It's product review time!

Most of the time I love doing product reviews because it's so rare for me to find something I truly dislike, and today's review of Nielsen-Massey's coffee extract is no different!

Mmm...coffee....

Good morning! I've been graciously asked by Lyns to do a product review of Nielsen-Massey's coffee extract. Well, here goes...
When it arrived, I opened the bottle and took a deep, deep breath of all the wonderful coffee goodness inside and I could not wait to get started. I just wanted to bathe in it, it smelled THAT amazing. I had so many ideas swirling around in my head but I finally settled on a basic chocolate cupcake that would be filled with coffee flavored ganache then topped with amaretto buttercream frosting. I had a weekend trip to Michigan with my lady friends planned so I figured I would use them as guinea pigs. (Cue evil laughter while I twirl my mustache. Just kidding! I don't have an evil laugh.)
I got to taste the ganache before and after the coffee extract so I at least had something to base my review off. The ladies were just going in blind, so to speak. I felt the extract most definitely did give the chocolate a deeper, more nuanced flavor. However, the general consensus was that while the ganache was rich and flavorful (pats self on back) you could not really taste the coffee in it.
To be fair, there could have been a few things going on here: Perhaps I didn't add enough of the extract. Maybe the amaretto buttercream was overpowering the ganache. Possibly aliens could have come down from Mars and....nevermind. My suggestion for next time would be to step up that coffee flavor with a little Starbuck's coffee liquer, one of my most favoritest things in the whole wide world to bake with.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Xsa, Nicole, and Amber for testing out my baked goods so that I may write about them here. And of course thanks a bunch to Lyndsay for asking me to write it in the first place!

Hi, Doggies!

Hi, Doggies!
Originally uploaded by amy teoh

A very pretty fondant topped cupcake showed up in our flickr group this morning. I wanted to share this because it gave me a huge smile and the colours are just perfect. Amy has done just a beautiful job, thank you for the smiles Amy.

Champagne Cupcakes The Easy Way

Pink Champagne Cupcakes Tiny bubbles. Beautiful cupcakes. Super easy!   Champagne Cupcakes 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix 1 1/4 cups champagne 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 egg whites 4 to 5 drops red food coloring Champagne Frosting 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup champagne 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 to 5 drops red food coloring Garnish Pink decorator sugar crystals Edible pink pearls 1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place pretty pink cupcake case in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. 2. In large bowl, combine dry cake mix and champagne. Add oil, eggs and food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. 3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. 4. In medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with pink sugar and pearls. Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens Success Champagne is a sparkling wine, and while many expensive champagnes are available, this is one time you might choose less expensive champagne. Have the champagne at room temperature when preparing the cake.

Seven Minute Frosting

7-Minute Frosting Recipe

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 ½ tsp. vanilla

Directions:Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the top pan (otherwise your frosting will be grainy). Beat constantly on high for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

George Carlin One tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila Floor Pineapple Cake

This is for you Dawn Trott-Keller xox
The pineapple: Day before, using a syringe pierce pineapple and infuse with 4 ounces of gold tequila.

The Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soft cinnamon (grated)
6 tablespoons butter (soft but NOT melted)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tbsp gold tequila
3/4 cup buttermilk (remove 1tbsp and reserve)
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
In Mixer add butterand sugar and beat until light (at least 4 minutes) Add the eggs one at a time beating for 1 minute after each egg. Beat in the tequila in a steady stream on medium speed. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Leave batter stand while preparing pinapple. 

Core and cut the pineapple into small pieces for cupcakes or slightly larger for cake. (Cupcakes I cut into 1/4 inch cubes) For the Cake I cut rings that are just over 1/4" thick.
For the topping (bottoms up) 4 tbsps butter, 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp gold tequila, Your prepared pineapple.

Cupcakes: place a small amount 1 1/2 tbsp pineapple topping in bottom of each liner (must be foil) you can fleck with maraschino cherries if you like
Cake: Lightly grease 2 sandwich pans and arrange your pineapple topping on bottom, you can fleck with maraschino cherries if you like
Cupcakes: using a server, drop in batter so that your cake liners are 2/3 full (you need size 70 or 75 for these) Top with brown sugar cake filling. Bake 23 minutes @ 350 degrees
Cake: Pour batter divided equally between both pans. You will layer these after cooled with brown sugar cake filling. Cake bakes for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees
Brown Sugar Cake Filling:
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
8-oz. sour cream + 1 tbsp reserved buttermilk
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp tequila or vanilla
Directions:In a saucepan, mix together all the ingredients except the nuts and vanilla. Cook and stir the filling over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add the vanilla, stir well.

Seahorse Cake

Seahorse Cake
Originally uploaded by Leeroy Rokkenröhl

This is absolutely gorgeous!

Birthday Gift Cake

Birthday Gift Cake
Originally uploaded by Leeroy Rokkenröhl

This is a very fun cake very inspiring for sure.

Summer time is the perfect time for key lime cuppies!!

Tea Cup Cupcake Pans

IMG_7822
Originally uploaded by acupcakery

We decided to bake our cupcakes and pop them into the cups for convenience and efficiency. Either way you decide they are waaaay too much fun! You can dainty them up for high tea or have your own Mad Hatter tea! I love them

                                    Photographer: Nicholas Friesen Winnipeg, Manitoba

This is my coconut cake..you will all love this!!

3cups cake flour not self rising
2tsp baking powder
1cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2tsp coconut oil extract (Loraines)
1 can (13.5) coconut milk
1 cup sweetened flake coconut,chop finely

now you can frost with traditional butter cream or vanilla bean cream cheese.. I like both I also fill with strawberry preserves

so yummy

No Honey for your Cakes?

