Easter Cupcakes with The Party Penguin

Hi everyone, I'm so excited to share this post with you!  I was able to work with Ashlin from The Party Penguin on some fantastic cupcakes for Easter!  

I chose a simple vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream and decorated with cute pink fondant flowers and pastel pearls.  They worked so well with the bright pastel colors of Ashlin's Easter toppers.

Make sure to visit The Party Penguin, there are some seriously cute items for any occasion!

Here are a few of my favorites from Ashlin's Shop!

Like The Party Penguin on Facebook

and visit The Party Penguin Etsy Shop for your next party!

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Artisanal Small-Batch Ice Cream - Lavender

I've been wanting to make Lavender ice cream for awhile and since it's started to heat up in the Valley of the Sun, I thought now was a good time!  

I started out with a custard base that you have to cook and added some dried culinary Lavender from Red Rock Farms  located in Concho, AZ, it was amazing and definitely got my creative juices flowing!

Follow the instructions for your ice cream base of choice, add 2 tablespoons of dried culinary lavender while heating your milk mixture, remove mixture from heat and continue to steep your lavender milk for 15 minutes.  Strain your milk mixture and continue with your recipe.

Leave a comment with your favorite ice cream flavor and check back for more ice cream fun and recipes!

Lavender Ice Cream label designed by our sister sight Tweedle Dee Designs visit our Etsy Shop at www.etsy.com/shop/tweedledeeaz

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Cinnamon Streusel Cupcakes with Hickory Maple Buttercream

Cinnamon Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:
Makes 12 Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Cinnamon Streusel Filling

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 ounce butter
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with your preferred liners
2.  In a medium size bowl sift together dry ingredients, then add your wet ingredients
3.  Mix ingredients on medium speed for 2 minutes
4.  Make your cinnamon streusel filling
5.  Fill cupcakes with 1 teaspoon of cupcake batter, next add 1 teaspoon of the streusel topping, finally fill liners until 3/4 full with cupcake batter
6.  Bake cupcakes for 15 minutes in your preheated oven
7.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting

Hickory Maple Cinnamon Buttercream

Ingredients:
8 ounces butter, room temperature
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons hickory maple syrup, regular maple syrup may also be used
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.  In a medium sized bowl combine butter and half of the powdered sugar, mix on medium speed until just combined
2.  Add milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and remaining powdered sugar and mix on medium speed until just combined
3.  Place frosting in your piping bag fitted with your favorite decorating tip.  I used a plain round tip (Ateco 807).
4.  Frost cupcakes and top with cinnamon sugar

Enjoy!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

We made cute little heart shaped cherry/blueberry pocket pies for Valentine's Day, they were delicious!  Hope everyone enjoyed their day and did something special.

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Grandma's Orange Cupcakes

So what do you do with a bunch of oranges from Grandma's house?  You make orange cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream!

Orange Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes and enough left over cake for 15 cake pops

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Orange Juice, fresh

Zest of One Medium Orange

Directions:

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

2. Sift together your dry ingredients, then add your wet ingredients

3. Mix ingredients on medium speed for 2 minutes

4. Fill cupcake liners with approximately 2 tablespoons of your cupcake batter

5. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 7 minutes, turn cupcake 180 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 7 minutes

6. Gently insert a toothpick into one of your cupcakes, if it comes out clean, they're done.

7. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating

White Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:

6 Ounces White Chocolate, melted

1 Cup butter, room temperature

4 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar

2 Tablespoons Whole Milk

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Directions:

1. In a double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate completely, set aside and allow to cool for 30 minutes

2. On medium speed, combine butter and white chocolate

3. Add 3 cups of your confectioner's sugar and mix on medium speed until just combined

4. Add remaining sugar, milk and vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until just combined

5. Place buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite decorating tip (I use Ateco 807)

6. Decorate with sugar sprinkles and Enjoy!

And some orange cake pops.  Dip cake balls into orange candy coating, sprinkle with orange sanding sugar and some fondant leaves.

Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ohsweetbakery and say hello!

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Mini Chocolate Tarts

I absolutely love, love, love Chocolate Ganache.  It's so simple to make and you can do so many different things with it.  I made these cute mini chocolate tarts and they are absolutely to die for and they just happen to be gluten free!

This is a gluten free cookie crust and it is so delicious, we've made everything from pumpkin pie to mini cheesecakes with it, it's fabulous.

