LiveSTRONG with A Taste of Yellow 2010
October 4, 2010 | Filed Under A Taste of Yellow, Cupcakes, Food Blogging Events | 5 Comments
It’s time for the LiveSTRONG with a Taste of Yellow event. Barbara of Winos and Foodies created this blogging event to support Lance Armstrong’s LiveSTRONG organization, which raises an awareness of cancer issues all over the world. You can see my past participation efforts here.
This year, the rules to the event are that in addition to posting a photo of a yellow food, a heart symbol should also be included in the photo. I baked these cupcakes in holders designed with little red hearts. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo of the hearts. At the time, I was just focusing on the cakes. Can you get a glimpse of the hearts? Yes? I hope so. Trust me, there are hearts in the photo. 
Thanks, Barbara, for putting this event together with LiveSTRONG Day. You ARE an inspiration.
Barbara normally posts a lineup of other participants in this event. When she does so, I’ll provide the link here.
Oh, and if anyone’s interested in the recipe for the cupcakes, you can find it here.
Let’s all LiveSTRONG!
Paz xoxo
Ed. Note: You can find a lineup of those who participated in A Taste of Yellow HERE.
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Walnut Crumb Cupcakes
April 15, 2010 | Filed Under Baking, Cakes, Cupcakes, Walnut Crumb Cupcakes | 11 Comments
Okay. So, let’s start this over again.
I posted this earlier but for some weird reason I don’t see it. So, I’m reposting it.
Basically, I like this walnut crumb cupcake recipe because the ingredients are readily available and the recipe is very simple. I like it. A lot.
Paz
Walnut Crumb Cupcakes
Lululu at Home
(makes 12 – 14 cupcakes)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat over to 350F. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. While the mixer is running, slowly add the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each to be incorporated before adding the next, and mix until light and fluffy.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Working in batches, add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with dollops of sour cream.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tins, filling them no more than 3/4 full.
To prepare the topping, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter pieces and, using your fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture. Add the walnuts and mix.
Sprinkle the mixture over the cupcakes.
Bake until risen and browned, about 20 to 25 mins. Let cool 10 mins in the pan.
Springtime Cupcakes
April 9, 2010 | Filed Under Cakes, Cupcakes, Once Upon a Plate blog | 14 Comments
I made these cupcakes for Easter. The idea was based on Nigella Lawson’s Fairy Cakes that I saw on Once Upon a Plate. They looked so fairy-like and delicious that I was inspired to make my own. Initially, I tried the original Fairy Cake recipe, which includes self-rising cake flour. However, I didn’t like it. I’m not sure what I did wrong but I didn’t care for the taste of the cake. I had a choice of using almond extract or vanilla extract. To be different, I used the almond extract. I don’t know if that made the negative difference.
Anyway, because I didn’t care for the original cake, I made it again, using an old Yellow Cupcake recipe that I’d prepared before and I used my homemade vanilla extract. Ahh! Tasted much better to me.
Since I didn’t follow the original Fairy Cake recipe, I call my version of cupcakes, Spring Cakes.
I followed Nigella’s icing recipe as seen on Once Upon a Plate
Nigella’s Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg white
3-4 drops lemon juice
food coloring, if desired
Mix the sugar, egg white and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, it should have the consistency of heavy cream. Nigella suggest dividing the batch of icing into smaller portions so you can add different colors to each, if you like.
I also decided to try the alternate frosting suggestion ( Extra Creamy Buttercream Frosting ) on Once Upon a Plate. I really liked that!
Extra Creamy Buttercream Frosting
1 stick softened butter (4 ounces)
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Enough heavy cream to loosen
Flavoring of your choice (I used 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for the icing shown here)
If you choose to use almond extract reduce amount by a scant 1/2 teaspoon.
Blend all ingredients (except cream) together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Whip on high speed until well mixed and fluffy. gradually adding enough cream to produce the desired consistency for spreading or piping.
Since this frosting contains cream, the frosted cupcakes should be stored in refrigerator until shortly before serving.
I need more practice frosting cakes. I welcome any frosting tips you may have for me in the comments section.
I’d like to make these cakes again and next time, I’ll slice off the mounded tops before frosting, as recommended on Once Upon a Plate.
In the future I’ll return to the Fairy Cakes recipe and try to make it again. Perhaps, I’ll like the taste better the second time around. In the meantime, stop by Once Upon a Plate to see her version of Nigella Lawson’s Fairy Cakes. They are magical-looking.
