Just Can't Help Myself

Will someone please tell me what it is about cupcakes? This is a prize winner from Cooking Light (even better) and it's a Lemon Scented Blueberry Cupcakes via Urban Grace. YUM!

Just Can't Help Myself

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/06/just-cant-help-myself.html

125 Best Cupcake Recipes

125 Best Cupcake Recipes!

125 Best Cupcake Recipes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/05/125-best-cupcake-recipes.html

Crazy About Cupcakes

Go cupcake crazy! With nearly 300 awesome, mouthwatering ideas to choose from, home bakers will find the right recipe for any occasion and every palate. And whether they’re chocolaty, spicy, crunchy, fruity, or creamy, these exquisitely decorated treats look as astounding as they taste—perfect little temptations designed to make adults nostalgic and children happy.

Kids do go crazy about cupcakes. For proof - see my five grandchildren's faces.

Crazy About Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/05/crazy-about-cupcakes.html

OOOhhhhh......Cupcakes

Indulging in sweets is something I must fight against doing because invariably, those sweet little somethings show up somewhere I really don't want them to.

And, yet in all honestly, periodically, I just must have a sweet little something - something chocolaty like a cupcake.

For some irrational reason I can rationalize the OK-ness of eating a "small" cupcake over a "piece" of cake. And, in light of that irrational rationalization, I'm always on the look out for those sweet little somethings.

My mom knows that, so she sent me this clip today highlighting Cupcakes Actually, a sweet little cupcakery in Fairfax, VA who unashamedly admit they are total cupcakes snobs!



Here's their highlighted recipe for Strawberry Fields

(approximately 30 Cupcakes)

Cake:

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup of canola oil
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup Self Rising Flour
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

1. Cream butter until it is light and fluffy.
2. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
3. Add oil and continue mixing until it is all combined.
4. Add eggs gradually so that they mix into butter evenly.
5. Combine milk and vanillaand slowly add to mixture.
6. Sift flour and mix until combined.
7. Scrape bowl and mix completely.
8. Add strawberry puree mixing thoroughly and scrape.
9. Bake 10 minutes then turn.
10. Bake 5 more minutes and test.

Strawberry Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces fine-quality white chocolate3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter (room temperature cut into 2 inch pieces)
• 6 tablespoons water3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites3/4 cup fresh strawberry puree

1. Place white chocolate in double boiler and heat until completely melted.
2. Let white chocolate come to room temperature.
3. Put water insaucepan placing sugar on top.
4. Cook on stove using a candy thermometer.
5. When sugar mixture reaches 220 degrees start whisking egg whites on high speed until they reach a medium peak.
6. When sugar reaches 242 degrees (softball stage), turn merengue down to medium speed and slowly drizzle sugar mixture making sure that it doesn't hit the whisk.
7. Continue beating at medium speed until mixture is at room temperature.
8. Add butter piece by piece until well combined.
9. Add the white chocolate and beat until well incorporated.
10. Add strawberry puree and mix until incorporated, scraping the bottom.

Related Posts
Molly's Lemon Cupcakes
How to Eat a Cupcake
Crazy About Cupcakes

OOOhhhhh......Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/05/ooohhhhhcupcakes.html

Molly's Lemon Cupcakes

This year Molly and Treve shared Easter brunch with our family.

Molly, being in true lovely and creative form, made these amazing Lemon Cupcakes.

She said she took part of the recipe from here and part from Treve's mom (a southern belle from Georgia). I'm not sure about what part came from what part, but these cupcakes were the BEST EVER lemon cupcakes. I know, because I ate more than one!

Related Posts
1. Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes.
2. Crazy About Cupcakes
3. Lovely Spring Parties

Molly's Lemon Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/05/mollys-lemon-cupcakes.html

Lemon Rasberry Cupcakes

I'm crazy about cupcakes and am always on the hunt for a new and interesting cupcake recipe. These Meyer Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes from Martha's caught my eye and I thought they'd be a nice addition to my Spring Party cupcake theme the past few days.


Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
5 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup plus scant 1/3 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
Meyer Lemon Curd
Vanilla Bean Butter cream
Sanding sugar
24 raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add sour cream; mix until well combined.
In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.

Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.

Using an apple corer, make a hole in the top of each cupcake, taking care not to push the corer through the bottom; remove cake from hole. Fill a squirt bottle with lemon curd and squeeze curd into holes.

Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch plain round tip and fill with butter cream. Pipe butter cream in a circular motion on top of each cupcake; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Pipe a dollop of butter cream in the center of each cupcake and top with a raspberry.

Here are some related posts:
1. Lemon Cupcakes for Spring
2. How to Eat a Cupcake
3. Contessa's Cupcakes
4. Kids Go Crazy Over Cupcakes

Lemon Rasberry Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/02/lemon-rasberry-cupcakes.html

Crazy about Cupcakes

Go cupcake crazy! With nearly 300 awesome, mouthwatering ideas to choose from, home bakers will find the right recipe for any occasion and every palate. And whether they’re chocolaty, spicy, crunchy, fruity, or creamy, these exquisitely decorated treats look as astounding as they taste—perfect little temptations designed to make adults nostalgic and children happy. Kids do go crazy about cupcakes. For proof - see my five grandchildren's faces.

Crazy about Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/02/crazy-about-cupcakes.html

Lemon Cupcakes for Spring

Who doesn't love a yummy cupcake? Personally, I'm crazy about them and became crazy from five grandkids (we now have 9) who are wild about them.

These lemon cupcakes caught my eye and I think they're a great idea to plan a Spring Party around and if you do, invite me over!

Lemon Cupcakes~20 cupcakes

1-1/2 cups flour (cake if you have it, otherwise all-purpose)
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup grape seed oil or vegetable oil
4 egg yolks (approximately 3 ounces)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract, all naturalgrated rind from
1 lemon
1 teaspoon bitters
5 egg whites (approximately 5 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter1/4 cup sugar

1. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into the bowl of a standing mixer.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon extract, lemon rind, and bitters. Stir to combine.
3. On a low setting, start to beat the dry mixture and slowly add the wet. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until incorporated.
4. Transfer mixture to another bowl. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
5. Whip egg whites with whip attachment on medium-high speed until foamy. With the mixer on medium speed, add cream of tarter and slowly add sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Scoop a cupful of the stiff egg whites into the batter and stir to combine. This should lighten up the batter.
7. Transfer the batter to the egg whites and gently fold until there are no more streaks of egg white.
8. Scoop into cupcake cups about 2/3s full and bake at 350 F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Here are some related posts:
1. Lovely Spring Parties
2. Party 3 Tiered Cupcake Holder
3. Contessa's Cupcakes
4. Garden News & Cupcake Cuteness

Lemon Cupcakes for Spring

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/02/lemon-cupcakes-for-spring.html

halloween cupcakes & more

We all know, I love cupcakes! Had some fabulous ones for my birthday and my grandkids -became bug-eyed last year when we had these for Jenni's birthday. Ask Zane (the six year old) about our cupcake making times. He'll smile. I think that's why he loves his nana - I make cupcakes with him.
While snooping around Hostess with Mostess, I swooped upon these yummy looking ones for Halloween. Go here for her recipe!

halloween cupcakes & more

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/10/halloween-cupcakes-more.html

cupcake crazy

My friend Pami knows that I'm crazy about cupcakes. I have to be. My grandkids are so that means I have to be too. Just this past Friday Zane, Ivana and I made the best...yup, the best chocholate cupcakes. I confess. They were from a mix. Pamela's Gluten Free Chocholate Cake mix to be exact.

Well, being the friend that Pami is - she sent me this bloggers cupcake site: le cupcake. I can't believe I' JUST NOW getting to it (not like I've been busy or anything).

cupcake crazy

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/06/cupcake-crazy.html

my mom's crazy about cupcakes

Mom's been busy lately. Since she's gotten crazy about cupcakes, she's been trying out some fun, new cupcake recipes like these . . . .

. . . . Peanut Butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I'm not a fan of peanut butter (other than pb&J's), but after looking at this picture of her recent delecacies, I thought these would be worth a try. I do have five (+1) grandkiddos, ya know!

