29 March, 2009

cuppycakes

Everyone loves cupcakes. Especially me--I just love to decorate them.





Personally, I don't care how a cupcake tastes, as long as it's pretty.

Butter Cake Cupcakes
(This recipe is a mix of recipes I've tried over the years that I've smushed together to my taste)

Ingredients:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together melted butter and sugar until combined. Add egg whites and beat until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon zest.

4. Add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with milk. Beat until smooth and light.

5. Scoop into lined cupcake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cakes are barely golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Credit: Alisse Desrosiers c. sweet-toothed.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, soft
• 1 stick unsalted butter, soft
• 3/4 - 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until it starts to get smooth.

2. Add butter piece by piece; beat until smooth and well blended.

3.Add in powdered sugar and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes or until smooth.

<3

25 March, 2009

lemon lemon lemon

Let me just say, I love lemons. I like them in my drinks, I like to eat them, and I especially like to bake with them. Why? Can't really say.
So why I had never had a lemon bar in my life, I don't even know. It's lemon! Baked! With confectioner's sugar! Fact: confectioner's sugar makes everything that much better.

This recipe was handed to me on a worn-out index card by my great-grandmother.



Lemon Squares
Credit: Alisse Desrosiers c. sweet-toothed.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Filling:
1/4-1/3 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
Lemon zest, to taste
Juice of 3 lemons

Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

2. Add butter to the flour and mix in with a knife. When butter is coated, use your hands to completely combine the butter with the flour mix until it is crumbly.

3. Press the crust mixture into a greased or buttered pan; bake for 20 minutes. While the crust is baking, combine lemon zest with 1 1/4 cups sugar in a larger bowl and use your hands to rub them together.

4. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, and add the lemon juice. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 tsp. salt.

6. Pour the lemon mixture over the crust; bake for 20-25 minutes, so the top of the filling doesn't move. Cool COMPLETELY. Turn pan upside down to remove bars from pan, then cut and dust with confectioners sugar.

(If you don't have any confectioners sugar, it's easy to make! Put 1 cup of white sugar and 2 Tbsp. corn starch in a blender and combine until the mixture is powdery and fluffy; let it sit for 15-30 minutes before using)
---
This recipe is ridiculously easy to make and even easier to eat. I will be using it a lot this coming spring/summer season.

Tootles :)

23 March, 2009

hi :)

I'm proud to say that I am officially posting in my food blog. Prepare yourselves for countless recipes and delish-looking foods. And don't forget to share your own recipes with me ... I'm always looking for something new and I know everyone else is, too.

Just for food pornage sake ... here's this birthday cake I made for my sister's twelfth birthday party: