Elmo is very tickled today because he's going to his new home!
The winner of the TMX Elmo contest is GLORIA, who...by the way...is celebrating being 15 years cancer free this year!
Congratulations to Gloria and a BIG thanks to all of you who wanted to take Elmo home!
Rock On!
CQ
TMX...AKA TICKLE ME...ELMO HAS A NEW HOME!
Now That's Amore: Lemon Cupcakes with Pink Lemonade Frosting Topped with Frosted Cookies!
Valentine's Day Cupcakes: That's Amore! It's all about the love, don't you think? These are lemon cupcakes with pink lemonade frosting and topped with cookies covered with pink frosting!
I am in New York City today and visited Billy's Bakery today! And....we ate cupcakes and took pics.
More tomorrow on that fun visit!
Happy Heart Day!
Rock On!
CQ
EXTREME CONTEST: TICKLE ME ELMO EXTREME, THAT IS!
Call me crazy, but, YES...this is a contest for one TMX Elmo. And...of course...there's a story before you get to the contest! Here goes: I get home from work the other day and see a rather large box on my front proch...hmmm...can't remember ordering anything lately...look at it, and, yes, it's addressed to me! I take it inside and open the mail and then come back to the box. I still can't remember what I might have ordered! I open it up and then it all comes back!
At least two months ago...maybe more...I was frantically looking for Tickle Me Elmo, Extreme...everywhere and none were to be had! I happened onto the Fisher Price web site at some point and they actually had a preorder form for them...one to a person...to be delivered sometime in February! I filled it out quickly and then totally forgot about it.
Christmas comes, and I actually got one for Christmas from my lovely...and crazy...sister! So, I forgot about that other Elmo even more. And that's who was in the box that appeared on my doorstep the other day!
I thought it would be so cool to have another contest...so this little Elmo...who hasn't even been unpacked yet is up for grabs to all you cupcake lovers!
This is how it's going to work.
To get qualify to get in the drawing for the "I WANT TMX ELMO" contest you MUST do two things.
First you MUST make only one comment on the blog about why you think you need TMX ELMO.
AND
Second, you MUST email me including your email address at 52cupcakes@gmail.com, putting the words "TMX ELMO" in the subject line. I'm doing it this way so that we don't have too many multiple entries from the same person.
Remember, you can't just do one or the other.
The winner will be picked from a large hat by a blindfolded person.
The contest begins 12:00 a.m. (est), Friday, Feb. 9th, and ends at 6:00 a.m. (est), Friday, Feb. 16.
The winner will be announced around noon on Friday, Feb. 16th.
In case you haven't seen Tickle Me Elmo...here's a link to a cute video of him on YouTube.
Rock on!
CQ
Super Peanut Butter Surprise SuperBowl XLI Cupcakes
SuperBowl Sunday....What can I say about this...I'm a Redskins fan...and I love Maryland basketball most of all...however, I must admit that I'llI use any excuse to make cupcakes! I definitely plan to watch the game tonight, but I don't really have a favorite. The only player I can name on either team is Peyton Manning!
This cupcake is from the Cake Doctor's cupcake book. After you make the batter and fill the cupcake liners, you put one Hershey kiss on top and while it bakes it melts straight down into the cupcake so that when you take them out of the oven, you don't see a trace of the hershey kiss!
Then, of course, I got out my "little football people" and the fun began! I made orange and blue frosting and slathered it on the cupcakes...I found the minature Reece's cups at World Market...perfect for the top!
Layla's favorite team is the Colts...but only because she doesn't like bears...but she loves horses. I tried to explain football to her...but you know how dogs are...they can be stubburn when they want to...I just hope she wins!
Have a great game!
