tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56588534592184804662024-02-06T22:38:30.063-08:00Miss Dot's Cupcake SpotMiss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-5737156729846230132010-09-19T22:16:00.000-07:002010-09-20T12:06:36.433-07:00And They Lived Happily Ever After...<div style="text-align: center;">Just this past Saturday, I had the privilege of making cupcakes for my best friend's sister's wedding down in San Diego. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Doesn't she look <i><span id="{D84756BD-9E42-4B3B-8557-F5D1D4775BE6}" style="color: red;">stunning</span></i>?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">~<b style="color: red;">♥</b>~</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwz6X_Pfa3DgYSuaO6PuqubVhaz3B2_9JMx03uk1EIY4bXYxX418hU2Y_vjAsywOHXtCYeMIOBeyI0_vHBOLWJsMqI4Ui4QsZM4jVEzByWjDveuIvhAivAK1iOJArCb7G14pDiyjk-OOo/s1600/Angelina+Dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwz6X_Pfa3DgYSuaO6PuqubVhaz3B2_9JMx03uk1EIY4bXYxX418hU2Y_vjAsywOHXtCYeMIOBeyI0_vHBOLWJsMqI4Ui4QsZM4jVEzByWjDveuIvhAivAK1iOJArCb7G14pDiyjk-OOo/s640/Angelina+Dress.jpg" width="384" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="{1277F9E9-F3FA-429F-8C9E-3F9BDAF6FB55}" style="color: black;">{</span><i style="color: black;">.married</i><span id="{30AFDB9C-7A2F-4465-BDBF-10B18A7ECCF1}" style="color: black;"></span><span id="{713483E5-4C7D-4AB1-B2BC-40ECD07ADACB}" style="color: black;">.}</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[{<b><span id="{A0C3A1A4-6DD4-44B7-BC99-50550C36454E}" style="color: red;">♥</span></b>}]</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7LJ7w8afpoGruMKYhZHJxZgE0rIYcJL4BfRb-6VKSCYOaAo4RnW6-0aToNssrcA_L1parscAKWVjR1ckm-mZtqR5WhOQsE5Leo_D5MIrNY_Sx3EhtZYd55B1WTJ-seqPl_6HOKmD8O8/s1600/IMG_1923+-+vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7LJ7w8afpoGruMKYhZHJxZgE0rIYcJL4BfRb-6VKSCYOaAo4RnW6-0aToNssrcA_L1parscAKWVjR1ckm-mZtqR5WhOQsE5Leo_D5MIrNY_Sx3EhtZYd55B1WTJ-seqPl_6HOKmD8O8/s400/IMG_1923+-+vintage.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>{.<i>wedding cupcakes</i>.}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[{<b><span id="{A0C3A1A4-6DD4-44B7-BC99-50550C36454E}" style="color: red;">♥</span></b>}]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhS8mQHm9ymivJ3ZaBvs4AhAnY-jVKGP0ZZ0dGZtKNGE4hLwZjcKPs1jyBcVmHSWYFF4NvdeSFP8aoYwWIT1Ino6BQdBjj1WuFZ7i_wj1AUUa_Fqb0eLM_yYyqRnzmViNR-KljIKGwqA/s1600/Chocolate+Buttercream+Vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcYVz5oIJMtGir8UXZKizHfN9UQ8wzgN8hOiejBt3qel1x9blAEaddW73tl4t9mW0TRVEGU0Nt3iOvkNNgzLv4xyVNvu-i8BlmfkAHFLWCtW6goLY3YHFwmqX5nW6Gl71spHu4R-vJFg/s1600/Buttercream+Vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcYVz5oIJMtGir8UXZKizHfN9UQ8wzgN8hOiejBt3qel1x9blAEaddW73tl4t9mW0TRVEGU0Nt3iOvkNNgzLv4xyVNvu-i8BlmfkAHFLWCtW6goLY3YHFwmqX5nW6Gl71spHu4R-vJFg/s400/Buttercream+Vintage.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[{<b><span id="{A0C3A1A4-6DD4-44B7-BC99-50550C36454E}" style="color: red;">♥</span></b>}]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MhaTNR22YMeHdqLvGYQfsEWEBDbHyxQWfO6Hp6CKeUwb4TO9MEk4PzdJTU1pTA5ZQVhnsU-iS1hA7Mo8Itv0VXfvHCyV4FRh-LYnxx9HY6YWPA7pTn9VnDeEbWsBfsCU_vt_2f0qLIU/s1600/Chocolate+Buttercream+Vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MhaTNR22YMeHdqLvGYQfsEWEBDbHyxQWfO6Hp6CKeUwb4TO9MEk4PzdJTU1pTA5ZQVhnsU-iS1hA7Mo8Itv0VXfvHCyV4FRh-LYnxx9HY6YWPA7pTn9VnDeEbWsBfsCU_vt_2f0qLIU/s400/Chocolate+Buttercream+Vintage.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">[{<b><span id="{A0C3A1A4-6DD4-44B7-BC99-50550C36454E}" style="color: red;">♥</span></b>}]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvJ70Ycvxn2L8uCxGg_Sa1KWJjI-kDlbEsLARlbGz5zMtJfAZodHbZdpifBAnBgFoCeD7RUY52pPEjYw2_j1-nSMoDf9AQVtZWua80zImDXOHH0eduiH8RX5q2chNeNZV27a8E8JzW7E/s1600/Cream+Cheese+Vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvJ70Ycvxn2L8uCxGg_Sa1KWJjI-kDlbEsLARlbGz5zMtJfAZodHbZdpifBAnBgFoCeD7RUY52pPEjYw2_j1-nSMoDf9AQVtZWua80zImDXOHH0eduiH8RX5q2chNeNZV27a8E8JzW7E/s400/Cream+Cheese+Vintage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[{<b><span id="{A0C3A1A4-6DD4-44B7-BC99-50550C36454E}" style="color: red;">♥</span></b>}]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH_qKofA0CYsTEtYavSsEVh5DY1gzN9n8Uzy8FOHLIZhOphuN3U2eZ96fYVIIUDY63phg4I5JSqdcPjAHWFTezlrpPLOAaI-LggfBgGLoxbm6qkF5b2YBZOTqfQ8GQclQRl6QYwGJRbo/s1600/Wedding+Stand+-+vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH_qKofA0CYsTEtYavSsEVh5DY1gzN9n8Uzy8FOHLIZhOphuN3U2eZ96fYVIIUDY63phg4I5JSqdcPjAHWFTezlrpPLOAaI-LggfBgGLoxbm6qkF5b2YBZOTqfQ8GQclQRl6QYwGJRbo/s400/Wedding+Stand+-+vintage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> {.<i>and they lived happily ever after</i>.}<b> </b></div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-40798246852009542262010-06-20T00:05:00.000-07:002010-06-20T00:16:33.477-07:00Graduation Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lD8q6r5XmRkQRyc8aYORiwACXQe69xLuVphhAqG3l9IXH28Tp888SxV1hp6JONia1Fht96BW4XwBSK-ldE-ROVV5XYDNsJ-KzMbEuklITlBExqypmJKqvou4zSLmLih64m-YLEapZgA/s1600/Emily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lD8q6r5XmRkQRyc8aYORiwACXQe69xLuVphhAqG3l9IXH28Tp888SxV1hp6JONia1Fht96BW4XwBSK-ldE-ROVV5XYDNsJ-KzMbEuklITlBExqypmJKqvou4zSLmLih64m-YLEapZgA/s320/Emily.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[[<i><span style="color: red;">graduated.</span></i>]]</b><br />
<br />
Today, we celebrated my dear cousin's graduation from high school<br />
<b>-and-</b><br />
her subsequent entry into college.<br />
<br />
This summer, she will be packing up and leaving Southern California for the trek across the United States to Barnard College in New York.<br />
<br />
New York has <b>no idea</b> what's about to hit it, but once she gets there,<i> </i><br />
<i>it will never be the same.</i><br />
<br />
<b>[[<span style="color: red;">♥</span>]] </b><b> </b><br />
<br />
Mr. Dot and I contributed to the festivities by putting together some cupcakes to represent both of her schools:<br />
<br />
<b>HIGH SCHOOL</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tlxUMmQ0SwuGhsWRtOhwfIRZl2NV-wVgGehR8rZHiYJcsSMzoMFcugb2YnnAFX21g4ojo0EjyFlZAoXKEpFmebxVvU7lVoDxTGb_sqp9xHfzwY4DJa0xDG0V8Fg4yIN1vRi_thtLvu8/s1600/IMG_1806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tlxUMmQ0SwuGhsWRtOhwfIRZl2NV-wVgGehR8rZHiYJcsSMzoMFcugb2YnnAFX21g4ojo0EjyFlZAoXKEpFmebxVvU7lVoDxTGb_sqp9xHfzwY4DJa0xDG0V8Fg4yIN1vRi_thtLvu8/s320/IMG_1806.JPG" /></a></div><b> [<i>brown and yellow</i>]</b><br />
<br />
<b>COLLEGE</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJ7rOfTupDHop3KId1Guo17sJ00IOPqlQ3rdxAnrb41Rt99d6hLwLkqoljCUl2UkDfrGZlh8Ukl-X72Dh9z9d_eIvEzm1latFfdIo7GWAj3oEatO30E40z8bPpo6t3-M-3B4FnY1SSdo/s1600/IMG_1798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJ7rOfTupDHop3KId1Guo17sJ00IOPqlQ3rdxAnrb41Rt99d6hLwLkqoljCUl2UkDfrGZlh8Ukl-X72Dh9z9d_eIvEzm1latFfdIo7GWAj3oEatO30E40z8bPpo6t3-M-3B4FnY1SSdo/s320/IMG_1798.JPG" /></a></div><b>[<i>blue and white</i>]</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Together, we baked and decorated <b style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">*</span>100 cupcakes</b><b>*</b> for the party. I used just two of my favorite recipes in order to keep it simple: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b>Martha Stewart's <i>One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes</i>, and </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b>Amy Sedaris' <i>Vanilla Cupcakes</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I like both of these recipes because I feel that they are pretty <b style="color: red;">fool-proof</b>, (yes, I <i>have</i> accidentally <b>doubled the amount of butter</b> necessary for the vanilla cupcakes before and they still <strike>clogged arteries</strike> turned out delicious) and they both turn out <b style="color: red;">nice, moist cupcakes</b>. If you too are a fan of low-maintenance cupcakes, then these recipes are perfect for you: <br />
<br />
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b>♥ONE-BOWL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES♥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>From "Martha Stewart's Cupcakes"</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes about 24 cupcakes </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Note: I find it usually makes just under 24... perhaps 20?)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients: </b></div><ul><li>3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 1/2 c. AP flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 c. sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 t. baking soda</li>
<li>3/4 t. baking powder</li>
<li>3/4 t. salt</li>
<li>2 large eggs <i>(room temperature)</i></li>
<li>3/4 c. warm water</li>
<li>3/4 c. buttermilk <i>(I usually end up using the ol' <a href="http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/r/Buttermilk_Sub.htm">vinegar-and-milk substitution</a> since I never have buttermilk on hand)</i></li>
<li>3 T. vegetable oil</li>
<li>1 t. pure vanilla extract</li>
</ul><b>Directions: </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ol style="text-align: justify;"><li>PREHEAT oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with liners.</li>
<li>In a large mixing bowl, SIFT together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.</li>
<li>ADD eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; MIX until smooth (about 3 minutes). Scrape down.</li>
<li>DIVIDE batter evenly among liners, filling each about two-thirds full. </li>
<li>BAKE until tops spring back when touched; about 20 minutes. <i>(<b>Note</b>: this recipe usually takes about 17 minutes for me. I'd set your oven for 15 and go from there)</i></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">~♥~</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥VANILLA CUPCAKES♥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>From, "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence," by Amy Sedaris</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes 24 cupcakes</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Note: I can actually usually get <b>more</b> than 24 outta this recipe) </i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li>1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter <i>(room temperature)</i><b> </b></li>
<li>1 3/4 c. sugar</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>2 t. vanilla</li>
<li>1/2 t. salt</li>
<li>2 1/2 t. baking powder</li>
<li>2 1/2 c. flour</li>
<li>1 1/4 c. milk</li>
</ul><b>Directions:</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ol style="text-align: justify;"><li>PREHEAT oven to 350°F and line cupcake pans with liners.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, CREAM together butter and sugar. </li>
<li>BEAT in eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking powder.</li>
<li>ADD flour in 3 batches, alternating with milk.</li>
<li>MIX until batter is smooth with no lumps. Do not overbeat.</li>
<li>DIVIDE batter evenly among cups. </li>
<li>BAKE for 16-20 minutes or until tops are pale gold and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. <i>(Note: this recipe also bakes at 17 minutes for me)</i></li>
<li>COOL on rack until at room temperature. Proceed to smother with buttercream frosting <i>(recipe follows)</i>.</li>
</ol><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b style="color: red;">*DISCLAIMER* </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, before I continue on to my buttercream frosting recipe, <b> </b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>allow me to clarify something really quickly:</b><i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>~In this happy world of baking and sweets, there are <b style="color: red;">two</b> major frosting parties~</i><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>[<span style="font-size: large;">1</span>]</b> Those who subscribe to the <b style="color: red;">SMBC</b> [<i>Swiss Meringue Buttercream</i>] fan club </div><div style="text-align: center;">and </div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[<span style="font-size: large;">2</span>]</b> Those who swear by <b>shortening-based buttercreams</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
I, my dears, am of the <i><span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><b>latter persuasion.</b></span></i><br />
<br />
There's just something about a sweet, <b>traditional</b> buttercream </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;">[<i>just like mom used to make</i>]</div><div style="text-align: center;">that makes me smile every time I bite into a piece of cake.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's simple to whip up, it's simple to change the consistency, and the use of shortening (instead of more butter or eggs) results in a pure white buttercream that tints to precise shades.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<i>*sigh*</i><br />
<i> </i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shortening-based buttercreams will always be <i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>my favorite</i> <b style="color: red;">♥</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥MISS DOT'S BUTTERCREAM FROSTING</b><b style="color: red;">♥</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>From, well, me.</b><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Ices 10-12-? cupcakes</i> <i>(obviously, this depends on how thick you ice them!)</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div></div><ul><li>1 stick (1/2 c.) butter or margarine</li>
<li>1/2 c. shortening</li>
<li>1 lb. powdered sugar <i>(I don't sift it. I know, <b>I'm such a rebel</b>...)</i></li>
<li>1 T. vanilla</li>
<li>3 T. Karo brown sugar corn syrup <i>(optional -- I think this adds a really robust flavor in the background of the icing but it's not necessary)</i></li>
<li>Milk or water <i>(as necessary)</i></li>
</ul><b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol><li>CREAM the butter and shortening.</li>
<li>ADD the sugar in two batches.</li>
<li>ADD vanilla and corn syrup (if using it).</li>
<li>BLEND in milk/water as necessary to achieve consistency you want.</li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>NOTE:</b> <i>Don't be afraid to really whip this icing to remove lumps. You'll end up with a fluffier, lighter product if you do. Since this recipe is so simple, it's fun to experiment with consistency to get a good feel for what you like. </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQXDb8vGl95R8p6BcIGybp1sTVEQchTOOyXbMAiebb98uDvverQnjqNdCkBOpMipFoUTEbgb8sb6fCVB0uNWUIDgECiISaLzcw5P9wZBRzI0vj0i_6Vw1gO8x2WlgzqK6hQqW_V_WbJo/s1600/IMG_1791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQXDb8vGl95R8p6BcIGybp1sTVEQchTOOyXbMAiebb98uDvverQnjqNdCkBOpMipFoUTEbgb8sb6fCVB0uNWUIDgECiISaLzcw5P9wZBRzI0vj0i_6Vw1gO8x2WlgzqK6hQqW_V_WbJo/s320/IMG_1791.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">These recipes are very simple yet they yield delicious results. They're perfect for<b style="color: red;"> summertime get-togethers</b> [[<i>think family BBQ's, neighborhood block parties, Fourth of July...</i>]] or an <b>afternoon bake session</b> with the kiddos.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Toss some sprinkles on 'em and they're <i>done!</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Until next time...</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">xoxo </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-22137124230715098212010-06-09T22:21:00.000-07:002010-06-09T23:30:55.630-07:00{Re}Introduction<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1a3w7P6JIBPwK75hxYOK3e2YNBfYGhBn1kU1CbJfcTgGUnEK8q2CNpf1w07XWaT4o8yxyhvQHnioQmKhT6N1fqzS432V8pROx8ABU8Hkp85D_qDPyQ9_etJjLYXzmLPZhbhUM7XhJVDg/s1600/Stagecoach1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1a3w7P6JIBPwK75hxYOK3e2YNBfYGhBn1kU1CbJfcTgGUnEK8q2CNpf1w07XWaT4o8yxyhvQHnioQmKhT6N1fqzS432V8pROx8ABU8Hkp85D_qDPyQ9_etJjLYXzmLPZhbhUM7XhJVDg/s320/Stagecoach1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hello there!</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">OK, let's see if we can try this again. Allow me to (re)introduce myself: I am <b style="color: red;">Miss Dot</b>, wife to <b>Mr. Dot</b> (yes, yes, I know it says "<i>Miss</i>," but it just has a nicer ring to it than <b>Mrs. Dot</b>, don't you think?), and I love to bake. In fact, I even <b>work</b> at a bakery! (Cutest bakery I ever done seen, too, <i>thankyouverymuch!</i>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know I've been out of the picture for a bit so if you're still following this blog, <b style="color: red;">THANK YOU!</b> If not, and you're new, that's just fine, too, because I'm going to be changing how this blog works a bit. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To begin, one of the main reasons I took a Blog-cation in the first place was because I found myself getting really, really overwhelmed. It's hard to maintain two blogs, work a full-time job, be a full-time wife, and maintain friendships with all your bloggy friends (which means reading <i>their</i> blogs and making meaningful comments on <i>their </i>posts!) Plus, I wanted to keep up with <b><a href="http://www.thesitsgirls.com/">SITS</a></b> stuff, too, and I found myself constantly feeling like I was drowning in an online frenzy of comments, posts, and emails. I can't <i>imagine</i> how people with kids do it! Yikes. I'm so super impressed. Seriously.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That's why, from here on out, there are gonna be some <b style="color: red;">NEW RULES:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">[1]</b><span style="color: red;"> </span><b>No "Follow Me and I'll Follow You"</b> - Did you stop by and like what you saw? Fantastic! Follow along! Don't feel like following? Peachy keen. I hate feeling bullied into following sites that half the time I can't remember why I followed in the first place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">[2]</b> <b>No Fancy-Schmancy Alliteration Days</b> - I'm sorry, but I just can't commit to these darn things! I think they're nifty, I love reading 'em, but I don't have Terrific Tuesdays, Wordless Wednesdays, Thrifty Thursdays, Fahrvergnügen Fridays... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">[3]</b> <b>This Blog is Award-Free</b> - Think this blog should get an award? Thank you for thinking of me (a<i>nd I genuinely do appreciate the recognition!</i>) but I'd rather keep this blog as clutter-free as possible!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">[4] <span style="color: black;">No Daily Posts -</span> </b>Holy mac-<span style="font-size: large;">a</span>-roni, I don't know how people do this, but I swear I've even see people post multiple times <i>daily</i>. What the heck are they doing? Are they attached to their computer? Does their brain automatically send signals to a keyboard so anytime they think a post is written?! I can't even fathom how people do this. In my case, I'd like to keep this blog almost as an online public journal of any baking/decorating that I do. I can't say I'll post every day, but I'll sure try to post as much as I can! That might be a couple times a week, that might be a few times a month, but most certainly not every day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lastly <b>[[<i style="color: red;">and most importantly</i>]]</b>... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">[5]</b> <b>This Blog is about having Fun - </b>This blog is going to be really relaxed and laid-back. Wanna share a recipe or baking tip? Send it on over! Have a question about a recipe or a technique? I'm all ears! Did you hit up a really cool car show this past weekend and you want to go in on buying a sweet <a href="http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm282/gnmusto/Blog%20Pics/57_Bel_Air.jpg"><b>'57 Bel Air</b></a> with me? I'll pony up my half right now. Know of a hot sale on <a href="http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm282/gnmusto/Blog%20Pics/pinupgirlclothing_2028_148393274.jpg"><b>wiggle dresses</b></a>? Shoot, let's go shopping! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bottom line here is that this blog is about something fun for me to do and hopefully something fun for you, too. Hopefully, it'll be a win-win situation. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for coming 'round! Until next time...</div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" /><br><br><br />
