#55 Interview

Hey guys. Happy Father's Day! Today is a special day because I got to interview one of the greatest people i know and my all time favorite baking partner, my cousin Marina. She is 21 years old and a cupcake baking queen. Today she came over to bake cupcakes with me for my brother's class while I interviewed her. Enjoy :)

1. How long have you been baking?

Seriously, about 4 years, but I have been baking with my mom ever since I was little.

2. What is your favorite part of baking?

I love being able to come up with new flavors and see the delight on people’s faces when they bite into it. It is the ultimate joy to see someone else fall in love with something you created. That’s my favorite part.

3. What is your favorite type of cake to make?

Honestly, a simple vanilla cake. It is always yummy and it is perfect for any occasion. It’s also great because then I am free to decorate as crazy or modest as I please.

4. How often are you asked to make cupcakes?

All the time! For special occasions, holidays, birthdays, you name it. People are always asking me to make them cupcakes for their friends or loved ones and I love it!

5. What is the craziest type of cupcake you’ve made?

A friend asked me to make colorful cupcakes for her sister’s birthday party and decorate them full of candy. I made the cake batter rainbow colored and filled it with Skittles. I also made the frosting rainbow colored. Then I decorated the cakes with Starburst, gummy worms, shockers, and nerds. It was a huge sugar high and it was so much fun.

6. What is your personal favorite cupcake flavor?

My favorite flavor would have to be a chocolate cupcake with a vanilla frosting and bacon bits. I love bacon. Any chance I get to use or eat bacon, I do!

7. Where do you see yourself in the future, as far as baking goes?

More than anything, I would love to have my own shop. Baking is my passion and I know everyday will be more enjoyable than it is work. So absolutely I would see myself having my own shop and being Cupcake Wars champion.

#54 Dirt and Worms Cupcake

Talk about a disgustingly delicious cupcake. I found this dirt and worms cupcake on Betty Crocker. It's a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting for dirt. It's then topped with chopped pecans and gummy worms. This sounds like a great cupcake for a kids birthday party. They'd love picking at the worm topping. Enjoy!

#53 Teddy-at-the-Beach Cupcakes

After using Pillsbury cake mix a few days ago, I decided to check out there website. What I found was the most adorable, fun, and easy cupcake! These Teddy-at-the-Beach cupcakes are a creative way to make a summer cupcake. Blue food coloring is used as the ocean, graham crackers for the sand, chewy fruit snacks for beach floaties, a plastic umbrella, and teddy bear shaped graham snacks. Put it all together and you get teddy-at-the-beach! Extremely cute and fun cupcakes that everyone will love.

#52 Chocolate Cupcakes

Yes, I am back with a Pinterest post. I couldn't help myself :) I saw these rich chocolate cupcakes and had to share them because they were topped with such an odd ingredient: sea salt. The link sent me to Cafe Zupas for the recipe. The chocolate ganache is made with sea salt in it and the ingredient is also used as a decoration. It was so interesting to me that they would pair such a salty ingredient like sea salt with chocolate. I love weird finds like this. I bet it tastes delicious!

#51 Beach Cupcakes

Here's a great summer cupcake decoration I saw from Martha Stewart. The cupcake could really be any flavor you want. Just use a white colored frosting and use blue food coloring for the ocean. A piece of cardboard paper is used for the shark fin and graham cracker crumbs are used for the sand. Add an umbrella and you're all set!

#50! Strawberry Cupcakes

WE MADE IT! Here is the 50th blog post :) On account of it being a special day, I decided to make my favorite flavor of cupcake: strawberry! So lately I've been trying different brands of cake mix. Normally, I purchase Betty Crocker because I can always count on it to turn out delicious. This time around I tried Pillsbury Moist Supreme in Strawberry.

I am a HUGE strawberry fan so I was hoping beyond hope that these cupcakes would be yummy.

I stirred the mix until it was perfectly smooth with little pink chunks of strawberry.

I filled the liners with a 1/4 measuring cup which was the perfect amount for each liner. I then popped these babies in the oven at 350 degrees for 19 minutes.

19 minutes was the perfect amount of time. I took them out of the oven and they were so fluffy and big. They each rose really well.

 Originally, I had purchased Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream Frosting. but when I opened it and tasted it, I found that it wouldn't work as well with the cupcakes. Instead, I used Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting.

I wanted to make a fun color on the cupcakes so I used McCormick Neon food coloring.

 (It looked like ice cream)

I mixed together pink and blue to make a lavender. Why lavender? I have no idea. I was in the mood for purple. In hindsight, I guess a red would have been more suiting.

I used a small amount of frosting in case I wasn't please with the color.