Rock on,
CQ
Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcakes
 | Wow....this recipe seemed crazy at first...in all my cupcake adventures, this is the FIRST time I've made cupcakes using bread crumbs instead of flour! |
 | I made these for my sister, Robin's 50th...that's the BIG 50!...birthday. Her BIG DAY was actually Jan. 25th, but she wanted a slumber party at our Mom's house so we did it last night. Three of our relatives came down from New York, and two of her Suitland High School buddies came, too. |
 | The recipe for the these is in the book called Tempt...Cupcakes to Excite by Betty Saw, who is a chef in Malaysia. The recipe was so easy...literally eggs, castor sugar, grated lemon rind and white fine breadcrumbs! |
 | This is my Mom's dog, Arby...he is investigating the cupcake! Arby is an 8 year old cocker spaniel and a real lover! |
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| These are people at the slumber party: Marie, Noelle, and Maddie from New York::and our Mom! | |
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| Laura and Catherine made all the wonderful appetizers! Robin and Jean having a nice hug! | |
 | And, this is today, Sunday....breakfast at Bob Evans...we love the Bob Evans...what a great ending to a great party! |
| Here's the recipe: Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcake "This is a soft spngy cupcake made usng ony fresh white breadcrumbs without flour soaked in a tangy spice-flavoured syrup." Large paper cases--makes 10 cupcakes Ingredients (sponge batter) Eggs (2 large separated) Castor sugar (80 grams, divided into 2 portions Grated lemon rind (1 tsp) Fresh white breadcrumbs (75 g) Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey (100 ml) Caster sugar (40 g) Orange or apple juice (2 Tbsp) Cinnamon stick (1 cm piece) Clove (1 whole) Cointreau (1 Tbsp, optional Topping: Fresh grated white coconut for sprinkling ------------------------- Method: Line muffin pans with paper cases. Place egg yolks with 40 g sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Whisk until pale, thick and light. Beat in lemon rind. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 40 g sugar of sugar gradually and continue to beat until stiff. Fold a third of the egg white mixture followed by the breadcrumbs into the egge yolk mixture. Carefully fold in remaining egg white mixture in tow batches. Spoon mixture evenly to fill paper cases and level surfaces with a teaspoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 C (350 F) for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pan before tkaingout. Meanwhile, prepare Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey syrup. Place all ingredients except Cointreau in a small saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in Countreau if using. Remove and leave spices in the syrup to infuse for 15 minutes. Note: This recipe is a good way of using leftover white bread. Simply slice off the crusts and tear them into a food processor. Process until they become fine crumbs. Measure out amount required and use immediately or store in covered containers in the freezer. They will keep for 1-2 months. *The Apple Cider + Vinegar is from Wescobee, an Australian produce. Cointreau can be replaced with either fresh apple or orange juice. *I did not have this product to I did equal amount of honey and Apple Cider Vinegar together. I have no idea if this was right or not, but it tasted great! | |
Rock On! CQ | |
Chocolate Starbucks Espresso Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting
 These cupcakes were such an adventure...I saw the recipe in Family Circle and I really liked the way they looked. But, I wanted to make a chocolate cupcake using a shot of Starbucks espresso so...of course...I HAD to go to Starbucks. I was going to meet my friend...Mr. Vinnie...there, but on the way I thought it would be cool for us to have breakfast at the Silver Diner...which BTW was awesome! But, I still HAD to go to Starbucks...which really is never a chore for me...I love the Starbucks! |
 I brought home the espresso shot and began to make the cupcakes...which turned out great. A while later I was ready to make the frosting and realized that I needed to head back to Starbucks for a Cappuccino...poor me (smile)...Back home poured the cap into the frosting and it made the nicest creamy coffee colored frosting. Topped it with a chocolate covered espresso bean...from Starbucks...of course! |
 Layla hung out with me in the kitchen during the entire cupcake process...she's such a champ! Then she patiently poses for me in front of the cupcakes...this time her tongue tried to come out just a bit...I just had to give her a taste of the frosting...I know, I know...I'm bad to the bone! |
 This photo will officially introduce everyone to Nigel...our baby French Bulldog...he doesn't really know what the heck a cupcake is yet but he sat still long enough me for to get this photo...I"m sure you'll be seeing more of Nigel...aka Devil Dog... |
| Rock On! CQ |
Layla's Birthday PupCake Party!
Layla is five years old today! And, this was my opportunity to make something really special for her and her friends from a new doggie cookbook that I got for Christmas: The Dog Ate It: Cooking for Yourself and Your Four-Legged Friends by Linda West Eckhardt, Barbara Bradley, Judy Kern. The recipe is Pup Cakes!
This is Layla in her birthday outfit...she loved the shades and kept the hat on for a while. She was too interested in her cupcakes to notice her accoutrement! She had her friend, Harry, and her boy friend, Chuck...along with Nigel...her new French Bulldog brother!
And, here Layla is sniffing out the table scene...where the humans ate the birthday dinner!
This is Layla's beau, Chuck! He is smiling...
And, this is Layla's new birthday collar....Perfect for the Cupcake Queen...and Layla because she loves cupcakes so much...we picked it up at this cool store in Bethesda, MD...it's called The Posh Pooch. It has the cutest doggie stuff. If you live in the DC area, it's a must visit!
Don't Miss This Snow Ball!
This really started out as a joke...Mainly because it was about 65 degrees today in Washington, DC! But I really wish we had some snow and the only way I could get it was to make Snow Balls! Underneath all this snow is a coconut cupcake. The frosting is made with cream cheese!
Here is what they look like BIG! This little person project is so cool. I love doing them. I've found several sets of little people for the next weeks!
I thought these ballroom dancers were adorable and they fit right in with my snowball (get it?? Snow Ball.....hmmmmm) idea. Oh well...this cupcake is the very first cupcake I made when beginning my personal cupcake journey nearly 2 years ago! If you'd like to try the recipe: Click Here.
Did I tell you all that we got a new puppy...is there such a thing as an old puppy??...his name is Nigel and he is a French bulldog...Layla actually seems to like him and protects him from the other dogs who visit us. I'll post a photo of Nigel soon. Nigel looks a lot like Harry and so sometimes we call him Harry...but we're trying to get over that!
Visit my flickr site and see more of the Snow Ball Cupcakes ....FLICKR
Rock On!
CQ
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