More Mixed Media Projects

Mojitoville

Spent the afternoon making Mojito Cupcakes!  Found the recipe here from Browneyedbaker's blog!  They are to die for!  Lots of fun to make and this time I had enough frosting to frost all 12 cupcakes.  I usually have to double the frosting recipe to get the cupcakes frosted. 

Since I had so many limes, mint and rum leftover I HAD to make a couple of Mojitos for Dave and I to enjoy this Sunday evening.  Cheers to another busy week!

Foodie Friday ~ Starbucks Carmel Frappucino Cupcakes!

14 eggs
6 sticks of butter
5 1/2 cups of sugar
2 hours
2 trips to Starbucks
10,000 calories?

Found this amazing recipe and on Pinterest from Kimz Kitchen's blog!   Go check out her blog to see how many of these she made for her brother-in-laws wedding.

For the Cupcakes:

3/4 cup whole or low-fat milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 package of Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
1 tbsp vanilla
3 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1 pack of Starbucks Via Instant Coffee
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
Makes 24 cupcakes

Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove until hot – stop short of a simmer. Stir in the instant coffee until well blended. Add the vanilla and set aside.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ground coffee and cocoa.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until creamed. It should be slightly fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.

Add 2/3 of the flour mixture and the sour cream. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk. Beat until smooth.

Scrape all the batter out into a separate bowl and wash the mixer bowl thoroughly.

Switch to the whisk attachment and beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. They will hold a stiff peak but they will still slip around a little in the bowl.

Fold the egg whites into the cake batter gently, folding the batter around until well combined.
Fill cupcake liners with batter and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

For the Coffee Mousse:

(I should have cut this recipe in half!  You will end up with tons of leftover Mousse! So cut in half if you just want mousse for the cupcakes)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup water
1 package of Starbucks Via Caramel flavored coffee

2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream

Whisk sugar, yolks, water and Starbucks via in large metal bowl - I had to use my kitchen-aid mixer bowl.  I need to go buy some small metal bowls for the future.

Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water); whisk until candy thermometer registers 160°F, about 8 minutes.

Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and thick, about 5 minutes.

Beat cream in another large bowl until stiff peaks form.

Fold cream mixture into egg mixture.

For the Homemade Caramel Drizzle :

(You can also cut this recipe in 1/2 - either way you will end up with a ton of caramel sauce leftover for ice cream!)

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cut butter into evenly sized cubes and melt over low heat in large 3-4 quart saucepan.

Once butter is fully melted, add brown sugar, being careful to avoid the sides of the pan.

Once butter and sugar are fully combined, add corn syrup and condensed milk. Clip on candy thermometer to side of pan.

Cook mixture on low heat (still continually stirring) for about a minute or two. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook/ stir until mixture reaches 225 degrees. Once the mixture is removed from heat, stir in vanilla extract.

For Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

3/4 cup sugar
4 egg whites
3 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Heat sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.

 
Return bowl to mixer, and whisk, gradually increasing speed from low to medium-high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to a paddle attachment and beat until air bubbles are gone, 2 to 3 minutes more.

To assemble the cupcakes:

Once cupcakes are cool, core out the center of each one - I used an apple core tool.  Drizzle a bit of caramel sauce in bottom of hole.  Then, pipe the coffee mousse into the center.


Once all cupcakes are filled, pipe swiss meringue buttercream onto each one.

Then drizzle more caramel sauce on top.  I got green straws and only 3 small hot Starbucks cups from my local Starbucks.  Cut the green straw into 4ths and stick into the cupcake.  Then cut open the small cups and trim off the top and bottom. Wrap the cups around the cupcake wrapper and tape the seam in the back.

I don't even want to know how many calories these cupcakes have OR how much they cost to make!  Ignorance is bliss!

Foodie Friday - Orange Cupcakes & Summer Slaw

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 T  olive oil

1 cup sugar
2 T vanilla

2 eggs

Zest of 1 orange

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with paper liners.

Combine butter, olive oil and sugar and mix on medium high speed about three minutes until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs and mix about one more minute until well incorporated.  Stir in orange zest.  In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Separately combine heavy cream and orange juice.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the cream mixture and repeat, finishing with the flour.  Mix until just incorporated after each addition.

Scoop batter into prepared liners, filling about 2/3 of the way full.  Bake about twenty minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans about five minutes and then
 transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Marshmallow Cream Filling:

7 oz marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Cut butter into small pieces and add to fluff in a mixing bowl.  Beat on medium speed
until smooth and creamy. Fill a frosting press with marshmallow filling.

Using the filler attachment, insert about an inch into each cupcake and press the cream into the cupcakes.  Repeat 2 more into each cupcake.  It does not look pretty, but you will cover the holes with the buttercream frosting.

Orange Buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/8 - 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Add orange juice, zest, and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until incorporated to reach desired consistency.  Whip on medium high speed about two minutes until smooth and creamy.  Transfer into a frosting press and pipe onto cupcakes. 

 Summer Apple Slaw

 2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced 

1 bag of Coleslaw Mix

 1 cucumber, seeded and sliced 

 3/4 cup dried cherries 

1/2 cup cider vinegar 

1/3 cup honey

 1/3 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

 Combine apples and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss vinaigrette with apple mixture; cover and chill up to 4 hours.

Canvas Art For Sale!

Just a Girl 9x12 - $35

I am starting another fun mini business called "Art Maven Studios" and will be selling my canvas art.  I am joining artistic forces with two of my good friends, Julie Abercrombie and Kristi Wildung, and we will be selling our art at Paper Pals and local craft fairs.  We are planning on starting our own Art Maven Studios blog and facebook page.

Believe Mermaid 6x12 - $30

 In the meantime - you can stop into Paper Pals or email me if interested in any of my canvases. 
I can do custom work - with your choice of colors and themes.  

Coffee Love  12x12 - $40

 
I am also available to teach these classes locally at Paper Pals or can come to your home of office. 
You can call me at 509-332-0407 to set it up!

Just a Girl 9x12 - $35

 

 

Life's a Circus 9x12 - $35

Heart of a Cowgirl 9x12 - $35

Brave Heart with Bee 12x12 - $40

Brave Heart with Bird 12x12 - $40