It was very pretty though so I kept it. I topped it off with a graham cracker and just like that a lavender strawberry cupcake was born!

The cupcake mix was very good. I was surprised at how much the cakes rose. They were yummy and moist and so soft. My only issue would be that after a while my unfrosted cupcakes seemed sticky at the top. It was weird. Overall, I would definitely recommend these cupcakes and would use that mix again. Delicious! Happy 50th :)

#49 Tie-Dye Cupcakes

These cupcakes look amazingly colorful. I saw these tie-dye cupcakes on Betty Crocker  and thought they looked awesome! Such a fun cupcake idea for summer.

#48 Review

Yesterday, I took a trip to Downtown Disney for my boyfriend's birthday. We stopped by Marceline's Confectionary, the lovely shop next to Studio Disney full of sweets and baked goodies. I saw that they had cupcakes and had to get one!

There were two flavors, chocolate and vanilla. I opted for a vanilla cupcake and was left with the choice of blue frosting or pink. I went with pink because it looked bright and vibrant.

I was really excited to try this cupcake because it looked yummy. It was big and pink and covered in Mickey shaped sprinkles.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. Upon my first bite, I immediately felt a weird flavor. It wasn't very sweet and was actually bland tasting. I took another bite and it was slightly better than the first. I was wondering what the weird flavor I was tasting was and decided to give the frosting a try.

Found it. The frosting was disgusting. Alone, it tasted so bitter and gross. I was shocked that a frosting could taste so unsweetened. I then took a bite out of just the cake and it wasn't very good. It didn't have a strong flavor and it was very bland. The cake was moist, however, which was nice.

I only got halfway through the cupcake before I completely did not want it anymore. I didn't even finish the cupcake.

Individually, the frosting and cake were terrible.Together, they made for a better cupcake.

Overall, I definitely would not recommend this cupcake. It was not good at all. The frosting was awful and the cake was bland. I was very disappointed and will not get this cupcake again.

#47 Candybar Cupcakes

Candy in cupcakes? Count me in! I saw this candybar cupcake recipe on Land O Lakes. Chocolate chips and peanuts make this recipe really pop. Delicious!

#46 Barn Cake

I just saw this video on Betty Crocker. It is the most adorable cake I have seen in a while. It's a barn cake with farm animal cupcakes. Here the link to the video and also the link to the recipe. Enjoy!

#45 Banana Cupcake

I think my love for bananas is what drives me to find banana flavored cupcake recipes. I found this cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart. It's a banana cupcake with honey-cinnamon frosting. Sounds absolutely delicious!

#44 Review

Ever seen those mini cupcakes inside your local grocery store? They're small, colorful and simply adorable. This weekend I decided to purchase a pack for the family and thought I'd give them a try. I will be posting photos later since my computer is acting up and I am blogging from my phone. For starters, these cupcakes are very tiny. They can be devoured in a bite or two. Being a frosting lover, I licked the frosting first and found it was very tasty. Nothing entirely special, but it was a nice flavor. I took a bite out of the cupcake and was hit with a mouthful of sugar. It was overly sweet. One bite and I immediately tasted the strong vanilla flavor of the cake. As far as the overall taste goes, the cake was good but it obviously had a ton of unnecessary sugar. Texture? The cupcake honestly was not as moist or fluffy as a homemade cupcake but it still was good. It had a softness to it that actually made up for all the sugar. Overall, for a store bought, ready to go cupcake, it was good. If I had to be somewhere quick and didn't have time to bake, I would buy these again. Otherwise, I could do without all the sugar.

#43 Sweet Tea Cupcakes

What could be a more perfect cupcake for summer than a sweet tea cupcake? The recipe sounds so easy to make and it goes perfectly with the warm weather! I found this gem on Food Network and thought it was great. This cupcake was actually featured on the hit show Cupcake Wars. With a yummy lemon sweet tea frosting, this definitely seems like a winner :)

#42 Brownie Cupcake

These brownie cupcakes sound AMAZING! I found this recipe on http://www.jif.com/. I've never really checked out this website before but I'm glad I did. There are a ton of great recipes from breakfast to dessert. This recipe definitely caught my eye. Hazelnut buttercream? That alone just makes my mouth water! Delicious!

#41 Frozen Cupcake

So it has now been about a month and half since I froze my carrot cake cupcakes. I decided to take out another one and test how well its held up.

Upon first inspection, the cupcake looked fine. It still had its color and appeared to be moist.

I touched the top and found that it felt rather sticky. It was a weird texture and I was kind of skeptical.

I frosted the cupcake with Betty Crocker's Cream Cheese Frosting and it did not go on so smoothly. It could have been the frosting but I think it was because the top was so sticky. It was effect as trying to frost a cupcake that hasn't yet been cooled.

