Tools of the Trade (Baking and Cake Pop Making Tools and Ingredients)

Cake pop sticks (a.k.a. lollipop sticks or sucker sticks)

Chocolate and vanilla candy melts


Vanilla candy melts
Chocolate candy melts

Mixers (L-R Sunbeam hand mixer, Hamilton Beach stand mixer with detachable hand mixer, Kitchen Aid stand mixer with lift up bowl)

Devil's Cupcake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting

Food for the Gods

Strawberry Cake Pops

Weekend of Baking

Yellow Cupcake with Cream Cheese-Chocolate Frosting

Add yellow cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. water.



Mix slowly for 10 minutes.

JJ listening to her favorite iPod music while mixing. 10 minutes is a long time so the music made the wait bearable.

Use an ice cream scooper to fill cupcake paper cups.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or when the toothpick comes out clear.

Cool freshly baked cupcakes on a cooling rack.

Add cream cheese-chocolate frosting (see recipe below) on top of each cupcake. Apply lots of sprinkles.

The mix should yield about 20 cupcakes.

Looks yummy.
JJ enjoying the fruits of her labor!


Cream Cheese-Chocolate Frosting

• 1 8 oz package light cream cheese softened at room temperature
• 1/4 c. butter (1/2 stick) softened at room temperature
• 3 1/2 C sifted powdered sugar (add more to make it stiffer or reduce to make it gooey)
  
• 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
  
• Using slow speed, mix for 5 minutes. (Tip: Refrigerate before using for an almost ice-cream like consistency).
  

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese-Vanilla Frosting

Although, often we bake from scratch, sometimes we also bake using mixes, especially for personal consumption when time is of an essence. Most orders; however, we prefer to bake from scratch.

When using cake box mixes, you can follow the standard procedure on the box; however, if you want better, fluffier cupcakes you can follow this recipe.
Using a good cake mix, either a Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker Mix, add 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup of butter or margarine (we use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!), and 1 cup of water. Mix using low speed. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Remove from cupcake pan and cool on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese-Vanilla Frosting

• 1 8 oz package light cream cheese softened at room temperature
• 1/4 c. butter (1/2 stick) softened at room temperature
• 3 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar (add more to make it stiffer or reduce to make it gooey)
  
• 1/2 c. all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Using slow speed, mix for 5 minutes.
  

Add frosting and sprinkles on top of each cupcake.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 c. cooking oil
1 c. buttermilk (to make your own buttermilk, squeeze half a lemon into a measuring cup then pour in enough whole milk to measure one cup)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
Pam spray (optional for spraying the cupcake paper)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Mix oil, buttermilk and eggs. Add vinegar, coloring and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (salt, flour, baking soda, sugar and cocoa powder).
Then put the dry ingredients in the same mixing bowl as the wet ingredients.


Mix the red velvet batter.
My daughter JJ mixing the red velvet batter.
Use a 1/4-cup measuring spoon to scoop the batter into the cupcake shells.
Bake in 350F for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a rack.
Make frosting (cream cheese, butter and sugar icing)
Once cupcake cools down, coat top with cream cheese icing. Add sprinkles on top.
Taste the fruits of your labor!