Apricot & Pecan Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 1/3 cups roughly chopped dried apricots
4 tbsp. brandy
4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Soak the chopped apricots in the brandy and let stand for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Drain the apricots and then puree in a food processor until smooth. Put the flour and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or a fork cut the butter and flour together until it looks like bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, eggs, buttermilk and pecans until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.


For the frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tbsp. orange zest
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar


2.  In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese orange juice and zest with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in the confectioners sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating in between additions until all icing sugar is incorporated. Add small amounts of additional icing sugar or orange juice to reach the desired consistency. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula or knife; top with a pecan or roll edges in chopped pecans. 

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Pistachio & Apricot Muffins - Recipe

1 1/3 cups roughly chopped dried apricots
4 tbsp. brandy
4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Soak the chopped apricots in the brandy and let stand for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Drain the apricots and then puree in a food processor until smooth. Put the flour and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or a fork cut the butter and flour together until it looks like bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, eggs, buttermilk and pistachios until just combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup fresh raspberry, (thawed from frozen)
3 tbsp. water
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the cherries , 1/2 cup of sugar and water  in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the fruit starts to release its juices. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Combine the rest of the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy (2-3 minutes). Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Spoon a little of the cooled fruit on top of each well of batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan, and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the ganache:
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
12 fresh raspberries

2. Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over low heat, until glossy and smooth, stirring frequently with a whisk. Dollop a spoonful of ganache onto each cooled cupcake and top with a cherry. Refrigerate until set.

Cheater ganache:
1 tub chocolate frosting (not the whipped variety)

Open the tub of frosting and remove the tin foil or plastic covering. Place in the microwave and heat on low-medium power for 30 seconds. Stir with a spoon. Heat for an additional 30 seconds until the frosting is shiny and liquid (be careful not to overheat or burn). Turn each cooled cupcake upside down and dip the top into the melted frosting. Turn upright and allow to cool on a parchment or paper towel (they may drip over the sides a little). Top with a raspberry and refrigerate to set.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup maraschino cherries
3 tbsp. water
1/2 cup confectioners/icing sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the cherries and water  in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the fruit starts to release its juices. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Combine the rest of the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy (2-3 minutes). Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Spoon a little of the cooled fruit on top of each well of batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan, and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the ganache:
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
12 maraschino cherries

2. Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over low heat, until glossy and smooth, stirring frequently with a whisk. Dollop a spoonful of ganache onto each cooled cupcake and top with a cherry. Refrigerate until set.

Cheater ganache:
1 tub chocolate frosting (not the whipped variety)

Open the tub of frosting and remove the tin foil or plastic covering. Place in the microwave and heat on low-medium power for 30 seconds. Stir with a spoon. Heat for an additional 30 seconds until the frosting is shiny and liquid (be careful not to overheat or burn). Turn each cooled cupcake upside down and dip the top into the melted frosting. Turn upright and allow to cool on a parchment or paper towel (they may drip over the sides a little). Top with a cherry and refrigerate to set.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen blackberries
3 tbsp. water
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the blackberries, water, and 1/2 cup of sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the fruit starts to release its juices. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. Combine the rest of the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy (2-3 minutes). Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Spoon a little of the cooled fruit on top of each well of batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan, and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the ganache:
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream
12 blackberries

2. Melt the chocolate and cream in a double boiler over low heat, until glossy and smooth, stirring frequently with a whisk. Dollop a spoonful of ganache onto each cooled cupcake and top with a blackberry. Refrigerate until set.

Cheater ganache:
1 tub chocolate frosting (not the whipped variety)

Open the tub of frosting and remove the tin foil or plastic covering. Place in the microwave and heat on low-medium power for 30 seconds. Stir with a spoon. Heat for an additional 30 seconds until the frosting is shiny and liquid (be careful not to overheat or burn). Turn each cooled cupcake upside down and dip the top into the melted frosting. Turn upright and allow to cool on a parchment or paper towel (they may drip over the sides a little). Top with a blackberry and refrigerate to set.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Runny Egg Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp. peach extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low-med speed for 2-3 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the frosting:
2 1/4 cups prepared custard
48 ounces canned peach halves
2. Spoon about 2 tablespoon of custard on top of each cupcake to create the runny white of the egg. Top each cupcake with a peach half to create the egg yolk.

Kitchen Creations - June

Ahh...

I just had to start with a sigh today. Don't you just love a good long weekend in the summer?

I know I sure do. Time to relax, enjoy the nice weather, and bake some special goodies, just for the heck of it. You know I'm Canadian, and this weekend I was celebrating Canada Day, but for many of my friends, tomorrow is your holiday...

so for you my friends, I made these super simple, Red White and Blue mini cupcakes. 

