Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Monday, May 14, 2012
30th Birthday Cupcakes
As you may know, our baby was due on Saturday. Based on my last appointment I had a feeling she wasn't going to be making a move any time soon. For as long as I can remember, we had always planned on spending the weekend of May 12th in the hospital. It hadn't even crossed our minds that we might be home - without a new baby in tow.
As you also may know, this last weekend was Mothers Day. It was also my 30th birthday. When the prospect of having a free weekend suddenly came up I realized that - Hey! It's my birthday! Suddenly it wasn't all about the baby (well, OK - it was still 99% about the baby). As much as I wanted to usher in the next decade of my life with a new baby, I settled for a weekend at home with my husband and a batch of these delicious cupcakes.
It worked out pretty well if you ask me.
I knew I wanted to make something fabulous to celebrate the big 3-0. Funfetti cupcakes with tons of sprinkles (inside and out) screamed CELEBRATE to me. I knew right where to go for the perfect recipe - Sweetapolita. I absolutely adore her blog and have been a fan of hers for quite some time. She makes the yummiest looking treats and her little baking helpers are super adorable. Rosie, the genius behind Sweetapolita, is obsessed with sprinkles and isn't afraid to use them. When I read about this cake a couple months ago it instantly went on my "to-make" list.
As you can see, I decided to forgo the layer cake in favor of making cupcakes. Since it was just the two of us around to celebrate I decided it was a bad idea to have a full layer cake hanging around the house. At least with cupcakes we can give them away to friends and coworkers (keeping a few for us, of course!)
These cupcakes turned out to be everything they were promised to be. The cake was light and fluffy, filled with a rainbow of colors. And the frosting - ooohhh the frosting. It was sweet and sugary but light and airy at the same time. It was the perfect combination. I am filing this as my go-to white cake and vanilla frosting from now on, I don't see how it can get any better!
You can find the recipe for Sweetapolita's Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting here. She also has a similar recipe (though slightly modified) for Super Duper Vanilla (or Funfetti) Cupcakes here. While you're there be sure to check out the rest of her site - you won't be disappointed!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
(I know thats a mouth full, my apologies. I promise it'll be worth it!)
Things I like:
Reading books (paper and electronic - the kindle's where its at!) - it's good to put.the.computer.down. sometimes
Dance parties in my living room
Coffee - hot, cold you name it I drink it
Laughing so hard your stomach hurts
Traveling the world...and finding hidden spots in my neighborhood
Keeping up with the Kardashians (there's a lot of them, this hobby takes time!)
Cookies
Ice Cream
Oh yes...you see where this is going.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The One: Yellow Cupcakes and Chocolate Buttercream
After my disastrous attempt at making red velvet cupcakes last weekend my craving for cupcakes was still around. I needed to get back on that horse and try, try again! I am fully aware that there is a red velvet curse on me, so I decided to go back to the basics and try a simple yellow cake and chocolate frosting combo. I have been forever looking for a yellow cake and chocolate buttercream recipe that is "the one". The recipes needed to be easy and straightforward, nothing too fussy or complicated. They needed to be reliable and trustworthy, something I could depend on each and every time I made them. I needed some stability to my ever-rotating recipe list, and I think I have finally found them. These are just that - simple and delicious, but not boring or flat.
Betty Crocker eat your heart out.
I did a little searchin' around my favorite blogs to find these recipes, and in the end I had a little mix and match from Smitten Kitchen and Joy the Baker.
The yellow cake recipe from Smitten Kitchen is rich and delicious - the perfect vanilla cake. It is light but solid and has a perfect crumb. It would be wonderful with any number of fillings and frostings. And really, to me at least, that is the definition of a go-to cake. Easily adaptable for any type of occasion and perfectly wonderful all on its own.
The chocolate frosting from Joy the Baker is hands-down one of the best chocolate frostings I have ever had. Its not too sugary and the chocolate is not too rich. It is pretty thick but tastes light on your tongue. The real kicker here is the addition of Ovaltine - stay with me, I promise it's worth it - yes, Ovaltine. The malted chocolate adds another layer to this frosting, a little something extra that you can't quite put your finger on.
"the one" Yellow Cake
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen. Makes two 9" cakes or 24 cupcakes. This cake is a great base for endless combinations of fillings and frostings. So easy to make your own, go on and experiment!
4 cups + 2 tblsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla (go on, use the good stuff!)
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well shaken
- Preheat the oven to 350*F. Grease cake pans or line muffin tin with liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. In a separate large bowl beat together the butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add vanilla then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Turn the electric mixer to slow and beat in buttermilk until just combined. If the mixture looks curdled thats ok, I promise it will get better. Add in the flour mixture in three parts, mixing just to combine after each addition.
- To make cakes: spread the batter into your greased pans and tap against the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- To make cupcakes: Fill the cupcake liners until two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan half way through the cooking time to ensure even baking. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted to the middle of the cupcakes. Cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cool cakes/cupcakes thoroughly before frosting.