<br />
P.S. -- I only just realized that somewhere along the line, my header lost an apostrophe (between the "T" and the "S" in "Its." This is utterly frustrating and I sure as heck hope that my mom doesn't notice because the only other person who gets annoyed by bad grammar as much as I do is, well, my mom. Sorry mom! I'm fixing it soon, I promise...Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-48891789805262519592010-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:002010-06-08T22:23:24.873-07:00Blog-cation!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmS2LPOT2lVxhwJEL0OLGNtXOEd2LdbD1U1QU00K_3ABliKGRCWr7VWORvWrCN4BqWE2d4_0GCU_AzOG_8gJJVVbAPkKC8WiqWg60HC5iHkrPmdjkEwbUO6RpdEH0rwyfSfVDpwG7yT0/s1600-h/on_vacation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmS2LPOT2lVxhwJEL0OLGNtXOEd2LdbD1U1QU00K_3ABliKGRCWr7VWORvWrCN4BqWE2d4_0GCU_AzOG_8gJJVVbAPkKC8WiqWg60HC5iHkrPmdjkEwbUO6RpdEH0rwyfSfVDpwG7yT0/s320/on_vacation.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Hi!!<br />
<br />
Thanks for stopping by :)<br />
<br />
I just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a little break from blogging for a bit as I strive to find the new groove of life between taking care of my home and husband and working at my new job.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, check out some <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/07/recipes.html"><b>recipes</b></a> or browse some <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/07/galleries.html"><b>galleries</b></a> to get some ideas for your own cupcakes!<br />
<br />
See you soon!<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-66982363866498517762010-02-17T22:55:00.001-08:002010-02-17T22:55:56.141-08:00The Fame... It's Going to My Head...<div style="text-align: center;">Um, so I know I'm no celebrity, but there's something about being <b>asked for advice</b> that makes me feel <span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;">super important.</b></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Like I'm some sort of <i><b>ZENITH</b></i> of knowledge.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A wealth of information.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A source of <i><b>all there is to know.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The end-all be-all of ---</div><div style="text-align: center;">OK, do you get the point yet? <span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Can I let my big head deflate now?</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Last week,<b> <span style="color: black;">Amber</span></b> of <a href="http://amber-laha.blogspot.com/"><b>Amber's Life</b></a> sent me an email asking me if I had a good recipe for red velvet cupcakes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b>Do I have a good recipe for red velvet cupcakes?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Uh...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Does <a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/2010/02/mustache-monday-puss-in-stache.html"><b>Gertie Rock</b></a>? Does doing taxes stink? Are Reality TV shows overrated?</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>[answers:</b> <i>yes, yes, and double yes</i><b>]</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You get my point.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> So yes, I had a recipe to share with her as well as my own recipe for cream cheese frosting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here's what she came up with:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2p7JtKafsyolPUVJebg_yGnzF0818yh-CGEg83llf1M37KhYt9Zsv8sCeOdTY7BBNBAOeELNLP7a4DWjJelxYiim-rwaxA24YxbamBA9WAgOVevgD8CyY3ZH3aqMDauiCHW5hhPXZwE2/s1600-h/Closeup+Red.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2p7JtKafsyolPUVJebg_yGnzF0818yh-CGEg83llf1M37KhYt9Zsv8sCeOdTY7BBNBAOeELNLP7a4DWjJelxYiim-rwaxA24YxbamBA9WAgOVevgD8CyY3ZH3aqMDauiCHW5hhPXZwE2/s400/Closeup+Red.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Look at these little beauties! </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Look how <b>RICH</b> and <b style="color: red;">RED</b> they are!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ohhhhh... that's what a red velvet should look like... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here they are iced:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrAzWu8F6j5oVwxUozK4Am_rLqYe-hxHafytdLCLe_f11giKb57_H-HfT-aglAn2s0V5CSXQjvipC-xnBgSh2t2E6fuNstyKe84oxazOAoJrTY_TOBGWoyxlbywkS8PgxPkE0DkFU3VJO/s1600-h/100_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrAzWu8F6j5oVwxUozK4Am_rLqYe-hxHafytdLCLe_f11giKb57_H-HfT-aglAn2s0V5CSXQjvipC-xnBgSh2t2E6fuNstyKe84oxazOAoJrTY_TOBGWoyxlbywkS8PgxPkE0DkFU3VJO/s400/100_0155.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mmmm... word on the streets is that these suckers didn't last long...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Check out the <i>sweet little sprinkles</i> she found to put on top:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIILXtG4vxPAv7MTiP1oMtvlR1qxiJsIPBQa346_qofQBa8OXCd8dKDcjUaCamdWTguvdZD52eGE7sjwz1jDThLERTqkhzoIyVZWe68FM1GDvscPgbvexN5UgRlCCpyndnsuFNPiSZmXQt/s1600-h/100_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIILXtG4vxPAv7MTiP1oMtvlR1qxiJsIPBQa346_qofQBa8OXCd8dKDcjUaCamdWTguvdZD52eGE7sjwz1jDThLERTqkhzoIyVZWe68FM1GDvscPgbvexN5UgRlCCpyndnsuFNPiSZmXQt/s320/100_0152.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Awwww...</i></div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for <strike>petting my ego</strike> making my day, Amber!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>And hey, if any of you get a chance, go check out her blog <a href="http://lahadesigns.blogspot.com/"><b>Designs by Amber</b></a>, too. She's so talented!</i>) </div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-43341190717155892112010-02-15T20:56:00.000-08:002010-02-15T20:59:56.768-08:00Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY2afFSi1S54Pa9qKXBCoqtmjy9RVzT7gVGOwJ81CWljEv-wLITQXpXHQQsLJ0yj9iY480ta40hCS6nhav1sizrsd-iI_IT4-v6DQqCvYvUburycsrsM_4pA5jelivvVRd1dZg-EKSTA/s1600-h/IMG_4469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY2afFSi1S54Pa9qKXBCoqtmjy9RVzT7gVGOwJ81CWljEv-wLITQXpXHQQsLJ0yj9iY480ta40hCS6nhav1sizrsd-iI_IT4-v6DQqCvYvUburycsrsM_4pA5jelivvVRd1dZg-EKSTA/s320/IMG_4469.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">OK OK, I <i>know</i> <b style="color: red;">Valentine's Day</b> is over, but can I still show you what I made anyway?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwPQepZ05A9vgpqOtEYnbxpkTAwcEOsAUJKpamxGkKtlaDwNGV0t5vLW9wdNMr-HHHZHBbGHX1Z-LfkNRNag2LcgsAPGIhjQKDGUkelGX9yVjvgjU_OpHQpR6wKHt8vR_HceU0s71csY/s1600-h/IMG_4451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwPQepZ05A9vgpqOtEYnbxpkTAwcEOsAUJKpamxGkKtlaDwNGV0t5vLW9wdNMr-HHHZHBbGHX1Z-LfkNRNag2LcgsAPGIhjQKDGUkelGX9yVjvgjU_OpHQpR6wKHt8vR_HceU0s71csY/s320/IMG_4451.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREBr_Ji6noLalDtj2XE-wv38DrwzxCe8_fdCLCC6uR-4iuXELttpLjxSXKqyfOho9d0wTuf1DhrI49XfuojxRnafI9jfK_8w5Go6t0eKUBIwVZI-74zQoTc6A2ljffF5V8QyRLmG59UU/s1600-h/IMG_4455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREBr_Ji6noLalDtj2XE-wv38DrwzxCe8_fdCLCC6uR-4iuXELttpLjxSXKqyfOho9d0wTuf1DhrI49XfuojxRnafI9jfK_8w5Go6t0eKUBIwVZI-74zQoTc6A2ljffF5V8QyRLmG59UU/s320/IMG_4455.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WE28XsXUz7huDmw9hK9I7AvQ6XXVULL4CYVvIivmEK1tVluVEIdsnOWePHBP85qWHAMTx54t2rK0TPU4S1MCQibhwz0JquFE-x14kU4XgWlaTQbOX_yi8aauFLRU_eXQpW7IR_5gSw/s1600-h/IMG_4457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1WE28XsXUz7huDmw9hK9I7AvQ6XXVULL4CYVvIivmEK1tVluVEIdsnOWePHBP85qWHAMTx54t2rK0TPU4S1MCQibhwz0JquFE-x14kU4XgWlaTQbOX_yi8aauFLRU_eXQpW7IR_5gSw/s320/IMG_4457.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_siCny7BNNausiXocj0c6WI2KnlkBSEL1OrHwAis2sSVMQiuQBXiF3xQnyrTvm9nOjGVeIEMPdCyrWSQh3uDctWFMb1Xp3NjQ9ekZXrZAXDWAFL92QmL7XmuFUCQjgxscRkb9FyFO768/s1600-h/IMG_4452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_siCny7BNNausiXocj0c6WI2KnlkBSEL1OrHwAis2sSVMQiuQBXiF3xQnyrTvm9nOjGVeIEMPdCyrWSQh3uDctWFMb1Xp3NjQ9ekZXrZAXDWAFL92QmL7XmuFUCQjgxscRkb9FyFO768/s320/IMG_4452.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7Ljd7wU4t4tGojUF_l9oDaPsQr2UDbEE-0F2wYPpjHJGi8_9l4xVolrKOnx1ETjy21WXF9Sk69FXpXgf9c4f44xtUWR0icXNjGe-1uVNdJ7iJL297ueCguMe2P6f_dSSTtycB108hyphenhyphen4/s1600-h/IMG_4460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7Ljd7wU4t4tGojUF_l9oDaPsQr2UDbEE-0F2wYPpjHJGi8_9l4xVolrKOnx1ETjy21WXF9Sk69FXpXgf9c4f44xtUWR0icXNjGe-1uVNdJ7iJL297ueCguMe2P6f_dSSTtycB108hyphenhyphen4/s320/IMG_4460.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Plus, look at the <b>newest addition</b> to my <b style="color: red;">cake stand collection:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">[<span style="color: black;"></span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span>[</span><i>courtesy of my Aunt Carol</i><span style="color: red;">]</span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;">]</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH95bBBmTo9QdwVJ0RsSbKoyubMx7dbHsoTpW3Hv-HU4XqieedACaLZxtzPbO0cK70M5npp08NvX0SJ_QkpNus5pPxsyLGvggy1rWoMJoDNSTT5_wAW1D2JZB8RLq8Nokz_ZTvOCH6D4/s1600-h/IMG_4475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH95bBBmTo9QdwVJ0RsSbKoyubMx7dbHsoTpW3Hv-HU4XqieedACaLZxtzPbO0cK70M5npp08NvX0SJ_QkpNus5pPxsyLGvggy1rWoMJoDNSTT5_wAW1D2JZB8RLq8Nokz_ZTvOCH6D4/s320/IMG_4475.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Isn't she pretty?? </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I made these cupcakes at my mom's house this past weekend for her to take into work on Monday.<br />
<i>(Which meant I didn't have my nice camera... I hope the digital will do!) </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Even though they were <b>a day late </b>for <b style="color: red;">Valentine's Day</b>,<br />
I don't think anyone complained.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cupcakes on a Monday? <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I'll second that motion!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">•</b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">○</span></span><b style="color: red;">•</b><b>[[<span style="color: red;">All in all, here were the combinations that I made</span></b><b>]]<span style="color: red;">•</span></b><span style="color: black;">○</span><b style="color: red;">•</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>BOX 1 </u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥</span></b> <b>Chocolate Cake + Chocolate Buttercream Frosting + Nutella Filling</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b> <i>Chocolate Cake + Chocolate Buttercream Frosting + Chocolate Ganache Filling</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥</span></b> <b>Chocolate Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting + Cherry Filling</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b> <i>Chocolate Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (no filling)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">♥</span>]</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>BOX 2</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥</span> White Cake + Chocolate Buttercream Frosting + Nutella Filling</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b> <i>White Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Frosting + Strawberry Filling</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥</b> <b>White Cake + Chocolate Buttercream + Chocolate Ganache Filling</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥</span> </b><i>White Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Frosting + Chocolate Ganache Drizzle</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">♥</span>]</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>BOX 3</u> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">♥</span><b> Red Velvet topped with Cream Cheese Frosting :)</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>C'mon... did you think I'd forget to make these? It's <b style="color: red;">VALENTINE'S DA</b><b style="color: red;">Y</b>, for heaven's sakes!</i>) <b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b><i>I know I sure did! </i><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">♥</span></b></div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-90319347000362778012010-01-31T21:28:00.000-08:002010-01-31T21:28:20.316-08:00Sick Day(s)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35RDTe7IX68mCAuBXyRagvhljnuHJJ4VnumV1bZ5QykcVfhgttGAYVa-u6nojhwAXYjwUu-8_jrYTQm2RaLXa2UEJa98ouYGat7tnmKXh1TWWqNCfJRPit_zn7E6ShsGtQP4Juptcgu1z/s1600-h/UndertheWeather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35RDTe7IX68mCAuBXyRagvhljnuHJJ4VnumV1bZ5QykcVfhgttGAYVa-u6nojhwAXYjwUu-8_jrYTQm2RaLXa2UEJa98ouYGat7tnmKXh1TWWqNCfJRPit_zn7E6ShsGtQP4Juptcgu1z/s320/UndertheWeather.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Miss Dot's feeling a little under the weather right now (food poisoning...ugh...), so it may be another day or two until her next post. Until then, use <a href="http://www.bored.com/">this</a> to keep yourself occupied. Happy Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" height="113" src="http://i45.tinypic.com/29enmo1.png" style="border: 0pt none;" width="400" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-5975442049610162232010-01-28T20:45:00.000-08:002010-01-28T20:45:00.573-08:00Cookies and... Beer?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Let's try some word association:</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Peanut Butter?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Jelly.</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Peaches?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Cream.</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Captain?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Tennille.</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cookies?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Beer.</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">All good things must come to an end, my friends, and it is with that that I bring to you our final</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>BEER WEEK</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">recipe.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">~•</span>Recipe #5<span style="color: black;">•~</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioY0-k5CXclJOCpgXXfJlrpo1CfT6tigWBEr0XC0W_t_k7WaFHK69y3iIxEab0KgEtnLcGm9_1Nx21Pr_7UgWHhqoRKQ2GYuWNYDXRoTKfBP_6pLYcce-OG24t5tuaMUaq-ADUocIkadP1/s1600-h/IMG_1776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioY0-k5CXclJOCpgXXfJlrpo1CfT6tigWBEr0XC0W_t_k7WaFHK69y3iIxEab0KgEtnLcGm9_1Nx21Pr_7UgWHhqoRKQ2GYuWNYDXRoTKfBP_6pLYcce-OG24t5tuaMUaq-ADUocIkadP1/s400/IMG_1776.