tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60058408412110681272024-03-05T03:17:52.506-08:00The Cupcake SuiteA blog about my life as it relates to food, dance, and happiness.Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-3554848386111622262012-12-24T11:55:00.000-08:002012-12-24T11:55:42.004-08:00Christmas Eve Gingerbread Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So it's Christmas Eve and it's snowing. It's also been two months since my last cupcake post. Between classes, homework, dance, and everything else that I managed to get myself involved with this semester, it has at time been too much. But now I'm home, it's almost christmas, and I have time to bake again. It's wonderful.<br />
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I made these cupcakes a bunch last winter, but I don't think they ever managed to show up on the blog. <br />
Luckily they got another shot to, because these are incredible and a perfect Christmas Eve treat. The recipe comes from Gourmet, via Epicurious. I made a slight adaptation to the frosting, since it calls for lemon juice, which I have found makes it too sticky.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Gingerbread Cupcakes</span></div>
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Makes 12</div>
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1 1/4 cups flour</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger</div>
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1 teaspoon cinnamon</div>
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1/4 teaspoon ground gloves</div>
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1/2 teaspoon allspice</div>
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1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
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1/2 stick butter</div>
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1/2 cup granulated sugar</div>
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1/2 cup unsulfured molasses</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1 teaspoon baking soda</div>
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In a bowl, whisk together flour, spices, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg. Combine baking soda with 1/2 cup boiling water and stir until baking soda is dissolved. Add to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Add flour mixture in several batches, mixing thoroughly.</div>
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Bake at 350 for 16-20 minutes.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting</span></div>
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8 oz cream cheese</div>
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2 tbs butter</div>
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2 cups confectioners sugar</div>
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla</div>
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2 teaspoons lemon zest</div>
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Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating thoroughly each time and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest.</div>
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Mr. Darcy wishes you a Merry Christmas Eve. He also wants to steal your cupcakes.<br />
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Bon Appetit!</div>
Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-49055435618151147742012-10-23T14:18:00.001-07:002012-10-23T14:18:49.755-07:00October Pumpkin Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Somehow October has managed to slip completely by. The air is colder, the leaves are yellow, and pumpkin is everywhere. So clearly it had to end up in cupcakes- it seems inevitable. Lets just say this was a very good idea. It was also a much better way to spend a fall afternoon than studying for midterms.</div>
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Feel free to make your own pumpkin puree, but in leu of midterms and such there was simply no way that was happening in the Cupcake Suite kitchen. Anyways, they were still absolutely delicious and seasonal. My suite may have just found our new favorite cupcake (although that happens quite a bit).<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Pumpkin Cupcakes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://sweetopia.net/2012/09/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-maple-cream-cheese-icing/" target="_blank">Sweetopia</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Makes 1 Dozen</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 cup flour</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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1 tsp pumpkin pie spice</div>
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1/2 tsp cinnamon</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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1 cup pumpkin puree</div>
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1/2 cup sugar</div>
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1/2 cup brown sugar</div>
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1/2 cup vegetable oil</div>
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Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in medium bowl. In a larger bowl mix remaining ingredients until completely smooth. Slowly add flour mixture and stir until combined. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Makes enough for 12 cupcakes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 ounces cream cheese</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6 tbs butter, softened</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/4 plus 2 tbs brown sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
pinch of salt</div>
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1 1/4 cup powdered sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1/2 tsp vanilla</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until incorporated. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well each time. Add remaining ingredients and beat for addition 2-5 minutes.</div>
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Bon Appetit and Happy-Almost-November,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Margaret</div>
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Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-52151917009586343462012-09-30T11:08:00.000-07:002012-09-30T11:08:20.395-07:00Autumn Pecan Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A warm cup of coffee, a cozy sweater, and a slice of pecan pie are the essence of fall. (They also making doing homework a little more fun.) Plus, the smell of this pie baking is like all of the good aromas of fall wrapped up in one little glass dish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWjYZtrOMlxOVjIiKQX07o-n5zAn4XRedZ94dKvGwIRFn0UaGNUqboCu6imtve-ufj3iwHD686vnBOm8NE0lg0ndIcJF2NVLLIuSVBwDjeuYk-PGQ3k0I_QdQONpryz6JsjO_R2aEUpmj/s1600/IMGP0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWjYZtrOMlxOVjIiKQX07o-n5zAn4XRedZ94dKvGwIRFn0UaGNUqboCu6imtve-ufj3iwHD686vnBOm8NE0lg0ndIcJF2NVLLIuSVBwDjeuYk-PGQ3k0I_QdQONpryz6JsjO_R2aEUpmj/s320/IMGP0248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My mom would make this pie a bunch at home around this time of the year, so I asked her for the recipe. Turns out it is <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Maple-Pecan-Pie-in-Wheat-Flavored-Crust-102410" target="_blank">this</a> one from Epicurious. It uses maple syrup along with the typical corn syrup, so there's a whole lot of amazing flavor in this pie. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgpRHdC0JFaHSCWs5VGxymBwXOKIgo6oSmfFTCi0JPIq2LEuEAsloR74ZvFx_vzRawFCPo9s6-5ZgYLLqj8_RY0p-FMnQjLNZ12DJWhA-OMc-MpT8icjtd0U7C7HhnVIry1dV3w6xIGFy/s1600/IMGP0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgpRHdC0JFaHSCWs5VGxymBwXOKIgo6oSmfFTCi0JPIq2LEuEAsloR74ZvFx_vzRawFCPo9s6-5ZgYLLqj8_RY0p-FMnQjLNZ12DJWhA-OMc-MpT8icjtd0U7C7HhnVIry1dV3w6xIGFy/s320/IMGP0250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Happy Fall and Bon Appetit,<br />
