Donna Hay "Patty Cakes"

This photo is from Donna Hay's book called The New Cook. I may have mentioned that I only buy books that have cupcakes in them...I found a couple of cool recipes...and very nice photographs...in this book so I bought it.

So, here's my question: Has anybody ever seen these cupcake liners anywhere? They look so cool and have some printing on them that you really can't read, but part of one word looks like ...cuits...which could be biscuits?? Then, there's the beginning of another word...bour...which could be bourbon?? Dunno. But, I was thinking that since Donna Hay is Australian-based, maybe someone from Australia could help me out. Also, are cupcakes called Patty Cakes?

They Bake Up to 800 Cupcakes a Week by Themselves!

Cool story from the Hampstead and Highgate Express in London--Lifestyle: Selling like Hot Cakes

PRIMROSE Hill mums Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas can often be found whipping up a Victoria sponge at midnight.
  The two friends are not only domestic goddesses but savvy businesswomen, who run a cake-making business from their own kitchens.
  In just nine months, Primrose Bakery has supplied its pretty cup cakes and sponges to a range of clients - from a Kate Moss modelling shoot to the crew for rock band U2.
  Martha, 36, and Lisa, 38, met when their eldest children were pupils at St Mark's nursery in St Mark's Square.
  Read more here>

Ahhh...Cupcake Liners!

Some of you noticed the brown cupcake liners I used in my last batch of cupcakes. I'm always looking for some different kind of cupcake liner. I wish they had some with polka dots or wide stripes. Cool ones, you know? During my searching on the internet, I came across these brown and red ones from a company in Troy, New York.

It's called Confectionery House. It has lots of cool stuff but these liners are the ultimate. I ordered some and they came right away, just in time for the apple cupcakes! This link takes you right to the brown and red cupcake liners! Enjoy...

Week 22: Granny Smith Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

Today we got back from a few days at Bethany Beach. The weather was two extremes...90 on Friday and 70s on Saturday...but blustery and dark....the ocean was violent...it was almost fall-like. Then today we stopped at Elmer's Vegetable Stand on the way home and bought a pumpkin! This all put me in the mood for something fallish. I came home and broke out the cupcake books and found "Apple Cupcakes" and "Caramel Icing" in Sara Neumeir's Cupcakes Year-Round....mmmmm.

The cupcakes were easy to make...the longest task was dicing the apples. The cupcakes turned out so moist and made the whole house smell like fall. The caramel icing was the perfect match...especially with the Grannie Smith apples. The little bumps on top are actually pits of apple showing through the caramel. It took quite a while to make the caramel, because you have to boil it to 240 degrees and then wait until it goes down to 110 degrees before you can add the final ingredient...unsalted butter.

The caramel does take a long time, but the end result was four thumbs up from the tasting group of four at dinner tonight.

Download recipes here PDF

Week 21: Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

The other night I made another $100 visit to my favorite Barnes and Noble to check out anything possible dealing with my obsession: cupcakes...found More from Magnolia, Donna Hay's, the new cook and, in the magazine section, the donna hay magazine kids issue I had read about...which all have cupcake reciples.

I decided to try my hand at the Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake recipe, which turned out really well. The recipe was very easy to make. It's the first one I've done that called for both all purpose flour and self-rising flour...interesting. I frosted the cupcakes in three colors: pink, blue and green and added some cute little things.

All in all, very fun to make and decorate! Layla liked them, too. Recipe is here.

"Fragrance with a Hint of Cupcakes"

I heard about this yesterday. According to EOnline: "Spears' new fragrance, Fantasy Britney Spears, is due to launch Thursday. She has described it as a completely magical blend of enchanting scents and flavors with a hint of cupcakes."

hmmmm...I don't know....but, she might have something here....

Week 20: Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Wow! I can believe that it's been 20 weeks since I began this project. It was really fun to make. BB (before baking), we went to a cake supply store in Wheaton, Maryland. It's called "The LIttle Bitts Shop (no web site), and it's a place with a lot of character...just two rooms. But it is packed with cake type stuff...pans, icing...sugar...cup liners...boxes...everything! And they are so nice there!

Time's flying by so fast....this week's cupcake has a built-in surprise...it is filled with homemade marshmallow. But I want to get back to the cake store...I found all these cool cupcake toppers and went crazy...I bought football players, ballerinas, basketball players, bowlers..needless to say, it was quite a bill by the time we got out the door! But, hey! I couldn't help it...I was talking to the owner about my cupcake blog and he was telling me that he doesn't even have a computer, or cell phone..nada..he only writes letters...no email. And, he's happy as a clam. But I could tell he was interested in my blog! it's all about cupcakes, anyway.

You can use any chocolate (or whttever recipe) for the cupcakes. Then you just use a little spoon to hollow out the middle of the top of the cupcake. Use a pastry bag stuffed with the marshmallow and squeeze it in the little hole. I used just the top part of what I took out to cover up the hole. Then I put the frosting over the entire top of the cupcake. It worked like a charm. Everyone here says they taste just like Ho Hos...I guess that's a good thing...I think they taste like an homemade Hostess Cupcake might.

Download recipe: PDF

Week 19: Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Sour Cream/Butter Cream Frosting

Well, the Terps did beat Navy on Saturday night, so yesterday I started looking for football cupcakes. There was a tiny problem...It took me quite a while to decide what cupcake made me think about football. I could not come up with any certain thing! So, I decided to make it have something chocolate...so I searched my cupcake books and found The Artful Cupcake's Chocolate Chip Cupcake! It's so cute.

And, the recipe had two different suggestions for frosting: Chocolate Sour Cream and Classic Buttercream..very different flavors but both awesome tasting. Then I made the little pennants and glued them on toothpicks. They worked out great!

Tomorrow I will take the "Terp" cupcakes to work. I can't wait to see the reaction.

Download Recipe PDF

Terps Win!

Okay, okay...this is good...the Terps won tonight...over Navy...23-20. Picture me doing a little dance around the living room! They played in the Raven's stadium in Baltimore.

So now, this means Football cupcakes...it's a hard job, but someone's got to do it! (Don't you just love football?!!)

Go Terps! Cupcakes

Today Maryland plays Navy for the first time in 40 years! I am a Maryland alum and I work there. I will be watching the game tonight at 6:00!

So my idea for this week's cupcakes is a football cupcake! I haven't figured out what it will look like but I'm marinating the idea for today...small noggling ?: what will I make if the Terps lose? hmmmmm

Cupcakes? Not Today....

The reality of the disaster in New Orleans takes over all thoughts today. No cupcakes...only photos of people who are trapped by circumstances beyond their control. And, the thought that they think we have forgotten them...are doing nothing for them...I have feelings of helplessness today.

Jeff (Pastry Chef Jeff) is pointing to a very powerful blog called Survival of New Orleans...it's a firsthand experience of the disaster and its aftermath...If you're thinking about donating to Katrina, go here.

There'll be no cupcakes today.

Cupcake Oil Paintings...I Love it!

Found this painting of cupcakes while looking around for new cupcake liners on the web today...it's called Three Cupcakes and was painted by Lisa Caballero, who lives in Portland.

This one's called Three Cupcakes (pink background).



She has other food related paintings including cake! The cake painting is called Milk and Cake!