Lynds,

This one is for the beautiful brides out there, a triple chocolate cuppie with chocolate fudge butter cream with a yummy summer black berry.

Fantastic News

I know it has been a while since I have posted here, but I have been posting diligently everywhere else on my various forums. now to only find all the time I need in 24 hours to do "THE SUGAR LIST"

Judging by the fact my inbox has 3,000 some odd emails in it will indicate to me that many of you already know that yes Kerry Vincent and myself have united in promoting the world of sugar art! We are starting with a simple bear but do hang on to your hats as the journey will be Epic and one you are not going to want to miss! You do not need plane tickets or even a cake xox Just this link Kerry Vincent Bear. And maybe this one If you can Fimo you can Fondant! Oh and maybe even this one Kerry Vincent and Lyndsay Zoratti Sweet Cuppin cakes, Cake Crew!

Michelle Rea of Inspired by Michelle Cakes has also come on board with us as your "teacher" and I am most certain you will come to love her as I have. Thank you Michelle.
If you were to click on all the above links you will see why I have been so busy! Not to mention the wedding and shower and 4 birthdays I have done WHEW!



Then of course the web store My Sweet Cuppin Cakes Bakery and Cupcakery Supplies is filling with all kinds of treats and surprises from the bakery. Even equipment I use everyday for my own designs! Needless to say, yes by popular demand I will add some of the supplies required for a successful Kerry Bear indeed!

Now on the blog front I also need to introduce to you one of my newest contributors and one of my new testers. Told you I was a busy Bear!

We have Lisa Gowins of Serendipity Cakes. Lisa has a passion for vanilla powder, yes powder and is forever reminding me to order it! Lisa is a cupcake guru and she knows her stuff folks.

My new tester is Tara Brown from Joliet, IL and she is NOT AFRAID to bake! I would have to say I love her way with words too, she makes me chuckle especially here when she refers to her Ganache as a "lump" haha. Pretty fancy "lump if you ask me" I love her.

We have not lost my other writers, we just needed more as we all get very busy from time to time. Natalie Slater from Bake and Destroy is a seasoned tester and a writer and a huge inspiration, Marilla Delnick from Cupcake Rehab not only my very first cupcake pal but also a tester, writer, SCC giveaway queen and best friend forever. Melissa Anderson from Le Petite KupKak always eager to try something new is a tester and writer here at Sweet Cuppin Cakes and finally Brianne Wetzel a tester and writer and Iron chef Mommy!

I am sure I had more to write about but this Sugar Bear is keeping me very very busy indeed. (The one in the middle haha)
Have a fantastic week everyone and check my facebook pages, groups, flickr, store etc for great giveaways and new product! Love ya xxx

PS Our flickR group is now 833 members strong and boasting over 5,800 sweet confections. Thank you to all my members! xxx

Happy To Sponsor and Promote Bleeding Heart Bakery Cupcake Eating Contest

Saturday July 17 -- Cupcake Eating Challenge! We encourage you to stuff your face at our new Lakeview store's grand opening. It's $25 to register and there will be many prizes from us and our sponsors -- Alterra Coffee and Organic Valley. Email us to enter and we will see you July 17 2pm at 2961 N Lincoln Ave. Michelle has also offered to set up a bake up awareness for Autism Bake table a huge thanks to Michelle!

Introducing Andrea from The Chocolate Bottle

The Chocolate Bottle Decadent Torte by our Andrea Robson
Andreas recipe was adapted from Dianas desserts and was a winner at the Charlotte Tweetup Bake contest Andrea was a real sweetie to share this with us! Thank you Andrea and welcome!

Ingredients:

The Crust:
2 cups Chocolate graham cracker crumbs
6 tbsp. butter, melted

 Filling:

2 1/4 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup Irish Cream Liqueur
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coffee extract (if you don't have coffee extract brew 3 Tbs of coffee to a 1/2 cup of water)

Instructions:
For the Crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter.

Combine crumbs and melted butter in a bowl, then press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of pan. Bake until light brown, around 7 minutes.