Margaret</div>
Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-91166707335590030502012-09-21T15:08:00.000-07:002012-09-21T15:08:31.161-07:00Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A couple of days ago, on my way home from classes I stopped by Starbucks and picked up a salted caramel mocha. It was the perfect way to end a long day, especially since the air was just a little bit chilly and it was starting to smell like fall. </div>
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So for the past several days I have been craving caramel, but I am not super excited to spring $4 on another mocha. The answer? Cupcakes, as usual.<br />
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I have been wanting to make my own caramel for awhile now, but I am always nervous about trying it because I don't have all the fancy equipment and candy thermometers that a lot of recipes call for. Then I came across <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/05/23/salted-caramel-cupcakes-recipe/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe, which had lots of helpful pictures and explanations, and decided to just go for it.<br />
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Totally worth a little bit of nerves. The caramel sauce made me a little nervous when the butter refused to incorporate with the cooked sugar, but after a lot of whisking it turned out. And it is delicious. You can make it with or without the salt, but the salted version is really wonderful.<br />
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The cupcakes also include a step where you cook the sugar and butter on the stove. I was a little reluctant to do this step, since it not only adds more time and dishes, but it isn't the usual procedure for cupcakes. I realized though, that you are sort of making another caramel which goes directly into the cupcake batter, so the chocolate cupcakes actually have a hint of a caramel flavor.<br />
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So happy official last day of summer, and welcome to fall. What a better way to celebrate than a salted caramel mocha cupcake?<br />
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Bon Appetit,</div>
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Margaret</div>
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Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-4967139165856890422012-09-16T16:50:00.001-07:002012-09-16T16:50:43.784-07:00Strawberry Pistachio Tart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Summer is pretty clearly over, even though the calendar doesn't say so quite yet. However, this weekend Costco was still in that summer mood, and had some gorgeous strawberries on sale. A Costco-sized clamshell of strawberries is much too much for one girl to handle, so I decided to make something for my suite for dessert. On a whim I adapted <a href="http://plantfoodfabulous.com/2012/07/strawberry-galette.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe to go with what I had on hand, which included pistachios.</div>
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I love making pies, but often it takes a lot of time to perfect that basket-weave top crust and whatnot, so it doesn't always happen. However, this tart is super quick and easy to make. I threw mine together before I got dinner going, and it was all set and cooled by the time dessert rolled around.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Crust</span></div>
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1 1/2 cup flour</div>
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2 tsp sugar</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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2/3 cup plus 1 tbs butter, cubed and cold</div>
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2-4 tbs ice water</div>
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Whisk dry ingredients together. Add butter and mix with a fork until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water slowly until dough just forms into a ball. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Filling</span></div>
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1/2 cup ground pistachios</div>
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1 tbs flour</div>
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1/4 cup sugar</div>
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2 cups cut strawberries</div>
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2 tsp lemon juice</div>
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Combine all ingredients and gently mix. Roll out crust and press into pan. Prick several times with a fork. Spread filling over crust and bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes, or until edges of crust begin to brown.</div>
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Bon Appetit</div>
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Margaret</div>
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Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-8487944635385640472012-09-02T18:45:00.000-07:002012-09-02T18:46:22.147-07:00Back to School Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For the past week I have been getting settled in at school and participating in the New Student Orientation Program as and Orientation Leader. I had a great group of orientation leaders in my "crew," (which happened to be crew P as evident by the decorations) so we all got together for baking and a potluck lunch for our crew and our crew chief.<br />
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I decided to go for the <a href="http://thecupcakesuite.blogspot.com/2011/09/inaugural-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">black magic cupcakes</a>, since not only were they the first cupcakes that I baked last year in my new kitchen, but also because they are delicious. They are foul-proof and since I have made them so many times it is a great way to get used to a new kitchen and a new oven.<br />
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For the frosting, I adapted <a href="http://www.justputzing.com/2012/03/strawberry-crepe-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe. I just substituted 1/4 cup of the nutella for peanut butter, and it came out fantastic. I had a few left over, so my suite got to enjoy some cupcakes as well. Anyways, its good to be back, and it's good to be baking.<br />
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Bon Appetit,<br />
Margaret</div>
Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-84711854698055143902012-08-15T14:57:00.000-07:002012-08-15T14:57:40.482-07:00Lavender Blackberry Cheesecake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How many ways are there to bake with lavender? Lots. Here is another recipe where I used my handpicked lavender! I combined a few different recipes to make something with what I had in the fridge. I also went for our smaller cheesecake pan (the 7 inch) which is a much better size for just four people. The result- new favorite cheesecake. Make one, do it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLX78RG6uR-P1-BXDONCMsp25R2CN4XghjpG0sm_Kv4Ezg5-5AnsZ0fS5_3fkgBwKkUeyKk771Wy1VWJ_e0Dx0Ok7_f51Yyu5NfqwqOl48Wa6TTZmur-fK0QDiBNMTBUu_cEAHshnGpZA9/s1600/IMGP9538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLX78RG6uR-P1-BXDONCMsp25R2CN4XghjpG0sm_Kv4Ezg5-5AnsZ0fS5_3fkgBwKkUeyKk771Wy1VWJ_e0Dx0Ok7_f51Yyu5NfqwqOl48Wa6TTZmur-fK0QDiBNMTBUu_cEAHshnGpZA9/s320/IMGP9538.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I went a graham cracker crust, a lavender cheesecake, and a lavender-blackberry sour cream topping. It's a couple different steps, and you do have to put it back in the oven after adding each element, so it does take a bit of time to make the finished product. But it's worth it.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Graham Cracker Crust</span></div>
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from <i>The Joy of Cheesecake</i></div>
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Makes enough for a 9-in pan</div>
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(if you are making a 7-in pan like I did, you will have leftovers- that's ok)</div>
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1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs</div>
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6 tbsp melted butter</div>
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1/4 cup sugar</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°.</div>
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Combine all ingredients, mix well. Press the crumb mixture evenly along the bottom of a pre-greased springform pan, and about 1'' up each side. Bake for 5-10 minutes. Let cool before adding filling.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Lavender Cheesecake</span></div>
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Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.mtshastalavenderfarms.com/announcements/lavender-cheesecake" target="_blank">Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms</a> for 7-inch pan</div>
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4 ounces heavy cream</div>
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2 tsp dried lavender buds</div>
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14 ounces cream cheese</div>
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2.5 ounces sugar</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°.</div>
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Combine lavender and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Strain cream and discard lavender.</div>
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Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until very smooth- approximately 3 minutes. Add lavender-infused heavy cream and continue to mix for an additional 3 minutes on medium-high, or until smooth. Whisk eggs and sugar in a separate bowl. Add to cream mixture and gently beat until smooth.</div>
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Pour into pre-baked crust in springform pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until set. It is best to also place a large pan filled with water 1 rack below the cheesecake to allow for humidity in the oven during baking. This reduces the chance of your cheesecake developing cracks.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Blackberry Lavender Topping</span></div>
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Adapted from <i>The Joy of Cheesecake</i></div>
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makes enough for 1 7-inch cheesecake</div>
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1/2 cup sour cream</div>
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1 tbsp lavender sugar (or just use regular sugar and add a few lavender buds)</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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3-4 blackberries</div>
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Preheat oven to 450°.</div>
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Muddle blackberries, set aside. Combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Add blackberries, a bit at a time, until desired color and flavor are reached.</div>
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Bake for 5-7 minutes or until set.</div>
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When your cheesecake is done you should allow it to slowly cool in order to prevent cracks. I left mine in the turned-off oven with the door propped open until the oven reached room temperature. When the cheesecake is cooled to room temperature you should put it in the fridge- still in the pan though. You can take it out of the pan after a few hours in the fridge, just run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan first. And there you have it- a lovely lavender cheesecake!<br />
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Bon Appetit<br />
Margaret</div>
Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-77323802362403801652012-08-12T16:47:00.000-07:002012-08-12T16:47:37.464-07:00Orange and Ginger Beer Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sometimes I still like to play dress up. On this particular day my baking buddies and I had decided to go retro and dress up 50's style. We were having trouble figuring out a cupcake to match our theme, when I stumbled upon a cute, retro-looking can of ginger beer in the fridge. One of my friends suggested adding orange, and thus the Orange and Ginger Beer Cupcakes were born. The flavors go incredibly well together.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Orange Ginger Beer Cupcakes</span></div>
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adapted from <a href="http://www.raspberricupcakes.com/2010/01/ginger-beer-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">Raspberri Cupcakes</a> • makes 12</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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1 cup brown sugar</div>
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1 1/4 sticks butter</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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2 cups flour</div>
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1 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/4 tsp club soda</div>
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3/4 cup ginger beer</div>
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2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice</div>
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1 tbsp orange zest</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°.</div>
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Beat butter and brown sugar until creamy in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time. Once combined, add orange zest.</div>
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In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Sprinkle with club soda and mix. Combine orange juice and ginger beer in a measuring cup. Alternate adding wet and dry mixtures to the butter/sugar mix, beginning and ending with dry. Mix well after each addition. Distribute batter between 12 cupcake liners. Bake in pan for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Orange Buttercream</span></div>
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Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes generously</div>
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1 stick butter</div>
