Pink Cupcakes, Barbie’s Birthday, and Zazzle

It was my friend, “Barbie’s” birthday last week.  That’s not her real name but she is a total Barbie Girl from head to toe.  I made her cute, adorable, Barbie-sized, pink cupcakes. The best part?  The frosting! It is made with cherry Laffy Taffy-how Barbie is that? It is the perfect bite of fluffy, whipped, cloud-like, tart cherry. Something this good deserves no competition so it is best on the Light-As-Air Mini Vanilla cupcakes. I have also made this frosting with other types of chewy candy-Airheads are a personal favorite-thinking of the watermelon flavor right now is making me drool! You could try Starburst, Mamba, Tootsie rolls-the options are endless.

And here’s my first Not-So-Martha Good Thing: Pastry Pride.

(Do you like the fog effect? The Boy got a new fog machine for his Science Fair Project and thought I needed a “just-out-of-the-freezer” visual effect. Did it work?)

This is a shortcut I use for a whipped, non-dairy frosting.  I buy it in bulk from my local Smart & Final and keep in the freezer. It is a life-saver when I have eaten all don’t have any whipping cream. It whips up very nice and fluffy, does not have to be refrigerated after, and can be customized with a variety of ingredients.  I highly recommend it. I know, I know. It is not very Martha-like but I did make the cupcakes from scratch-that counts right?

I also ordered Barbie an apron from Zazzle. I love Zazzle.  Everything I have ordered has been the best quality and I am especially fond of their aprons. I own a couple.  Here’s my latest.

What I love most about this apron-I can splatter just about anything on it and it washes right back to bright white.  I always feel so Martha when I’m wearing it too.  It is the perfect length and has nice pockets.  It makes my uniform of pajamas black yoga pants and t-shirts look professional. You can get all sorts of designs and even make your own.  You should check it out.  http://www.zazzle.com/.  

Please note: Zazzle is not paying me for an endorsement. I just like their stuff.

Light as Air Mini-Vanilla Cupcakes

(This recipe makes the perfect amount of mini-cupcake-about three dozen.)

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened

¾ cup vanilla-scented sugar (this is sugar I store with vanilla beans)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup milk

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin pans with paper liners. (Don’t worry if you only have one pan.  After baking a batch, remove baked cupcakes to rack. Then place the pan in your freezer to cool quickly before lining and baking the next batch.)

Beat butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt on high for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Stir vanilla extract into milk. Beat in flour in three parts, alternating with milk/vanilla mixture, just until blended. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup. (I use a very small ice-cream scoop.)

Bake about 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes about clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan to rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Laffy Taffy Frosting

¼ cup heavy whipping cream or Pastry Pride

2-3 fun-size Cherry Laffy Taffy (or more depending on how strong you want your flavor)

1 cup heavy whipping cream or 2 cups Pastry Pride

If using whipping cream: add

½ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons white sugar

Melt the heavy cream or Pastry Pride and Laffy Taffy together in a small bowl for one minute on high in the microwave.  Stop and stir about every 10-20 seconds. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Put into the refrigerator to chill but not harden.

Beat heavy cream (adding vanilla and sugar) or Pastry Pride(don’t add anything) until soft peaks form. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle the Laffy Taffy mixture into cream. Increase mixer speed to high and continue to beat until the frosting is fluffy and forming stiff peaks.

Source: Cupcake recipe adapted from Mini-Raspberry Cupcakes Recipe from Women’s Day Kitchen. The really cute "B" topper idea is from oh!cupcakes.