McCormick Giveaway Winner!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Are you ready to find out who the winner of my McCormick Halloween Box Giveaway is?? Drum Roll please……

Congrats Tara from Chip Chip Hooray! You are the winner of a McCormick gift box. You’re prize includes:

• McCormick Assorted Food Coloring
• McCormick Black Food Coloring
• McCormick Vanilla Extract
• Wilton Cupcake Liners
• Bright Orange Oven Mit
• Silicone Cookie Sheet
• A Mini Spatula
• A list of Halloween cupcake ideas
• And some yummy Candy Corn!

 

This kit has EVERYTHING you need to make some fantastic Halloween cupcakes!

Please email me at staycalmcupcake@yahoo.com with your name, email address, and mailing address. Your box of goodies will arrive in plenty of time to make some festive Halloween treats!

Thanks Again McCormick, you are too SWEET!

If you didn’t win, don’t be sad. I have an awesome coupon code for you guys today. How about 20% off any item in my shop? Use code Halloween20 at checkout to activate your discount.

Annnnd…..

How about some majorly adorable FREE printable cupcake topper?!

Download and Print Here

Stay Sweet my friends. xoxo

 

Mini Party Cupcakes

Miniature Party Bites!

I love these miniature little cupcakes for several reasons:

1) They are so darn easy  to make!!

2) They look beautiful and require little to no decorating skills

3) They add the perfect amount of “pazzaz” to any birthday party!

So let’s get started! For these cupcake you will need a miniature cupcake pan and miniature cupcake liners.

I chose to make a vanilla butter cake as my base – you can use whatever yummy recipe you feel comfortable with.

Vanilla Butter Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla.
3. In large bowl, with mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally with a  spatula.
4. Pour batter into cupcake liners (I usually fill them close to the top of the liner that way they puff up nicely) and bake for about 18-20 minutes.
5. Let cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

 

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: 

• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tbs of heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp of lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp of orange juice
• Rainbow colored sanding sugar

1. With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended.
2. Continue mixer on medium for another two minutes. 
3. Add vanilla and whipping cream, beating on medium for another minute.
4. Now here’s my secret…I add a little bit of lemon and orange juice to this frosting. This gives it a hint of fruity flavor that makes the mini cupcake even more fun! Kids love it too! Omit this step if you want a pure vanilla buttercream
5. Frosting should be light and fluffy.

Fill a piping bag with your frosting. Cut the tip off so there is a small hole. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake – leaving only a dollop of frosting on each – do not worry about spreading out or piping in a design.

Pour your multi-colored sanding sugar onto a plate.

Dip each frosted cupcake into the sprinkles – smashing the frosting down around the top of the cupcake.

And there you have it – gorgeous, colorful, and delicious cupcakes that were super easy to make!! You’re cupcakes are going to be a hit at any party you bring them too. I just know it!

Stay sweet xoxo

Stay Calm Cupcake!

** Follow me on Twitter @ StayCalmCupcake – I only need 27 more followers and I will give away 2 free cupcake kits!! **

Sweet New Sponsors!

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend. It was so nice having yesterday off!

Today I would like to introduce you to some fabulous new sponsors! Each of my new blog sponsors has a creative, affordable, and entirely unique Etsy shop. I just know you’ll love their products as much as I do.

First we have “Cupcake Fashion: Tasty Style”. An Etsy boutique specializing in a large variety of unique and adorable cupcake liners! These liners range in price from $2.40 – $4.50 and are perfect for almost any cupcake occasion you can think of. My personal favorite is the pink leopard print liners!   Check out the great selection and order some liners for your Valentines cupcakes!

 

Heart Sprinkles by Baking Supplies Galore

 

Next is “Baking Supplies Galore”. This fun shop is perfect for all cupcake lovers! From Pink Pig shaped sprinkles to Dinosaur Candy Sprinkles  this shop has everything a cupcake needs! Even better, “Baking Supplies Galore” is offering  Stay Calm Cupcake readers 15% OFF any purchase! Just use code staycalm15 to get your special pricing! Hurry while the offer lasts!

Koala Bear Lollipop from Suckers by Steph

Last but not least, we have “Suckers by Steph”. This shop offers a wonderful selection of homemade lollipops perfect a quick pick-me-up or a special valentine’s treats. Her chocolate lollipops come in all shapes and sizes. From personalized pops, to “I love you koala bears”, this shop has a treat for everyone! I have to say that I love the lip shaped lollipops the most!

A big “Thank-You” and a warm welcome to all 3 of my new sponsors. I know my readers will love your products as much as I do.

Don’t for get to stop by Stay Calm Cupcake Shop for all of your Valentine’s treats and snacks! Use code SWEET2011 for 13% off your ENTIRE purchase!

Stay Sweet

Xoxo,

Jill

The Perfect Mint Buttercream!

Mint-Chocolate Cupcake

I am happy to announce that I perfected my Mint Buttercream recipe. After looking through what seemed like 100’s of online recipes, I found a few I liked and combined them. The result you ask? A really yummy, “I’d put this on anything and eat it” kind of frosting.

Needless to say, I made a batch of Mint-Chocolate cupcakes, ate one, and got them out of the house!!

Mint Chocolate cupcakes are perfect for the Holidays. Enjoy this recipe and make sure you share with others 🙂 Stay sweet xoxo

 

Mint-Chocolate Buttercream

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Ingredients

• 3 sticks of room temperature butter (it’s very important they are room temp)
• 3 cups of powdered sugar (no need to sift)
• 1 tbs of cream of tartar
• 6 tbs of Half and Half
• 1/2 cup of thawed cool whip
• 1/4 tsp mint extract (use a little more depending on how “minty” you want it)
• 2 drops of green food coloring
• Andes mint candies

Directions:

1. Beat the butter in your mixer until very creamy. You will need to scrape the bowl several times
2. Adding one cup of powdered sugar at a time, mix in with the butter.
3. Add the half and half and mint extract. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes (be patient!)
4. Add the cream of tartar, food color and cool whip.
5. Mix on medium high for another 5 minutes.