Paz
Yellow Cupcakes: International Women’s Day
March 8, 2008 | Filed Under Baking, Cakes, Cupcakes, Fiordisale blog, Kochtopf blog | 17 Comments
Cupcakes/Fairy Cakes – Nigella Bites
"If you train a man, you train an indiviual but if you train a woman, you train a whole nation."
Kwegha Aggrey, African educator
March 8 is International Women’s Day. It is an event, which recognizes the achievements of women worldwide. You can read more about it here and here
Earlier this year, Mari attended the Sundance Film Festival when "Half Life", a movie her cinematographer husband filmed, premiered there. During that time, she had a chance to see other films, which she shared with her readers. The story of one documentary, "Puujee", stayed with me for quiet some time. Japanese photographer Yoshiharu Sekino followed and filmed the lives of a nomadic Mongolian family. There are three inspiring women in this documentary: Puujee, as Mari describes, a "fiesty and independent-spirited" 7-year old, her "amazing" mother and "sweet" grandmother. All were accomplished women in their own way despite surviving a series of tradegies. International Women’s Day reminds me of them.
Zorra (Kochtopf) and Fiordisale put together an event, where food bloggers were asked to cook/bake something yellow for International Women’s day. I decided to make these simple cupcakes, which I found on Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once. The recipe comes from Nigella Bites.
Please excuse me while I go eat another cupcake.
Later!
Paz
Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Rice Pudding
February 27, 2008 | Filed Under Baking, Cakes, Cupcakes | 17 Comments
I found this wonderful Pistachio Cardamom Cupcake with Rice Pudding recipe on Vanilla Garlic. The name alone conjured all kinds of delicious thoughts. Pistachio. I love pistachio! Cardamom. I love Cardamom! Rice Pudding. I love rice!
I never tasted these ingredients together. Who heard of rice pudding in a cupcake? Not me. But it sounded like something I wanted to try, for sure.
I started out with the rice pudding, which took much longer to make. I loved how it turned out nice, sweet and creamy. Then I prepared the cupcakes. The aroma of the cardamom and vanilla filled the kitchen transporting me to a magical place. Made me do my happy dance.
The cupcakes tasted delicious. While some family members and I liked the combination of rice pudding in a cupcake, others didn’t. So, they ate the plain cupcakes. I have to say that the cupcake with the rice pudding tastes best when eaten a short time after it comes out of the oven. Delicious! I know I’m repeating myself but the cupcake really was delicious. I took a bite, closed my eyes and savored all the flavors dancing on my tongue.
I made these Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes with Rice Pudding in honor for my friend who just celebrated a birthday. Happy birthday month, Nancy! Besos desde New York!
Paz
Pistachio Cardamom Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes/ 350 degree oven
What you’ll need:
1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
3 eggs
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
½ cup of whole milk
¾ cup of unsalted, unroasted pistachios
1 cup of flour
2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
What you’ll do:
1- Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure complete mixture.
2- Place pistachios in a food processor and chop until finely ground. All the flour, cardamom, salt, and baking powder until pulse once or twice to mix.
3- Add the mild and vanilla extract if using it to the butter mixture. Mix wll. Add the pflour-pistachio mixture and mix until blended.
4- Place into cupcake papers, and bake for 16-20 minutes, unitl a cake tester comes out cloean (no crumbs) in a 350 degree oven. Let cool on a wire rack.
5- Cut out small cone shapd pieces of the cupcake and scoop the rice pudding into the little cupcake potholes you’ve made. Cover with chopped pistachios.
Rice Pudding
Mastering Simplicity
Serves 4-6 (enough for cupcakes, plus a lot more for snacking!)
What you’ll need:
¾ cup of long grain rice
1 bay leaf
5-6 cups of whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup of sugar
large inch of salt
What you’ll do:
1- Place rice in a small sauce pan with the bay leaf and two cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then drain. Transfer rice and bay leaf to a heavy 3 quart pot.
2- Add 4 cups of milk, the sugar, vanilla bean, and the salt. Place over very low heat, stirring occasionally until milk has been absorbed by rice, about an hour. Rice should be tender and rice should be creamy. Add another 1 or 2 cups of milk and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Stir often to prevent the bottom from burning. Revove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Pistachio Cardamom cupcakes without the rice pudding. Some preferred that.
Yikes! I had to shell A LOT of pistachio nuts but it was worth it. I love pistachio nuts.
