Happy Sunday Everyone!
Cupcakes are the perfect treat for a birthday party, who doesn't like a cake in a little cup with frosting and sprinkles on top. This a perfect dessert to bring along with you if you have a birthday party to attend. It was made even memorable when it is homemade and baked from your kitchen. Thank you, Joy the Baker, for the inspiration. I like the Idea of baking your own cake and with it show gratitude to everyone in your life. With my own 36th birthday coming up this week I baked these delicious cupcakes to thank you to you all for all the support I receive daily for my blog. Also a special happy birthday to any of my followers who shares January with me as our birthday month. Cupcake flavors and decorating can be tailored to whomever you are giving them to or in this case to your own personal style. This includes favorite characters, superheroes, princesses, animals, cartoons, purses, sports, hobbies or just plain sprinkles to make them special. For me, my favorite cake and simple vanilla infused Orange flower water flavor frosting, and some sprinkles make me most happy. Generally cupcakes are light and fluffy but this is a pound cake, so it is more dense and firm. This pound cake recipe is from my favorite author: Rose Levy Beranbaum ( The Cake Bible ). I just added the Orange flower water flavor to make it fragrant and with a smooth citrus taste. I hope you enjoy not only the look of the cupcakes but also just how delicious they are. Thank you for stopping by and reading :) Hope you all have a wonderful Birthday Natty
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The beauty of the holiday season.
The month of December brings joy and is made sweeter with the abundance of fancy Christmas cookies that show up on your door from friends and family. December also means glittery and whimsical window displays created by people like me who love to get fully into the Christmas spirit. And after all, the hard work of decorating and shopping is done it is time to sit with your cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the Christmas tree lights at home or my personal favorite a cup of hot spiced wine at the Chicago Christmas market. I love walking around looking at all the decorations and treats. It is the time of year for me to bake and share my favorite cookie recipes with everyone. I baked gingerbread Christmas tree cookies. The deep rich flavor of the molasses compliments the spice and warmth of the fresh ginger. These cookies are perfect for decorating. These delicious treats beg to be coated with royal icing, sprinkles, chocolate chips or candies. I am thrilled with the way they turned out and hope that you enjoy baking and decorating them as much as I did! Note for this recipe: - If you don't have a stand mixer you can easily use your bowl and folk. - Cut the butter into the small pieces as it will work into the dough easier. -Allow the dough to chill for at least 30 minutes before you roll it. - This recipe is inspired from Epicurious, I used fresh zested ginger instead of ground ginger powder. - Make sure you let them cool completely before you decorate it. Thank you for stopping by and reading Cheers Natty
I look forward to the amazing way that a weekend allows me to spend time alone and with my loved ones and my good friends doing all my favorite things.
Last weekend was somewhat of a challenge as I found myself having to hop skip and jump between helping friends, celebrating, baking and some charity work. Saturday started with me playing dress up to portray a grown up version of red riding hood as made popular by the children's fairy tale. It was a week after Halloween and photographer friend cast me as his model for an artistic shoot. It was a brisk 50 degree day and while I complained about the cold while shooting, the end result is a set of stunning photos. Check out his work and my modelling debut at www.theorangecameraguy.com
Later in the day i dashed off to the best 6 year old, Olivia's popstar themed birthday party. (I am babysit her so i'm little biased) I decided to make her birthday cake and cupcakes for the day's festivities. The microphone cupcakes made from ice cream cones and a 3 layer yellow cake with cream cheese frosting where a huge hit.....Click Here For The Recipe...
Sunday morning bright and early my friend Natt and I as well as many other chocolate lovers gathered in Grant park for the annual Hot chocolate 5K or 15km race. I ran the 5K this year and hope to run the 15km in the future. Im getting pretty good at 5km races now.
I have to say thank you for the race organizers who came up with this delicious way to combine exercise and chocolate.
After the invigorating run I quickly made my way to the Chicago Wat Pa temple for The Thord Gathin Festival.
At this time of year Buddhists people gather at the temple to celebrate the Thord Gathin festival. ( Thai:ทอดกฐิน) is a traditional Buddhist festival celebrated in northeast Thailand. Colorful parades and offering ceremonies of home made food marks the end of monks' retreat at local temples. A wide assortment of homemade Thai dishes made by attendees to be shared where brought into this ceremony. Being away from home is never easy but these dishes made it feel like I had a little part of home with me even for a little while. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. " No matter what you do please be sure that you are happy! " Cheers Natty
Some good options to bring for Birthday Parties.
"Cupcakes, mini cupcakes, Cake, cookies, bottle of wine, booze, appetizer " ? While I was thinking what to pick from my list, I got a call from the Birthday girl "Leeann". She said bring mini cupcakes. Alright then, I love when people tell me what they want. And this is what kind of girl she is, she knows what she wants! Leeann is smart, funny, sharp and a great cook. A birthday present and mini-cupcakes are a simple way to say thank you for a great friendship. Thank you for being with me when I have had rough days and cheering me up :)
The plan was to go to a beach party by Oak Street Beach in Chicago. The party started around bunch time and lasted until to sunset………
Brunch combined with Mini cupcakes-I am thinking about bagels, cream cheese and coffee. Then Coffee Mini-Cupcakes with Espresso cream cheese frosting idea was born. This recipe comes from one of my favorite baking books, Baking Illustrated. I like this recipe book because it is accurate. As I say it is "Bagel, cream cheese and coffee". I picked yellow cake recipe from this book, adding more espresso- Makes you feel like you have all in one with those mini bites. I have some leftover espresso pastry cream, which gives a little surprise inside those goodie mini cupcakes. Happy Sunday Everyone XOXO Natty
Here are the recipes:
Ingredients Mini-Cupcake makes 41 Cupcake makes 14 1 1/2 cups all-purpose-flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 8 tablespoons (1stick ) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks,room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Kaluah 1 teaspoonespresso powder 1 teaspoon brew coffee liquid 1/4 cup roasted pecans, chopped ( for garnish ) 1 tablespoon cocoa powder ( for garnish ) Espresso pastry cream filling recipe Espresso cream cheese frosting * *Espresso Cream cheese frosting recipe 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened or at room temperature 1 package or 8 ounces cream cheese, chilled 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon brew coffee liquid 1 teaspoon Kaluah 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
Steps
Note You can make this Cream cheese frosting ahead for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Make sure to take the buttercream out of the fridge 1 hour before use. |
AuthorHi, I am Natty! And Thank you for stopping by!! I am a foodie girl who has a passion for cooking, exercise and photography. There are so many favorite recipes from my family and friends I have tried throughout my journey that balances out and makes a healthy meal. I would like to take you on a journey to a different pantry around the world to share my favorite stories and recipes. My hope is that they inspire and benefit you. "You love someone, you open yourself up to suffering, that's the sad truth. Maybe they'll break your heart, maybe you'll break their heart and never be able to look at yourself in the same way. Those are the risks. That's the burden.Like wings, they have weight, we feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens which allow us" Bones Don't wait for the perfect moment,take the moment and make it perfect. - Zoey Sayward- Archives
June 2017
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