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: red; font-size: small;">♥STOUT COOKIES♥</span> </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Adapted from <b>Carolyn Smagalski's</b> recipe on <a href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38667.asp"><b>BellaOnline</b></a> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Makes about 40 cookies</span></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ingredients:</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 lb. butter</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">2/3 c. granulated sugar</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">2/3 c. brown sugar</span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 egg</span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 T. molasses</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 T. stout</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 t. vanilla extract</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 t. baking soda</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 t. baking powder</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 t. salt</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 t. cinnamon</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 t. nutmeg</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 t. ground cloves</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 c. oats</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">3/4 c. dried cranberries</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Directions:</b></span></span></span></div><ol style="color: black; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">HEAT oven to 375°F and lightly grease cookie sheets.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">SIFT together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">CREAM butter until light and fluffy. ADD sugars and beat until light and fluffy again.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">BLEND in egg, molasses, stout, and vanilla. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">ALTERNATELY ADD flour mixture and oats, blending in between additions.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">FOLD in dried cranberries.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">DROP by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes or until done <i>(mine took 8 minutes)</i> </span></span></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">The site notes some health benefits at the bottom which I will relay to <strike>make myself feel better</strike> help you track your daily vitamin intake:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Health Benefit:</b> <i>Rich in fiber, calcium, vitamin B-complex vitamins, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><b>There.</b> <b style="color: red;">Feel better?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RNDuIdf_2HPFGwF_hB_iptLJAnPU0HQoYaLoxYSdRO3FmLrD9Z2y1VC1JNVcx46b8AUnLq_8KOTNaBd9lF-Y749RWOXyethT6vNBUwdcti9SGetuR_gdZNpND6tm8ursn73WOoq3jTCM/s1600-h/IMG_1769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RNDuIdf_2HPFGwF_hB_iptLJAnPU0HQoYaLoxYSdRO3FmLrD9Z2y1VC1JNVcx46b8AUnLq_8KOTNaBd9lF-Y749RWOXyethT6vNBUwdcti9SGetuR_gdZNpND6tm8ursn73WOoq3jTCM/s400/IMG_1769.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">These cookies were pretty good. I tried adding chocolate chips to the last couple sheets of cookies and I wasn't too into it. They're definitely good and chewy but I'll admit, if I hadn't seen stout in the ingredients list, I wouldn't have known there was stout in them at all. If you're looking for a recipe that really showcases stout, this is not it. However, if you're looking for some good, spicy cookies and want to brag to your friends that there's beer in them, these are your best bet. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then again, you may want to ask yourself why you're bragging to your friends that you have beer in your cookies. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Weirdo.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">*shakes head*</div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-19045830296025407942010-01-27T20:50:00.000-08:002010-01-27T21:03:38.682-08:00I'm a Changed Woman<div style="text-align: center;">I must admit -- I used to be an <i><b>unbeliever.</b></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I used to think that <b><a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/2009/11/brownies-how-i-loathe-thee.html">I couldn't bake brownies</a>.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I used to think that it was...too difficult.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I would overbake them; I would underbake them; they would stick to my apparently unnecessarily-greased pan.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bottom line: <b style="color: red;"> </b></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">I LOATHED </b><b style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[making]</span> </b><b style="color: red;">BROWNIES.</b><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">That is, until I met <i>these little beauties.</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnAhqoPTtggU1qoo7sF7QKqebz8bj7mSOfP43ozSF69nBvWAutqyV5HAwKsaVmxCTC0I-i258IcDUdn6iwOxV7pLjp0wP4K9_qY4fqQ7E2tPV6Kq73NxrUpPRmxkLq3LitaCx74sDqyI/s1600-h/IMG_1733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnAhqoPTtggU1qoo7sF7QKqebz8bj7mSOfP43ozSF69nBvWAutqyV5HAwKsaVmxCTC0I-i258IcDUdn6iwOxV7pLjp0wP4K9_qY4fqQ7E2tPV6Kq73NxrUpPRmxkLq3LitaCx74sDqyI/s400/IMG_1733.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i>Yep, you guessed it...<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>{<span style="color: red;">STOUT BROWNIES</span>}</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">These little brownies behaved so well.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They baked for the amount of time they promised they'd bake.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They didn't stick to the pan.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>They even had a <b>toothpick</b> test and guess what? </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>THEY PASSED.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm so pleased with these brownies.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They're everything a good brownie should be:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b>Moist, decadent, and fudgy.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxWk3-nKfmvdv96Qh3l_CgUtSB6G55VPzBsMM3TQCxHRaJmJNrfDKKQZygjNzr2tl0gn6ErkjLM_wwMHpw6sd4xvcp1-cd8gxhtxM_PsxXyeuKpD2mzOZQfElpyhCZu2mNEZQ3mmd-y4/s1600-h/IMG_1742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxWk3-nKfmvdv96Qh3l_CgUtSB6G55VPzBsMM3TQCxHRaJmJNrfDKKQZygjNzr2tl0gn6ErkjLM_wwMHpw6sd4xvcp1-cd8gxhtxM_PsxXyeuKpD2mzOZQfElpyhCZu2mNEZQ3mmd-y4/s400/IMG_1742.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
Plus,<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>there are chocolate chips on top.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>MmmMMMmmmmmMMMMMMMmmmm.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you like <b>dark chocolate</b>, </span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(or are a fan of chocolate that isn't <i>too</i> sweet),</span> </span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">these are definitely for you</span></u><span style="font-size: large;">.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This recipe combines<b style="color: red;"> three different kinds of chocolate</b> to create a <b>rich</b>, <b>dark chocolate</b> flavor that only serves to <i>enhance</i> the bold stout.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">May I introduce you to:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">~•</span>Recipe #4<span style="color: black;">•~</span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥STOUT BROWNIES♥</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Adapted from</b> <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=689"><b>Cookie Madness</b></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes 15 Miss Dot-sized-brownies or 36 normal-person-brownies. </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Who knew?<br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. all-purpose flour<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 t. salt<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 T. unsalted room temperature butter, cut into cubes<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 oz. dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. white chocolate chips<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 large eggs, room temperature<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. granulated sugar<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">10 oz. (1 1/4 c.) stout (she used Guinness Extra Stout) -- room temperature<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 t. vanilla<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. semisweet chocolate chips<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/8 cup confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Directions:</b><br />
</div><ol><li>HEAT oven to 375°F. Line a 9"x13" baking pan with a nonstick foil like Reynolds Release <i><b>*TIP:</b> I didn't have nonstick foil so I just lined the pan with regular foil and then sprayed it with cooking spray.</i></li>
<li>WHISK together flour, salt, and cocoa powder until combined. Set aside.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, MELT butter, bittersweet chocolate, and white chocolate chips in a double boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat. Alternatively, you may do this in the microwave by microwaving on high and stirring every 30 seconds.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, BEAT eggs and sugar together on high until fluffy (about 3 minutes).</li>
<li>ADD melted chocolate mixture to sugar-egg mixture; beat until combined.</li>
<li>BEAT flour mixture into chocolate mixture.</li>
<li>WHISK in stout.</li>
<li>POUR into prepared pan and drop semisweet chocolate chips on top of batter. Some will sink in; this is fine.</li>
<li>BAKE for 25-30 minutes on center rack in oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out <i>almost</i> clean.</li>
<li>COOL; Dust with confectioners sugar before serving. </li>
</ol><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCo-F9n08Ab0kyQg_OEAsYGOScESa4quGxptQo5gwaLJDmkGp7bYJTvSGDOdcf7qCVugvc7zL4I9TopXA2sepUTinU0phuBRu1EdUnsosOjOMpsKAtmagnv-tawOhtN1v8mBHMhHSZ28/s1600-h/IMG_1736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCo-F9n08Ab0kyQg_OEAsYGOScESa4quGxptQo5gwaLJDmkGp7bYJTvSGDOdcf7qCVugvc7zL4I9TopXA2sepUTinU0phuBRu1EdUnsosOjOMpsKAtmagnv-tawOhtN1v8mBHMhHSZ28/s400/IMG_1736.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGDFtlALf3fUI4F073EAQbKl59J20MPbECy0CRhqSv8QiJM_Z-tIj67TApjCAQ9jeynkSvubGUiSls2x0aP63BmM6vR50I1pVh5TZtfXSl1q6i9P3Cb-ZuWgxPXk0trmRdoURMNVTG-k/s1600-h/IMG_1747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGDFtlALf3fUI4F073EAQbKl59J20MPbECy0CRhqSv8QiJM_Z-tIj67TApjCAQ9jeynkSvubGUiSls2x0aP63BmM6vR50I1pVh5TZtfXSl1q6i9P3Cb-ZuWgxPXk0trmRdoURMNVTG-k/s400/IMG_1747.JPG" width="267" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This recipe has been <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT_n__vsguk"><b>Swedish Chef</b></a><b>-approved!</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-39368552538740528372010-01-26T21:00:00.000-08:002010-01-26T21:00:05.618-08:00Beer Bread Remix!<div style="text-align: center;">Sooooo this one time, I made some <b style="color: red;">beer bread</b><span style="color: red;">.</span> It was from a mix, it was from a Partylite party, and it was <i>delicious.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Since then, I've done <b> </b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>three <span style="color: red;">[3]</span> things</b></u><b>:</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">1</span>] </b>I researched beer bread recipes.<br />
<br />
<b>[<span style="color: red;">2</span>]</b> After looking at a bunch of recipes and learning how <i><b>easy</b></i> beer bread is to make, I vowed to never buy beer bread mix again because it would be like oh, I don't know...<i>buying a paper airplane kit </i>(contents: 1 piece of paper).<br />
<br />
<b>[<span style="color: red;">3</span>] </b>I chose a beer bread recipe and <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/11/iron-cupcake-earth-apples.html"><b>tried it</b></a>.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I <b>**know**</b> I've posted about it before<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(duh, I just put a link to it up there)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">so, in order to avoid any unnecessary <b style="color: red;">name-calling</b>,<br />
<i>(i.e., cheater, lazy baker, un-original nincompoop)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm doing a little<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>RE-MIX.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Same recipe,<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>DIFFERENT BEER.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's try this recipe <i>ONE MORE TIME</i>, but this time, let's do it with <b>{<span style="color: red;">stout</span>}</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>[<span style="color: red;">♥</span>]</b><br />
<br />
</div><br />
<span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">~•</span>Recipe #3<span style="color: black;">•~</span></b></span><br />
</div><br />
<span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">♥BEER BREAD♥</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
</div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b>From <a href="http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11/beyond-easy-beer-bread.html">Farmgirl Fare</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">Makes 1 loaf</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span> <br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 c. all-purpose flour</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 T. sugar<span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 t. salt</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 T. baking powder<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 1/2 c. (12 oz.) <b style="color: red;">stout</b> beer<br />
</span><br />
<ul></ul><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Directions:</b></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-weight: normal;">HEAT oven to 375°F and grease 1 loaf pan.<br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">COMBINE flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">STIR in beer slowly (dough will be thick and sticky) and spoon into loaf pan.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">BAKE for about 45 minutes or until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br />
<i>**NOTE**</i></b><i> Mine only took 35 minutes</i></span><br />
</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">COOL in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">REMOVE FROM PAN and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.<br />
<br />
</span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wDCX5D26_nh3nrFEJRCj92_qLcUiUbSDXsvZsfbx42HFB0HPec5TyVdKLpo2Xq6_1nxHzjFaLPilLgkT_UeAeb3NfgD2Zf5v3hw0TJj7xUP81sCZ9hbf-jozhLIywu2YwplAFQrHNrHS/s1600-h/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wDCX5D26_nh3nrFEJRCj92_qLcUiUbSDXsvZsfbx42HFB0HPec5TyVdKLpo2Xq6_1nxHzjFaLPilLgkT_UeAeb3NfgD2Zf5v3hw0TJj7xUP81sCZ9hbf-jozhLIywu2YwplAFQrHNrHS/s320/IMG_1717.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>THIS</b> <span style="font-weight: normal;">is how beer bread, round two, came out.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The cracks are kinda scary huh? Like a monster?</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Let me help you out with that:</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs1z-rhqAJCPgOf2o82z6LZ9qENs0EMICGoyJCxBIDbEW06SjYSHejF_lyvPCqC5KikVxoUd6ipkqosG5KpfqKVTS2sobWcLi-LBOTHTY7uRptv2guOuYvpC-nkU8MDIQjVqDGeCIzLKb/s1600-h/Monster-Bread.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs1z-rhqAJCPgOf2o82z6LZ9qENs0EMICGoyJCxBIDbEW06SjYSHejF_lyvPCqC5KikVxoUd6ipkqosG5KpfqKVTS2sobWcLi-LBOTHTY7uRptv2guOuYvpC-nkU8MDIQjVqDGeCIzLKb/s320/Monster-Bread.gif" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>See what I mean??</i></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Crazy.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i> </i><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Aside from its resemblance to something kids imagine comes from their closets, this was pretty darn good!</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I mean, <i>look at this crust!</i></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KKtkn03J5ONpkwby1L9oN830SSGtk_kFDc3gQ1KbQz4MYqzpsPoikTXjs7iNpK1w3aHqzK8w0zvkdDj8ZT709Nckrd6byxMx60TZmHII3WWWpGlCXf7BUXJuVorGvmJdypOex0ZrrG_Q/s1600-h/IMG_1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KKtkn03J5ONpkwby1L9oN830SSGtk_kFDc3gQ1KbQz4MYqzpsPoikTXjs7iNpK1w3aHqzK8w0zvkdDj8ZT709Nckrd6byxMx60TZmHII3WWWpGlCXf7BUXJuVorGvmJdypOex0ZrrG_Q/s320/IMG_1718.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mmmmm <b>craggly scraggly</b> goodness...</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXB5pjuSZxYa_I0YeF0A8LfWjO68pj9_-tkxbBPbMn8hQDkw5risWub01FxzoCyneUtlIkL4PsiD88zSk5SkJFmOKeJolZwt4vtyc7exZqVoC7lewXFf2r1W81IL-GvboWfhLqXCYV28h/s1600-h/IMG_1724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXB5pjuSZxYa_I0YeF0A8LfWjO68pj9_-tkxbBPbMn8hQDkw5risWub01FxzoCyneUtlIkL4PsiD88zSk5SkJFmOKeJolZwt4vtyc7exZqVoC7lewXFf2r1W81IL-GvboWfhLqXCYV28h/s320/IMG_1724.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Aww... poor widdle bread. <b style="color: red;">Look at you. </b> You want some butter, don't you? You're all warm and happy and you just want some butter. Butty wutty wutter. Wubby buddy wubber. Bubbe--</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>OK, I'm done. </b><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Butter.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
<b>Done.</b><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bU5UoW3DQ878lj8coxGcqIIIc5RiBGjCZTpZltcszsPL6i-xLq661y4L6uClVcu0hRHOM0EuWinDMdnHtpjXOjKRXTfKgSHbYjJDB_dNzmTGPmxhCSFHxo0x9RtkUCHDGWedWdH-uEmz/s1600-h/IMG_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bU5UoW3DQ878lj8coxGcqIIIc5RiBGjCZTpZltcszsPL6i-xLq661y4L6uClVcu0hRHOM0EuWinDMdnHtpjXOjKRXTfKgSHbYjJDB_dNzmTGPmxhCSFHxo0x9RtkUCHDGWedWdH-uEmz/s320/IMG_1726.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
</li>