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3-4 cups powdered sugar</div>
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2 tsp orange zest</div>
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1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice</div>
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1 tbsp milk or half and half</div>
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Beat butter in electric mixer on high for several minutes until creamy. Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. After 2 cups of sugar have been added, add milk, orange juice, and zest. Continue adding sugar until desired sweetness is reached.</div>
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We enjoyed our cupcakes with a glass of mint lemonade and retro napkins. Bon Appetit!<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-89083403384771205922012-08-08T16:39:00.001-07:002012-08-08T16:39:22.847-07:00Lavender Honey Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So as witnessed by my previous post about my <a href="http://thecupcakesuite.blogspot.com/2012/07/lavender-harvest.html" target="_blank">adventures</a> on Lavender Hill Farms, I have a bit of lavender kicking around my kitchen. Well obviously I had to make cupcakes.<br />
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One of my good friends had found <a href="http://kitchen-chronicles.com/2012/03/21/lavender-cupcakes-with-honey-frosting/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from Kitchen Chronicles awhile ago, and we had already been planning on making them. It was even better to know that I had fresh, hand picked lavender to use!<br />
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The cupcakes came out beautifully. They didn't rise too much in the cups, so I probably would fill them a bit more next time and only make 10 or so rather than the 12 the recipe calls for. Other than that they were absolutely perfect. The lavender adds such a special and unique flavor, and the honey cream cheese frosting is to die for.</div>
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And by the way, they go fantastically with a good cup of espresso.<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-77370250253025794332012-07-30T14:31:00.001-07:002012-07-30T14:31:51.532-07:00Lavender Harvest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So while I was up in northern Michigan, escaping the DC heat and enjoying some beach time with family, I managed to stumble upon one of the most wonderful sort of places.</div>
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Isn't it gorgeous? Lavender Hills Farm, just outside of Boyne City, Michigan, is absolutely stunning. And not only is it beautiful and smells like heaven, but they let you pick your own lavender. Naturally, one visit was not enough.<br />
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During the time I was there three different varieties were reading for cutting. One was <i>grosso</i>, a variety that has a nice strong scent and is mainly used in sachets and as decorative lavender. The other two, <i>munstead</i> and <i>hidcote</i>, are culinary varieties. They differ from the other varieties like grosso in that they do not contain camphor, a chemical which adds a bitterness to the taste.</div>
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I picked some of each variety, but kept each separate. Once they are cut, the lavender stalks will start to dry and some of the buds will begin to drop. You want to save all of those buds, and I didn't want to mix up my culinary and non-culinary varieties!<br />
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Once picking is done, you need to lay them out to dry. They will dry regardless of how they are stored, but for best results you should lay them out in a cool, dry place. I put mine on two camping mats in my grandma's garage.<br />
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After a few days, depending on the weather, the lavender should be dried and the buds ready to harvest. When the lavender stalks have started dropping a good number of buds and the others easily come off, they are ready for the next step. To remove the buds from the stems, grab a small bunch of lavender and roll the section with the buds between your hands. Keep rolling until most of the buds are released. A few of the last ones you may have to pluck off the stem by hand.<br />
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You can use the lavender at this stage, but I definitely recommend doing the last portion, which is screening and sorting the lavender. The lavender that comes off the stalks has bits of dried stem and leaves mixed in with the buds, so the next step removes those bits which detract from the flavor if you want to bake or cook with your lavender. <br />
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I took a bit of screen material and stretched it over the top of a box to make my screen apparatus. Then, take a bit of your unsorted lavender and place it on one side of your screen. Use your fingers to gently slide the buds forward, pushing the leaves and stems to the side. This does take a bit of time, but it is well worth it. In the picture below, of my hidcote lavender, the left bag has not been sorted and the right bag has been. See the difference? Definitely worth a bit of time. Once you have your lovely sorted lavender, it's ready for baking! There are tons of lavender recipes, and I'll be putting a couple up shortly!<br />
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Happy Lavender Harvesting!<br />
Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-2565199924016488172012-07-24T20:10:00.001-07:002012-07-24T20:10:49.458-07:00Bakery Review: Simply Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the summer we all travel to get away from regular, daily life. I guess one thing I will never be able to (or want to!) get away from is cupcakes. So even in Northern Michigan it seems I can locate a cupcake shop.<br />
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Simply Cupcakes, a cute little place in Traverse City, MI, was actually spotted by my mom who suggested going in to grab a cupcake (or six). We ended up getting a half dozen to split with the family. We picked creamsicle, peanut butter, caramel pecan, blueberry, sweet and salty, and caramel toffee.<br />
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These are BIG cupcakes. Not quite Crumbs cupcake size, but they are more muffin-sized than the dainty little standard cupcakes. They are also piled high with frosting. These two factors combined make them rather hard to eat! Most of my family reverted to a fork.<br />
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I'm going to continue to compare these cupcakes to Crumbs cupcakes for several reasons. They all had prominent flavors between the dense cake and the light swiss meringue buttercream, and many of them were filled. However, I found the lighter colored cakes a bit dry and dense for my preference. The clear winner of the flavors was the sweet and salty- the chocolate cake was extremely moist and the density complemented the flavor very well. The light buttercream was the perfect complement with just a bit of crunch from the pretzels on top. Unfortunately the dense cake didn't work as well with the lighter caramel cupcake or the peanut butter one.<br />
