Happy Halloween - Mummy Cupcakes

Halloween is so much fun.  Spooky decorations, scary movies, ghosts and goblins, plus you get to be anything you want on Halloween.  You want to be a super hero?  Of course you’re a super hero!  Princess?  That tiara has never looked better.  It’s also the one day of the year you knock on doors and get candy (endless supply of candy) for saying “Trick-or-Treat.”   Seriously, when else are you that lucky?  And it gets better, when you hit that stage when you are too old to go knocking on doors asking for free chocolate, your friends will throw a fabulous party!  Now this is when Halloween reaches its peak. 

Cocktails that flow from a pumpkin punch bowl, bat and pumpkin themed cookies, witches fingers for appetizers, brains for dinner - the clever food ideas never stop.  Obviously I didn't go empty handed to the Halloween party.  This year in honor of Jerry’s classic Halloween costume theme, mummy cupcakes!  I’m using a traditional chocolate cupcake with white piped frosting to mimic the mummy costume.  A little colored frosting to make the eyes and we’re all set.  Super cute (or super scary!) and delicious.  

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F  Mix all ingredients with the paddle attachment on medium speed until blended.  Pour into cupcake tins (pour batter 3/4 high).  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test with a cake tester. 

For a 9x13 in cake - bake for one hour.

Let cool on wire racks.  Frost and decorate.

My Vanilla Buttercream:
2 pounds confectioner's sugar (1 package)
2 sticks butter (European style preferred), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk, as needed for consistency 

A Perfect Day for a White Wedding

Well - my baby brother did it!  He and Christine are officially Mr. and Mrs. Huber.  I cannot believe the wedding has come and gone and they have begun their life as a married couple.  

I spent two days before the wedding making 150 sugar cookies and 350 cupcakes: vanilla with vanilla buttercream, chocolate with Oreo buttercream and red velvet with cream cheese frosting.  Two days of baking up a storm!  It was so much fun, and I nearly got it all done under the wire.  I had to enlist some last minute help from the cousins to finish the hearts on the cookies.  Everything turned out really well, thank goodness!

I knew the day would be emotional, but I wasn't expecting all of the tears that

flowed.  It started with my sister going in search of water - she returned with tears in her eyes.  I asked what was wrong, she responded with "I've never seen a more beautiful bride."  Of course, my dad got choked up, then I got teary eyed.  The ceremony was beautiful.  More emotional than I expected.  Once one Huber started with the water works it was a chain reaction down the line!  I couldn't help but be overcome with tears - after all, the baby of the family has grown up so quickly - married, with a baby of his own.  Andrew - I am so proud of you!  May your wedding day be beautiful memories that will last a lifetime and always remind you of the love you and Christine have for one another.  Congratulations, baby brother.

Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Frosting


Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 Cups flour
2 Cups sugar
3/4 Cup Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoons baking soda
2 Large eggs
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup buttermilk
1 Cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Cup boiling water
Red gel food coloring


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients with the paddle attachment on medium speed until blended.  Add as much red food coloring until you reach the desired color.  Pour into cupcake tins (pour batter 3/4 high).  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test with a cake tester. 

For a 9x13 in cake - bake for one hour.

Let cool on wire racks.  Frost and decorate.


Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (Use Philadelphia or another top brand here, don't use a generic)
1/2 cup European style butter, softened
Confectioners' sugar (you'll use anywhere from 3 cups to 7 cups based on the consistency you want)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter.  Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Frost cupcakes and refrigerate.

A Blissful Wedding Shower

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of baking for my brother’s fiancé’s bridal shower.  The menu was chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream (my specialty), vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and heart shaped sugar cookies.  I had a lot to do for one Saturday afternoon!  Thanks to the family troops who helped me pull it all together.

I honestly cannot believe the time has come – we are now just two weeks away from the wedding.   This last year has absolutely flown by.  It seems like only yesterday my brother popped the question and now one of the greatest days of their lives is about to happen.  My little brother, getting married.  No surprise there.  I knew one day he’d sweep a woman off of her feet, but who knew it would happen so quickly. 

They asked me if I would be willing to make cupcakes and sugar cookies for the bridal shower and their wedding.  I said yes, of course, honored they would even ask.  As a shower gift, I had a cake knife and server set engraved.  I thought it was only fitting since I was doing the desserts for the shower and the wedding. The dessert table looked beautiful, decorated with sugary treats and homemade paper flowers.  A wonderful weekend to jump start the wedding festivities.

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F  Mix all ingredients with the paddle attachment on medium speed until blended.  Pour into cupcake tins (pour batter 3/4 high).  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test with a cake tester. 


For a 9x13 in cake - bake for one hour.


Let cool on wire racks.  Frost and decorate.


My Vanilla Buttercream:
2 pounds confectioner's sugar (1 package)
2 sticks butter (European style preferred), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk, as needed for consistency 


For Vanilla cupcakes, omit the cocoa powder and add 1/2 cup all purpose flour.

Sugar Cookies
For the sugar cookies I use Wilton Roll-Out Cookie Recipe