</ol></div></div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-8335983273163604012010-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:002010-01-25T21:00:02.967-08:00Pancakes??? More like MANcakes!!!<div style="text-align: justify;">So the wife asked me do a guest post on this little blog thing she's got going...bear with me as I'm not what you'd call an avid blogger. In fact, I don't know that I've ever blogged. The closest I've been is updating my facebook status more than once a month. So here goes something...<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">For those of you out there on the interwebs who don't know anything about me (which I'm pretty sure is like 98.4% of everyone reading this), I'm what most people would consider <a href="http://i49.tinypic.com/2rpcwuf.gif">a man</a>. And by that I mean I am a male of my species and have reached an age that allows me to do everything from buying lottery tickets to renting a car. So for quite a while, I also assumed I was a man. That was until I came across what is quite possibly the coolest website ever (besides <a href="http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/">this one</a> of course). <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/">The Art of Manliness</a> is like a guide to becoming the man that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers were. With articles covering everything from <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/2009/09/03/how-to-unclog-a-toilet/">manly skills</a> to <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/2009/10/06/how-to-straight-razor-shave/">how to get a manly shave</a>, it is a treasure chest of thoughts and tips on how to be a Man.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While there are numerous articles that I could get into to show you how cool it is to be a Man, that's not why I'm here (plus I'm pretty sure that most of you reading this are of the female persuasion). My purpose today is to tell you about the delicious pancakes that I made. "What do pancakes have to do with a website about shaving and plumbing?" you may ask. Well let me enlighten you to the wonder that is the <a href="http://artofmanliness.com/2008/10/08/man-cookbook/">FREE Art of Manliness Man Cookbook</a>. AoM put this together back in October 2008, but I just recently discovered it. It is a compilation of recipes by AoM readers (which is sometimes evident in the way the recipes are written) for Men and their female counterparts. And boy was I excited to try some of the recipes.<br />
<br />
Note: You did have to subscribe to AoM via RSS feed or email to get the FREE cookbook, but it's well worth it.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I decided to give the Beer Batter Pancakes found on page 18 a try. The recipe is simple, but the pancakes are amazing. I attribute part of this to the fact that I had recently acquired a six pack of a friend of mine's <a href="http://i45.tinypic.com/33cx8r7.jpg">home-brewed stout</a> (that Miss Dot has been and will continue utilizing all week). While the recipe didn't call for such a flavorful brew, I really think that these flapjacks tasted just a little more manly with such a tasty base. For those of you without access to my secret stash, I think a dark beer like Guinness or a darker micro-brew would be great here as well.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well I'm sure you're wondering when I'm going to actually get to the recipe and all that fun stuff. Well you're in luck, because here it comes.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">~•</span>Recipe #2<span style="color: black;">•~</span></b></span><br />
</div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beer Batter Pancakes</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>By Steve from MKE (with some additions by me)<br />
</b><br />
from The Art of Manliness Man Cookbook<b> <br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ingredients</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup all purpose flour<b> </b><br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 egg, beaten<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup beer<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tablespoons melted butter<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Directions</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> <br />
</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcBysAcwLBkKJWUcGxP2ofjZrEKQ2lSCScibKynP10Kx76w6tRdnIRTHiEJSfLdYwqVg1f8vsJceWy709O6UFyJJAELjCG7fiDV4xm5o-xH2ar8ELOFJ58mPvSmU7IbffXwsWRLJCIgyK/s1600-h/IMG_1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcBysAcwLBkKJWUcGxP2ofjZrEKQ2lSCScibKynP10Kx76w6tRdnIRTHiEJSfLdYwqVg1f8vsJceWy709O6UFyJJAELjCG7fiDV4xm5o-xH2ar8ELOFJ58mPvSmU7IbffXwsWRLJCIgyK/s320/IMG_1688.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> <br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pour 1/4 cup of batter on whatever surface you normally make pancakes on<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNr__KXSRRbzk1_eoinF1aMVII9dcCItDfwIxRNuYVLJOjdQwOVDiqr-DHb7_oQl3hdVEWPHpz-hJA2Iqg7v7ZoD-yh30s6NjzFEaSCnjwPwlYRC5U9H-Z3J8N5lZsNG55oqbNcPRb3r3P/s1600-h/IMG_1697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNr__KXSRRbzk1_eoinF1aMVII9dcCItDfwIxRNuYVLJOjdQwOVDiqr-DHb7_oQl3hdVEWPHpz-hJA2Iqg7v7ZoD-yh30s6NjzFEaSCnjwPwlYRC5U9H-Z3J8N5lZsNG55oqbNcPRb3r3P/s320/IMG_1697.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>Wait until bubbles appear<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-jnksEewe_TMvOu1rfhKHKNLnTESo02t8CDjvNc0tGKWttvyFluoSRijsaz9WGuz7GRfhMuRMg1dV6jeB_CycvQ_nwQn4J2Rn6rD8jZ4B1useM6b2jxw5ncOuNj3vID1rPKKAYzYj8ot/s1600-h/IMG_1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-jnksEewe_TMvOu1rfhKHKNLnTESo02t8CDjvNc0tGKWttvyFluoSRijsaz9WGuz7GRfhMuRMg1dV6jeB_CycvQ_nwQn4J2Rn6rD8jZ4B1useM6b2jxw5ncOuNj3vID1rPKKAYzYj8ot/s320/IMG_1699.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Flip<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR-dzuzd0wWIRBOsyJfdDikLJIIUDP_Uecx9psgyLMRGOR8Z9p2jQb5uCcW3CDUkaty3GBKlojuQsm9XqUPt9xI6Y9hCPdeOdkyu_pzQrq5KSAgucioIFvNdsgq-Oms46tnVc__ApW5Oa/s1600-h/IMG_1692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMR-dzuzd0wWIRBOsyJfdDikLJIIUDP_Uecx9psgyLMRGOR8Z9p2jQb5uCcW3CDUkaty3GBKlojuQsm9XqUPt9xI6Y9hCPdeOdkyu_pzQrq5KSAgucioIFvNdsgq-Oms46tnVc__ApW5Oa/s320/IMG_1692.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cover in warm maple syrup<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-waemJYz0fWZtfKIp6iaKSP4p-CgvpLuylKnGPp64l9IEmVcIQ0E-dq575BpDPvEHSj_Kqc4Kswdy2g4dRdoa4_HK9oMK915a5w25df3MLwGUw9D4DsoOYPOOIyQw7k6l1LywCUpSQLLm/s1600-h/IMG_1706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-waemJYz0fWZtfKIp6iaKSP4p-CgvpLuylKnGPp64l9IEmVcIQ0E-dq575BpDPvEHSj_Kqc4Kswdy2g4dRdoa4_HK9oMK915a5w25df3MLwGUw9D4DsoOYPOOIyQw7k6l1LywCUpSQLLm/s320/IMG_1706.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy!!!<br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
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<center></center><center></center><center><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/wpbfd.gif" /></center><br />
<br />
So there you have it. Not only did I make delicious pancakes, but I also successfully wrote a delicious blog post for the wife. I'm sure you have lots of great comments to leave me now, so go ahead and get to it. Thanks for letting me stop by for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
Until next time...<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="left" height="113" src="http://i45.tinypic.com/29enmo1.png" style="border: 0pt none;" width="400" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-82046478140624646242010-01-24T09:01:00.000-08:002010-01-24T21:01:28.672-08:00It's like college all over again!<div style="text-align: center;">Remember <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2010/01/apple-tar-er-cobbler.html"><b>that one night</b></a>?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The one where I was feeling<b> <i><span style="color: red;">persnickety</span>?</i></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, the only thing I was missing that night was that one special<br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black;">[[</span>KEY<span style="color: black;">]]</span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>secret</i></b> ingredient that I needed from a friend.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The one for that <b><span style="color: red;">new cupcake recipe</span>.</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Remember?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I thought you did.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, <b>I GOT THE INGREDIENT:</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">{<span style="color: red;">STOUT</span>}</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSBZDgAG6-Tp5T6uI9JIaeaLdKfEgh3SbPf8gi6LkixF8yY1SVH3as6K3bPtbqBs1OT6tFnY9OGD1TXfg3Icq5ZPUjO1-dn3a00523dDx_FOsU6sFMQdhPLiDKEKV1cGWbJf2wGFWAik/s1600-h/Beer+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSBZDgAG6-Tp5T6uI9JIaeaLdKfEgh3SbPf8gi6LkixF8yY1SVH3as6K3bPtbqBs1OT6tFnY9OGD1TXfg3Icq5ZPUjO1-dn3a00523dDx_FOsU6sFMQdhPLiDKEKV1cGWbJf2wGFWAik/s400/Beer+3.JPG" width="222" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Strong, dark, robust, home-brewed </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>stout</b>.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, if you'll recall, I actually don't drink, so for me to really enjoy this beer and its <b style="color: red;">bold</b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">,</span></span><b style="color: red;"> roasted malt flavor</b>, I had to come up with some recipes that would showcase just that.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thankfully, my husband joined in on the fun, too, and we've come up with a <b>glorious</b> week of <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">[[</span>stout-tastic<span style="color: black;">]]</span> </b></span>bliss.<u> <br />
</u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's start the fun then, shall we?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">~•</span>Recipe #1<span style="color: black;">•~</span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;">♥STOUT CUPCAKES♥</span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">From "Martha Stewart's Cupcakes"</span></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Makes 24-30 cupcakes</i></span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 t. plus 1/8 t. baking soda</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 3/4 t. baking powder</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/4 t. salt</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 T. ground cinnamon</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/4 c. vegetable oil</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/4 c. unsulfured molasses</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 c. plus 1 T. packed light-brown sugar</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 large whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 T. plus 1 t. finely grated orange zest</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 1/4 c. (10 oz.) stout beer, such as Guinness, poured and settled</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stout Glaze <i>(recipe follows)</i></span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Directions</b>:</span></span></span></span><br />
</div><ol><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">HEAT oven to 350°F and line standard muffin tins with paper liners.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">WHISK together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">BEAT together oil, molasses, brown sugar, whole eggs, yolk, zest, and stout on medium-low speed until combined.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">ADD flour mixture; beat until just combined.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">DIVIDE batter among cups, filling each three-quarters full. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">BAKE, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean (about 20 minutes).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">COOL on wire racks. <i><b><br />
<br />
*TIP: </b>Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.<br />
<br />
</i></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i>To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spoon glaze over cupcakes and let set. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: red;">STOUT GLAZE: </b><span style="color: black;">Whisk together 2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted, and 1/4 c. stout beer, such as Guinness, poured and settled. Use immediately. <b>**NOTE**</b> I found that this was <i>barely</i> enough to drizzle over my cupcakes. Maybe it's because I'm such a frosting nut anyway that glaze doesn't really do it for me, but I could barely get a full tablespoon on each cupcake, and I only made 24 cupcakes! </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Since I only had enough room for two cupcake tins in my oven, I filled those both and used the remaining batter to make a little double layer 6-inch round cake. I iced it with a lemon buttercream on top and cream cheese frosting in the middle. That way, I still got my frosting fix. Silly glazes -- who uses those, anyway?? Pfft... glaze is like frosting for wimps. If you can't stand the sugar, <i><b>get out of the kitchen!</b></i>*<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVGkE2BVEkC0bbLRGSLsHhyOKyNHZvyS9Ro43NNVjD5qOvzg1y3Pt5SFbFzCVqZJnHS4WlluSU4vSPxwDtlk7QoIvMovtXO86ItJSbnwf0_Y7WJ95EV77q_jVX0x-Han_KAX4rG3z8DQ/s1600-h/Cake+Closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVGkE2BVEkC0bbLRGSLsHhyOKyNHZvyS9Ro43NNVjD5qOvzg1y3Pt5SFbFzCVqZJnHS4WlluSU4vSPxwDtlk7QoIvMovtXO86ItJSbnwf0_Y7WJ95EV77q_jVX0x-Han_KAX4rG3z8DQ/s320/Cake+Closeup.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JpMwHWUVFVYNtqipmllaj3Ntc2eygOLkmKcXFOjEPvJOOerdUzAosYK2XPcLDOA_DI1IbzZCe0gvCK-OOGmuiLZzCdPsofyv-zbxx8hazBUd7Wp4GQ5_wHaEJe_kYzA5t4sJmUluSv4/s1600-h/Cake+Pedestal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JpMwHWUVFVYNtqipmllaj3Ntc2eygOLkmKcXFOjEPvJOOerdUzAosYK2XPcLDOA_DI1IbzZCe0gvCK-OOGmuiLZzCdPsofyv-zbxx8hazBUd7Wp4GQ5_wHaEJe_kYzA5t4sJmUluSv4/s320/Cake+Pedestal.JPG" /></a><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPtN2HDHDBskbv7yjR2V6v0JPjBT5V_iy3vRXWhiZJPU0-Jtti_uxMzDW0Vaid2SJaCo84VJRQt5LNoXtEBZwBKA8vqOYy6J-pXwGQoL4X3iw646fXbks8bbb5IEYmx37YUMqHp5raQE/s1600-h/Cake+Slice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPtN2HDHDBskbv7yjR2V6v0JPjBT5V_iy3vRXWhiZJPU0-Jtti_uxMzDW0Vaid2SJaCo84VJRQt5LNoXtEBZwBKA8vqOYy6J-pXwGQoL4X3iw646fXbks8bbb5IEYmx37YUMqHp5raQE/s320/Cake+Slice.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This recipe is just great. Those little cupcakes are packed with such a rich, spicy flavor that I had a hard time keeping Mr. Dot's grubby little mitts off 'em. They taste like a spice cake -- a moist, dark, spice cake with a little <i><b>zing</b></i> of <b style="color: orange;">orange</b><b>.</b> I definitely recommend you give this one a try!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div></div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>*Just as a side note before I start getting hate mail, I am <u>fully aware</u> of the dangers associated with mass sugar consumption. As the daughter of a diabetic father, niece of three diabetic uncles, and reformed overweight child myself, I genuinely appreciate the idea of sugar in moderation. However, I also genuinely appreciate frosting. It's a vicious life I lead.</i><br />
</div>Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-84561929319972662132010-01-21T14:52:00.000-08:002010-01-23T18:21:03.441-08:00Cinnamon Cream Cheese Poundcake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOV0tOL956VyqpdscwglquxqBc3b1HOusUD3f_Z0ABqLl3kr1qzz-C5wayuP7JIBjMzb1iQLSAdhGYXaZRW7mMudQ6_6wsHZg8nYFLOan4moXVcLq0QQyfqlOgFGQYjnMS5bUy9gm_bM/s1600-h/123460_umbrellaElvgren_pinup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOV0tOL956VyqpdscwglquxqBc3b1HOusUD3f_Z0ABqLl3kr1qzz-C5wayuP7JIBjMzb1iQLSAdhGYXaZRW7mMudQ6_6wsHZg8nYFLOan4moXVcLq0QQyfqlOgFGQYjnMS5bUy9gm_bM/s320/123460_umbrellaElvgren_pinup.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's been raining here lately.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A lot.</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What better time than now to try some <b style="color: red;">new recipes</b>?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>No better time</i>, I say.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So what are we waiting for?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">~♥~</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKD9Zd1zJetXJmv5ASgDYk-BleMryBj8ZbkQdh5A5D-v43wGHQYJkMlA-zXpvg5qkKk0iQOmpc2xAYIzwAn67ndZ4aHiuExLzkMlP8wzUB_zST56-jv336Vm7PDFIilQQED3q_lzULLA/s1600-h/Closeup+Full+Bundt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKD9Zd1zJetXJmv5ASgDYk-BleMryBj8ZbkQdh5A5D-v43wGHQYJkMlA-zXpvg5qkKk0iQOmpc2xAYIzwAn67ndZ4aHiuExLzkMlP8wzUB_zST56-jv336Vm7PDFIilQQED3q_lzULLA/s400/Closeup+Full+Bundt.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I did that thing again</i>. You know, the <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>non-cupcake</b><span style="font-size: small;"> thing. Is that OK?</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE POUNDCAKE♥</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This new recipe comes from </b><b><span style="color: red;">Ingrid</span> of <a href="http://www.baseballbakingandbooks.com/">3 B's .... Baseball, Baking, & Books</a> who found it on the blog </b><b><a href="http://oneordinaryday.wordpress.com/">One Ordinary Day</a></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes one 12-cup bundt cake</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> <br />