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However, these were not by any means bad cupcakes, I would just stick to their chocolatier flavors. Plus, their swiss meringue buttercream is absolutely fantastic. I never have the patience for swiss meringue, but it is really wonderful on a dark cupcake!<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-2531255025950523832012-07-19T15:09:00.002-07:002012-07-19T15:09:52.643-07:00Raspberry Angel Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This was my first attempt at angel food cake, and I was really pleased with the results. I have always enjoyed angel food cake but never had the courage to try it out. I was looking for a really light cake a few days ago, and decided to just go for it.<br />
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I found <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/01/angel-food-cupcakes/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from How Sweet It Is and followed it exactly. I even sifted the flour AND powdered sugar (which I am usually too lazy to do). I divided the recipe by 3, since I wasn't making these for any special event and there weren't too many friends around to pawn them off on, and it turned out to make 9.<br />
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The cupcakes turned out beautifully, and I frosted them with a standard cream cheese-buttercream with a dash of raspberry and lemon extract. Essentially I whipped half a stick of butter, two ounces of cream cheese, two cups of powdered sugar, a dash of each extract, and a dash of half-and-half.<br />
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And voila! beautiful, light, raspberry angel cakes! These would have also been good with a dollop of raspberry jam filled in the center of the baked cakes. Oh well, next time!</div>
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-65807381712273179262012-07-16T12:47:00.003-07:002012-07-16T12:47:58.416-07:00Lemon Poppyseed Mini Muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What happens when the <a href="http://thecupcakesuite.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-blueberries.html" target="_blank">blueberry muffins</a> that you baked a few days ago run out? Lemon poppyseed muffins happen. At least they did yesterday afternoon. I love having a freshly baked pastry for breakfast everyday, and as long as you freeze them, muffins generally stay nice and fresh.<br />
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Lemon poppyseed is probably my favorite flavor of muffin ever. Actually though, I have a hard time choosing any other option when lemon poppyseed is available. However, I rarely make them. Not sure why. So when I discovered that we had poppyseed AND lemon in the house I couldn't resist giving these a go.<br />
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I adapted Joy the Baker's <a href="http://joythebaker.com/2009/11/lemon-poppy-seed-muffins/" target="_blank">recipe</a> by changing the size to mini muffins and the baking time to 9 minutes. I also used vanilla yogurt instead of buttermilk/sour cream. I'm not sure if it was the flavor of the yogurt, but I kind of lost the lemon in these muffins. Next time I would double the juice and zest. Or maybe my lemon was just too wimpy.<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-88166824908334311512012-07-15T15:29:00.001-07:002012-07-15T15:29:33.614-07:00Bakery Review: Red Velvet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love baking my own cupcakes, but sometimes it is fun to visit local bakeries and try out their offerings. It is a great chance to compare my own recipes to what is on the market and discover some new ideas. This morning I was in downtown DC and found myself right in front of one of DC's acclaimed cupcake bakeries- Red Velvet. Of course I had to pop in for a cupcake.</div>
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Red Velvet is located near the corner of 7th St and E St in NW DC. Cupcakes are $3.25 each or $36/dozen. This is a bit more than some of the other cupcakeries charge for, but not unheard of. The bakery offers a wide variety of flavors (10 were available when I was there), but there is no seating area. You can take your cupcakes next door to the frozen yogurt shop if you want to sit. However, although the bakery is small it has a simplistic but charming decor and the cupcakes are the main attraction.<br />
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As the name of the bakery suggests, Red Velvet is included in the array of flavors. On a previous occasion I tried the red velvet, or "Southern Belle" as it is referred to on the label, on a previous occasion, so this time I opted for another flavor.<br />
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I went with one of their new recipes- Hazelnut Cafe. Their website describes this cupcake as "A delicious new wake-up call for coffee lovers-- a rich and moist hazelnut cake topped with a sexy espresso buttercream and completed with just a pinch of espresso."<br />
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The description definitely reflects this cupcake quite accurately. The cake was rather rustic- instead of a light and fluffy hazelnut-flavored cake, the cake was a bit denser and moist with shavings of hazelnut baked inside. The espresso buttercream was well flavored and a very soft (almost melty) texture, although I attribute some of this to the heat outside today. The cupcake to frosting ratio was excellent and the two flavors complemented themselves well.<br />
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Overall, I enjoyed my Red Velvet Cupcakery cupcake. The rich, denser cupcake is not the kind that I often opt to make since I prefer the lighter fluffy cake, but with this flavor combination it worked quite well. It would definitely be worth visiting again when I am in the area, but I wouldn't necessarily make it a destination, mostly because I have several other fantastic bakeries very close to me!<br />
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Margaret<br />
<br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-36259405224071295432012-07-14T19:43:00.002-07:002012-07-14T19:43:49.166-07:00Pizza Night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Pizza is one of those special meals that I have never in my life disliked. As a kid I was a very picky eater, but pizza night never began with any complaints. Pizza night became even more special when we started making our own pizzas rather than ordering them out.<br />
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After going through a few pizza stones, we recently settled on a cast iron pan on the grill as our preferred pizza cooking method. It makes incredibly crispy crusts- much better than the standard pizza pan for the oven.<br />
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My pizza of choice is the classic Margherita- tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. I also add a bit of garlic and olive oil before the sauce goes on and finish with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.<br />
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Pepperonis and prosciutto also go nicely with the original Margherita and add a bit extra flavor.<br />
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Pizza on the patio on a warm summer evening is one of my quintessential summer meals- and I have two more months of pizza nights to look forward to this summer.<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-18726313101037616452012-07-12T07:32:00.000-07:002012-07-12T07:32:24.697-07:00British Tea Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been quite awhile since I have baked cupcakes. It has also been quite awhile since I have had non-mint tea (the Moroccans love their sweet mint tea). So when I stumbled upon <a href="http://bakingdom.com/2012/06/black-tea-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> the other day, I knew that these cupcakes were for me.</div>