Sweet summery lemon cake with light fluffy whipped vanilla icing, topped off with fresh raspberries and blueberries. YUM-O! 

Grab a few of these, snag yourself a comfy patio chair in the sun, a cool glass of lemonade (maybe a hard lemonade) in hand, and you are in heaven my friend. 

Can I say one more time...Ahhh!

Alright, enough relaxing, lets take a look at a few of the fun projects I've been working on in June...

Can I even remember June? It already seems a million miles away...

Ok, ok, now I'm really back in reality. 

First this month I was asked to make some yummy treats for a bride and groom (to be) to share with all their guests at their engagement party, along with a special cupcake for both the bride and the groom, requested by a very sweet (and very sneaky) bridesmaid. 

For the ladies, french vanilla cupcakes in silver liners with vanilla icing and white shimmering sugar. 

And for the gentlemen, triple chocolate cupcakes in gold liners with chocolate icing and chocolate jimmies. 

And don't forget the special treat for the guests of honor. I made these beautiful cupcakes as a special surprise for the bride and groom to be. 

A triple chocolate cupcake with chocolate mint filling all dressed up in a tuxedo and black box for the groom...

and a triple chocolate cupcake with raspberry filling all dressed up in a shimmering blush dress and pearl necklace in a white box for the bride. The couple was so stunned, they didn't even want to eat them!

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, I wish you many years of happiness together!

Next up was a little girl's birthday. Like most little girls, this one loves pink. As a special treat, her mother asked that she share some cake pops with her classmates for her birthday.

I don't know about you, but when I was in school, no one brought anything to share on their birthday. We got an announcement to the whole school it was your birthday, and that was it. These lucky kids must have been over the moon when they found out they got to share in these shimmering pink triple chocolate cake pops. I bet somebody just flew up the popularity scale!

And then a baby shower, for a first granddaughter. The parents chose to find out the sex of the baby, and knowing it was going to be a girl, the grandma to be wanted everything for the party to be pink. 

So I made some cute pink baby rattle inspired cake pops. 

And of course some cupcakes! If you haven't read my posting about cupcake stands, check it out. But here's a look at just one of the many stands that I love. This is one is perfect for baby showers, with the little blocks and baby feet on it. It's so sweet with all the pastel colours, and it perfectly holds and displays 24 standard cupcakes. 

I love how the wraps perfectly match the stand for the french vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and the fun 'it's a girl' toppers on the pink lemonade cupcakes. Can't wait to see the baby pictures... I wonder who will make the baby's first birthday cake ;)

Lastly this month, a friend of mine was celebrating her big 4-0 birthday, and she was having 'a touch of blue' themed party. So for her I created these blue HAPPY BIRTHDAY cupcakes.

These adorable cupcakes were baked in blue liners, sprinkled with blue edible glitter, and topped off with the blue happy birthday chocolate picks and (her favorite) little lady bugs. Here's a closer look...

Now I know she would be so sweet and share these cupcakes with her guests, so just for her, I made some special gluten-free cupcakes. She can't have any wheat, so usually cake and cupcakes are not part of her diet, but luckily, she has a fabulous baker of a friend, like me! What woman doesn't love chocolate? So for her birthday I made her some of these drool worthy 'Cuppy loves Cookie' chocoholic cupcakes. 

These mini cupcakes are perfectly sinful. Remember, they're totally gluten-free. Triple chocolate mini cupcakes with chocolate icing and a gluten-free fudgy chocolate cookie on top. HEAVEN! 

Mother Nature has met her match in these chocolate delights, they're sure to make you smile (any time of the month). 

Happy Birthday my dear, I hope you're 40th Birthday was the time of your life!

Oh, I can't forget, I was asked to make some simple cupcakes for a cupcake decorating party! What a great idea! I don't have to make your cupcakes fancy, I can do the baking, and the frosting, and let you have the fun of decorating your cupcakes any way you choose. I wish I could have seen all the crazy creations that were made on top of each cupcake. What a blast that must have been!

Well my darlings, that's all I have to share with you this month. It was a very busy shopping month, what with my trip to the tent sale...and Golda's Kitchen, and McCall's school of cake decorating and Geraldine's Creative Cutters... far, far too much shopping this month, haha... as if there is such a thing...

Until next time, 

Happy baking, caking and decorating!

Love and sprinkles, xoxo

>>>Would you like me to put more 'haul' posts, showing you all the neat stuff I've bought and places I've found to shop for cake decorating tools and ingredients? Please leave your comments! <3 <<<