</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 c. unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature<b> </b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">8 oz. <a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10295527"><b>Philadelphia Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Spice Swirl cream cheese</b></a>, room temperature <i><b> </b></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>*TIP: </b>Both Ingrid and I chose to make our own brown sugar and cinnamon cream cheese. Here's how I made mine: mix 1 T. brown sugar + 1 t. cinnamon into 8 oz. room temperature cream cheese. Sample it and add brown sugar/cinnamon to your taste. Try not to eat it all before you add it to the batter.)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 c. granulated sugar<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 large eggs<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 t. pure vanilla extract<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 t. ground cinnamon<br />
</div>3 c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
Cinnamon glaze <i>(recipe follows)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol><li>HEAT oven to 325°F and lightly spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.</li>
<li>CREAM butter and cream cheese.<br />
</li>
<li>ADD granulated sugar and beat for 5 minutes on HIGH (until mixture is light and airy)</li>
<li>ADD eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.</li>
<li>ADD vanilla and cinnamon.</li>
<li>In a separate bowl, COMBINE flour and salt.</li>
<li>ADD flour mixture to wet mixture and mix until <i>just</i> combined.</li>
<li>POUR batter into pan and even out the top. </li>
<li>BAKE for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake is golden brown and cake tester comes out clean.</li>
<li>COOL in pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. REMOVE from pan and allow to cool completely.</li>
<li>GLAZE with cinnamon glaze <i>(recipe follows)</i></li>
</ol>Now comes the time for the glaze. I bet you're pretty excited, right? I mean, <i>twice</i> now I've mentioned it and said "recipe follows," so I'm sure you've been dying to scroll down and check it out. Well, here's the situation: <i>There are three (3) recipes. </i><br />
<br />
-There's the <b>first recipe</b>, <i>the original recipe</i>, which is the one I used initially but thought it was missing some <i>oomph.</i><br />
-There's the <b>second recipe</b>, <i>a thicker recipe</i>, that Ingrid came up with and, if I'd had some heavy cream, I totally would have tried.<br />
-Then there's a <b>third recipe</b>, <i>a thick, more cinnamon-y glaze</i>, that I came up with after I felt the first was lacking.<br />
<br />
Here they are in the same order:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">[<i>ORIGINAL</i>]</b><b style="color: red;"> CINNAMON GLAZE: </b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Whisk together </span></span>1 c. powdered sugar, 2 T. milk, and 1/2 t. ground cinnamon until smooth. Pour onto cake. <i>(This is the one in the pictures above)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>INGRID'S <span style="color: red;">CINNAMON GLAZE:</span></b> Whisk together 3/4 c. powdered sugar and 2 T. heavy cream. Pour onto cake. Grate cinnamon on top (optional). <i>(This is the one pictured in <a href="http://www.baseballbakingandbooks.com/2010/01/ringing-in-new-year-with-cinnamon-cream.html"><b>Ingrid's post</b></a>)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>MISS DOT'S <span style="color: red;">CINNAMON GLAZE:</span></b> Whisk together 1 c. powdered sugar, 1/4 c. <a href="http://www.coffee-mate.com/products/FrenchVanillaLiquid.aspx"><b>Coffee-mate French Vanilla</b></a>, and 1 T. cinnamon. Add more Coffee-mate as necessary to get preferred consistency. Pour onto cake. <i>(I didn't get a chance to take a picture of this because, well, let's just say it didn't last long...)</i><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I cannot express how incredibly moist this cake is. I feel it could stand alone <i>without </i>the glaze -- perhaps just some jam? Preserves? Powdered sugar? Whatever sprinkles your cupcake. As for how much we liked this recipe, well, let's just say Mr. Dot has announced that it has made it to the <b>Top Ten List of Things to Bake for my Husband</b> [AKA: <i>him</i>].<i> <br />
</i><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZnqhdjErl0HWIICvkhNxjU8tSWj5KbjkgwUcWUwk7cEvBdSAKTVFPpoSMRWMpWhEiwSu2Z7vwnPZtR9G4LIcJpRwYiJuObk1-50jU9Kx-iWc6-pPl1krN4mkt3et-qgOEZozo4J2QG0/s1600-h/Bundt+Close-up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZnqhdjErl0HWIICvkhNxjU8tSWj5KbjkgwUcWUwk7cEvBdSAKTVFPpoSMRWMpWhEiwSu2Z7vwnPZtR9G4LIcJpRwYiJuObk1-50jU9Kx-iWc6-pPl1krN4mkt3et-qgOEZozo4J2QG0/s400/Bundt+Close-up.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"></span><i>enjoy</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥</span></b><i> <br />
</i><br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-29270130676241348962010-01-17T22:10:00.000-08:002010-01-23T17:58:53.859-08:00Apple Tar-- er, Cobbler...<div style="text-align: center;">Tonight, I was feeling a little <b style="color: red;"><i>persnickety</i>.</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pnbdjzSaBEEjMreYmH0bs-q88sVaHyB-Adphhati-gdqrCVwL-GJugTdRA0hR12emHdb4y3u1tyqd_qpCfaC2Qznm7XCYvG6p3JXdchL9WGquIokSAeJdr-49zpk2NnZnOZoyHhAueI/s1600-h/Me+%2B+Apron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pnbdjzSaBEEjMreYmH0bs-q88sVaHyB-Adphhati-gdqrCVwL-GJugTdRA0hR12emHdb4y3u1tyqd_qpCfaC2Qznm7XCYvG6p3JXdchL9WGquIokSAeJdr-49zpk2NnZnOZoyHhAueI/s320/Me+%2B+Apron.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(See my <b>Williams Sonoma</b> bowls in the background there? </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yep, my kid sister gave those to me for Christmas. Such a smart little shopper!)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My original plan was to try out a <b style="color: red;">new cupcake recipe</b> tonight but I was missing a<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>KEY</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">ingredient that I need to get from a friend.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know that sounds shady,<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>but that's how I roll.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So what was I to do??<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was all itching for some baketitude and needed <b><i>SOMETHING</i></b> to stick in the oven or else I feared I might<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">**<a href="http://i50.tinypic.com/2dtriub.jpg"><b>implode</b></a>**<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thankfully, one of my <b style="color: red;">favorite baking bloggers</b> came to my rescue.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/"><b>Whisk Kid</b></a>, the crazy-talented baking teenager with <i>so much skill </i>in the kitchen it just isn't fair, posted a recipe for <b><a href="http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/2010/01/glass.html">Apple Tarts</a>.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So what if it's <b>not cupcakes</b>?? I can bake <b>whatever I want!</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(OK, OK, I take that back!! I'm sorry little cupcakes, <b style="color: red;">I love you.</b> I only want to bake <i>you</i>. I promise.)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(But sometimes <b>cookies</b> too, OK?)<br />
<br />
I went through the recipe but when it came time to roll out the dough, I found it way too sticky to manage. I wasn't sure how adding more flour would affect the recipe [<i>I hesitate to add flour for rolling out dough if the recipe doesn't explicitly say it's OK</i>] but I still tried to make one Apple Tart. It was pretty pitiful and I began to throw the dough away when I realized it would be a <b> </b><br />
<b>total shame to waste it.</b><br />
<br />
Therefore, <span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>undaunted</b></i></span> (as my mom would say -- haha!), I charged onward and came up with this recipe:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b><span style="color: red;">♥APPLE COBBLER♥</span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Adapted from </b><b>Whisk Kid's <a href="http://whisk-kid.blogspot.com/2010/01/glass.html">Apple Tart</a></b> <br />
<br />
<i>Makes two 9-inch apple cobbler</i>s<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">1</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Look over the recipe.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">2</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Grumble because the ingredients are measured in grams. Ugh.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">3</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Convince myself that I can totally work in grams. Who needs cups anyway? <i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(I do, that's who.)</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">4</span>]</b></span> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Note that my scale measures in kilograms.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Quickly <a href="http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=how+many+grams+in+a+kilogram&aq=0&aqi=g9&oq=how+many+grams+in+a+kilo&fp=292ac4760832f3c4"><b>Google</b></a> <b>kilograms<span style="font-size: large;">→</span>grams</b> to make sure I remember correctly from 5th grade.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Assure myself plenty of people need to do this sort of thing all the time.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">5</span>a]</b></span> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Cream together</b><b>:</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">125 g confectionery sugar<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">250 g butter<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1 vanilla bean (seeded)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">5</span>b]</b></span> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In case you've never seeded a vanilla bean before, here's a <b>quick tutorial </b>on how to do it:<br />
<br />
Start with as fresh a vanilla bean as you can;<br />
ones that are dried out get kinda fibrous when you cut into them.<br />
(<i>I got mine at <b>Costco</b> of all places!</i>)<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJZY5Iw6QjxyhPuSvIPW9qvdqS45HbuH5aRNwz4-53l7TODHXHksM8vTqSqreuzzYqyNrtpT6P4ducOGCq8cZ_M4zZ8__5sxJFdzvdeYqmtmOy1qZ12WJcpRnXXXlp6Rah_fsoJwUjjc/s1600-h/Vanilla+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJZY5Iw6QjxyhPuSvIPW9qvdqS45HbuH5aRNwz4-53l7TODHXHksM8vTqSqreuzzYqyNrtpT6P4ducOGCq8cZ_M4zZ8__5sxJFdzvdeYqmtmOy1qZ12WJcpRnXXXlp6Rah_fsoJwUjjc/s320/Vanilla+1.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Split the bean in half lengthwise.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjIUipyOsSHoFWqK6IIfWht1UStYVoQ_ys2M1VjxSKLSJSXIHzKlG5Ox_4ynzv5pkQ6oer5RgW42YNFsBwrJS3cjEK4ChpNepeauodILvpGAaWOm9yhtmQIi8YMtli7cfJ0_Ra4L1HE8/s1600-h/Vanilla+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjIUipyOsSHoFWqK6IIfWht1UStYVoQ_ys2M1VjxSKLSJSXIHzKlG5Ox_4ynzv5pkQ6oer5RgW42YNFsBwrJS3cjEK4ChpNepeauodILvpGAaWOm9yhtmQIi8YMtli7cfJ0_Ra4L1HE8/s320/Vanilla+2.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBc1gCeoNvNjtcrvtgV6fgMzdHMGK7VZwHwUeGj6vlIrp_8Bg8-4Wz62wq1NWexotryjxJ2YUwFdHqGv7emplDPjfIePNoeZXROAQsKJJBVFaTCwwiASHXuF3lpfhvuTbFsoMzynFQAg/s1600-h/Vanilla+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBc1gCeoNvNjtcrvtgV6fgMzdHMGK7VZwHwUeGj6vlIrp_8Bg8-4Wz62wq1NWexotryjxJ2YUwFdHqGv7emplDPjfIePNoeZXROAQsKJJBVFaTCwwiASHXuF3lpfhvuTbFsoMzynFQAg/s320/Vanilla+3.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Use your fingers to pry apart the sides of the halves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdDwvsNejpMmruW1IbftWyyHxcohRLHYRfzaLPqvaptAutzX7emJapaMj47JhTgGQbm5tNs6vL7huPoQkwdw-qscoT6KBTdF4ahst8CMMThz1RT5UdtoOLj98bhdPw2jZa2VssNonuCg/s1600-h/Vanilla+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdDwvsNejpMmruW1IbftWyyHxcohRLHYRfzaLPqvaptAutzX7emJapaMj47JhTgGQbm5tNs6vL7huPoQkwdw-qscoT6KBTdF4ahst8CMMThz1RT5UdtoOLj98bhdPw2jZa2VssNonuCg/s320/Vanilla+4.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Use the dull side of your knife to scrape out the mushy meat from inside the bean halves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHfHjAeRqqAbtPuJFxFlFCbEyD6axkWN7HvU2jzCjUfdFguqJSuMGxmnyaulQGNkqWrvZRSFXcVOOv_miDhVtk1kJPaGNfQ0VFM0-oo1EomXBQPEMq0C9SptE2kLO-60JjDh_dAuPLMc/s1600-h/Vanilla+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHfHjAeRqqAbtPuJFxFlFCbEyD6axkWN7HvU2jzCjUfdFguqJSuMGxmnyaulQGNkqWrvZRSFXcVOOv_miDhVtk1kJPaGNfQ0VFM0-oo1EomXBQPEMq0C9SptE2kLO-60JjDh_dAuPLMc/s320/Vanilla+5.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="color: red;"><b>Ta-da! </b><br />
</div>This little pile of vanilla mush is exactly what you want!<br />
This is what will give you those <a href="http://i49.tinypic.com/2nlr4p5.jpg"><b>coveted vanilla specks</b></a> that scream:<br />
<b>EAT MY VANILLA GOODNESS!</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8UyLQsZtJ_3K5o1NHfKl2ryyQk1dkgc_BWKgI4KEu7btH2x8bKYNfqcj8gPuLV-rjK-hbPn5ckIcMFO-DdoQJkkgOVUxd6vUINtAq4XuumxlAph12x0SYBbcI4athB9cHezGG7bcOQg/s1600-h/Vanilla+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8UyLQsZtJ_3K5o1NHfKl2ryyQk1dkgc_BWKgI4KEu7btH2x8bKYNfqcj8gPuLV-rjK-hbPn5ckIcMFO-DdoQJkkgOVUxd6vUINtAq4XuumxlAph12x0SYBbcI4athB9cHezGG7bcOQg/s320/Vanilla+6.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">6</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Add in</b> 3 eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">7</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sift in</b> 500 g cake flour and 1/2 t. baking powder. <b>Mix </b>until just combined.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>•[<i>Here is where <span style="color: red;">my changes</span> start to come in</i>]•</b><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">8</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Form a ball with the dough and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate for at least half an hour.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSn4djGuqBmq4BFsCzto1VaqsFOz8GHWAwkh7Ma7iOJJrLut1cAT7CPBdIZgkfs5qZxI-ou51HoA_y5VGOUlEMKXZH3HZ8gjdcnAfRrcHExyLudI04CZP7AmKIYssS6f5fs-08SBrKRGk/s1600-h/Wrapped+Dough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">9</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">While the dough is in the fridge, start peeling and dicing up 6 granny smith apples. Separate them into the two pie dishes. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">10</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dice up </b>6 T. butter and divide evenly over the apples.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Over each pie dish, sprinkle:</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">•1/4 c. brown sugar<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">•1/8 c. granulated sugar<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">•1 t. cinnamon<br />
•2 T. lemon juice <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">11</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it in two. Begin pulling off chunks of dough and plopping them on top of the apples. Dust with sugar.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZECr4AFIuAMHSqvZDnqDxcG2z_7J9-Ld1f73hJ1x4FfU_MmRgJ0FMYHfSkMvZtdwI0VRbxsgUvQ0apu7Yk8ZgbDWJ5eCWe2oJZQA4iUafapKF3eaj3W4sSwsWBKa6FTmcereoIfWP_fQ/s1600-h/Apple+Cobbler+Unbaked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZECr4AFIuAMHSqvZDnqDxcG2z_7J9-Ld1f73hJ1x4FfU_MmRgJ0FMYHfSkMvZtdwI0VRbxsgUvQ0apu7Yk8ZgbDWJ5eCWe2oJZQA4iUafapKF3eaj3W4sSwsWBKa6FTmcereoIfWP_fQ/s320/Apple+Cobbler+Unbaked.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(There's WAY too much dough on top of this one, but I didn't find out that my apple-to-dough ratio was off until after I baked it. Definitely make sure that you <b>leave space</b> between the dough lumps for the apple gooey-ness to bubble through)</i><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>[<span style="color: red;">12</span>]</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bake</b> at 350° F for 30-35 minutes until you achieve a good, golden-brown exterior and the apples are bubbly:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfU2d6-WgxGpdVWGvnvDqwGTtU9VzmB3mdUuZFe5s10iZ2h1c3u2Z0nhzxqV1izfpxq9dugT-msfJl7I-nli2harQgV4gI326NNMN1V06-9jE0LBmLbqqVfGumQyaFnXQerPT1ArTE0G4/s1600-h/Cobbler+Baked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfU2d6-WgxGpdVWGvnvDqwGTtU9VzmB3mdUuZFe5s10iZ2h1c3u2Z0nhzxqV1izfpxq9dugT-msfJl7I-nli2harQgV4gI326NNMN1V06-9jE0LBmLbqqVfGumQyaFnXQerPT1ArTE0G4/s320/Cobbler+Baked.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-VsRmYfz-BHbqF2jwQPLTARdFMM8z-UFOwBG-wyvKxtzC5pGYuDQYmtktCZsyVy9I_0nLmUDcawn1r5mcuatFXthmwmNmyqIXCNIohPX2Cbf5bGNIiiCx_gFq1L0hMzPImuoWY5wJK0/s1600-h/Cobbler+Baked+-+Closeup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-VsRmYfz-BHbqF2jwQPLTARdFMM8z-UFOwBG-wyvKxtzC5pGYuDQYmtktCZsyVy9I_0nLmUDcawn1r5mcuatFXthmwmNmyqIXCNIohPX2Cbf5bGNIiiCx_gFq1L0hMzPImuoWY5wJK0/s320/Cobbler+Baked+-+Closeup.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Oh so GOOD!</b></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MV6QqhSlbdBBgujgMLS1RSPFhUG5CTJenF6UUjjNBSGSSp1GHoOrDFhhXkEEQHBqjvRX6cUJSl-pRn3D6_aLULy2HpIMWJSpUltjW5CxMGAOpEJJNohk-2pn4p39DwMcACXNpFvZ6FA/s1600-h/Apple+Cobbler+Slice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MV6QqhSlbdBBgujgMLS1RSPFhUG5CTJenF6UUjjNBSGSSp1GHoOrDFhhXkEEQHBqjvRX6cUJSl-pRn3D6_aLULy2HpIMWJSpUltjW5CxMGAOpEJJNohk-2pn4p39DwMcACXNpFvZ6FA/s320/Apple+Cobbler+Slice.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Yep, <b><i>definitely</i></b> worth saving the dough.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was really surprised by how cakey the dough was. If the dough had been plain I think I would've scrapped the cobbler; however, the strong vanilla flavor combined really well with the apples and they went together perfectly. It was less a biscuit and more a cake. Yum :)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In case you're wondering, <b style="color: red;"> </b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">this is how my tart came out:</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhjefUdrCDJKLCDTLgxFSFoqhPDzvgh0Yg-MTgMJdr0szu8YTnaE22B_nETn0oN2ifP0bKcG7M68fdVJG31L37casX3CJHavYQge4pyvephhT2CXwVXY5ipeWnkZGE0862dX16d045Rw/s1600-h/Apple+Tart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhjefUdrCDJKLCDTLgxFSFoqhPDzvgh0Yg-MTgMJdr0szu8YTnaE22B_nETn0oN2ifP0bKcG7M68fdVJG31L37casX3CJHavYQge4pyvephhT2CXwVXY5ipeWnkZGE0862dX16d045Rw/s320/Apple+Tart.