Cookie Crust 

Makes 24 Mini Tarts

Ingredients:

2 Cups Almond Flour (I used the Trader Joe's brand)

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup Honey

4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Directions:

1.  Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined

2.  Place approximately one tablespoon of the mixture into your mini tart pan (I used the Chicago Metallic 12 ct. mini tart pan)

3.  Gently and evenly tamp each tart and refrigerate for 15 minutes and preheat  your oven to 300 degrees

4.  Remove tarts from the refrigerator and bake for 10 minutes

5.  Remove tarts from the oven and gently tamp again, return tarts to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes

6.  Allow tarts to cool completely before filling with ganache

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

1 Cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Directions:

1.  In a double boiler, over medium heat, add heavy cream, chocolate and vanilla, stir until chocolate is completely melted

2.  Fill each tart shell with chocolate ganache and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving

3.  Decorate cooled tarts with gold disco dust and edible red heart confetti

Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ohsweetbakery

Looking for unique party decorations?  Check out all the fun things at the Tweedle Dee Designs Etsy Shop!

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A Sweet Pair ~ Confetti and Cookies

Sometimes a cupcake girl wants a cookie too!  I made these sweet pink sugar cookies and tied them up with pink and white baker's twine and some glittery pink confetti hearts.  You know, confetti isn't just for the party table anymore!

We teamed up with our sister site Tweedle Dee Designs and made some adorable pink heart bunting with their new Be Mine Heart Confetti, for our cute Valentine's Day treats, which is now available in their Etsy Shop tweedledeeaz.

 

A few Chocolate French Macarons even made it into the mix.  What can I say, I really love to bake!

Some of our favorite confetti from around the web

♥ Confetti Cupcakes in a Jar by Tweedle Dee Designs

♥ Confetti Popsicles by Icing Designs

♥ Confetti Save The Date Wedding Invitations by Oh Happy Day

Hope you've been inspired to get creative with confetti, share your favorite Confetti and Cookies with us on

Facebook at www.facebook.com/ohsweetbakery or use #ohsweetbakery on Instagram

Make sure to visit Tweedle Dee Designs Etsy Shop for unique paper decorations for any occasion!

Enjoy and keep sharing the Cupcake Love!

Brandi

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Valentine's Day Printables

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Raspberry Almond Champagne Cupcakes!

Delicious raspberry almond champagne cake topped with a sweet pink almond champagne frosting, gold sugar and cute mini heart sprinkles. 

Raspberry Almond Champagne Cupcakes 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons Almond Extract

2 Tablespoons Almond Sparkling Wine (I love the Trader Joe's brand and it's only $5.99)

1 Pint Fresh Raspberries, chopped

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with your cupcake liners

2. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in your mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes

3. Fill each baking cup with 2 tablespoons of batter, 1 tablespoon of your chopped raspberries, and top with 1 more tablespoon of batter

4. Place cupcakes in your pre-heated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.  To check cupcakes, insert a toothpick into one of your cupcakes, it should come out clean

5.  Let cupcakes cool on a wire rack and prepare your frosting

Almond Champagne Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

4 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar

2 Tablespoons Almond Champagne

2 Teaspoons Almond Extract

Pink Gel Color (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine butter and 3 cups of the confectioner's sugar in your mixing bowl, mix on medium speed until just combined

2. Add the remaining confectioner's sugar, almond champagne and almond extract, mix on medium speed until just combined

3. Add the coloring, amount depends on how pink you would like your cupcakes

4. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with your favorite decorating tip

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes!

Just wanted to share the yummy, super cute Chocolate Marshmallow Valentine Cupcakes I made yesterday.

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4th of July Party Cakes!

One of my favorite cupcakes are Party Cakes, you know, the kind with the sprinkles inside.  Since the 4th of July is next week I thought these would be the perfect cupcakes to celebrate!

Start out by making your favorite vanilla cupcake recipe.  When you're done mixing the batter and before you put them in the oven stir in 2 tablespoons of your favorite color jimmies. I used 1 tablespoon of red and 1 tablespoons of blue.

I topped these cupcakes with my Very Vanilla Buttercream, finished with more red and blue jimmies and some fun and very glittery patriotic flags I made!

You can make these fun flags by cutting out strips of red, silver and blue glitter paper, found at your local craft store, a little bit of craft glue and a 6" skewer.

Hope everyone has a fabulous holiday next week and make sure to follow Oh Sweet! Bakery on Facebook!

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Getting Down and Curdy - Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes
Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Vanilla Sugar

1 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste

1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract

2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners, grease proof liners work best and retain the color of the liners

2.  In a large mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients

3.  Add egg, milk, oil, vanilla bean paste, lemon extract and lemon zest, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes

4.  With a small ice cream scoop fill your cupcake liners to approximately 2/3 full, about one slightly over filled scoop

5.  Place cupcakes in preheated oven and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes.  Gently insert a toothpick into one of your cupcakes, if it comes out clean they're done

6.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating

I made mini pie crust cookies with Kruzteaz Pie Crust Mix.  To make the cookies, cut out pie crust with a one inch scalloped circle cookie cutter (you could really use any shape you wanted, a heart would be cute too), brush with an egg wash mixture of egg yolk and a little water for a shiny, golden brown finish and sprinkle with white sanding sugar.  Bake pie crust cookies according to package directions.  

