cupcakes with cherry-almond butter frosting. Recipe available at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/cherry-almond-vanilla-cupcakes/
Ultimate Chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache filling and creamy bittersweet chocolate frosting. Recipe at http://www.pink-parsley.com/2010/04/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes.html
Parker really liked these ones and said that they were great because they were nice and chocolatey but not too sweet.
Billy’s Vanilla, Vanilla cupcakes with (pink) vanilla buttercream frosting. You can view the recipe at http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006/05/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes-with.html
Vanilla, Vanilla cupcake with dark chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache swirl.
Mochaccino Cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting and a chocolate stick. Recipe available at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/mochaccino-cupcakes/
Cherry-Almond Vanilla cupcakes with cherry-almond butter frosting. Recipe available at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/cherry-almond-vanilla-cupcakes/
Ultimate Chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache filling and creamy bittersweet chocolate frosting. Recipe at http://www.pink-parsley.com/2010/04/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes.html
Parker really liked these ones and said that they were great because they were nice and chocolatey but not too sweet.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Fun with our Son!
Enough about cupcakes! How about more on my adorably hilarious little boy? I wanted to take a few minutes to give an update on what’s been going on with our awesome son and post some fun new pics. In the last few days, Luke has started fake sneezing, saying EEE Mama (please Mama) and went to his first day of day care (sad face).
Day care went great for him and I only cried a little so overall we’ll call it a success. Parker and I decided that the socializing would be good for Luke and it would give me a day to really get some work done around the golf course. He is only going once a week on Fridays, which is perfect because I can get all the food prep done for the weekend. Carlene, the day care owner, said Luke was really well behaved, ate well and took a good nap. He only got fussy when he wanted to go outside (he does the same thing at home). She also said that in terms of adjustment, he was in the top 10% of all kids she’s had. That was really nice to hear and made me feel less guilty about handing him off to someone else.
We are also starting to wean him off his beloved binkie. During
a trip to Wal Mart sans binkie I found myself making a mad dash to the baby section, tearing open a package a of pacifiers and popping one right in his mouth… I get the feeling this is going to be a long and difficult process.
Here are some fun pics from the park today.
Luke and daddy being silly!
He climbed onto our neighbor's 4 wheeler
Really getting into his yogurt!
Luke loves his vegetables and I rarely fix him a meal different from what Parker and I are eating. However, I was pretty surprised when he tore into the spinach soufflé I made. I swear, he’s got the most refined palate of anyone I know.
Luke is the light of my life and amazes me every day with his humor, intelligence and sweetness. I am truly blessed:)
Day care went great for him and I only cried a little so overall we’ll call it a success. Parker and I decided that the socializing would be good for Luke and it would give me a day to really get some work done around the golf course. He is only going once a week on Fridays, which is perfect because I can get all the food prep done for the weekend. Carlene, the day care owner, said Luke was really well behaved, ate well and took a good nap. He only got fussy when he wanted to go outside (he does the same thing at home). She also said that in terms of adjustment, he was in the top 10% of all kids she’s had. That was really nice to hear and made me feel less guilty about handing him off to someone else.
We are also starting to wean him off his beloved binkie. During
a trip to Wal Mart sans binkie I found myself making a mad dash to the baby section, tearing open a package a of pacifiers and popping one right in his mouth… I get the feeling this is going to be a long and difficult process.
Here are some fun pics from the park today.
Luke and daddy being silly!
Luke loves his vegetables and I rarely fix him a meal different from what Parker and I are eating. However, I was pretty surprised when he tore into the spinach soufflé I made. I swear, he’s got the most refined palate of anyone I know.
Luke is the light of my life and amazes me every day with his humor, intelligence and sweetness. I am truly blessed:)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Caramelicious!
A couple times each season we have a group of guys that request catering. This happens to be one of those weekends and I actually don't mind it. Guys are generally pretty easy to please. I make pretty good money too so I like to throw in a dessert as my way of thanking them. These guys, big surprise, are getting cupcakes! So far I've made two varieties- Cookies and cream and a Devil's Food with Salted Caramel Frosting.
Devil's Food cupcake with an Oreo crust, topped with Oreo buttercream frosting and an Oreo cookie.
Devil's Food Cupcake with a chocolate ganache filling topped with salted caramel buttercream frosting and a chocolate ganache swirl.
Devil's Food cupcake with a chocolate ganache filling topped with fresh strawberry buttercream frosting (I just needed to use up the rest of my strawberry frosting and these just look pretty).
I'm including the recipe for the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting. It is quite possibly the most decadently delicious thing I've ever tasted in my life. Do yourself a favor, if you don't eat another thing this week, whip up a batch of this immediatetly. I don't care if you put it on a cupcake, smear some on a piece of toast or eat it straight with a spoon (my personal recommendation). This stuff is amazing! Don't be put off by making the caramel yourself. It is super-easy and totally worth the few extra minutes of work.
Salted Caramel Butter cream Frosting
Frosting Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
•
• Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (just start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. (Be careful, as the mixture will definitely bubble up and possibly splatter a bit as you add in the cream.) Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Beat the butter ]in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add caramel. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).
I'm including the recipe for the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting. It is quite possibly the most decadently delicious thing I've ever tasted in my life. Do yourself a favor, if you don't eat another thing this week, whip up a batch of this immediatetly. I don't care if you put it on a cupcake, smear some on a piece of toast or eat it straight with a spoon (my personal recommendation). This stuff is amazing! Don't be put off by making the caramel yourself. It is super-easy and totally worth the few extra minutes of work.
Salted Caramel Butter cream Frosting
Frosting Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
•
• Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (just start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. (Be careful, as the mixture will definitely bubble up and possibly splatter a bit as you add in the cream.) Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Beat the butter ]in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated. Turn off the mixer, and then add caramel. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).
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