"the one" Chocolate Buttercream
Adapted from Joy the Baker. This recipe makes enough frosting for a 9" layer cake or 24 cupcakes (see above recipe - do it!!)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted (go on, take the extra step, it makes the frosting super light and smooth)
1 tsp vanilla extract (go on, use the good stuff!)
2 tblsp milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Ovaltine
- Cream together the butter, cocoa powder and salt. It might taken them a few minutes to come together and then the mixture will be thick. Add the powdered sugar and turn the mixer on low. While the powdered sugar is being mixed in add the milk and vanilla extract, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once all of the sugar is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium and beat the frosting to make it light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl mix together the heavy cream and Ovaltine. Slowly pour the mixture into the frosting until you reach your desired consistency. You might night need all of the mix, although I did.
- Try not to eat all of the frosting before frosting your cake/cupcakes. It will take will power but I know you can do it. Also, try not to make this at night as I did - otherwise you will stay awake all night from a sugar rush and resisting the urge to get out of bed and eat more frosting.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Weekend Wrap-up
It's been a busy, busy weekend. Last week was a rough one. Work has been really busy and stressful, and Friday couldn't come fast enough.
Crazy work = stressed out Tracy = needs quality fun time with friends with lots of food and drinks.
Friday night we went up to Hampstead to the Kenwood House to see The Gypsy Kings. They were playing as part of the English Heritage Picnic Concerts. We got tickets for the lawn seats which let us put down a few blankets, bring our own food and drinks and rock out to Bamboleo. We had some cheese and crackers to snack on and I brought some cupcakes (more on those later) and the Strawberry Vodka that I made last week.
First of all - you need to make this strawberry vodka ASAP. Go buy some strawberries and a bottle of vodka. Put them together in a jar and put it in a closet for a week, shaking it once a day. And thats it - youre done. It will change your life. It's tasty enough to drink on its own on the rocks. But add a little lemonade and sparkling water and you have the BEST summer cocktail. Just be careful - these things are dangerous and go down way too easy!
On Saturday we went to a surprise 30th birthday party. Seriously, surprise birthday parties are the bomb. And yes I just said that. It's totally true though. What a wicked cool way to show someone that you love them - get all of their favorite friends and family in a room to celebrate how awesome they are. Do it for someone you love, they will totally love you more than they do now.
By the end of the night I was eating birthday cake with my hands - it was definitely a good party.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Birthday Cake
On Friday I celebrated my 29th birthday.
It was the kick off to the last 365 days of my twenties. Saying that out loud makes me a little nauseous.
I thought it was only appropriate to bake a cake - you have to treat 29 with respect after all.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Birthday Flowers and Project 52
Ok, maybe not THE cloudiest place on earth (I think thats somewhere up in North Scotland), but close.
But if you have been in London at all over the last five weeks or so you would know that I would have be making false complaints. The sun has been out nearly every day - there has been an abundance of sunshine over the past month since I have been back...it's starting to freak me out!
The next part was finding something interesting to photograph in said sunlight. Dogs, cats, kids? Nope, nope, nope.
And then it was my birthday. And my husband brought home the biggest bouquet of flowers I have ever seen.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Brians Birthday Weekend
Immediately upon arrival we headed to the Guinness factory. Ok fine, we checked in to the hotel first, but Brian was literally tapping his foot with one hand on the door ready to go. If you'll remember Brian also went to Dublin on his birthday last year - yes folks this seems to becoming a tradition.
The Guinness factory was actually really cool. Its a self guided tour so you can take as little or much time as you like learning all about Guinness, they give you a free taste (or 6) of Guinness and a full pint in the sky bar is included in the ticket! And they have the biggest gift store ever, which explains why Brian came home with an armful of Guinness goodies last year.
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| barley for the beer |
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| thats a lot of barley! |
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| water to make the beer |
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| getting our free sample |
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| more free samples... |
After we were done with the tour we headed up to the Brewery Bar for some grub. As you would guess a lot of the items on the menu are made with Guinness, which I have learned is pretty genius. Take for example my Beef and Guinness stew...
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| you can see Brians stew in the back! |
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| umm ridiculous |
After a couple more hours up at the sky bar (with amazing views of the city of Dublin, except not when we were there because obviously it was grey and rainy) we decided it was time to move on. To another pub.
The next morning we had a delicious breakfast at Queen of Tarts, which Brians brothers girlfriend recommended to us as she still dreams about their chocolate pear tart (which I took back to London with me and now I also have said dreams). We only had a little time left before our flight so obviously we booked it to the Jameson distillery. We didn't actually have enough time to take the tour, but we managed to indulge in some Jameson hot chocolate and irish coffee before it was time to head out.
And then we were at the airport.
And that is where I discovered the best.place.ever.
I think it was called something like Chocolate World (I made that up, I don't remember what it was called, as clearly I was too distracted by what my eyes were seeing to pay attention to the name). And it had cupcakes, treats and champagne on a conveyor belt for you to pick and chose as you wish.
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| ummm, seriously?? |
Wha-wha-whaaatttt??
And on that note,
The End
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