Baking Tip: After cutting out your shapes, place cut outs back in the fridge for 30 minutes so they retain their shape while baking.

Easy Homemade Lemon Curd

 

Ingredients

Zest of 2 Lemons

1/2 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

3/4 Cups Vanilla Sugar (regular white sugar may also be used)

2 Whole Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

4 Tablespoons (1/2 Stick) Butter, cubed

Directions

 1. In a small sauce pan, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla sugar and eggs

2. Over medium heat stir mixture with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved

3. Add butter and continue to stir mixture constantly until it reaches a pudding like consistency

4. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer and let cool before filling cupcakes

  5. Store your lemon curd in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Baking Tip: Store your curd in a squeeze bottle, it makes it really easy to fill your cupcakes with no mess. 

 Martha Stewart's classic Seven Minute Frosting was the perfect choice to finish off these yummy cupcakes, find the recipe here.  I made a half recipe and there was more than enough for 12 cupcakes.

Cupcake Assembly

1.  After cupcakes have cooled, cut a well in the center of the cupcakes, I used the small end of a melon baller.

2. Fill cupcakes with lemon curd

3.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large French Tip with Seven-Minute Frosting and pipe onto cupcakes

4. With your oven set on Broil, put cupcakes on a cookie sheet and place in the oven to toast.  Make sure to watch the cupcakes carefully, once they start to brown it goes pretty fast and you do not want to burn them

5.  Top cupcakes with a pie crust cookie and eat!  Cutting a small slit in your frosting makes placing your cookie on top a little easier

 

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Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

As promised the recipe for the Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes!  The Vanilla Coffee cake was absolutely perfect and the light and fluffy Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Frosting was simple and delicious.

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

 

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cups Homemade Vanilla Sugar

1 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

4 Tablespoons Instant Coffee

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners, grease proof liners work best and retain the color of the liners

2.  In a large mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients

3.  Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes

4.Stir in the instant coffee until coffee is almost dissolved. Your batter should be a light brown color with specks of coffee.

5.  With a small ice cream scoop fill your cupcake liners to approximately 2/3 full, about one slightly over filled scoop

6.  Place cupcakes in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes Gently insert a toothpick into one of your cupcakes, if it comes out clean they're done

7.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating

Caramel Sauce 

Ingredients

1 Cup Vanilla Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

6 Tablespoons Butter

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream, warmed

Directions

1.  In a large saucepan on medium high heat add sugar and water and stir vigorously.  Keep stirring until the sugar starts to boil, then stop.  You can gently swirl the sugar so it does not burn, but do not stir it.

2.  When the sugar turns a rich golden color add your butter and stir until butter is completely melted.

3.  Remove from heat and whisk in the warmed heavy whipping cream.

4.  Pour caramel into an air tight container and store in the refrigerator.

5.  Allow caramel sauce to cool before filling cupcakes.

Making caramel sauce is really easy, but does require your full attention.  It should take about 10 - 15 minutes to make.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients 

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste 

Directions

1.  Chill a metal mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. Remove your chilled bowl and add the cream, sugar and vanilla.

3.  Whisk ingredients on high until stiff peaks are formed.

4. Use frosting immediately. 

Cupcake Assembly

1.  After cupcakes have cooled completely make a small well in the center of your cupcake.  I use the small end of a melon baller.

2.  Fill the well with the cooled caramel sauce.  It's okay if you over fill it a little, some of the caramel sauce will soak into the cupcake.

3.  Fill a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip (I used a large French Tip) with the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Frosting and pipe onto the cupcakes.

4.  Finish cupcakes with sanding sugar, nonpareils or disco dust.  I used a gold sanding sugar.

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Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Chocolate Ganache is absolutely one of my favorite things for filling or topping cupcakes!  I love that it is so easy to make, 2 simple ingredients, melt your chocolate and you're done.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Semi Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions

1. In a double boiler over medium heat add heavy cream and chocolate chips.

2. With a heat resistant spatula, stir cream and chocolate chips until chips are melted completely and cream is fully incorporated.  That's it, you're done!

3.  Store your Chocolate Ganche in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

To reheat, microwave your ganache for 30 seconds and stir, then reheat for 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until your ganache reaches a liquid consistency.  Refrigerated ganache can also be scooped into truffles and rolled in cocoa powder.

Chocolate Ganche can be used to fill cupcakes or drizzle over the top of buttercream frosting or both, like we did with our Chocolate Chili Cupcakes.

