USA Trip

I'm back from my Awesome trip travelling around America, with my Nanny Family and Partner. We had such a Fabulous time, the weather was great, we ate way to much and visited the most Amazing places, It was great.

Check out some of my pictures below of what we got up to.

NEW YORK

On the Ferry to Liberty Island.

Empire State Building.

 Time Square

We stayed at Hotel Carter which was right in Time Square.

Magnolia Bakery, their Red Velvet Cheesecake is to die for.

Time Square.

M&M's World.

At the top of Empire State Building.

Crumbs Bake Shop.

We Chose Red Velvet and Oreo Cupcakes.

Delish Meal at Apple bees

Shanley and I at Time Square.

A funny street drawing of us both.

Chipotle, Soho.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Universal Studios.

My Lovely Nanny Family, at Disneyland.

Fireworks at Disneyland. 

Disney Adventure-land, California.

Yummy! Corn Dogs.

Rainforest Cafe Downtown Disney.

Blueberry Pancakes and Hot Chocolate at IHOP.

LAS VEGAS

We drove from LA to Las Vegas. Which I have always wanted to do.

Route 66.

The beautiful pool at The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort Spa.

Las Vegas Strip.

Cupcakes at sugarfactory Las Vegas.

The Grand Canyon.

Laguna Beach California.

We had some great swims at this beach until we saw two baby sharks.

My partner Shanley enjoying a Turkey Leg at Sea world San diego.

Shamu Rocks, Sea World San Diego.

I want to say a big Thank You to Anna over at cookie madness for all her great tips about New York and also to my wonderful Nanny Family for an Amazing trip. xxx

Coconut Cupcakes

I had a Lunch with my girlfriends this weekend and I was asked to bring cupcakes, so I made Coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I used Planet cakes vanilla cupcake recipe and added coconut essence instead of vanilla extract. For the cream cheese frosting I piped it on using a large round piping tip then dipped the cupcake in a bowl of shredded coconut. I got the idea for these cupcakes from your cup of cake she has some yummy recipes you must check out.

Coconut Cupcakes Recipe

Adapted from Planet Cake

Makes: 12

175g Butter, softened

3/4 cup caster sugar ( I used granulated, and worked out fine)

1/2 tsp Coconut Essence

2 eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup self-raising flour

1 cup plain flour

2/3 cup buttermilk ( I used regular milk and added 1 tbsp white vinegar or 1 tbsp Lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 180.c. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Cream butter, sugar and coconut essence until fluffy. Beat eggs into butter one at a time. Add half flour and half buttermilk, and mix on low. Mix in remaining flours and buttermilk. Divide the mixture among paper cases. Gently smooth tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Coconut Cream Frosting

Recipe source Your cup of cake

113g butter softened

250g cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 tsp coconut extract

4-5 cups icing sugar

Shredded coconut to decorate.

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add coconut essence and then slowly add icing sugar until you reach desired consistency.

Pipe onto cupcakes then roll into a bowl of shredded coconut to decorate.

Bake Sale

I had my first Bake Sale this weekend at the local Marae to Celebrate Matariki (Maori New Years). It went really well and I sold most of my product. I made sure that everything was nicely packaged and a good portion so they were easy for people to take home and enjoy later. Out of all the things I made the Oreo pops where really popular with the children and adults.

Heres some of the treats I made.

Lemon Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Caramel Corn

Oreo Pops

Free Brownie Bite Testers for the customers.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Filling

 

Since I had ten egg yolks in my fridge and buttercream left over from the ruffled tiara cake. I made Lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling. I bought some cake flour about a month ago and have been dying to use it, so I made Ming Makes cupcakes recipe. This recipe uses a different method then the usual cream the butter and sugar together first, its starts with mixing the flour and butter first till it resembles breadcrumbs.

 

 

I used an apple corer to core the middle of the cupcakes, then filled them with lemon curd and popped the tops back on.

 

 I then piped the Buttercream using a Wilton 1M tip.

  

If you want to make Mings cupcakes recipe check out here page here ( I doubled this recipe). If you have ten egg yolks to use up go here.

Happy Baking xoxo 

 

Devils Food Cupcake's

This is my New favourite Cupcakes recipe it makes a Lovely light cake thats mixed with sour cream to give the batter moistness and a subtle tang. I didnt have sour cream avalible and couldnt be bother driving all the way to the shops so I found the perfect substitute (which ive posted below). This recipe makes 32 Cupcakes so they are perfect for Birthdays, celebrations or if you just want some chocolate. Team them up with a chocolate buttercream and everyones happy.

Devils Food Cupcake's
(Adapted from Martha Stewarts Recipe)

Makes 32

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, 340grams(I used salted butter and left out the added salt.
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature.
Sour Cream Substitute:
1 tablespoon lemon juice into 180ml (3/4 cup) milk and letting it stand for 10 minutes. Stir in 60g (4 tablespoons 1/4 cup) melted butter before using. This will give a rough equivalent to 1 cup sour cream. If buttermilk is available then you can use (3/4 cup) buttermilk instead of the milk/lemon juice mixture.

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

226 grams unsalted butter, softened.( I used salted butter as I didnt have any unsalted butter, but I find unsalted is best when using it in frosting).
3 1/2 Icing Sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or uniced cupcakes can be frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.