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Not TOO bad visually, but <b>taste-wise</b> it was<i><b style="color: red;"> awful.</b></i> As you can see, the cake is incredibly puffed up due to my lack of ability to roll out the dough properly and the apples totally dried out and became tasteless, too.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I completely blame this on <b>user-error</b>, by the way. If you're more tart-savvy, I <i><b>know</b></i> this recipe's for you!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-68307829577327575782010-01-16T16:16:00.000-08:002010-01-16T16:22:54.789-08:00I see your Gingerbread Cuppies and I raise you an apple...<div style="text-align: center;">Check out <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtMQMu9FF3Y-DzO1G0ZOyjPA6kctjNlwKEa63Ve_YN8ep_-jvanDn6JIzd1RKKofYabQ6EF17_idbpHem3OpvFccFGFh-K7Ziuqd8GluaaNUi9IOTo0LnF_OneOHZqQZHmJ2NMtPRQ2Yx/s1600-h/IMG_4334.JPG"><b>these <i>terrific</i> cupcakes</b></a>* made by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02832776451254908775"><b>Stephen K</b></a>, one of my <b style="color: red;">favorite</b> followers.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(I say "favorite" partly because of his interactive nature and partly because, well, he says neat things like "<b>favourite</b>," "<b>japes</b>," and wears things like "<b>brogues</b>" and "<b>trackies</b></i><i>.") </i><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">[Cue touristy American giggle...<i>now</i>]<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Anywho, what makes <b>Stephen</b> <i>really</i> neat is that he likes my cupcakes.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And then <b>he changes </b>my cupcakes.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">And then he tells me he changes them, and tells me they're <b style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">awesome.</span> </b><span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">No, wait, he tells me:</span> </span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><b>"it worked a freakin' TREAT."</b></span> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He took <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/12/gingerbread-cuppies.html"><b>my gingerbread cupcakes</b></a> and kicked them up a notch:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>He added apple chunks.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Uh huh. Drooling yet? I'll bet his gran was. Yep, you heard (read?) me right. <b>His gran.</b><i> That's who he made them for.</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">ISN'T HE <b style="color: red;">♥SWEET♥</b>?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Try to resist him NOW, <a href="http://i47.tinypic.com/2mngcpt.jpg"><b>Zooey Deschanel</b></a> ;)<br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<i>Yes, yes, I know they're not <b>ALL</b> iced, but those ones in the back? The ones with the <b style="color: red;">chocolate buttercream</b>? WHO WOULDA THUNK IT? <a href="http://www.littleexplorers.com/stories/fairytale/littleredhen/story/"><b>Not I said the cat.</b></a> Extra cupcake bonus points for ingenious <strike>flavour</strike> flavor combination there, Stephen!</i>Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-25038165088980919452010-01-14T15:17:00.001-08:002010-01-18T16:23:40.460-08:00Cupcakes in Vegas!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>We're Back!!</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In case you haven't heard, my husband and I spent our one-year anniversary in <b> </b><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">•[</span></b><span style="color: black;">[</span><b>VEGAS</b><span style="color: black;">]</span><b><span style="color: black;">]•</span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and, since we don't really gamble or drink, we actually did a bunch of really, really cool stuff:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We saw the <b style="color: blue;">Blue Man Group</b><span style="color: black;">...</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1J7WTNfliilw5f3jdb061Q_y88sDnCZKPIivd1nC-5UCQqxixBTc7W2s1FP-eHDYNXEgNGBgaN_C8r38x41kr9KZHh4ErSLqsMf0VoAXjGehsWEUgRtID810Mk6bCd9JjQfpi2CZv5IX/s1600-h/IMG_4359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1J7WTNfliilw5f3jdb061Q_y88sDnCZKPIivd1nC-5UCQqxixBTc7W2s1FP-eHDYNXEgNGBgaN_C8r38x41kr9KZHh4ErSLqsMf0VoAXjGehsWEUgRtID810Mk6bCd9JjQfpi2CZv5IX/s320/IMG_4359.JPG" /></a><b style="color: blue;"> </b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AhLMtJQBAqMiRfmRmX8yfG1AyaozFXzA82v4ufgwaOfAxSOP0gJEuQ0aaSIsCS55uC6sJOFmN9_5MVFwyxozIP3C3z8xeSYTMnE3p7Ac0XqiZEi06M6ziXO492wDogRLEBl72gtwR7yc/s1600-h/IMG_4357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AhLMtJQBAqMiRfmRmX8yfG1AyaozFXzA82v4ufgwaOfAxSOP0gJEuQ0aaSIsCS55uC6sJOFmN9_5MVFwyxozIP3C3z8xeSYTMnE3p7Ac0XqiZEi06M6ziXO492wDogRLEBl72gtwR7yc/s320/IMG_4357.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlEl3IIrurJjyQ1KvLK3bHeE2il6UkQW7IO4RfBHhYLnjBOlrlDD_gcjz92ivTZJ8PgtYsXdcBEtrNCyCPOlMYL3tamWZhj5LiIX2eJzdHEHrc6pzEsCQOOWC3FxU5u2Rj3zhnMsEiLLu/s1600-h/IMG_4360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlEl3IIrurJjyQ1KvLK3bHeE2il6UkQW7IO4RfBHhYLnjBOlrlDD_gcjz92ivTZJ8PgtYsXdcBEtrNCyCPOlMYL3tamWZhj5LiIX2eJzdHEHrc6pzEsCQOOWC3FxU5u2Rj3zhnMsEiLLu/s320/IMG_4360.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"> <br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[[</span>♥<span style="color: black;">]]</span></span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">...<b>Jersey Boys</b>...</span></span></span><b style="color: blue;"></b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q4OM3pKVFuZKX28e0Br1KTye9tiWieMfUG-F6iSU9xtmCxHT6r0VRbouQQNYAXDnL_XBkaoCwW4f16-hjBl7VHFNdIInUfMQ5a_3Pho0COe_NMI7T6UrpaNB-HuzehjW05MV4pHgW6z5/s1600-h/JBGiftVoucher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q4OM3pKVFuZKX28e0Br1KTye9tiWieMfUG-F6iSU9xtmCxHT6r0VRbouQQNYAXDnL_XBkaoCwW4f16-hjBl7VHFNdIInUfMQ5a_3Pho0COe_NMI7T6UrpaNB-HuzehjW05MV4pHgW6z5/s320/JBGiftVoucher.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[[</span>♥<span style="color: black;">]]</span></span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">...</span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">and <b>Le Rêve</b>.</span></span></span><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l8nUPVn_kUB3_KBbfX0HlV47nXcmFB-LcNPf8XJE-0cekhSM53L7jSRu6VxS37NQkSXhJ0TEGQRwqNsMLiqPJ7ar2irwmuaVyp1Idp1sBIi60SyCNSu_h0RMKYeickfS1I6S3KRqqp_F/s1600-h/le-reve-logo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l8nUPVn_kUB3_KBbfX0HlV47nXcmFB-LcNPf8XJE-0cekhSM53L7jSRu6VxS37NQkSXhJ0TEGQRwqNsMLiqPJ7ar2irwmuaVyp1Idp1sBIi60SyCNSu_h0RMKYeickfS1I6S3KRqqp_F/s320/le-reve-logo.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYkdaNIkpFKRCXXLbLayveYJD39BVzBGecIe9Fqi0Q9Ab10b2BQJIG7gjKiOQUjSrOff3cM0lAp7PcZeGr9T8G1hF_fllV03qKyG_zRshbAWuRJ7Ly22Te8FyzEr2qyOm07S6A9ks7LWR/s1600-h/LeReve_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYkdaNIkpFKRCXXLbLayveYJD39BVzBGecIe9Fqi0Q9Ab10b2BQJIG7gjKiOQUjSrOff3cM0lAp7PcZeGr9T8G1hF_fllV03qKyG_zRshbAWuRJ7Ly22Te8FyzEr2qyOm07S6A9ks7LWR/s320/LeReve_f.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">This last show took place at <a href="http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/"><b>the Wynn</b></a> which, in case you've never been to Vegas, is only the <b style="color: red;">classiest</b>, <i><b>most chic</b></i></span></span></span><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></b><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">hotel (and casino) I've even been in. They had a <b>Ferrari dealership</b> <i>IN THE HOTEL</i> and I <u>swear</u> the toilet paper had real gold flakes embedded in it. </span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Naturally, the hubbs bought me one for our anniversary.</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[[</span>♥<span style="color: black;">]]</span></span></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">I also ran into my <b><span style="color: red;">♥</span><i>childhood sweetheart</i></b></span></span></span><b style="color: red;">♥</b><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></b><br />
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</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>and then again later:</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4Ha80ww7U0TpMalvP6SYi5h7AJAZCmUG0P3rbFXnXksa68dnqH1LxOhrcfuizTuC-F5KsIQVltcKfxKCagdIeMOXhbRwDxR85JlxClRESzxtYKhXbYMDittl3SwRpw4r-d18YvDOeE2-/s1600-h/IMG_4410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4Ha80ww7U0TpMalvP6SYi5h7AJAZCmUG0P3rbFXnXksa68dnqH1LxOhrcfuizTuC-F5KsIQVltcKfxKCagdIeMOXhbRwDxR85JlxClRESzxtYKhXbYMDittl3SwRpw4r-d18YvDOeE2-/s320/IMG_4410.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[[</span>♥<span style="color: black;">]]</span></span></b><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But just about the <b>**<i>coolest</i>**</b> thing we did was this:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">CAKEWALK</span>!</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">After reading through the <a href="http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2007/8/2/cakewalks-sweet-bakeries-weve-tried-in-various-cities.html"><b>Cakewalks</b></a> on <b>CakeSpy</b>, I thought it'd be fun to try out a bunch of new cupcake places.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Then, <a href="http://amber-laha.blogspot.com/"><b>Amber</b></a> (who suggested Vegas to us in the first place) found some cupcake places in Vegas, and so the hubbs and I went and searched for some more to try out and review while we were there.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Without futher ado, here is our<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>~VEGAS CAKEWALK~</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>First stop:</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">Sugar's Bakery</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[</b><i><a href="http://www.sugarsbakery.com/home.nxg"><b>website</b></a></i><b>]</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It took us a bit to find this place -- it's not on the strip and so we had to drive about 10-15 minutes to get there. Initially, we were kinda bummed about the distance but we soon found out that there are (at least) two other cupcake places in the immediate vicinity (reviewed below!) so it was OK.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our first impression came from their sign.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>How cute is this?</b></i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds7z2a2R1EM9rq9UYJ9ToA-7YpeJaAOODAfrS_vHv1o_oiNsrfAinWG3daOwsq2daUyXlCKPRNVPsFH7Wzyy_HKfnowonF3UsHbKncWul1zZkYYuIDBEkZBrLsKo6Wl3HSuDkWh21SNA8/s1600-h/IMG_4379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds7z2a2R1EM9rq9UYJ9ToA-7YpeJaAOODAfrS_vHv1o_oiNsrfAinWG3daOwsq2daUyXlCKPRNVPsFH7Wzyy_HKfnowonF3UsHbKncWul1zZkYYuIDBEkZBrLsKo6Wl3HSuDkWh21SNA8/s320/IMG_4379.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Inside, it gets <i><b>even cuter!</b></i> (Can you believe it?) It has great display cases for their cupcakes and other baked goodies (like<b> cookies</b> and <b>brownies!</b>) plus fun seating and reading for kids and adults alike to enjoy while munching on their baked treasures ♥<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5PAChuR-J2pl7dC9XsB7h4bUeR-H3VF6eO4M1I0Pb7ARnP8XEE-2PQwWcjmuTAYDLQ_zr2lJOCZrzCuEscuC7dKMQvFPuKiENXOX0mY_F26gob_3fA2YA3N-OslXSbcSUIU02o7n0ygU/s1600-h/IMG_4377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5PAChuR-J2pl7dC9XsB7h4bUeR-H3VF6eO4M1I0Pb7ARnP8XEE-2PQwWcjmuTAYDLQ_zr2lJOCZrzCuEscuC7dKMQvFPuKiENXOX0mY_F26gob_3fA2YA3N-OslXSbcSUIU02o7n0ygU/s320/IMG_4377.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-xffcHZLhPhFzoXN0CLjgDZW3W-vkzHqVlzY1Fv0f0ASJ87DCJ_OwKw1-3cxAFB6vjlGQvpbeyo7ZVd3bHWQd2PrQnjXZlkq8fAzHdxV3nRNv23jNFAN61G-ji0OtqMGzC6gChZTi48t/s1600-h/IMG_4378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-xffcHZLhPhFzoXN0CLjgDZW3W-vkzHqVlzY1Fv0f0ASJ87DCJ_OwKw1-3cxAFB6vjlGQvpbeyo7ZVd3bHWQd2PrQnjXZlkq8fAzHdxV3nRNv23jNFAN61G-ji0OtqMGzC6gChZTi48t/s320/IMG_4378.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[<i>Look at the cute hubbs enjoying the little kiddie chair on the far right</i>]<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCIb_AK_Cfj5Vq-yQ9fcfp7KgfsUCiCW6tL3cRn0xz062gqIidjxRW2doXHW_DdGKYGCFoJ6CHzLWRa4qBrcPwkc3TV1qzyr-xF8O_6yqgFFPL-DrK7qwEP1z8vf_wdZS4f0cRzlTIfRJ/s1600-h/IMG_4374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCIb_AK_Cfj5Vq-yQ9fcfp7KgfsUCiCW6tL3cRn0xz062gqIidjxRW2doXHW_DdGKYGCFoJ6CHzLWRa4qBrcPwkc3TV1qzyr-xF8O_6yqgFFPL-DrK7qwEP1z8vf_wdZS4f0cRzlTIfRJ/s320/IMG_4374.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[<i>Hubby enjoying a <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pinkalicious-Victoria-Kann/dp/0060776390">cupcake classic</a></b></i>]<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">For flavors, we finally settled on these three:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnMiqI2yssvZ_-UUU200bqk406mNx5OuMjrKexNHvywxXAd8HvBe7g2vcI5SJVrPC6TMTnvsc9xO34VfFKf6nqwHZ9hf-bPNu2tBKwSvOOEsXvGLSSeKMHv7o-9HX_GCFFx7gxZtESR2v/s1600-h/IMG_4376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnMiqI2yssvZ_-UUU200bqk406mNx5OuMjrKexNHvywxXAd8HvBe7g2vcI5SJVrPC6TMTnvsc9xO34VfFKf6nqwHZ9hf-bPNu2tBKwSvOOEsXvGLSSeKMHv7o-9HX_GCFFx7gxZtESR2v/s320/IMG_4376.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>clockwise from left:</i> <b>Lemon Cream</b>, <b>Red Velvet</b>, and <b>German Chocolate</b>)<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><u><b>Review</b></u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>The good: </b> They had a nice variety of flavors to choose from, the decorations were thoughtful and creative, and we liked that they sold other baked goods though they advertised themselves as a cupcake shop. We <i>loved</i> their interior decorations, too. Everything was fun, whimsical, and made us want to stay forever. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The not-so-good: </b>Their cupcakes were refrigerated --boo!-- which tends to make the cake dry out. Sure enough, after tasting the Red Velvet, we thought both the cake <i>and</i> frosting were dry and unappealing.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bottom Line: </b>Of the 4 cupcake places we visited,<b style="color: red;"> we ranked this one <span style="font-size: large;">#2.</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> Definitely worth the drive!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~•~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>~ </b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Second Stop:</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">Mad Hatter Cupcakes</b><b><i> </i></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[<a href="http://www.madaboutcupcakes.com/">website</a>]</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the second cupcake place that we visited in the area that we came to term <i>"Cupcake Alley"</i> because of the (awesome) predominance of cupcake shops.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seriously, there were <b>three</b><i> </i>all within a 2-mile radius.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>FANTASTICO.</b></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDitmPK6ByiswaPK8qxWIZwMUJLfrYB5ScCm4lt87hIQ4wL7M2zVuWIyFYdOAX0ukYdRhxGfeDBaj6PMYfn5PEvzqOb4SgPgo3Hl65W84zm6F_Yn5wb50bK-qYVYC7xw6mOHVe6cNbozj5/s1600-h/IMG_4380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDitmPK6ByiswaPK8qxWIZwMUJLfrYB5ScCm4lt87hIQ4wL7M2zVuWIyFYdOAX0ukYdRhxGfeDBaj6PMYfn5PEvzqOb4SgPgo3Hl65W84zm6F_Yn5wb50bK-qYVYC7xw6mOHVe6cNbozj5/s320/IMG_4380.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's the front of the cupcake shop. Seems pretty cool, right? Oh wait, it gets better.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>CHECK THIS OUT.</b></i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9vTYIr7ncZsr4krUgHHKUeF37gRDXs1htoA-qaNHyZE7hA5B38OhHQSOuvvoKn39SeBauN4cHZM7G8hYAHqVZXm_jZ1xrWlMnZDSpQtszdhWv-Z7Gy6zceavzuu6ZbC2AFseZ52XSCa8/s1600-h/IMG_4382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9vTYIr7ncZsr4krUgHHKUeF37gRDXs1htoA-qaNHyZE7hA5B38OhHQSOuvvoKn39SeBauN4cHZM7G8hYAHqVZXm_jZ1xrWlMnZDSpQtszdhWv-Z7Gy6zceavzuu6ZbC2AFseZ52XSCa8/s320/IMG_4382.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> </b></i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHAT?!?!</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Did I READ that correctly!?</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">CREATE YOUR</span> </b>[my] <b style="color: red;">OWN CUPCAKES???</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">OMC I'm sold.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">They let you choose your cake flavor, filling flavor, frosting flavor, and then your own candy to put on top. They even offer suggestions if you can't decide on your own! </span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">This place is like <a href="http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/"><b>Coldstone</b></a> for cupcakes.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbGM8LzCvsWQ1Gxtx8zCsyb14YZ49lv1f24_ujJoDM1PKoUX5z8a4bwtTgZfZrTmiH_C34j-Oy4_08W_cCI2TZMLWRHFOGd8G2sMmdJ68Pu1bzFApp-2VrtBn11x-bIKR6lK_jMlml4Hi/s1600-h/IMG_4367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbGM8LzCvsWQ1Gxtx8zCsyb14YZ49lv1f24_ujJoDM1PKoUX5z8a4bwtTgZfZrTmiH_C34j-Oy4_08W_cCI2TZMLWRHFOGd8G2sMmdJ68Pu1bzFApp-2VrtBn11x-bIKR6lK_jMlml4Hi/s320/IMG_4367.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"> <i style="color: black;"> </i></span><span style="color: red;"><i style="color: black;"> MAKE MY CUPCAKES!! </i></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: red;"><i style="color: black;">(please!)</i></span></span><b style="color: red;"></b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;"><br />