For the Filling:
Using an electric mixer and beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar. Beat in one egg at a time . Blend in Irish Cream Liqueur and vanilla. Stir together 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon flour in small bowl; gently stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour batter into crust. Set aside the remaining chocolate chips for later.

Place cheesecake in preheated oven and bake until puffed, center springs back, and golden brown, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. If you use a 9" springform, add more time. Cool cheesecake completely, then release sides of springform pan.

For the Topping:
When cheesecake is completely cool, whip the heavy cream and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add coffee extract, and whip until firm peaks form. With pastry bag and decorative tip, pipe whipped cream around edges of cheesecake. Decorate top with the remaining chocolate chips.
Perfect for any occasion!

Lets Vote

Free Twitter Background
Originally uploaded by nikolina100

These will be available soon as pins in my web shop Which is your fave? The Fourth in the set is a surprise!
Cheers Nikolina xox

No Bake Chocolate Cookie Filling for Cupcakes

Cupcakes are becoming such a commodity that we decided to really change ours up from the ordinary and add surprises and treats wherever we can to our cakes! In the center, on top, under the frosting just about anywhere! This morning after leaving a comment over at my friend Natalies blog Bake and Destroy I thought hmmm I wonder.
Well when I have one of those moments nine times out of ten it works out so I consider myself lucky 90% of the time in the kitchen, which rocks! So here you have it my master plan:

 Now available at Sweet Cuppin Cakes BUY NOW

FIRST: Bake your cupcakes, the recipe must be from scratch because you want a dense cupcake. You will also want to double your liners to keep everything popping with colour and have good support for everything you are going to do to this cupcake!

NEXT: Cool cupcakes and then take a inch cookie scoop and remove some cupcake, save this cake in a zippie for when you make a cake ball cupcake filler!

THE RECIPE:

2 cups sugar         1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter          3 tbsp cocoa (I use Brute)
1 tsp sea salt         3 cups raw quick cooking oats
1 tsp Neilsen Massey vanilla
1 tbsp Neilsen Massey chocolate extract
1/2 cup broken nuts (we like english walnuts)
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Put the sugar, milk, butter, cocoa and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the rolled oats, vanilla, nuts and coconut.
Drop by 1 inch cookie scoop on parchment lined cookie sheet and chill until set Makes 48 balls.

FINALLY: Drop a cookie into each cupcake hollow with flat side up as this make frosting much easier! You will want to frost with a light fluffy Italian buttercream and not a traditional connfectioner sugar butter frosting as it will make your dessert too sweet. Our Grans Buttercream recipe found here works very very well!
You will be glad you did! Do not forget to top these cupcakes with a stemmed maraschino cherry as it is the perfect flavour finish!

Good Luck to Everyone and thank you Jamieanne Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge #1

Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge #1

Jul 1st, 2010

by Jamieanne.

About 2 weeks ago I announced a brand new cupcake competition, the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge, that I would be hosting. It came after the great Iron Cupcake: Earth challenges ended, of which I was sad to learn. I felt that there needed to be a cupcake competition out there because so many of you love cupcakes and would enjoy the chance to create a new and exciting cupcake each month. Without much hesitation, I decided to start my own monthly cupcake competition. Since announcing the competition I have received great feedback and am expecting some amazing entries! Now, let’s get on with it…

The first ever Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge ingredient for July 2010:

TEA!

Put the kettle on, brew your favorite tea and get inspired!
The winner of July’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

• Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card
• Beanilla; Tahitian vanilla fleur de sel & 3 organic Indonesian vanilla beans
  
• Rishi Tea; the new Tsuki teapot & 2 tins of tea
• Soapylove Glycerin Soap Design; a Soapy Pop
• Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!

Purple Damask Liners for Miss Jenny Heid

For a limited time only our seasonal liners are now arriving daily for your baking pleasure. Please visit our site often Sweet Cuppin Cakes Bakery

These darlings will be arriving in 8 days! 5cm base X 4.5cm wall
$5.99 for 20 Also available in blue.