 Chocolate dipped strawberries also make great cupcake toppers.  Our Chocolate Dipped to Die for Cupcakes are one of our most popular cupcakes.

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Homemade Iced Caramel Macchiato

As usual, I got bored one night and decided to make cupcakes.  I know, I lead a super exciting and adventurous life or I'm just really lucky that what I love to do I can do at home.  Anyways, I started out making myself a Caramel Macchiato, I knew those barista skills would come in handy one day!

Homemade Iced Caramel Macchiato

Makes one 16 ounce beverage

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Double Strength Brewed Coffee or 2 shots of Espresso 

1 Cup Ice Cold Milk

1 ounce Vanilla Syrup, I used Torani Brand Syrup or you can make your own

Ice

Caramel Sauce

Whipped Cream and Sugar Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Brew your coffee, I used instant coffee from Trader Joe's so it only took about a minute.  

2. In a 16 ounce glass add your vanilla, milk and coffee.  If you want to get fancy, you can layer your drink by slowly adding your coffee on top of your milk and ice.  This works better if you use the espresso shots.

3. Add ice to fill the rest of your glass.

4.  Drizzle your caramel sauce in a cross hatch pattern on top of your beverage.

5.  If you like, top your Caramel Macchiato with whipped cream and sprinkles.

6. Finish with a straw and enjoy!

You can also make this drink hot.  In a small saucepan, attach a themometer and add your milk.  To make some yummy milk foam, whisk your milk as it heats up.  You're done when the milk temperature reaches 140 to 150 degrees.  Make sure to not overheat your milk or it will burn, it also doesn't smell very good.

For my next trick, I turned my delicious iced beverage into a cupcake! I'll be sharing this recipe in my next post.

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Strawberry Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I've been thinking about new summer cupcake flavors, I wanted something refreshing and sweet with a little tang.  I love fresh sweet strawberries and homemade lemonade and thought they would make a perfect cupcake.

 I made a yummy Vanilla Lemon Cake and added some fresh strawberries, the cupcakes came out so moist and delicious.  I topped them with a Strawberry Lemonade Buttercream, it was amazing!  I had originally planned to use regular lemonade, but only had some pink powder concentrate on hand, which ended up coloring the buttercream the perfect shade of summery pink.

Strawberry Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Makes 12 Cupcakes

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Cups Homemade Vanilla Sugar

1/4 Cup Pink Lemonade Powder, I used Country Time Pink Lemonade

1 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

Juice of 1 Lemon

1/2 Cup Fresh Strawberries, finely chopped

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Line your cupcake pan with your cupcake liners, grease proof liners work best and retain the color of the liners

2.  In a large mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients

3.  Add egg, milk, oil, vanilla and lemon juice, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes

4. With a spoon or spatula, gently fold in strawberries

5.  With a small ice cream scoop fill your cupcakes liners to approximately 2/3 full, about one slightly over filled scoop

6.  Place cupcakes in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 12 minutes.  Gently insert a toothpick into one of your cupcakes, if comes out clean when you pull it out, they're done.

Strawberry Pink Lemonade Buttercream 

Makes enough to generously top 15 - 18 cupcakes

 

2 3/4 Sticks Butter, room temperature

4 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Pink Lemonade Powder, I used Country Time Pink Lemonade

2 Tablespoons Whole Milk

2 Teaspoons Pure Lemon Extract

Zest of 1 Lemon

1/4 Cup Fresh Strawberries, finely chopped

 

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and 3 cups of sugar and mix on low speed with your paddle attachment.

2. Add the remaining powdered sugar and pink lemonade powder and continue to mix on low speed until just combined.

3. Add the milk, lemon extract and lemon zest and mix on low speed until just combined.

4. Change to your whisk attachment and whip frosting on medium for approximately 20 seconds. 

5. With a spoon or spatula gently fold in strawberries.

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Hello Kitty Birthday Cupcakes!

I was so excited to make these Hello Kitty Cupcakes for a 5th birthday party and I am so pleased with the way they turned out.

For the fondant toppers I purchased a Hello Kitty face and Hello Kitty bow mold from a cute little shop on Etsy (I'll have to find the name to share).  I colored the faces with edible ink markers and finally glittered the bows with edible glitter.  I had the adorable pink cupcake liners and have been waiting to use them, they were perfect for the occasion.  I didn't want the cupcakes to be too pink, yes, too much pink is possible, so I thought a light blue would be perfect for the frosting.  I finished decorating with some edible glitter and pastel confetti sprinkles and these cupcakes were ready to party!

If you're interested in purchasing some Hello Kitty Cupcake toppers, send me an email for pricing and delivery time to ohsweetbakery@hotmail.com

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