</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRct_c3vTFMnm1YJxI2rY41Chx8bK1MdPYd24rXsoWL0mOqxYUClOovWmOxaYRCSfup9DBl480SmpI8r8gw4lljZD7C2tUaKXwqmgmwwiwLaO0-6MbhIFVukkHzJ7lA-IBzwTDwotTRA_q/s1600-h/IMG_4388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRct_c3vTFMnm1YJxI2rY41Chx8bK1MdPYd24rXsoWL0mOqxYUClOovWmOxaYRCSfup9DBl480SmpI8r8gw4lljZD7C2tUaKXwqmgmwwiwLaO0-6MbhIFVukkHzJ7lA-IBzwTDwotTRA_q/s320/IMG_4388.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Yummy cupcake supplies :D</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQp7AQoHikigq82oyhjhGWawKY4yLCzgePXsiZYbEepx4weK6TcMz-tX4CQWwM1EBEs4wgetTkqrnCir_ZxEkFb0ghZuCZvD2qRfWlZ3tYA6H1OqEHJMywpn-95XaS66c-nTtjAWlnsw0g/s1600-h/IMG_4390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQp7AQoHikigq82oyhjhGWawKY4yLCzgePXsiZYbEepx4weK6TcMz-tX4CQWwM1EBEs4wgetTkqrnCir_ZxEkFb0ghZuCZvD2qRfWlZ3tYA6H1OqEHJMywpn-95XaS66c-nTtjAWlnsw0g/s320/IMG_4390.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> Taking in the glory of <b>Mad Hatter Cupcakes.</b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowHLCJBfGvrvf_Po0g8Ar3SbV_oV8PJNvVTrxf81SuSwkbE8R-fQRxXsgnmdscZI2uyRzHIhL2QoV8wGZHzmhuRj14ryy3oJrbtiHWyP2pqFnODSfzWbalZkXUB3yomCROnyyZIsnOa4p/s1600-h/IMG_4383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowHLCJBfGvrvf_Po0g8Ar3SbV_oV8PJNvVTrxf81SuSwkbE8R-fQRxXsgnmdscZI2uyRzHIhL2QoV8wGZHzmhuRj14ryy3oJrbtiHWyP2pqFnODSfzWbalZkXUB3yomCROnyyZIsnOa4p/s320/IMG_4383.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSN5nHgQG71yhvlMhx3h_ghwiHTP_ySlpXbsTQ2e3CA28VMbd-uYR7j1fI4nw25SkHEm2K6E1YtHAWxS0jnOsBAf30R_Yv3Xy4ev0bappnpAv-8H38F6zpPaAQ1r-pegrGhx9e9svOFha/s1600-h/IMG_4385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSN5nHgQG71yhvlMhx3h_ghwiHTP_ySlpXbsTQ2e3CA28VMbd-uYR7j1fI4nw25SkHEm2K6E1YtHAWxS0jnOsBAf30R_Yv3Xy4ev0bappnpAv-8H38F6zpPaAQ1r-pegrGhx9e9svOFha/s320/IMG_4385.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1T69QnGAKMl8-bLiVwaGw9hrJaievE_g33yK3MjStyiCyj7KAkVnSl7ITHCxAb9eQnnG-h0WHOikcayi0QIQivyed62wI4v2vPGl3c2f5OoYVGpI58wgw_WVQFOxDyMJci2a3dNpYLq7/s1600-h/IMG_4386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1T69QnGAKMl8-bLiVwaGw9hrJaievE_g33yK3MjStyiCyj7KAkVnSl7ITHCxAb9eQnnG-h0WHOikcayi0QIQivyed62wI4v2vPGl3c2f5OoYVGpI58wgw_WVQFOxDyMJci2a3dNpYLq7/s320/IMG_4386.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">After much thought, we finally chose to make two cupcakes: </span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•<b>HIS:</b> <i>Peanut butter cake with chocolate ganache filling and white chocolate frosting</i> </span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> •<b>HERS: </b><i>Chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and chocolate frosting with m&ms on top</i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><u><b>Review</b></u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>The good: </b> OMC can you say "MOIST"?? The cake was so, so nice and moist. MmmMmmMmmmmmmMmm. The chocolate was so good and rich. In the words of my husband, <i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"That's a d*mn good chocolate cake."</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The peanut butter cake was perfect, too. I feel like it can be difficult to capture a good peanut butter taste without creating an overwhelming flavor but Mad Hatter achieved it!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Other things we liked:</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They sell <b>shaved ice</b>, too (neato!), they have a great seating area for enjoying your goodies, they provide <b>mini cupcakes as samples </b>(that day they had peanut butter cupcakes with white chocolate frosting), they have <b>single cupcake holders</b> in case you just want to take one for the road, AND they have a <b>punch card </b>for frequent visitors. <i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The not-so-good: </b>Um...<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bottom Line: </b>Of the 4 cupcake places we visited, <b style="color: red;">we ranked this one <span style="font-size: large;">#1.</span></b> <i>Are you booking your trip to Vegas yet?</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~•~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>~ </b><i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Third Stop:</i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="color: red;">Cupcake Lane</b><i> </i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>[<a href="http://www.cupcakelanebakery.com/">website</a>]</b><i> </i><i> </i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANcuVh6_eepVZFWikGQo9sbSjdKPF_-cL1ztHsrjuiy9Gt6KeHCooHvvW_LmblzOuv7wIOojp7Uv1TNWIiO7yv16Ust4aJC-lzNgHGXMOssPIJYGQkNN5jCHaCTf7tyzF2PNP7vrWOfOr/s1600-h/IMG_4393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANcuVh6_eepVZFWikGQo9sbSjdKPF_-cL1ztHsrjuiy9Gt6KeHCooHvvW_LmblzOuv7wIOojp7Uv1TNWIiO7yv16Ust4aJC-lzNgHGXMOssPIJYGQkNN5jCHaCTf7tyzF2PNP7vrWOfOr/s320/IMG_4393.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">First off, fantastic sign! No doubt about it -- <i>this </i>is a cupcake shop!</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z-rj6z0eAhDzXp_lxbaRxjShltMNcrYXKvBdT3038wdr4kUbLR97W4m4vAW6O7_f8RB8DR9r72D4YPbZd-K_L-99nPxkFx8vrLR8ZmD4wRy0xbpNniDE6Rxz9slYVrh1N5nKRb3uBWXq/s1600-h/IMG_4394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z-rj6z0eAhDzXp_lxbaRxjShltMNcrYXKvBdT3038wdr4kUbLR97W4m4vAW6O7_f8RB8DR9r72D4YPbZd-K_L-99nPxkFx8vrLR8ZmD4wRy0xbpNniDE6Rxz9slYVrh1N5nKRb3uBWXq/s320/IMG_4394.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">The inside was cute and quaint with curtained windows into the back bakery area.</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZyVBu-TFFbf5ckPxdaWEzNu-RMJr2r13lUgv2EkgmPVZFDmadS0FgwlFWBtibMYJX4AwzVW-c7qEeNi5WKSov5cGFZA1GGHQIkv9p_-5_UdZulJvg9XJ03oyC1zV6z3ld60LYmPLpttX/s1600-h/IMG_4400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZyVBu-TFFbf5ckPxdaWEzNu-RMJr2r13lUgv2EkgmPVZFDmadS0FgwlFWBtibMYJX4AwzVW-c7qEeNi5WKSov5cGFZA1GGHQIkv9p_-5_UdZulJvg9XJ03oyC1zV6z3ld60LYmPLpttX/s320/IMG_4400.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">This cupcake shop also had a great selection of cupcakes to choose from. With flavors that had names like <b>Savannah Street</b> (their version of red velvet) or <b>Michigan Avenue</b> (lemon cupcake with lemon frosting), they definitely won the award for more creative names. </span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">We chose three cupcakes here, too: <br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKOmBsyCNdNazE52MlnOcoV5oTbfjnU0V3vIwE9grF2_8_AzPAyY6C3dbgJoHQD42pZ8l5cMWoLW4AC_r4KX348KPtWz1fETwbWPCtYeLko_QO9vaPdn6b4FKs3h8mf-bYFmTa-NWpS1J/s1600-h/IMG_4397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKOmBsyCNdNazE52MlnOcoV5oTbfjnU0V3vIwE9grF2_8_AzPAyY6C3dbgJoHQD42pZ8l5cMWoLW4AC_r4KX348KPtWz1fETwbWPCtYeLko_QO9vaPdn6b4FKs3h8mf-bYFmTa-NWpS1J/s320/IMG_4397.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">(<i>clockwise from left: </i><b>Lombard Street</b> (their "Hostess Cupcake"), <b>Lake Tahoe Boulevard</b> (their s'more cupcake), and <b>Southfork Ranch</b> (a German chocolate cupcake))</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><u><b>Review</b></u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>The good: </b> Fun flavor names, creative decorations, and cute to-go boxes for single cupcakes (they used Chinese take-out containers). We also liked that they offered some sugar free cupcakes as well as cupcakes for canine companions. <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The not-so-good: </b>Their cupcakes were refrigerated. No no no no no! Pooey. Also, I really (really) hate to say this, but we were totally underwhelmed. We expected a lot given the nifty names and decorations but the cupcakes themselves were totally lacking. <b>Lombard Street</b> tasted like, well, a Hostess cupcake which isn't necessarily bad within itself but if I'm paying $3+ for a cupcake, it better taste amazing, <i>not</i> like something that usually comes wrapped in plastic in a pack of two. <b>Lake Tahoe Boulevard</b> also failed to deliver the nostalgic s'more flavor that I was hoping for.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bottom Line: </b>Of the 4 cupcake places we visited,<b style="color: red;"> we ranked this one <span style="font-size: large;">#3.</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> I'd be willing to go back and taste others (they <i>do</i> say that <b>Savannah Street</b> is their best-seller and we didn't taste that one) but I'm not holding my breath for our next visit. If you check out either of the first two you'll already be in the area to visit this one in which case, go ahead. I wouldn't block out time in my day specifically to make the trek, though :-/<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~•~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~</span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">•</span></span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b>~ </b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Fourth (and final) stop: </i></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="color: red;">The Cupcakery</b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">[<a href="http://www.thecupcakery.com/index.html">website</a>]</span> </b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">This cupcake shop has<b> three Vegas locations</b>:<b> </b></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Two off the strip (<a href="http://www.thecupcakery.com/contactus.html"><b>which are listed on their site</b></a>) and one <b>ON THE STRIP</b> in the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1263361432580"><b>Monte Carlo</b></a>.</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">We chose to visit the latter.</span></span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2kBBwuijgTqTTY-_il1eLjZoI4FjVa8tQyzxRH1zDnTtIpUwMzumkUnFFYNgLYDmp4sSBYzw-Kh9-ZOzw4CmhXED8JCdYeh4m6wyumJtCfFl8Ch6RHQRijxvtDUj4DQkKxuSkNq-qC3P/s1600-h/IMG_4403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2kBBwuijgTqTTY-_il1eLjZoI4FjVa8tQyzxRH1zDnTtIpUwMzumkUnFFYNgLYDmp4sSBYzw-Kh9-ZOzw4CmhXED8JCdYeh4m6wyumJtCfFl8Ch6RHQRijxvtDUj4DQkKxuSkNq-qC3P/s320/IMG_4403.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLn-YF_0KS8j7Aqx21UkSSBea-vixoe10Y0PNZESKCSSZdhcUNI0ChJpRsOsWTF86ocO68WJygoRl8rvLubooe-yO1h6VTU-G0JX6DWcwhs61IL9O8gBb6FsIsUkZ2nCoWGk9tYMHfktbU/s1600-h/IMG_4412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLn-YF_0KS8j7Aqx21UkSSBea-vixoe10Y0PNZESKCSSZdhcUNI0ChJpRsOsWTF86ocO68WJygoRl8rvLubooe-yO1h6VTU-G0JX6DWcwhs61IL9O8gBb6FsIsUkZ2nCoWGk9tYMHfktbU/s1600-h/IMG_4412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLn-YF_0KS8j7Aqx21UkSSBea-vixoe10Y0PNZESKCSSZdhcUNI0ChJpRsOsWTF86ocO68WJygoRl8rvLubooe-yO1h6VTU-G0JX6DWcwhs61IL9O8gBb6FsIsUkZ2nCoWGk9tYMHfktbU/s320/IMG_4412.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xigNkp8pnb_jTTpBb6vgvIenFNadtcQWm-zShnH_j52v0kpVI89ncZwQbWWqJpsz97bPhlWP7ZdCY-w6st2s8LVUBWzC5142aevliQjh_7aGhF8LCv07VM6KDS0F6zAHl0So-1pCVzgJ/s1600-h/IMG_4413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xigNkp8pnb_jTTpBb6vgvIenFNadtcQWm-zShnH_j52v0kpVI89ncZwQbWWqJpsz97bPhlWP7ZdCY-w6st2s8LVUBWzC5142aevliQjh_7aGhF8LCv07VM6KDS0F6zAHl0So-1pCVzgJ/s320/IMG_4413.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"> <br />
</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">This cupcake shop has a great staff who seems to <b style="color: red;">love cupcakes </b>as much as we do (<i>which is a lot!</i>)</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
<b>We were informed that the above case houses two different kind of cupcakes:</b></span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>ON THE LEFT: </b>cupcakes whose flavors come from the frosting</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>ON THE RIGHT:</b> cupcakes whose flavors come from the cake (they had cream cheese frosting)</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">I'm not going to lie, we were excited about these. Not only were they all pretty and sparkly but they had lots of fun colors and flavors and, well, since it was our last cupcake shop, we decided to go out with a bang.</span></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><b>We got six.</b> </span></span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br />
</b></span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">SIX</span></span> WHOLE CUPCAKES</b></span></span></i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">just for us two :)</span></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKKjlYKm_rSB_ifflfcbHeiPovHaytDe-rumoFn266A7dRPJB0I8a7aQnZwkCAwUjYPUTt6KsB0ermVN-FSfyR4AY8xVyilvMo3SIyWooua_XaRxXICpqha98XOWYbe7yVg25pGUY9GcJ/s1600-h/IMG_4418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKKjlYKm_rSB_ifflfcbHeiPovHaytDe-rumoFn266A7dRPJB0I8a7aQnZwkCAwUjYPUTt6KsB0ermVN-FSfyR4AY8xVyilvMo3SIyWooua_XaRxXICpqha98XOWYbe7yVg25pGUY9GcJ/s320/IMG_4418.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">(<i>From left to right, back to front: </i><b>Southern Belle </b>(Red Velvet), <b>Gingerbread, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Boston Creme, Tickle-me-Pink </b>(their signature flavor),<b> </b>and <b>Strawberry Shortcake</b>)</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><u><b>Review</b></u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>The good: </b>Great staff, fun decorations for cupcakes AND interior (<i>did you see that giant cupcake??</i>), and come on, they're located ON the strip! Can't get much closer than that!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We really enjoyed the <b>Gingerbread Cupcake</b>; not only was the cake good but the little decoration on top is <i>really</i> a gingerbread man and boy, is he tasty!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our favorite cupcake, though, was the <b>Peanut Butter Chocolate</b> one. Fantastic peanut butter flavor! Man, two great peanut butter cupcakes in one weekend. I'm in love!<br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <b>The not-so-good: </b>OK, I <i>really </i>hate to do this, but we were pretty disappointed by the other four. The <b>Tickle-me-Pink</b> (I'm almost positive this is what they called this flavor), their signature flavor, is just vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting. You can also get it as a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Here's my thinking:</u><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you're going to do such a simplistic flavor combination as your <i>signature</i> cupcake, <i>MAKE IT AMAZING!</i> I want it to be the <b>best</b> vanilla (or chocolate) I've ever tasted! After tasting it, I want to feel like all the other vanilla (or chocolate!) cupcakes I've had before were made of <a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_15768_as-seen-tv-10-most-laughably-misleading-ads.html"><b>deception and lies</b></a><b>.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Their <b>Strawberry Shortcake</b> cupcake was not made from real strawberries, either, but rather that stomach-churning, fake-me-out chemical strawberry flavor that probably comes from<b> <a href="http://i46.tinypic.com/1j530y.jpg">this</a></b> rather than <b><a href="http://i48.tinypic.com/qpgsbp.jpg">these</a>.</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finally, did you see the carrier we got? Our six little cupcakes were sadly squished into that container with no separators to protect them from getting all mixed together! I feel like if you advertise selling your cupcakes in combinations of four, six, and twelve, you'd better have holders for each!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Bottom Line: </b>Of the 4 cupcake places we visited, <b style="color: red;">we ranked this one <span style="font-size: large;">#4.</span></b> We expected so much from this cupcake shop and were really disappointed by the end of the last cupcake. We were really sad to rank this place last, though, because we really did think we were going to get some yummy cupcakes. I'm not sure if the Monte Carlo location does its baking on-site, though, so maybe we'll chalk up the downfalls to the fact that they weren't fresh...?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">[<b>[<span style="color: red;">♥</span>]</b>]<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, m'dears, THAT was our trip to Vegas.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We had so much fun together and definitely celebrated our first year together in style.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't wait for our second (And third! And fourth! And fifth! And...) anniversaries.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here's to forever together!</b></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWODy-AK_WtkW4Rtdt15bG12XqRs2pgXNChsGtngBu_xG5oih7GwZudZhV0KeL2kETHbCUUpUtmDxNeaLstUNVq2D3Vy20Xd9vu1ecwPbwYkSqLnsMPnxFn80feGZkpf0BxwGRkNoGoUQ/s1600-h/IMG_8111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWODy-AK_WtkW4Rtdt15bG12XqRs2pgXNChsGtngBu_xG5oih7GwZudZhV0KeL2kETHbCUUpUtmDxNeaLstUNVq2D3Vy20Xd9vu1ecwPbwYkSqLnsMPnxFn80feGZkpf0BxwGRkNoGoUQ/s320/IMG_8111.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-50038877229454235972009-12-18T22:11:00.000-08:002009-12-18T22:19:19.507-08:00Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes<div style="text-align: center;">My family's coming up to visit tomorrow and to check out our <a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/2009/12/home-sweet-apartment.html"><b>new place</b></a>!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">To welcome them, I thought I'd have some cupcakes<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: red;">ready and waiting.</span></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What better time than now to try out a <b style="color: red;">new recipe </b>courtesy of a <b>cookbook</b> from a <a href="http://www.hinklerbooks.com/img/cat/9781741828788_lge.jpg"><b>cupcake kit</b></a> I received as part of some <a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post.html"><b>recent winnings</b></a>??<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUaOa_Wk-g4en6cnuFAPOmRQ6tBT-UMPLln378GiyzVWv-3VMQVA034C1FoPcA5zULEmR4V6Korz44ED7CEdwCJgjkNmZjx0vH7PhwPTeoLnrFzyKMi6VnlK3Ctv57MHpNBXYk24MdUM/s1600-h/IMG_1518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUaOa_Wk-g4en6cnuFAPOmRQ6tBT-UMPLln378GiyzVWv-3VMQVA034C1FoPcA5zULEmR4V6Korz44ED7CEdwCJgjkNmZjx0vH7PhwPTeoLnrFzyKMi6VnlK3Ctv57MHpNBXYk24MdUM/s320/IMG_1518.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥APPLE AND CINNAMON CUPCAKES♥</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Adapted from "Cupcake Creations"</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes about 20 cupcakes</i><i> </i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
