Cupcake Challenge Week 5 of 52

CUPCAKE CHALLENGE TAKES ON EASTER!

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CONFECTIONERS SUGAR ICING
So, my challenge this week was to work on design. Pick something that would be a 'challenge' and try to make it work. I re-did the chocolate cupcake recipe I used earlier because I know it works. (not too rich, moist enough, clear chocolate taste) I used a basic confectioners sugar icing recipe. Followed it exact. Except I always use Almond milk because that is all we ever have.
Cupcakes I made in regular time. I decided to work on the icing while the kids and my husband were in the living room (which is attached to our kitchen). I don't usually do this unless I want to frustrate myself or I am in a mad rush). Lucky for me, backyardagans were entrancing both the kids and my husband.
Making the icing, not a problem. I again, followed the recipe exactly. Then came time to tint the icing to the colour of grass. (you'll see in the pictures). I separated the icing into three bowls. Tinted the first bowl darker green, the second one light, and then made the third one into chocolate icing (by melting on square of semi-sweet choc and a tablespoon of butter, then adding it to the icing). I used my new injector thingy tool with a funny looking half moon-jagged tip on it to create the grass. I borrowed the directions on how to make icing fur (as in fur on dogs) to then simulate into grass:)
It took me 20mins to decorate the first cupcake. I was ready to throw in the towel because that was exhausting. BUT of course I challenged through.
TO make the bunnies popping down the hole, i covered the cupcake in chocolate icing, then covered it with oreo cookie crumbs. I cut out the feet from white chocolate wafers (this alone took over 5 mins/set of feet), then coloured the chocolate icing even darker to pipe on the paw prints, with the other injector tool i have, then stuck a mini-marshmallow on it.
So see what you think for yourselves. The first two are my cupcakes and the last one is the picture I copied it from.
I can't even think about next week yet, I am cupcaked out today!

Cupcake Challenge Week 4 of 52

So I made the cupcakes on thurs this week (a day ahead of schedule, I was very impressed). I made them on Thurs because I was going to a party Thurs night and wanted to bring something with me as a thank you. Sooooo little did I know, when you go to a Pampered Chef party, they cook a big meal and all kinds of snacks! You don't need to bring food to this kind of party. I am a huge loser for doing this, and clearly should of read the invitation more accurately. I also showed up to the wrong house at first. Big sigh, it was a long week. BUT, good news is I made the cupcakes and I was totally happy with the recipe.
NO SUGAR CARROT MUFFINS/CUPCAKES with CREAM CHEESE ICING.
I will be using this recipe for our daughters first birthday.
So, my Mom bought me another icing tool. A large tube, injector like thing with large plastic tips. At first I thought, I don't think anything is going to help me with my decorating issues. I filled it anyways and gave it a whirl (litterally:) It worked brilliantly. The swooping, glorious swirling cupcakes I was looking for happened. Ok, so they weren't perfect and that glorious, but I felt so excited that they (the swooping, glorious, swirling cupcakes) were on there way to happening. PROGRESS.
My husband wasn't so big on the cupcake this time. He doesn't like pinapple/any fruit chunks in cupcakes. Everyone else though seemed to enjoy them. They didn't have the moisture problem like the last carrot ones. They weren't too spicy. The icing tasted just right and I started to run out of icing sugar, so my measurements didn't even happen. I just guessed at the icing. (not so great of an idea when you are trying to document and stick to recipes for later use:)
So i am obviously obsessed with :) faces, and that just means I was happy with this weeks challenge.
Not so happy at my pampered chef silliness.
PS I must have been so excited about the icing and swoopingness that I didn't take a photo of the end result. Seriously, i suck i know.

Cupcake Challenge Week 3 of 52

At first I thought I would continue with the carrot theme and perfect it. So I gathered all the ingredients to make SUGAR FREE CARROT MUFFINS. orrrrr so I thought. I forgot the bloody carrots. Seriously, where is my head. Oh right with a two children under two and five billion other things going on:) So slightly disappointing because we were expecting friends over in 2hrs and I already had the cream cheese thawing to room temp for the icing. So a quickly looked for a backup recipe that I did have the ingredients for. CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES. Plain chocolate, nothing fancy.

They were easy to make, and the cream cheese icing went great with them. They were moist and yummy. I think they may be a keeper to try again, with another icing.
No pictures for this week as I was in a huge hurry. The icing however, was easier to push through the stupidly small hole of the tip. I have a book that shows how to ice with a zip lock bag, maybe I will try this next time and try the sugar free carrot. (i want to have something for my daughters first birthday in May)
I am quite possibly getting a little sick of eating the cupcakes (i know my waist line isn't) but i am not sick of making them. I am looking forward to each week.