We do live in a world now where running out of things is not a huge issue, we just drive to the store. That being said, I still get all whoopee dooey over being able to utilize and improvise so when I learn a trick from days of yore I am more than eager to share!

When I came across this 1906 recipe for mock honey I was delighted and imagined Miss Etta must have made her mock honey in the early spring and lived in Florida. I do not have a lot of info on Miss Etta so you will have to imagine as well! Not having a pic of Miss Etta I have added a photo of my sweet sweet Aunt Rose.

The recipe is simple as I am sure most things seem to have been back then, however that may not necessarily be so. Cooking over fire, such a delicacy could be intense.

1 pound sugar
1 orange
4 eggs well beaten
1/4 pound of butter
juice of 2 lemons
grated rind of one lemon
Stir over a fire until smooth.

That is all! I cooked mine for 20 minutes, medium heat and was very similar to making a hard sauce for a Christmas Plum Pudding. It does set up as a honey and keeps for a week.You can use this measure for measure to replace honey in your cake recipe or just eat it on toast! Freezing works but you will get a few crystals of sugar form.

Jamieanne from Sweetest Kitchen Peeked into the BOX! Ready everyone!!

Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge #2

Aug 1st, 2010

by Jamieanne.

I am so happy that the first month of the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge was such a success!  In case you missed it, the mystery ingredient was tea, and the cupcakes that were created were all fantastic!
This is our second month of the challenge, which means I will now be announcing a new mystery ingredient.  I will also welcome back some of our prize sponsors, and introduce a couple of new ones, so let’s get to it!

The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge ingredient for August 2010 is:

WHITE CHOCOLATE!

This is a food that I think is often overlooked, as most everywhere you look you can see regular brown chocolate – milk, semisweet, dark, unsweetened and flavored.  White chocolate isn’t quite as popular, but if you can get a good quality bar of real white chocolate then it is absolutely delicious.
My tip:  Do aim to use the best quality white chocolate you can find/afford, as it will give you the best-tasting result.  Make sure to read the ingredients and choose a bar that uses a high percentage of real cocoa butter – over 30% would be fantastic.
Please take note that the email address associated with this competition has changed from last month to mysteryboxcc@gmail.com.
The winner of August’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

• Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card
• Beanilla; 3 Indian + 3 Tahitian vanilla beans & a jar of Ground Vanilla
  
• CT2Designs; a handmade cupcake ring
• Miss Kitty Creations; a handmade cupcake charm of your choice
• Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!

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To introduce you to our prize sponsors…

Bake It Pretty, the cutest online shop for all your baking needs, will be donating a $5 electronic gift card every month for the winner of this competition.

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At Beanilla you can find 8 different types of Grade A whole vanilla beans (Grade A is the highest possible quality grade for vanilla) and a wide variety of other vanilla products.  Beanilla will be donating some of their unique vanilla products every month for the winner of this competition; August’s winner will receive a package of:
* 3 Indian vanilla beans
Indian vanilla beans are very similar to Madagascar vanilla. These gourmet grade vanilla beans are HUGE and contain a very large abundance of seeds. Many will contest that the sweet woodsy flavor profile of these beans are superior to that of the Bourbon-Madagascar variety. India is fast emerging as a major vanilla producer and vanilla beans cultivated in some parts of India are of the world’s best! You will not find such high quality vanilla from India anywhere else. We take great pride in being able to offer such wonderful beans.
* 3 Tahitian vanilla beans
Tahitian Vanilla beans are generally shorter, plumper, and contain a much higher oil and water content than Bourbon beans. The aroma is flowery, fruity and anisic with a smooth flavor. They are often described as smelling like licorice, cherries, or wine. Gourmet and pastry chefs love to work with the Tahitensis variety, which is perfect for many applications. Our Tahitian Beans are A-Grade and will suit all your baking needs.
* and a jar of Ground Vanilla Beans
Made from 100% Certified Organic finely ground Indonesian Vanilla Beans. Indonesian pure ground vanilla is sweet with a unique woody flavor that is rich and creamy. Ground vanilla beans can be used to add visual appeal and flavor to ice cream and baked goods. Ground vanilla can also be used as a substitute for vanilla extract in many recipes. We use only premium whole vanilla beans and not post-extracted vanilla beans to make this ground vanilla. Pure ground vanilla should not be confused with our Vanilla Powder, which contains dextrose and is entirely different.

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Cindy from Etsy shop CT2Designs will be donating a cupcake ring for this month only.  This adorable ring is made from sterling silver that has been buffed and oxidized for texture.  Check out Cindy’s shop for more beautiful handmade jewelry.

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On my blog, I recently reviewed some cupcake charms created by Wendie of Miss Kitty Creations – I really liked them because of how realistic they look and their fantastic smell.  Wendie has happily agreed to donate one of her handmade cupcake charms to the winner of this competition each month.  The winner will be asked to choose any one cupcake available at Wendie’s website.

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Some of you may be familiar with Sweet Cuppin Cakes, as this online shop was a prize sponsor for Iron Cupcake: Earth.  Sweet Cuppin Cakes will be donating a $25 prize pack of baking-related goodies every month to the winner of this competition.

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How to enter:

• Only one entry per person.
• You have until the 20th of the month to bake a cupcake based on the Mystery Box ingredient, WHITE CHOCOLATE.  Post your baking story, photos and recipes on your blog (posting your recipe is optional).
• Provide a link to the Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge information page somewhere in your post.
• Provide links to the prize sponsors for this month in your post by copying and pasting the code below into the HTML of your post (you may edit and style the code, as long as the links to the prize sponsors remain intact):

Torre

Torre
Originally uploaded by Pastelera Bakery Shop

Pastelera Bakery has to be one of my all time fave as far as design and sugar work. What girl would not be happy having this for her party? Very inspiring indeed.
Lyns

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!