Mom's other peanut butter cupcake recipe is here.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES

Cream 1/2 cup chunk-style peanut butter and 1/2 cup butter (or shortening).

Gradually add 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, beating until light.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 eggs, one at a time, beating until fluffy.

Sift together 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add alternately with 1 cup milk, beating after each addition.

Fill paper bake cups in muffin pans half full.

Bake in 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool; frost with chocolate frosting. Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

Way to go MOM....

my mom's crazy about cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-moms-crazy-about-cupcakes.html

mom's old fashion chocolate cupcake recipe

My mom made one of my nephews some fabulous looking chocolate cupcakes. I had to have her recipe - of which she found off cooks.com

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1 lg. egg
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. sour milk
1/2 c. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cocoa
1 1/2 c. flour
1 scant tsp. soda

Cream together egg, butter and sugar. Blend in sour milk. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add dry mixture to sour milk and mix well. Dissolve cocoa in hot water. Add cocoa mix and vanilla to batter. Pour into lined muffin tins. Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Sour milk: 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar to milk.

mom's old fashion chocolate cupcake recipe

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/moms-old-fashion-chocolate-cupcake.html

mom's peanut butter cupcakes

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

The Cupcake recipe comes from More from Magnolia:
1 1/2 C self-rising flour
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 C sugar
4 large eggs, room temp.
1 C milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven 350. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with papers. In a small bowl combine flours. In a large bowl on medium speed, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with milk and vanilla. With each addition beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over mix. Carefully spoon the batter into cupcake liners, 3/4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove from tins and cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Filling recipe comes from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 C confectioners’ sugar
3/4 C smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix on medium-high for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

The Buttercream recipe is a variation of the vanilla buttercream recipe from More from Magnolia:
2 stick unsalted butter, softened
6-8 C confectioners’ sugar
1/2 C milk
1/4 C rhubarb strawberry jam

Place butter, 4 cups of sugar, milk and jam in bowl and mix for 3-5 minutes. Gradually add more sugar until correct consistency.

Assemble
When cupcakes are cooled, cut a small portion out of the top (saving the lid) and add a tablespoon of peanut butter filling. Replace the cupcake lid and topp it off with rhubarb & strawberry frosting!

mom's peanut butter cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/moms-peanut-butter-cupcakes.html

mom's lemon cupcakes - yum

Lemon Cupcakes~20 cupcakes / 350 degree oven

1-1/2 cups flour (cake if you have it, otherwise all-purpose)
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup grape seed oil or vegetable oil
4 egg yolks (approximately 3 ounces)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract, all naturalgrated rind from
1 lemon
1 teaspoon bitters
5 egg whites (approximately 5 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter1/4 cup sugar

1. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into the bowl of a standing mixer.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon extract, lemon rind, and bitters. Stir to combine.
3. On a low setting, start to beat the dry mixture and slowly add the wet. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until incorporated.
4. Transfer mixture to another bowl. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
5. Whip egg whites with whip attachment on medium-high speed until foamy. With the mixer on medium speed, add cream of tarter and slowly add sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Scoop a cupful of the stiff egg whites into the batter and stir to combine. This should lighten up the batter.
7. Transfer the batter to the egg whites and gently fold until there are no more streaks of egg white.
8. Scoop into cupcake cups about 2/3s full and bake at 350 F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

mom's lemon cupcakes - yum

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/moms-lemon-cupcakes-yum.html

mom's chocholate cupcakes

Simon was drawn to this picture this morning. Can't blame him.

Simon: Wow, how much do those cost?

Nana: They look good don't they.

Simon: Yeah, I'd pay a million dollars for them.

Nana: Really?

Simon: Yes

Duh....

So, Mom, where's the recipe?

mom's chocholate cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/moms-chocholate-cupcakes.html

yum cupcakes for mom

A hot pink boybeater ribbed tank has a big chocolate cupcake. Heaping with frosting and a cherry on top. Who doesn't crave a compact, delicious confection?