Despite all this, I decided to give the cupcake a try. I was very surprised to find that it was not that bad. In fact, it was actually pretty good. Definitely not as tasty as a freshly made cupcake,  but it still had a great flavor. The inside did not taste sticky like the top felt and it was still moist.

Overall, it'd give it a B. Not a high B, more like a B-. I can't wait to see the effects of a frozen cupcake after 2 months.

#40 Coconut Cupcakes

I'm not too big on coconut, but my mom is and she would love these cupcakes. I got this coconut cupcake recipe from Martha Stewart. For all you coconut lovers out there, here's a real treat :)

#39 Root Beer Cupcakes

Hmm, this recipe sounds so intriguing. I found this Root Beer Cupcake recipe from Land O'Lakes and it sounded very interesting. I love me a good root beer float. I can only imagine what all that flavor packed into a delicious cupcake would taste like. Such a great find :)

#38 Dolphin Cupcakes

Yes, I have been posting tons of cupcakes ideas from Pinterest lately, but i can't help it. Everything is so great! Here's another Pinterest idea, hopefully the last for little while. These dolphin cupcakes are perfect for summer. They are beyond adorable and seem like they would be a lot of fun making :)

#37 Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcake

So I was at home making chocolate chip cookies the other day with my little brother when I got the idea to make a cupcake thanks to Mrs. Fields. Every time I walk past a Mrs. Fields in the mall I see their cookies decked out with fun frosting designs. This inspired me to make my own little cookie-cake.

I had a pack of Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies to work with.

I used one square per cupcake because I didn't know how big they would get inside the cup. Also, Since they were inside cups instead of expanding on a cookie sheet, I put them in for a longer amount of time. I baked my cookie-cupcakes at 375 degrees for about 14 minutes.

I was a little worried they would be burnt because the outer cookie appeared to be hard.

Turns out the one cookie square didn't exactly reach the top so I decided to cut the cupcake liners with a pair of scissors.

Then I used Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting to frost my cupcakes.

Added some stars for decoration and voila! My Mrs. Fields like cupcake was complete.

I took a bite of these cakes to find that they were perfectly baked. There was not even an ounce of burnt on them. The cookie was perfectly soft inside with a nice crunchy outer shell. The frosting on top was a nice bonus and added a fun flavor to an already yummy chocolate chip cookie.

Overall, these cookie-cupcakes were a success and I would definitely make them again. Next time around, I'll probably put two cookie squares instead of one.

#36 Recipes

Here's a good website I found while roaming around on google. Recipes.com has tons of recipes submitted by many different people. You can find anything from homemade frosting recipes to unique dinner ideas. With tons of reviews by people who have tried the recipes out, it's a very helpful and resourceful website.

#35 Flower Cupcake

I saw this cupcake on Pinterest and it looked absolutely beautiful. I would love to receive a cupcake like this. Stunning and elegant.

#34 Banana Cupcake

Oh. My. Goodness. I just saw this recipe on Betty Crocker and my jaw dropped. It's a banana cupcake with browned butter frosting. The thought of it sounded so delicious. Definitely craving this cupcake now.

#33 iPhone Cupcakes

How cute are these? I saw these iPhone cupcakes on Pinterest and thought they were very creative and very well made. Unfortunately, there was no info on who made them so to the unknown artist, my hat's off to you :)

#32 Caterpillar Cupcakes

I love this caterpillar cupcake I saw on Pinterest. It is so cute for a kids birthday. Just use color dye to make different shades of green frosting and a single cake for the head for the birthday boy or girl. Easy and creative. Oh, and also, so yummy :)

#31 Cupcake Book

So I visited my favorite store in the world yesterday, Barnes and Noble, and to my surprise, found a small little section dedicated to cupcakes. It was very pink and kind of adorable. There were polka dot reusable cupcake liners, bookmarks, sticky notes, and, of course, books. One book in particular I found to be very useful was small, about hand-sized, and full of recipes. The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes has over 45 recipes and tons of tips. It is easily portable in a purse or even a large pocket. Truly a great little treasure.

#30 Hello, Cupcake

Got a smartphone? Tablet? ipad? Well here's a new app you must add to your collection:  Hello, Cupcake app by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. It's chalk full of creative tips and treats that make cup-caking tons of fun. Plus, if you see an idea you like, you can take it on the go with you and get ingredients while grocery shopping. It's easy, simple, and full of loads of ideas. Not into the app thing? Visit their website at http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/Hello_Cupcake_Book.html for some other creative ideas.

