Strawberry Frosted Cupcakes V2.0

I made vanilla cupcakes with strawberry icing for Valentines Day.

They were a huge hit.. So today I made them again! This time they were for Miss Morgan.

But this time I used a different vanilla cupcake recipe. It's more buttery in flavour (because it requires buttermilk) and very crumbly.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 180.  Line about 16-24 muffin cups and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in eggs and egg yolk one at a time and then mix in the vanilla.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Combine.  Add 1/2 of the buttermilk.  Mix.  Add another 1/3 of the dry indredients.  Mix. Add the final 1/2 of the buttermilk.  Mix and then add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined and the batter is smooth.  Spoon out batter into lined cupcake pan, filling only halfway or just barely over halfway.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes

This time, I tried a different decorating method with the same icing recipe from V Day.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Icing

xx

A Family Re-United

Miss Morg's and I have just had confirmation that our rental application for a pet friendly home has been accepted. WOO HOO!

This is super exciting, because it means I will soon be re-united with a special friend of mine - Miss Emmy.

Miss Emmy

I can't wait! We are going to spend some time together at the dog park tomorrow in celebration.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones too.

xx

Bite Me

I have a crush.

On a vampire.

With smouldering eyes.

We've been spending some time together lately.

I've stuck photos of him up around my desk at work.


Allow me to share him with you...

Ian Somerholder

*swoon*

Find more swoon-worthy pics here.

xx

Cupcake Camp Adelaide

I like to bake cupcakes.

And you know I like to share said cupcakes. With friends; family; work colleagues etc.

But today I've found myself wondering if I am ready to share my cupcakes with complete strangers ???

I have stumbled upon a charity event called Cupcake Camp Adelaide where the basic idea is for volunteers to bake some cupcakes to be sold at the event for $2 each.

In 2011, the event sold over 1,000 cupcakes and raised $2,500 

The next event will be held on Saturday 24 March from 2-5pm at the Box Factory Community Centre

(59 Regent Street South, Adelaide)

So the question is - 

Am I ready to expose my cupcakes to a public arena ?

xx

Hola Enchilada Soup

I know it's summer.

But I love soup.

I love that it's super quick to make a pot and I love that one batch can feed me for a week.

On Sunday, my housemates mocked me for making soup on a 36°C day. But I was determined.

OK... Perhaps it's a lazy girls' meal... But most soups are healthy, right ? All filled with veggies and other healthiness.

I like to make a batch of soup and freeze it in individual containers. Easy for work lunches and easy for dinner. What could be better?!

On the weekend, I was on a mission to make a soup recipe I had seen on Pinterest* 

AND.. by the end of the day it was raining. So I've decided that this soup is like a rain dance in a pot!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

OK.. So you probably won't try this until winter - But here's the run down just in case....

Ingredients

1L Chicken Stock

2 Chicken Breasts

2tsp ground cumin

1tsp chilli flakes

1/2tsp paprika

1 can diced tomatoes

1 chopped capsicum

3 cloves garlic; minced

1 can 3bean mix

1 can sweetcorn kernels

4 tbsp tomato paste

How ??

Heat chicken stock in a large pot.

Add chicken breasts; simmer for 20 minutes

Remove chicken breasts; shred; set aside

Add tomatoes, capsicum and garlic to pot; stir; simmer for 20minutes

Add beans, corn and tomato paste; stir; simmer for 10 minutes

Add shredded chicken breast; stir; simmer for 20 minutes

Serve (or if you're like me, ladle into individual containers; set aside to cool slightly; freeze)

*NOTE : I have made some alterations to the original recipe which contained cheese and jalapenos.

xx

My Style : Summer Sunshine

My wishlist : Yellow Heels

I have recently embraced navy as a base colour in my wardrobe.  

Now I am in search of the perfect yellow accessories.

Summer Sunshine 

xx

Chocolatey Goodness in a Cookie

I like to bake to de-stress; to unwind; and to focus on something else when my mind is a crazy tornado of thoughts.

My Saturday morning baking was the only solution to a very long week at work - and so at 8.30am I turned on the oven and a short time later had made some triple choc cookies that filled the house with a delicious chocolatey aroma.

Triple Choc Fudge Cookies

Want to make a batch for yourself ??

Ingredients

125g butter, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
¼ cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
½ cup dark choc bits
½ cup white chocolate bits

Method

Preheat oven to moderate. Line three oven trays with baking paper.

Beat butter, essence, sugar and egg in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in combined sifted flours, soda and cocoa powder; and stir in both chocolates. 

Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays about 4cm apart; press each with fork to flatten slightly. Bake in moderate oven 10 minutes. Stand 5 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Enjoy.

xx

Tomorrow...

I don't know where my time is going at the moment. I seem to be busy doing nothing all the time.

I am barely home and yet I couldn't tell you what I've been doing.

All I know is that I am exhausted. 

BUT - -

Found here

Planning on doing some proper posts this weekend.

Stay tuned.

xx

Strawberry Valentine

The guy at the bottleshop judged me when I walked up to the counter with a bottle of baileys, a bottle of butterscotch liqueur and a bottle of strawberry cowgirl smoothie mix..

Yes, I was in my gym clothes, so I probably looked a little odd, but I didn't need his commentary. Why can't check out people just do their job without trying to be a comedian?!

Little did he know, these bottles of alcoholic, milky goodness are the key ingredients in a variety of delicious icings!

For Valentine's Day, I thought it only appropriate to make pretty pink cupcakes, sprinkled with hearts and love and sunshine and rainbows!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

The cakes were vanilla. And while they were light and fluffy, the true hero was the strawberry flavoured frosting.

Here's how -
270g butter, softened
4 1/2 cups icing sugar (hey - no one said these were healthy...)
4 tbsp strawberry milkshake flavoured liqueur

Beat the butter; gradually add icing sugar and strawberry liquid, alternating until all combined.

They were delicious!

And yes, I shared them. With my lovely housemates and Miss Emma who joined us for some V Day celebrations.

Much love. 

**MWAH**