Some retro cupcakes thanks to Cupcake Rehab.

Hey all. It's Marilla again (from Cupcake Rehab)... Lyns asked me to come and share a recipe with you so here I am!

A few weeks ago I was helping clean out my grandma's kitchen cabinets so she could get rid of some old stuff and have more room when I made an amazing discovery: a vintage, mint condition, brand new in box, never been used 1968 Sunbeam Mixmaster hand mixer!

Isn't it gorgeous? In perfect working order too! And in the box with this little beauty was, of course, an instruction booklet. And what was in that booklet? Recipes!

So I made two of them so far, and one of them I'll be sharing with you today. The recipe for a basic white cake, which I made into cupcakes.

BASIC WHITE CAKE

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup soft shortening (or unsalted butter)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon almond flavoring
• 3 egg whites, room temperature

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 F to preheat. Line 24. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners (or grease two 8″ cake pans, or one 13″x9″x2″ pan).
2. Sift together, into a deep mixing bowl, the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter, ¾ cup of the milk and flavorings. Beat on low until blended, then beat on high for another minute or two.
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining ¼ cup milk, and egg whites, and beat ½ minute longer on high. Scoop into muffin tins to fill them about ¼ or ½ way (or into greased cake pans, about 1 ½ deep) because they rise a lot. Bake for 30 minutes (or 40 minutes for oblong pan). Cool completely.

I also used the same recipe for these 4th of July cupcakes (which were also for my mom's birthday on July 5th).

The recipe is pretty great- light & airy despite not having to whip the egg whites separately.

That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed the post and perhaps Lyns will invite me back soon to share another post with you all.

Not A Hooter

Not A Hooter
Originally uploaded by skinnystraycat

Really a neat new way to create your own cupcake toppers! Very original because you make them from scratch! Zentangle the best new way I have found to relax and still come up with original cupcake toppers!
I love the work skinnystraycat produces and had to share this with you guys! I can seriously tie anything into a cupcake You will be glad you did!
Lyns xox

Cupcake Icecream

Cupcake Icecream
Originally uploaded by Sugar & Meringue / Flying Time Designs

Happy Summer to everyone Thanks for the photos Sugar and meringue xox Still waiting for toppers!

Caramel Milk Chocolate Frosting and BBQue Almonds ohhh Baby!

These mini taste explosions and fusions have become a part of my daily baking philosophy inspired by my 12 year old son (he is Autistic and very sensitive to taste)  who states, "everyone should get surprised" What better way to surprise your family, friends, or customers with little treats hidden in and on your cupcake, peeling away layers of taste and sensual design just waiting to be discovered. At Sweet Cuppin Cakes all our flavours are fusions and great thought goes into cravings and sublime food connections. So grab a spoon, spatula (batterfinger) your fave choc cupcake recipe and I am providing the frosting recipe for you! Ready set create!





24 ounces milk chocolate chopped I use Lindt bars
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped I use Ghiradelli
1 1/2 cups sugar (fine but NOT confectioners)
1/2 cup water (cool)
2 1/4 cups whipping cream (oh yeah)
Combine chocolates in a large bowl. In saucepan heat your sugar and water over medium heat until sugar dissolves (because excessive stirring creates crystals be careful now) Increase heat and boil mixture WITHOUT STIRRING until syrup is a darl golden amber colour (you can use a wet pastry brush (damp) to push down the sides of the pan) This takes exactly 10 minutes. Carefully and slowly you will add your whipping cream taking care as this heated sugar syrup will bubble up and do wonderful things in the process Stir over low heat until all bits have dissolved into this lovely cream. Pour this smooth creamy mixture over your chocolates in the bowl and let stand exactly one minute. Whisk just until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Time for a break ... put this mixture covered into the fridge for at least 2 hours. Then let stand one hour at room temperature. (You need to really do this or you will have an epic fail) This is a great time to get your baking done besides after baking most do not like to make the frosting anyhow!
Remove from fridge and beat well, then pipe onto your cupcakes! Top with a BBQUE Almond and Enjoy!