#29 Neopolitan Cupcakes

I love the idea of making a Neapolitan cake. Here's a recipe I got from Betty Crocker for a Neapolitan cupcake. It's a basic white cake mix topped with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate frosting. It's very simple yet very effective in creating the Neapolitan look.

#28 Beautiful Frosting

Here's a beautiful frosting technique Loralee Lewis. The cupcakes look absolutely stunning, elegant, and effortless. Just follow the steps and your cupcakes will look just as great.

#27 Cupcake Liners

Gotta love the dollar section at Target. They had these great cupcake liners with colorful prints on them. 25 to a pack for only $1. I stocked up on these fun liners and hopefully they'll inspire some colorful cupcake creations :)

#26 Cupcake Pops

Cake pops have become very popular very quickly but they are still relatively new. Here's a fun way to decorate this new creation in the form of a cupcake. It's like a cupcake on a stick! I got this recipe from Martha Stewart. These crafty cupcake pops look like they'd be a fun way to spend a spring day. Enjoy!

#25 Frozen Cupcakes

About three weeks ago, on post #9, I made carrot cake cupcakes. I wanted to test how moist they would be after being frozen. So I took four and stuck them in the freezer. They have been sitting there, untouched for about three weeks now. 

I decided to take one out to test how its been holding up. I left the other 3 to pull out at a later time.

I let the cupcake defrost for a few hours, probably more time than what was needed but I was not in a rush to devour the cupcake, at least not today.

When I finally got around to it, I used Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting to frost my cupcake.

The end result?

 After three weeks in the freezer, my cupcake was still very tasty. It was still delicious and moist. It didn't have that "fresh out of the oven" yummy-ness to it but it was still very good. Overall, I give it an A. Now to play the waiting game. In a few more weeks I will remove a second cupcake and test how well it holds up after a longer period of freezing time. Keep you posted!

#24 Rice Crispy Cupcakes

Rice crispy treats are all the rage right now. Why not turn this delicious trend into a cupcake? I saw this rice crispy cupcake on Pinterest; however, the link to the original post can be found here. They look amazing and I am dying to try this!

#23 Rainbow Cupcakes

I absolutely adore these rainbow cupcakes I saw on Pinterest. They are so fun and so easy to make. I can't wait to try!

#22 Margarita Cupcakes

Here's another great cupcake for an adult party. I got this margarita cupcake recipe from Betty Crocker. It would definitely be a great conversation piece and a delicious addition to a fun event.

#21 Tea Party Cupcakes

I love finding cupcake ideas that instantly create an idea for a party. These tea party cupcakes I saw on Pinterest do just that! They are perfect for sunny spring day. Enjoy!

#20 Old-Fashioned Cupcakes

Let's get back to basics. Here a recipe I found on foodnetwork.com for an old-fashioned cupcake. It seems simple and delicious, and easy enough for anyone to make. I love finding easy recipes!

#19 Michael's Decorating Class

Need to freshen up your decorating skills or simply want to learn how to create great looking cakes and cupcakes? Michaels offers cake decorating classes for cheap. All the supplies you need are conveniently sold in the store. Visit your local Michaels for dates and to register. Enjoy!

#18 Ice Cream Cupcake

You've heard of ice cream cake, right? Ever heard of ice cream cupcakes? Cold Stone sells ice cream cupcakes ready to go when you want them.

Cake Batter Delux

You can customize them to your liking any even create your own flavored cupcake. AMAZING! I cannot wait to try!

#17 Cupcake Gifts

Need some gift ideas for a cupcake fanatic, other than making/buying cupcakes? Check out these cute gifts from fredflare.com.

Cupcake Pillow

Cupcake Floss

There's a ton of other great cupcake related gifts as well as other neat items that will keep you coming back for more!

#16 Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake Review

This past weekend I went to Downtown Disney with my boyfriend. To my delight, they had a cupcake kiosk with cupcakes made by The Cupcake Store. Of course, I had to have one.

Since it was my first time tasting one of their cupcakes, I went with a flavor that is almost universally delicious: Strawberry Shortcake.

(Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture. I got this straight from their website and, I promise, my cupcake looked EXACTLY like this) 

I held off on eating this until my boyfriend and I went to sit by the fireplace in one of the Disney hotels. As I walked around, cupcake in hand, the amount of ooo's and yum's I heard were endless. An employee at Fossil even said, "You have no idea how delicious that cupcake is. I'm insanely jealous that you have that. You're going to love it." 

With all the hype around this cupcake, I knew it was time to indulge. 

The cupcake was FANTASTIC. The strawberry flavor was perfect but not overpowering at all. There was a lot of frosting but it wasn't overbearing and the strawberry on top was just right. The cake was moist and fluffy and I did, in fact, love it. 

Overall, I would most definitely get this cupcake again.