Yum! As if you aren't sweet enough already, this giant cupcake pajama top from And Cake is pure sugar.

yum cupcakes for mom

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/yum-cupcakes-for-mom.html

Lemon Rasberry Cupcakes

I'm crazy about cupcakes and have been craving lemons, so these Meyer Lemon Rasberry Cupcakes from Martha's caught my eye or should I say my salivary gland? That sounds weird....but I must make them this week with grandkiddos.


Ingredients
Makes 2 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
5 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup plus scant 1/3 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
Meyer Lemon Curd
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Sanding sugar
24 raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add sour cream; mix until well combined.
In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.

Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.

Using an apple corer, make a hole in the top of each cupcake, taking care not to push the corer through the bottom; remove cake from hole. Fill a squirt bottle with lemon curd and squeeze curd into holes.

Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch plain round tip and fill with buttercream. Pipe buttercream in a circular motion on top of each cupcake; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Pipe a dollop of buttercream in the center of each cupcake and top with a raspberry.

Lemon Rasberry Cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/lemon-rasberry-cupcakes.html

cuppa, cuppa cupcakes

Lookey here what I found - a cupcake blog over at cupcake bakeshop! It pays to scout around. I've been looking for a yummy chocolate cupcake recipe and i think i found it.

These are her - pear & vanilla bean filled chocolate cupcakes with vanilla bean butter cream. Since, I'm crazy about cupcakes I think I must try them.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes~30 regular cupcakes /
375 degree oven1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
2-1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
6. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
7. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

I made these a week ago. We had a family dinner (all eleven of us) to celebrate Miriam's Big 3. The pink ones were made Martha's Banana Cupcakes. They were yummy. I also made her recommended frosting - but don't think I'd make that one again. Too much with the banana.

cuppa, cuppa cupcakes

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/cuppa-cuppa-cupcakes.html

Cutest Cupcake Contest

Martha's having a super cool cupcake contest next week and if you're crazy about cupcakes you won't want to miss it. She's got some of her favorite cupcake shops listed and I do too - they're below.

On Monday, Martha's sharing her her own recipe for coconut cupcakes. On Tuesday, celebrate April Fools' Day with a unique cupcake from cookbook author and baker Karen Tack.

On Wednesday, make the Meyer lemon raspberry cupcake. On Thursday, learn a recipe for chocolate graham cracker cupcakes with toasted marshmallows and adorable cupcake pops. On Friday, learn how to make Mexican chocolate-pudding-filled cupcakes.

Oh, yea - Sprinkles Cupcakes. Easy mix here.

Super cute Wilton Cupcake stand at Sur La Table.

I found this super cute cakespy here. This blogger's desert review is to die for. And her etsy store is much about cupcakes.

Maybe I should open up a cupcake shop and call it - let's see - Crazy about Cupcakes and Grandkiddos? Yeah, like in my spare time. Nice thought though.

Strawberry Cupcake - from Susie Cakes in Los Angeles. Visit http://www.susiecakesla.com/

Happy Cakes Bake Shop Cupcakes in Pasedena, CA. Visit http://www.violetcakes.com/

Happy Cakes Cupcakes in Denver -Visit http://www.happycakesdenver.com/


Martha's favorite cupcake from Swirls Cupcakes in West Belden, Chicago. Yum!

Buy this book now.

Buy this book now.

Cutest Cupcake Contest

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/cutest-cupcake-contest.html

Garden News & Cupcake Cuteness

Just look at that man. The one on the left. Gosh, I love him. And, the great guy on the right is our favorite older son-in-law. Oh, yes. . .

I'm still here - just gardening, spending some shoulder to shoulder time with my husband, wiping his brow and serving him lemonade. I'll show more pictures soon.

Don't you just want to sit down under a sweet smelling shade tree and sip some lemonade? This great idea and this lemonade treat creates the sweetest southern wedding.

In the meantime, I'm still thinking about cupcakes and I love Notes from a Cottage Industry display of her fabulous looking cupcakes.

These yum cupcakes are compliments of Design Mom and Sk*rt, which btw - has some exciting news. Sk*rt is - well - sk*rty.

Garden News & Cupcake Cuteness

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/garden-news-cupcake-cuteness.html