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The recipe calls for warm milk to be steeped with black tea leaves to give the cupcakes their namesake flavor. I chose my sister's favorite blend- straight from Fortnum and Mason in London.<br />
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The cupcakes are light and fluffy (thanks to a great recipe which uses cake flour rather than regular flour), and the frosting is a perfect combination of sweet and tart, which complements the cupcake rather well.<br />
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I may even have to try this recipe with some other types of tea- flavored tea with a complementary frosting such as raspberry green tea cupcakes with a raspberry lemon buttercream sounds stupendous!<br />
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Happy Baking,<br />
Margaret<br />
<br /></div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-53194554336118193082012-07-09T14:59:00.000-07:002012-07-09T14:59:05.111-07:00Summer Blueberries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Blueberries are one of my favorite summer fruits. They are best in the middle of summer in just about any baked good- pies, cupcakes, and of course muffins! After returning from my long trip to Morocco I was dying to bake some good summer treats, and <a href="http://darkredcrema.com/2010/07/lemon-lavender-blueberry-yogurt-muffins/" target="_blank">this</a> recipe looked irresistible.<br />
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I love adding lemon to blueberry muffins, but this recipe called for lavender as well. I couldn't resist trying it out. The recipe uses lavender buds, but I substituted them for a half teaspoon of lavender extract. Next time I may add just a splash more for a little more lavender flavor.<br />
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Even so, they came out fantastically. Bake them on convect at 350° for the first 8 minutes or so to give them a nice crisp top.<br />
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These muffin make a fantastic summer breakfast treat or snack, and the lavender adds just a bit more depth to the flavor- absolutely lovely!<br />
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-Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-62099272878334526542012-07-05T07:58:00.000-07:002012-07-05T07:58:10.820-07:00Tea and Tagine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been quite some time since this blog had any attention, so let me explain why. For the past six weeks I have been in rural Morocco working with an Engineers Without Borders student group on a bridge building project. On the way over, due to flight delays, we had a five hour layover in Paris, so we took the opportunity to head into Paris for a few hours, see some sights, and eat plenty of macaroons.</div>
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Once we arrived in Morocco, most of my time was spent on the worksite. However, every day we were treated to lunch at a different house in the village. Lunches were delicious but enormous! The Moroccan standard for hospitably is to present everything they can on the table. This slightly conflicts with the American tradition of cleaning your plate, which we soon learned was impossible with the portions provided! <br />
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Lunches traditionally started with tea- a combination of Chinese green tea steeped with mint leaves and saturated with as much sugar as possible. Tea was generally served with either homemade cookies and nuts or an assortment of homemade oils and honeys for bread dipping.<br />
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After tea came the main courses. The traditional Moroccan dish is a tagine. Tagine is actually the dish that the meal is cooked in, but the dish is referred to with the same name. The tagine is a clay dish with a conical top, filled with lamb and some vegetables and topped with either fries or potatoes. We would also get eggs and dates on some of our tagines.<br />
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One tagine was enough to fill our whole group up (especially because you eat all of your food using bread to scoop bites from the center communal dish), but oftentimes we would get at least one other main dish- sometimes two! My favorite was the chicken. The women would cook whole chickens in a lemon-saffron seasoning and top them with fries. The chicken was some of the best I have ever had.</div>
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The last main dish (and the most difficult to conquer) was the cous-cous. The cous-cous would come out in a heaping pile, topped with vegetables and lamb. Cous-cous was actually my least favorite of the Moroccan dishes, but I think that mostly had to do with the fact that I was stuffed by the time it came out!<br />
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To close out lunch, we were always served watermelon and some other assorted fruit. It was watermelon season during our visit, so it was always plentiful and delicious! It was also our favorite way to hydrate before returning to the site for a long afternoon of work. Morocco was an incredible experience, and the food absolutely reflected the community's excitement about our project and their willingness to give their best to us even if they had very little themselves.<br />
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Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-19928165079500461152012-05-11T20:34:00.001-07:002012-05-11T20:34:59.792-07:00Farewell Cupcakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is my last night in the original cupcake suite. It is bittersweet- I am looking forward to this summer and next year very much, but I am also sad to see how fast this year has gone by. It was without a doubt a very special year, filled with very special people. It was the first time that I have cooked for myself (and my wonderful suitemates). We all cooked; we gathered around a tiny little table at dinnertime and enjoyed family meals together. We made lots of desserts too- chocolate mousse, baklava, scones, cookies, loaves, pies, and cupcakes. After all, it was the cupcake suite, of course we had cupcakes. For our last few days in the suite I made a couple batches of cupcakes (chocolate strawberry and raspberry lemon). We finished them up just in time to pack up all the dish ware and the kitchen-aid mixer.<br />
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Au Revoir,<br />
MargaretMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-70533636375240003862012-04-19T06:09:00.000-07:002012-04-19T06:09:10.894-07:00British Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WcSNvMl-AF_wHgPFE3otTA0RqiwM-ddERbNFp1zO5RhAgpR5ACfsgesH8WBf7gZmMwByLguauaEu6NY0zBEtTqVNpMXqRMM4B5_Xi3sgZKTxLRBQzOr5n-EAzk47UgK5YdIPkqKf7Z5q/s1600/IMGP7567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WcSNvMl-AF_wHgPFE3otTA0RqiwM-ddERbNFp1zO5RhAgpR5ACfsgesH8WBf7gZmMwByLguauaEu6NY0zBEtTqVNpMXqRMM4B5_Xi3sgZKTxLRBQzOr5n-EAzk47UgK5YdIPkqKf7Z5q/s320/IMGP7567.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My family recently went on a trip to London during my little sister's spring break. I was very jealous that I didn't get to go, but they did bring me back some fantastic little British treats- tea and biscuits to be exact. This little cookie was <i>almost</i> too adorable to eat, but I did bring myself to snack on it with a cup of tea. It was absolutely delicious!<br />