Cupcake Challenge Week 2 of 52

Icing is still a problem! I decided to make CARROT CUPCAKES with a WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE ICING. Sounds delicious I know.
The one thing I don't like about making carrot cupcakes/muffins is grating the carrots. Just seems like an extra step in baking, but.... 2 cups of carrots really doesn't take very long.
These cupcakes had pineapple in them as well. Really added to the moisture of the cupcakes but you didn't have to taste the pineapple.
The cupcakes were really moist. Kinda of oily. If I made this recipe again, I would cutback on the oil and sub in applesauce, but that might make them mushy. hmmmmm
My tasters this week (aka my family again) loved the cupcakes, loved the taste, but also thought they were too moist/oily if they were for someone. I.E if they were to be displayed for a birthday/wedding.  Just touching the paper liners, your fingers were oily.
Soooooo ICING. Geez, why does it have to be so frustrating. I've decided it's not my icing recipes/consistencies, it's my technique. How much icing to put in the pastry bag, what temperature should it be, how to squeeze the icing out perfectly on the cupcakes.
I had just as much issues this week as last with the icing. I switched the icing bag twice (alternating with a Ziploc bag). It would only come out in tiny spaghetti like lines. Not the big swooping swirls I was looking for.
I am kinda of getting carpal tunnel from squeezing the bag so hard.
Note to self: Solicit outside help for decorating. Join a cake decorating course, talk to my aunt (baker), google cake decorating.
Pictures to follow.
Feeling slightly discouraged and it's only week 2, but then remembering I have
50 more tries to make it right:))
PS white chocolate in the icing wasn't worth it. You couldn't taste it and it was a lot of hassle and silly to get the heavy cream and white chocolate only to use a few table spoons.

Cupcake Challenge Week 1 of 52

So, i have completed the first weeks cupcake challenge. Here is the rundown of how it went:0

• Choose a basic white/yellow cupcake recipe with white confectioners sugar icing
• Bought the ingredients, most of which i already had in the house
• Sunday morning, assembled the ingredients on the counter and had my 2yr old jump up on her helping stool (thanks Pa Pa) to mix and make the cupcakes
• Everything went smoothly during this phase, followed directions exactly (-the spilt cup of sugar on the counter, thanks little helper:) baked cupcakes to perfection
• Let them cool on a rack, which i never do
• Made the icing (on my own) and followed directions exactly, I've never done this before
• I went for a thicker icing, used all 4 cups icing sugar, with the 1/2 cup butter. I wanted the icing to swirl on top of the cupcakes instead of melting off
• Here's where the struggle came..........
• Put icing in small (sandwhich size) ziplock bag, with a small hole where i inserted the #30 star tip, started icing the cupcakes, the bag springs a hole out the side, icing is pushing out, squish as much icing as possible into a large ziplock bag (which doesn't have a straight corner, so the cut for the tip is slanted and funny), put all the icing i have in this bag and start to ice the cupcakes, the tip hole burst open, start swearing now (don't worry the kids were in bed), empty junk drawer (note to self to clean junk drawer) looking for the syringey looking thing that is for icing, find it, squish-cancel that- stuff some icing in it (it is small and incredibly hard to load), start icing cupcakes, (here is where my husband walks by and comments 'it looks to pasty' aka too thick), ignore husband, the syringey thing starts to break at the seam of the plastic, grrrrrrrrr, decide i need the proper tools to start this challenge, drive to the kitchen store around the corner, purchase a pastry bag and more tips (which the lady said had instructions inside-WRONG), after googling how to load a pastry bag I squeeze, squish, spoon and scrap all the icing I have into the pastry bag, I then try to ice the cupcakes.....again, swearing here, I then take all the icing out of the bag, put it back in the bowl and add more milk, stir, and spoon back into icing bag, then start icing cupcakes.
• I used 5 different tips trying to make it work, when clearly the icing was too thick (note to self, listen to husband sometimes)
• I will post pictures later, but the swirls were small and hard to make, it almost looked like large noodles all messy on the cupcakes, but thank goodness they are done
• We had my parents over for dinner and to taste the cupcakes
• End result from the testers said: 3.5/5 for the cupcakes and 4/5 for the icing (taste only not looks)
• Some comments: very dense, icing too thick (still grrrr), could of been more icing (well there would of been before the 5 trys)
• Suggestions for upcoming weeks: pinapple cupcakes, bigger cupcakes, carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, boiled icing

I have already learned that proper tools make the world of a difference, that following the recipe exact doesn't always work, and that you always need to leave time for error.
 My two year old really enjoyed the baking though!
Stay tuned for pics and next weeks adventure.

My Super Mom Challenge

Why not start off my blog with a super Mom challenge! So, I have been thinking about a small business I can do from home, something that I love, something that will allow me to be with my children. hmmmm what can I do??? Well, one of my favourite things to do it bake:) I love making cupcakes/muffins. So I have given myself a super challenge. Here's one way to get skilled in doing something, do it over and over again!
Here's the Challenge:
Bake one/more batches of cupcakes/muffins per week for one year.
That's 52 batches.
I can repeat recipes if they seem to be going well to perfect them, but must produce one batch of cupcakes/muffins per week. (12 or more)
I hope to perfect my icing techniques, and come up with something unique for my cupcakes. Come up with a business name along the way, and find a few favourites.
The good thing for you is, I will blog each week the progress outcome and hopefully some pictures. I will also blog the feedback from the tasters (which could be anyone over the year). To top it off,  my life is funny, I can guarantee there will be humour. 
I will be taking suggestions.
Wish me luck!
Challenge to start: Friday March 25th (each week will go Fri-Thur)
Challenge to end: Thursday Thurs March 22nd 2012