Randomness

 {I have perfected my guava filled cupcake recipe and am pretty excited about it}

Just some randomness….

 {the wall is back up in our yard and evening graffiti sessions are what some weeknights consist of}

 {drove out to Kilwin's for some of their toasted coconut ice cream}

 {Jada kept herself entertained with Chris' drumsticks and my springform pans while singing Trouble by Taylor swift, that's her jam if you couldn't tell}

 {thanks to a friend of ours I am now addicted to Green Tea KitKat bars}

 {prettiness during my weekend jog}

Coconut Nest Cupcakes

This past Sunday we celebrated “PrEaster” since my sisters and niece will be visiting my father in Florida next week.  These coconut nest cupcakes made for the perfect sweet ending to an amazing PrEaster lunch.   I used Trader Joe’s vanilla cake mix as a base.  I thought I’d be a little fancy by adding in fresh vanilla bean specks into the mix, but I didn’t have to.  Trader Joe already put them in the mix for me!  Just another reason to love him.  Instead of using cow’s milk as requested by the Trader I used some canned coconut milk.  Now when it comes to frosting you MUST make your own.  This may sound a little intimidating, but it’s totally easy and trust me it makes all the difference in the world.  I cannot remember the last time I bought “frosting” at the store.  Once you make your own you will never turn back.  Can we just talk about the smell of coconut toasting in the oven?  Seriously?  Sooooo yummy!  The finishing touch to the little nests were the Cadbury chocolate eggs.  They almost made these too cute to eat.  Almost.

 
Classic Vanilla Buttercream

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 - 3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand mixer, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 2 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining sugar to reach desired consistency.

Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, scoop buttercream on tops of cooled cupcakes; sprinkle buttercream with toasted coconut, pressing to adhere. Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each scoop of buttercream; fill with chocolate eggs. Serve.

Scenes From The Weekend

{made vanilla & red velvet cupcakes for the opener}

 We had a truly amazing weekend. The Element Tree Store is now officially open for business! It was a wonderful turn out. I will share more photos of the opening tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a little snippet of the rest of the weekend...

{cut the sleeves off of an old jean jacket for a little DIY on the fly} 

 {celebrated with family and friends at Barcade}

 {needed a serious caffeine boost Sunday morning}

{enjoyed some fresh fruit while watching the Oscars}

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes

I made these for our preggo friend who invited us to dinner the other night.  She requested chocolate cupcakes and of course I had to give her what she wanted.  All that you need is a box of devil's food cake, a cup of shredded zucchini and a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Follow the directions on the cake mix, but add slightly less oil than you normally would.  Once all is properly mixed, stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips.  Bake according to the directions on the box.  I used this vanilla buttercream recipe, it doesn't compare to store bought icing and makes such a difference.  What you are left with is a cupcake that is super moist, lower in fat and higher in fiber.  I may or may not have eaten at least 5 over the weekend ; )

Scenes From The Weekend

{on our snowy brunch date}

Happy Monday!  This weekend Chris and I re-cooped from getting our teeth extracted like champs.  We even went on a snowy brunch date on Saturday.  Yesterday we spent time with both of our families and watched the game.  What a nail biter!!  Major congrats to the Giants!  Here's a little peek into our weekend....

 {enjoyed some of my mom's homemade Chinese rice}

 {started on a little DIY}

 {did a little damage at Forever 21}

{my sisters, mom, & I indulged in some vegan cupcakes from Sweet Avenue Bake Shop}

Me Bake Pretty One Day

I've been finding myself baking a lot lately.  This will not be slowing down anytime soon as the holidays are approching.  I can't always make an elaborate dessert that takes a ton of time.  So, in these instances presentation is everything!

These cupcake/muffin liners will brighten anyone's day.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, these mini dough cutters will make your pies look like something straight out of Martha Stewart Living.

Turn a plain cake into a super elegant one by using this stencil along with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Make your own custom cookie cutters with the help of this kit.

This decorative ribbon adds the perfect touch when packaging baked goods.

Food Porn of The Week: Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

What enticed me about these cupcakes was the fact that they took on the flavor of a traditional cup of Mexican hot chocolate, which I absolutely love.  The recipe starts with a box of store bought dark chocolate cake mix.  Add in some pumpkin, cinnamon, eggs, and chocolate chips and the end result is one of the most moist and light cupcakes you have ever had.  The star of the show has got to be the cinnamon.chocolate.cream cheese.frosting.  Need I say more?  I chose to decorate these lovelies with some Dia De Los Muertos flair.  Perfect for any Halloween themed festivities this coming weekend. 

Food Porn of The Week: Oreo Suprise Cupcakes

How is it possible to improve upon the perfection of an Oreo cookie?  Bake it into a cupcake that's how!

All you need is a box of yellow cake mix.  Follow the directions for cupcakes and right before you put them in the oven place an oreo cookie in the middle of each one.  You will have to push the cookie down until it is fully covered in the cake batter.  These are perfect with a nice tall glass of cold milk.

Food Porn of The Week: Tie Dye Cupcakes

These cupcakes are super easy to make.  All you need is a box of white cake mix, some food coloring and a toothpick...

Divide cake batter into six bowls.  Add food coloring until you get your desired colors.

Spoon a layer of each color into the liners.

Use a toothpick to create the tie dye effect.

For the icing recipe click here.