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Good Morning!<br />
MargaretMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-75932509893980810432012-03-22T08:12:00.000-07:002012-03-22T08:12:56.414-07:00Spring Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z9j51DN5C0adLEkhz0kNBC3JDSZLB36Pelh3iu2BHPhOSeNOairnjC2TcKgROFp6ooy0GN1ltSzjUUmGI6VuvgRYoyhTbcb5UigX5qt3AN9uoS8W7Vs6UR-cKTBbR6lh2C9yyXAZ4K_4/s1600/IMGP7551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z9j51DN5C0adLEkhz0kNBC3JDSZLB36Pelh3iu2BHPhOSeNOairnjC2TcKgROFp6ooy0GN1ltSzjUUmGI6VuvgRYoyhTbcb5UigX5qt3AN9uoS8W7Vs6UR-cKTBbR6lh2C9yyXAZ4K_4/s200/IMGP7551.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSjqTr5pzGk-tvR_wy8Yn3iMrFFeWGzfk7MXm_nzrOq4Xqs2yZLHJydzGNMhgXpNkBNqfLRL47Bc05QS6BJORvTxxbfRJ2xdp1V5WuXlxbeXJ3gDWH9VSNhgjzzHs5uIKQLfB-S7GRFYG/s1600/IMGP7550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSjqTr5pzGk-tvR_wy8Yn3iMrFFeWGzfk7MXm_nzrOq4Xqs2yZLHJydzGNMhgXpNkBNqfLRL47Bc05QS6BJORvTxxbfRJ2xdp1V5WuXlxbeXJ3gDWH9VSNhgjzzHs5uIKQLfB-S7GRFYG/s200/IMGP7550.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spring is without a doubt my favorite season. I love the warmth of the sun, the blooming flowers, and the budding trees. I also love the fresh fruit. So obviously I had to make spring cupcakes with, what else, but strawberries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_9XKDM6Cpfk8aOAFmnN6jJVB0LRa7kxfsLCHuocBXV4uD0Ont2cUBR4rQv5tV0cmCwtwDtgv-yU687M2GUUB5umfp0u3DxhbMC5RlVg4gn5oFIdwbRn4C8tQ7LmfSpGR4-jmBTupZPjm/s1600/IMGP7546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_9XKDM6Cpfk8aOAFmnN6jJVB0LRa7kxfsLCHuocBXV4uD0Ont2cUBR4rQv5tV0cmCwtwDtgv-yU687M2GUUB5umfp0u3DxhbMC5RlVg4gn5oFIdwbRn4C8tQ7LmfSpGR4-jmBTupZPjm/s320/IMGP7546.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found a fabulous recipe for <a href="http://www.justputzing.com/2012/03/strawberry-crepe-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">strawberry crepe cupcakes</a> on foodgawker, and I had to try it. I am always a little hesitant to try standard chocolate/vanilla cupcakes, since there are so many other fun options to make, but theses were the perfect combination of classic and exciting. The vanilla cake is perfect- moist, fluffy and just dense enough, and the nutella frosting is addictive. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbmCWJtdMLu5yolAPrF4UHSKLHnI95cDSnuqsqpP4BjFy3j_BH1wkYqIAx_tjHil1kHwIH4xq3erO5Mm2VADFQHJcpoHvwPd2HJF7mNSmX1QS2b8pX-0-T-n9WyXDzxd6HYah4k0sIddU/s1600/IMGP7554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbmCWJtdMLu5yolAPrF4UHSKLHnI95cDSnuqsqpP4BjFy3j_BH1wkYqIAx_tjHil1kHwIH4xq3erO5Mm2VADFQHJcpoHvwPd2HJF7mNSmX1QS2b8pX-0-T-n9WyXDzxd6HYah4k0sIddU/s200/IMGP7554.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipIOkgutqcbdSLvXnHODVLI8YjacF5TaNX6JngJ3RtxZ838LP3cLz0lhdhn9UMN8xcBnWWKBy-6uzuTs5F8283MXRZqCM9D8OCvqKITt3FUeiLFsyAZdexZdyHDM4SX_i4URmKc8O1cyE/s1600/IMGP7559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipIOkgutqcbdSLvXnHODVLI8YjacF5TaNX6JngJ3RtxZ838LP3cLz0lhdhn9UMN8xcBnWWKBy-6uzuTs5F8283MXRZqCM9D8OCvqKITt3FUeiLFsyAZdexZdyHDM4SX_i4URmKc8O1cyE/s200/IMGP7559.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
These really taste like a strawberry nutella crepe- and they may be my new favorite cupcakes! I will definitely be making these again.<br />
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Happy Spring,<br />
MargaretMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-63707242330427631352012-03-01T13:06:00.000-08:002012-03-01T13:06:31.526-08:00Chai Tea Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTYZX0FsqJ0NOUQCuj3Hss7mnnucoDTWxqI8vumrf1oa0J7KNC-iYVps8yUFWM0pEcVvTQcTFQtxJy0x7RAZrdQI8XLBrAkifEamdqwbPx2EmnhWV2-R6ygYQzFPnp2U9fSFtGJ7tGMFb/s1600/IMGP7061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTYZX0FsqJ0NOUQCuj3Hss7mnnucoDTWxqI8vumrf1oa0J7KNC-iYVps8yUFWM0pEcVvTQcTFQtxJy0x7RAZrdQI8XLBrAkifEamdqwbPx2EmnhWV2-R6ygYQzFPnp2U9fSFtGJ7tGMFb/s320/IMGP7061.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>It's been a little while since I tried out a new cupcake recipe, so last week I decided I wanted to use an unexpectedly quiet evening to experiment a bit. I came across <a href="http://bakingdom.com/2010/09/sugar-spice-and-everything-nice-from-teacup-to-cupcake-vanilla-chai-tea-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from Bakingdom, and decided that Chai Tea Cupcakes sounded perfect.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHtymSiDmcw72d479FXHHs_Jpx5f3jlNqkEbkCvtndw9njbsqtnzwIT7jkEfg18xmIwp_5EKI9X9Uh-810o315yI-f9XmjPMiW1p6nf_KKXEUdzWeqdm9JSoQqT6FJausJlJxruRTFdGV/s1600/IMGP7059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHtymSiDmcw72d479FXHHs_Jpx5f3jlNqkEbkCvtndw9njbsqtnzwIT7jkEfg18xmIwp_5EKI9X9Uh-810o315yI-f9XmjPMiW1p6nf_KKXEUdzWeqdm9JSoQqT6FJausJlJxruRTFdGV/s320/IMGP7059.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
The first time I made them, I halved the recipe and used pastry flour instead of cake flour (that's all I could find) but otherwise followed it exactly. The batter was very soupy but I went along with it anyways. The cupcake were very moist and delicious, but they didn't rise very well. So this time when I made them (a half recipe again) I added an extra 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and an extra 1/4 teaspoon baking powder to the dry ingredients. This definitely did the trick- they came out with beautiful peaks and still had the delicious flavor and moistness of the other batch!<br />
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Bon Appétit,<div>Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-73549550979648628572012-02-14T20:51:00.000-08:002012-02-14T20:51:34.529-08:00Strawberry Valentines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DO15aJtf4tpgiBH9nUHawjoxO3iBn1Fg1P3z324Paop0JpPN-jtElNnBDVs-oLRID9Dvk9yLaaqSB85uFeyHu03aQpThSiHITB6TlZp674FuPzwislZ9nOJ1-7CX1ejGch7bE7TzdNJm/s1600/IMGP7036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4DO15aJtf4tpgiBH9nUHawjoxO3iBn1Fg1P3z324Paop0JpPN-jtElNnBDVs-oLRID9Dvk9yLaaqSB85uFeyHu03aQpThSiHITB6TlZp674FuPzwislZ9nOJ1-7CX1ejGch7bE7TzdNJm/s320/IMGP7036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Happy Valentine's Day! I am definitely one of those people who takes their holidays seriously, and Valentine's day is no exception. Seriously, it is a day to celebrate all of the people you love, wear pink and red, and eat ungodly amounts of chocolate (and cupcakes). Because, well, it couldn't be Valentine's Day in the Cupcake Suite without cupcakes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiBKYc5BWYFHYTbtFAvWlQjARwc7GFZSk4dInZPWdGalW0x0sUtSZIioli8H5i2YLin9UWVUU81qQSgMPnt8iSvDBPlVuTlMRaFlsm-xGaauPLyBV4c66sR7YJSKwP-SPzzmoX2hp0DNd/s1600/IMGP7012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiBKYc5BWYFHYTbtFAvWlQjARwc7GFZSk4dInZPWdGalW0x0sUtSZIioli8H5i2YLin9UWVUU81qQSgMPnt8iSvDBPlVuTlMRaFlsm-xGaauPLyBV4c66sR7YJSKwP-SPzzmoX2hp0DNd/s320/IMGP7012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year I lived in a building with no kitchen- all we had to work with was a microwave. So last year on Valentine's day I made chocolate covered strawberries with my friends. This year I decided to stick with the same theme, but take it up a couple notches. So I made chocolate cupcakes with chocolate covered strawberries on top and strawberry cupcakes with a swiss meringue buttercream. Everything was divine- the fact that nearly all thirty cupcakes were consumed this evening stands as proof.