**Frosting will be very thick, but it’s supposed to be 🙂 **

These cupcakes are now available on my Etsy shop. Eight (8) cupcakes for $12, plus an extra treat because you read my blog! www.etsy.com/shop/staycalmcupcake  xoxo

Mint Chocolate Madness

Heavenly!!

Ok, so I have to admit….I have been craving the mint-chocolate combo for about the last 30 days! There is something so wintery and “festive” about cool mint and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. I am a HUGE fan of those little Andes mints and love a York Peppermint Patty. Because I love this combo so much, I have been searching for the perefect chocolate mint cupcake recipe. Unfortunately, I haven’t really found one I like. Tonight though, I am going to try a combination of recipes, add in a few of my own ideas, and then (hopefully) indulge in some yummy chcolate mint goodness.

Until then, enjoy some inspiration for your own chcolate mint cupcakes. I will post the final recipe tomorrow along with some pictures of my treats.

Happy Monday readers. Enjoy!

P.S. I am sponsoring a new blog, and she’s offering a great give-away! Go check it out, she has some fabulous posts!  http://itssimplelove.blogspot.com/

 

From Simple to Sweet!

Hello readers,

Classic Vanilla

Today I want to share with  you a little secret. The secret to fabulous cupcakes  is decorating! Making a good cupcake isn’t that difficult, but its the decorating that gives each of your cupcakes that extra something special.

From Simple to "Sweet"!

These simple vanilla cupcakes are topped with my signature cream-cheese frosting and topped with edible sugar decorations that say “sweet”. I found these on sale at Joann’s Fabrics – they were only $2 for a pack of 12!!

Another great place to find decroation inspiration is at your local Marshalls or TJMaxx – their home goods sections always have the most adorable sprinkles at crazy affordable prices.

Yummy Chocolate Variety!

I recently made a batch of chocolate fudge cupcakes. My dilema was how to create a “variety box” with only one flavor cake. I decided to use 3 different icings, and 3 different types of decorations. One simple cupcake, turned into 3 great variations! I used cream cheese frosting and left it white, vanilla frosting and dyed it a beautiful blue, and topped the rest with my irresitable chocolate mousse. YUM! The best part about this, is you are bound to please everyone with a variety of cupcakes, and they didn’t even take long! It’s amazing what a couple of sprinkles will do for your cupcake!

Overall, be creative with your cupcakes. My golden rule is to use sprinkles sparingly (too many sprinkles can look a little tacky) and always decorate for the event. Don’t be afraid to try new things! If worst comes to worst, you don’t like it and you try again. It’s just icing 🙂 Nothing is permanent. Have fun and send me some pictures of your cupcake decorating skills!!

 

Til next time, stay sweet. xoxo

Double The Fun : Cupcake Toppers

I usuall try to bake something on Tuesday nights. Pat plays on a pool league every tuesday, so I have some time to myself , and what better activity than baking!! Last night I made funfetti cupcakes with buttercream frosting and topped them with the mini- cupcakes from last weeks blog entry (https://fontgirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/double-cup-cupcakes/).

They were so much fun to make and turned out great!! I’m already thinking of all the other ways I can use theses cute little toppers!

               

Double Cup Cupcakes

Hello readers! Can you believe that September is already here? I am happy to say that I have been busier than ever with baking projects. From bridal showers, to birthday parties, my plate has been pretty full. I am excited though, to share with you today’s INGENIOUS cupcake topper idea. I know you are going to love it!! So without further adieu….I present “Double Cup Cupcakes”

I got this idea from one of my favorite blogs, “Confessions of a Cookbook Queen” (http://confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com/2010/05/cupcake-cupcake-toppers.html. They are cupcakes with cupcake toppers, so cute, and so easy!!

Cupcakes on Cupcakes..this is an idea I can get behind!!

Picture by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

You will need:

Frosting of your choice

• Piping Bag
• Sprinkles
• Red Sugar Pearls
• Reese Cups

Simply unwrap the Reese’s cup, but leave the paper wrapper on. Pipe frosting on top like you would a regular size cupcake. Add miniature sprinkles and tada!! You have a really cute cupcake topper.

**Hint: You could also use these for cake toppers, or miniature candies at a child’s birthday party. The options are endless.

For the cupcake portion, you could use almost any recipe. I would choose chocolate to compliment the Reese cup.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 18-24 cupcakes

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I always use Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each cup no more than 2/3 full.

 Bake 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting, I say cream-cheese or butter cream: Recipes for Frosting found here!

Now, top them with sprinkles and the miniature cupcakes candies! These have to be the cutest double cup, cupcakes ever!!

__________________________________________________________________________

A Sweet Little Cupcake

Today’s  blog is dedicated to a sweet little girl named Madelyn. 

Madelyn

I went to high-school with Madelyn’s mom, Danielle. While I have never “officially” met Madelyn, the pictures that her mommy posts on FaceBook let me see what  a sweet little child she truly is. Madelyn is a special little girl not only because of her adorable chubby cheeks and her two-tooth smile, but because she has Down Syndrome, and fights every day to do things that we all tend to take for granted. Please take a second and visit Madelyn’s fundraising page. Danielle and “Maddy” are raising money to walk in the “Step up for Down Syndrome” walk on October 16th. To read more about Madelyn and the walk, or to donate to a great cause, please visit http://www.firstgiving.com/madelyncopello