Mini Panda Cupcakes!

These mini Panda cupcakes are adorable, and are sure to bring a smile to your face! I love miniature baked goods and these were too cute to pass up making. Get creative with their expressions & each Panda gets better with practice! Check out the recipe below:

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup hot water

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Fill mini cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together with a wire whisk.
• Add eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix until combined.
• Add hot water and mix.
• Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Cool and decorate.

To decorate, you’ll need:

*Frosting (Homemade Buttercream) or Betty Crocker Buttercream container

*Decorator bag ( I used a Wilton plastic 10 bag from Wal-Mart) & Wilton 10 tip from JoAnn's Fabrics

*White Sanding Sugar, Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips, white pastel confetti sprinkles, brown or black Jimmie sprinkles, black edible ink pen (I found everything listed above at Hobby Lobby except for the chocolate chips)

To decorate, pipe a small amount in the center of the cupcake. Next dunk it in sanding sugar. 
Apply the chocolate chips on the top for the ears, the eyes, and nose. Place the Jimmie sprinkle 
as the mouth. Draw small black pupils on the white confetti sprinkle, apply eyes w/a dot of frosting. Enjoy! :)

You can find this recipe on http://www.bakerella.com/easy-little-pandas/

Funfettie fun!

Sadly one of my coworkers was leaving the agency that I work at. So what better way to celebrate her time then to make her some cupcakes?  For Kelly's going away party she asked for Funfettie and Chocolate cupcakes. Obviously the Funfettie cakes came from a box, but to give them a fun twist I did a half and half frosting on them. To do this technique simply fill half of a pastry bag with frosting; then carefully add a second color to the other half. 

The chocolate cakes are devils chocolate cake with a simple chocolate frosting. To make this frosting I took a bag of chocolate chips, 1 stick of butter, and 1 1/2 cups whipping cream. To thicken the frosting I added a little powdered sugar tell I felt the frosting was to my liking.  

Since Kelly asked for Funfettie cupcakes I made this the theme of the decorations. The plates, napkins, decorations and some of the cupcake liners are from Martha Stewarts Celebrations collection found at JCP.  The darker liners are from Martha Stewarts Macy's line.

 

Have some fresh rhubarb?

As i walked by the community garden in my downtown Denver neighborhood I noticed that the rhubarb was right for the picking. Sure I could have made a pie or cobbler but I chose muffins.  Let me tell you they where yummy! To do this recipe you will need. . .

1-1/3 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 to 2 cups finely diced rhubarb, 1/4-inch cuts

1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a bowl, combine the sugar and oil; blend in egg, vanilla and milk. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda; add to moist ingredients. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. Transfer to two well-greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. or muffins pans 

Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield 24 muffins or two loafs. 

Martha at JCP

I truly enjoy creating items that people will remember and talk about months after the event has transpired.  To ensure that this happens I put a lot of thought into the presentation of the items that I am creating.  In the case of a graduation party not only to I need to get a memorable gift but I also need to make sure it looks professionally wrapped and classy.

To ensure that this happens I choose paper, ribbon, and a card that coordinate. Also, be sure to get good quality papers to work with.  My personal rule is . . . the thicker the paper the better it will hold up and wrap.   JCP's new Martha Celebrations line has great products that mach and ensure a great look.  For this graduation gift I went with silver wood patterned paper, silver ribbon, and matching card. Luckily, I am a fairly good at wrapping and this is the end product. ---Jasin