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfyn4oI9MRAxYFjEmfvPYMMzi1gI7hkob2Mm3V49h8jyXYOmtqwf74YzsriPv-MCqMHwhzaAny_UuxTPVRrT-V1VWxtStRhc6n2lWTIwu7ts_r4RKvAwRSL7YRFM9F1SqAIdYMb6ns8MP/s1600/IMGP7011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfyn4oI9MRAxYFjEmfvPYMMzi1gI7hkob2Mm3V49h8jyXYOmtqwf74YzsriPv-MCqMHwhzaAny_UuxTPVRrT-V1VWxtStRhc6n2lWTIwu7ts_r4RKvAwRSL7YRFM9F1SqAIdYMb6ns8MP/s320/IMGP7011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For the strawberry cupcakes I adapted the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/258957/sprinkles-strawberry-cupcakes" target="_blank">Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcake</a> recipe. They came out beautifully- light and fluffy with a hint of strawberry. Perfectly pink for Valentine's!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Bo1Maz9zO2PUUi2SflZJAK-az5-2JT38m3F-IIJBiAoWpnuOI5Yb039LPvEFFu2PtzEDNyhuGKMYseodVvDrQLugUuKTAc_0hKM_K6_T1brM7cR7BRLMLSy-ZQU_QUapB7L-akMuR7Nq/s1600/IMGP7022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Bo1Maz9zO2PUUi2SflZJAK-az5-2JT38m3F-IIJBiAoWpnuOI5Yb039LPvEFFu2PtzEDNyhuGKMYseodVvDrQLugUuKTAc_0hKM_K6_T1brM7cR7BRLMLSy-ZQU_QUapB7L-akMuR7Nq/s320/IMGP7022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Strawberry Cupcakes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Makes 12-15 cupcakes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, minced</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 teaspoon coarse salt</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 large egg, room temperature</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 large egg whites, room temperature</div><div style="text-align: center;">red food coloring</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Place the minced strawberries in a small saucepan and reduce over low heat, stirring often, until the consistency of jam. Set aside to cool.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beating on low until combined. Add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, making sure to mix completely after each addition. Stir in the strawberry mix.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fill 12-15 cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf4BES3pG8TFjDh1OxUBk8MlDNCjVX6BsCzPEJuEVvowTUipfCwQxxfiDJpqdCKqXN3FIzPPoJ1wv8RvMPlhYZwEENRqD6GW6S6ZhnPAHc5f7Wrx9yGTdV8JcnoMlNjRXjv8fK78hKIbT/s1600/IMGP7023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDf4BES3pG8TFjDh1OxUBk8MlDNCjVX6BsCzPEJuEVvowTUipfCwQxxfiDJpqdCKqXN3FIzPPoJ1wv8RvMPlhYZwEENRqD6GW6S6ZhnPAHc5f7Wrx9yGTdV8JcnoMlNjRXjv8fK78hKIbT/s320/IMGP7023.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the frosting, I followed Sweetapolita's <a href="http://sweetapolita.com/2011/04/swiss-meringue-buttercream-demystified/" target="_blank">Swiss Meringue Buttercream guide</a>. I divided the recipe she gives by four, and it made enough for my fifteen cupcakes and a little extra. This frosting is pure airy, buttery goodness. Seriously, you need to make it.</div><br />
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I also went with my classic Black Magic Chocolate Cupcakes. They are a staple here in the cupcake suite. It's hard to go wrong with chocolate, and this is hands down the best chocolate cupcake I've had. They are also ridiculously easy.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Black Magic Chocolate Cupcakes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Makes 18-24 cupcakes)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 3/4 cups flour</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup brown sugar</div><div style="text-align: center;">3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 teaspoons baking soda</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon baking powder</div><div style="text-align: center;">pinch of salt</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 teaspoon vanilla</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup canola oil</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup strong coffee</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup buttermilk</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stir together flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stir in the vanilla, eggs, oil, coffee, and buttermilk until blended and then beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Batter will be soupy. Pour into cupcake cups.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bake 20-24 minutes at 350 degrees- or until a toothpick comes out clean.</div><br />
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For the frosting (and the chocolate for the strawberries) I used a super simple chocolate ganache. All you really need to do is microwave some chocolate chips with a splash of heavy cream. Make sure to mix it well to let the chocolate completely melt. Then you can spoon in onto the cupcakes and dip the strawberries.<br />
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And voila! You have a lovely Valentine's Day dessert! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-88401224885782254482012-02-12T13:19:00.000-08:002012-02-12T13:19:32.054-08:00Sunday Brunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwop_oT6Z3515or8HTT6P5JB3A_uIKYwgKuFnTOajEktd72u49cfafuJgeCutJYRj4246JMSEzeH1SuRd-9-JAxrePGMqa5fhFgLn7fNto1_4YzogNyPXQm51OskYNWEDwlor4ZgDeAwg/s1600/IMGP6993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwop_oT6Z3515or8HTT6P5JB3A_uIKYwgKuFnTOajEktd72u49cfafuJgeCutJYRj4246JMSEzeH1SuRd-9-JAxrePGMqa5fhFgLn7fNto1_4YzogNyPXQm51OskYNWEDwlor4ZgDeAwg/s320/IMGP6993.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Waffles and bacon make Sunday morning a bit extra special. My favorite waffle/pancake mix has to be the <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/golden-malted-pancake-and-waffle-mix/" target="_blank">Golden Malted</a> from Williams Sonoma. It makes the best belgian waffles (and circus animal shaped waffles) I have had.<br />
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Bon Appétit,<br />
MargaretMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6005840841211068127.post-12429427288041704582012-02-09T08:16:00.000-08:002012-02-09T08:16:15.846-08:00Banana Bread Breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmGlOEJLhIU-DiCXDGtnyKjue66vl2WxhuLwHTPyY6JxTIZpebsUDsrrSpReVI-FewgZYizBlRvWp5NnThQByy-0eHPh-lASETAhA9Fj3-GgzqXnhh4rIDEhhvhqlFQMu-7Xt5ZPCET8m/s1600/IMGP7002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmGlOEJLhIU-DiCXDGtnyKjue66vl2WxhuLwHTPyY6JxTIZpebsUDsrrSpReVI-FewgZYizBlRvWp5NnThQByy-0eHPh-lASETAhA9Fj3-GgzqXnhh4rIDEhhvhqlFQMu-7Xt5ZPCET8m/s320/IMGP7002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This semester, Monday nights are often one of the easiest of the week: no meetings, no rehearsals, and no homework due the next morning. So for the past two weeks, Monday nights have been baking nights. This week it was banana bread. <br />
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I used <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from Food Network- it was easy and quite delicious. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool enough to slice it when it smells so good! Leftover banan bread also makes a wonderful breakfast. I spread a bit of maple butter on my slice, which made it even better.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Baking,<br />
Margaret</div>Margarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14083668432095838243noreply@blogger.com0