</div><ul><li>1/2 apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces <i>(I used Granny Smith)</i> </li>
<li>Juice of 1 lemon</li>
<li>1 T. cinnamon</li>
<li>3 eggs <i>(room temperature)</i></li>
<li>1 c. butter, softened</li>
<li>1 c. sugar</li>
<li>1/2 c. milk</li>
<li>1 1/2 c. self-rising flour, sifted</li>
</ul><b>Directions:</b> <br />
<ol><li>PREHEAT oven to 320°F <i>(yes, <b>320°F</b>... crazy, I know...)</i> </li>
<li>LINE cupcake tins with liners.<br />
</li>
<li>MIX together apples, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.</li>
<li>CREAM together butter and sugar.</li>
<li>ADD eggs and beat until combined.</li>
<li>ADD flour and milk, alternating each and beating between each addition.</li>
<li>BAKE for 20-22 minutes; tops will remain slightly sticky so use toothpick test to check for doneness <i>(if toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, they're done!)</i><br />
</li>
</ol><b style="color: red;">ICING</b><br />
<br />
CREAM together 1 c. butter and 1 c. powdered sugar. SPREAD on top of cupcakes. TOP with cinnamon and sugar mixture.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">~♥~</b><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The cookbook that this recipe came from is an <b>Australian cookbook </b>so it gave measurements in metric units but had U.S. conversions <i>(thank heavens!)</i> They called for <b style="color: red;">caster sugar </b>(berry sugar) and some recipes required <b style="color: red;">essences</b> (instead of extracts) and <b style="color: red;">chocolate drops</b> (instead of chocolate chips). How fun!! It was so neat to read :D<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">These cupcakes had a pretty buttery taste but they were good. What do you expect, though, with an entire <b>POUND</b> of butter being used between the cupcakes and icing?? I liked the apple chunks and I thought there was a perfect amount of cinnamon in the cupcakes themselves, though. I'd say these would make GREAT breakfast cupcakes, which is <i>exactly</i> what they're gonna be!<br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-83346909283777568052009-12-15T00:15:00.000-08:002009-12-15T00:15:41.611-08:00Gingerbread Cuppies!!<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here are some fun <span style="color: red;">gingerbread cupcakes </span>I made for a friend's Christmas party:</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozzmuRPtcmnSKVgYAlnSYY5mH_s5BUJXJlHfyWwqo5b0w0GjxmCce-t0IljoM0fX7isKl0vBYR9hookGSWcUYgHMNjGZSBLSiGN5REIFgOAgV05eH4k1RlFl1_Z0vnOmmfhjjNMvQgTw/s1600-h/IMG_1461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozzmuRPtcmnSKVgYAlnSYY5mH_s5BUJXJlHfyWwqo5b0w0GjxmCce-t0IljoM0fX7isKl0vBYR9hookGSWcUYgHMNjGZSBLSiGN5REIFgOAgV05eH4k1RlFl1_Z0vnOmmfhjjNMvQgTw/s320/IMG_1461.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tm_Lz9mrA9aqXJg6WY1tPKueMmi0oLl0uYOYbXRDdACJb1lRURyvhRq6LJVn-SK5PFcNWZFrXjFocL9YvXmL7LkV0WjvnbS0Ig9wvfLB-eakrQFOlVtQuKpyVi8HoHF06qQ7CfrVLAA/s1600-h/IMG_1462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tm_Lz9mrA9aqXJg6WY1tPKueMmi0oLl0uYOYbXRDdACJb1lRURyvhRq6LJVn-SK5PFcNWZFrXjFocL9YvXmL7LkV0WjvnbS0Ig9wvfLB-eakrQFOlVtQuKpyVi8HoHF06qQ7CfrVLAA/s320/IMG_1462.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDnkaZrySqFsmXcOwnkl4G62Yt8b4ovHnAeHpDJCC_zsNgtIuvxMa4S_c29Nm6H7Uqoc7BSBhqtOPIRwZtbIK-B34-JMTcqRzFet15sAJi7YwoouNFHjeuU0411BGzEqkTh6zJ7Vs974/s1600-h/IMG_1469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDnkaZrySqFsmXcOwnkl4G62Yt8b4ovHnAeHpDJCC_zsNgtIuvxMa4S_c29Nm6H7Uqoc7BSBhqtOPIRwZtbIK-B34-JMTcqRzFet15sAJi7YwoouNFHjeuU0411BGzEqkTh6zJ7Vs974/s320/IMG_1469.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><b><i>Gingerbread cupcakes + cream cheese frosting = mm mm good!</i></b><br />
</div><br />
I don't know what's more fantastic -- gingerbread cupcakes or this stupendous cupcake carrier my old supervisor gave me as a gift before we moved. Let's see, yummy cupcakes or cupcakes arriving safely? Yeah, it's a toss up.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc57BPhcyJpZ1t0RLlHKPBb5uoEHQkWqzeiGeUHRzY2betZlEPUjAuTlfPfcm7eBz4pUCmiDSGRy_DIOeAGu9XBs-eBdNHo1g6LVXM3inq9yUC4Oue2FAdavcvzCOjUN28apdXGve1FNQ/s1600-h/IMG_1465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I even made some with peppermint frosting as a little experiment: <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc57BPhcyJpZ1t0RLlHKPBb5uoEHQkWqzeiGeUHRzY2betZlEPUjAuTlfPfcm7eBz4pUCmiDSGRy_DIOeAGu9XBs-eBdNHo1g6LVXM3inq9yUC4Oue2FAdavcvzCOjUN28apdXGve1FNQ/s1600-h/IMG_1465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc57BPhcyJpZ1t0RLlHKPBb5uoEHQkWqzeiGeUHRzY2betZlEPUjAuTlfPfcm7eBz4pUCmiDSGRy_DIOeAGu9XBs-eBdNHo1g6LVXM3inq9yUC4Oue2FAdavcvzCOjUN28apdXGve1FNQ/s320/IMG_1465.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">ECA and I have already decided that there's really nothing too special about them but they are a neat twist on the usual combo!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think I like the way the sprinkles look on top versus the fondant cutouts from the cupcakes in the post below. Meh -- lesson learned!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES</b><b style="color: red;">♥</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Adapted from "Crazy About Cupcakes" by Krystina Castella </span><br />
</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes 20-24 cupcakes</i><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp<br />
1/4 cup dark brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
2/3 cup dark molasses <i>(use light molasses if you don't want a strong molasses taste, but I like my gingerbread cupcakes like I like my men: strong 'n' spicy!)</i><br />
2 teaspoons lemon zest<i> (I omitted this)</i><br />
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol><li>HEAT oven to 350°F and line cupcake tins.</li>
<li>CREAM together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy.</li>
<li>ADD the egg and molasses. If you're using lemon zest, add it here, too. </li>
<li>In a separate bowl, MIX together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. </li>
<li>ADD dry mixture to wet, alternating with sour cream.</li>
<li>SPOON mixture into cupcake tins, filling liners 2/3 full. </li>
<li>BAKE for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean.</li>
<li>SERVE as-is or frost with desired frosting (I used cream cheese frosting and peppermint buttercream)<br />
</li>
</ol><br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-80880352869210705242009-12-06T01:04:00.000-08:002009-12-06T01:05:01.457-08:00Christmas Cupcakes!<div style="text-align: justify;">Been wondering what I've been up to lately? Well, one of my most recent days was filled with <b>12 dozen cupcakes </b>for an order I baked for a Christmas charity event.<br />
</div><br />
The flavors were:<br />
<br />
<b style="color: red;">♥Gingerbread</b> <i> </i><br />
<i>(gingerbread cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting and a fondant gingerbread man)</i><br />
<b style="color: red;">♥Red Velvet</b> <i> </i><br />
<i>(red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and a fondant Christmas tree)</i><br />
<b style="color: red;">♥Peppermint Brownie </b><a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/10/peppermint-swirls-and-ladies-event.html"><i><span style="color: red;">(recipe here)</span></i></a><i> </i><br />
<i>(brownie cupcakes --I tried not to loathe these-- with a peppermint patty baked into the center and frosted with peppermint buttercream then topped with a fondant candy cane)</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvLhxKS5tdiybu_UxsVRSmddJRjRvXfOHRpM4XkJdI9SPZKaRQ_N0L1Ks7B2SPktWh4yC7zMLi2itmseXrH-E_KGQqM-CF9KCO662Un0BE_Rj4ownsay_LQAszqJnokbVCb0RUzOsXCU/s1600-h/Christmas_Cupcake_Collage_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvLhxKS5tdiybu_UxsVRSmddJRjRvXfOHRpM4XkJdI9SPZKaRQ_N0L1Ks7B2SPktWh4yC7zMLi2itmseXrH-E_KGQqM-CF9KCO662Un0BE_Rj4ownsay_LQAszqJnokbVCb0RUzOsXCU/s400/Christmas_Cupcake_Collage_original.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>The hubbs' favorite? Gingerbread, of course!!<br />
<br />
<br />
How do <i>you</i> bake for Christmas?<br />
<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-78706709423378147692009-12-05T06:53:00.001-08:002009-12-05T06:53:14.169-08:00Hey YOU! Pssst! Lookin' for a Sexy Cupcake?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK8caCgJBJmPbscBbEbrTHynP7ps72A2X8p8DOeVgKtbmAfkKuVFH18NwABDJtHacnLyOV8r7Z9SFoAVJQj3C3VrSNgIhERcRS9Cxox6iDwFIyqz6gzWUEVKbI8Qm8nIS4qlyWq3Q3yVh/s1600-h/Cupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK8caCgJBJmPbscBbEbrTHynP7ps72A2X8p8DOeVgKtbmAfkKuVFH18NwABDJtHacnLyOV8r7Z9SFoAVJQj3C3VrSNgIhERcRS9Cxox6iDwFIyqz6gzWUEVKbI8Qm8nIS4qlyWq3Q3yVh/s320/Cupcake.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Do you know <a href="http://i48.tinypic.com/swr7zo.jpg"><b>what time it is</b></a>? <br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's time for <span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="color: black;">~*</b><b>SEXY CUPCAKE SATURDAY<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">*~</span></b></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>!!</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">My friend <b>Amber</b> over at <b><a href="http://americantribal.blogspot.com/">The Daily Tribal</a> </b>has declared <span style="font-size: large;">all Saturdays</span> to be <i style="color: red;"><b>Sexy Cupcake Saturdays</b></i> to celebrate her longtime <b style="color: red;">♥love affair♥</b> with these little personal cakes -- <i>and who can blame her??</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today she's chosen to feature one of <i>my very own</i> cupcakes as her <b>Sexy Cupcake.</b> What an honor!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go check out her post and my sexy cupcake! Give her some<b style="color: red;"> looooove!</b> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-15885573867079381422009-12-03T22:43:00.000-08:002009-12-03T22:43:03.020-08:00Coming Back!<div style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">HEY!</span></i><br />
</div><br />
I've <a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-me.html"><b>been gone</b></a>, but I'm coming back, <b style="color: red;">I PROMISE</b>!! Hold tight :)<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-14746007431500168512009-11-24T22:44:00.000-08:002009-11-24T22:44:34.144-08:00I'm Moving!! And Staying...? Er...<div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>~♥HELLO EVERYONE!!♥~</b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">From this day forward, I will be writing more personal posts on my <b>NEW BLOG</b>:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onecupcakeatatime.blogspot.com/"><b>Saving the World One Cupcake at a Time.</b></a> <br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll still post here, but this will be for more cupcake/baking-related topics.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Follow both of me!</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">~♥</b><b style="color: red;">~</b><br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-34091830150543993402009-11-18T23:17:00.000-08:002010-06-10T00:38:20.226-07:00Charger Cupcakes and Strike 2, Bon Appétit...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7dHbUQQMw2UYqUnGY-3B1EJZjQv_T-6-52XXDaYcr5AdD7jcaFjEF334AvDzwteNUwUlL3BOtCFM-CyKGGAPtqEXFcRURTM5ORWOtjKvPBkM1lxGNl3v_QWvrouObTn0bKs65gVTdK4/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EkkN1ssajnuEqExD9q2rdhYuIGztRNygtq3E_BquWpchsMHm7_SGdC3RBSnJAhAqhxZOTlV8Q753tultAqTaJPjv5unRK0uDpHgAbliIP8z3dwzkRn6ECsr91fPU_WzOda5NnBCCi8o/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9EkkN1ssajnuEqExD9q2rdhYuIGztRNygtq3E_BquWpchsMHm7_SGdC3RBSnJAhAqhxZOTlV8Q753tultAqTaJPjv5unRK0uDpHgAbliIP8z3dwzkRn6ECsr91fPU_WzOda5NnBCCi8o/s320/Charger+Cupcakes+008.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0-LWXBNf6WOFxkjwcdxWkNINcAO9AnYQEl_Cf4Q1rMQW3iSfukNxnA-MFzuwSMTyPLdBkp2oBpbGzqDP_m4XIS-YvOFKbdZHasQjbrQBMg8mkLXu4OcoWEATD-1qFANPwVdGC-EWg_8/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Remember the <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/11/cookie-cutter-tutorial.html"><b>cookie cutters</b></a> ECA and I made the other day? Well check out the fruits of our hard labor!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This order included three types of cupcakes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0-LWXBNf6WOFxkjwcdxWkNINcAO9AnYQEl_Cf4Q1rMQW3iSfukNxnA-MFzuwSMTyPLdBkp2oBpbGzqDP_m4XIS-YvOFKbdZHasQjbrQBMg8mkLXu4OcoWEATD-1qFANPwVdGC-EWg_8/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0-LWXBNf6WOFxkjwcdxWkNINcAO9AnYQEl_Cf4Q1rMQW3iSfukNxnA-MFzuwSMTyPLdBkp2oBpbGzqDP_m4XIS-YvOFKbdZHasQjbrQBMg8mkLXu4OcoWEATD-1qFANPwVdGC-EWg_8/s320/Charger+Cupcakes+005.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting</b></i><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5iBck7wdZwI-1tuG9YrG57gKPuo_FsyIQRal-rhZoXIpRVv9-ELFxrJxmlPRbQYxfNafU1vHFMKW2-g87GCf1XEoL8VqHq7NY6GsM0SOCel-cZ99wzHp1kQHnq6y1USxbtEa67BjI3ak/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5iBck7wdZwI-1tuG9YrG57gKPuo_FsyIQRal-rhZoXIpRVv9-ELFxrJxmlPRbQYxfNafU1vHFMKW2-g87GCf1XEoL8VqHq7NY6GsM0SOCel-cZ99wzHp1kQHnq6y1USxbtEa67BjI3ak/s320/Charger+Cupcakes+007.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><b>Lemonade Dream Cupcakes </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>(Vanilla Cake with Lemon Filling and Lemon Buttercream Frosting)<br />
</b></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jJJWboP-PRxKzSdBVCXJ8TAG5W4z4gGRwbmKKKDZXcNw9qAuFzDau6C3WhXKdQ93x2olaN_39-AFJ2TNVaQlSzToQu-2luulIReDy0QmJhiL63co9vbjf49wG4xF041JXkPUGTaiTow/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jJJWboP-PRxKzSdBVCXJ8TAG5W4z4gGRwbmKKKDZXcNw9qAuFzDau6C3WhXKdQ93x2olaN_39-AFJ2TNVaQlSzToQu-2luulIReDy0QmJhiL63co9vbjf49wG4xF041JXkPUGTaiTow/s1600/Charger+Cupcakes+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jJJWboP-PRxKzSdBVCXJ8TAG5W4z4gGRwbmKKKDZXcNw9qAuFzDau6C3WhXKdQ93x2olaN_39-AFJ2TNVaQlSzToQu-2luulIReDy0QmJhiL63co9vbjf49wG4xF041JXkPUGTaiTow/s320/Charger+Cupcakes+006.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting</b></i><i><b> </b></i><br />
<i><b><br />
</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, ECA was quick to point out that the "50" on the 50-yard-line cupcakes was incorrect because it's actually supposed to look like <a href="http://i46.tinypic.com/5mhc82.jpg"><b>this</b></a> but I felt the need to take some <b>artistic license</b> for <b style="color: red;">aesthetic purposes</b><b style="color: red;">.</b> Being the adult that I am,<b> <a href="http://i50.tinypic.com/33c593q.jpg">I took his constructive criticism in stride</a>.</b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">~♥~</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I also took some time to try a new recipe tonight: <b>Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts.</b> <b>Verdict: </b>Meh :-/ I wasn't impressed. To begin with, after much discussion with my kid sister, we decided to <b>omit the walnuts </b>and just <b>keep the chocolate chips.</b> That, I think, was our<b style="color: red;"> first mistake.</b> I thought the bread was <i>way</i> too sweet and dessert-like. In retrospect, if we were to have omitted something, I would have omitted the chocolate chips. A nice toasted nutty taste would have <b style="color: red;">complemented the bananas perfectly</b><b style="color: red;">.</b> Also, though I layered the batter and the chocolate chips as the directions indicated, the chocolate chips <b>failed to stay afloat </b>and opted instead to sink to the very bottom making a <b>thick chocolate chip layer </b>that caused the loaves to stick to the pans (despite my very best pan-greasing.) Finally, the loaves didn't rise as my usual banana bread recipe does. Instead of nice, golden-brown domes I was treated to <b style="color: black;">flat, deep brown tops </b>even though I set the timer for 15 minutes less than the suggested baking time. <b>Boo! Hiss!</b> Just as a side note, this is another <i>Bon Appétit </i>recipe failure (see the first <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/11/brown-sugar-pecan-cupcakes-and-dollface.html"><b>here</b></a>). <b style="color: red;">Strike two, <i>Bon Appétit!</i><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvdCume_0a3-zsNwD4oylDtGP9Ji9QX9hwsI5B0NdNvJmSwJ2RC4u4QVEyFnta22MLnPJGaLSgcddDLMt88azojl5y0D5o9RgqcZOvlLRzpJ4k8SJIuklcmBwmGuunh45RHKsLsPq19Y/s1600/Banana+Bread+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>Here's the recipe in case you want to try it yourself:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvdCume_0a3-zsNwD4oylDtGP9Ji9QX9hwsI5B0NdNvJmSwJ2RC4u4QVEyFnta22MLnPJGaLSgcddDLMt88azojl5y0D5o9RgqcZOvlLRzpJ4k8SJIuklcmBwmGuunh45RHKsLsPq19Y/s1600/Banana+Bread+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvdCume_0a3-zsNwD4oylDtGP9Ji9QX9hwsI5B0NdNvJmSwJ2RC4u4QVEyFnta22MLnPJGaLSgcddDLMt88azojl5y0D5o9RgqcZOvlLRzpJ4k8SJIuklcmBwmGuunh45RHKsLsPq19Y/s320/Banana+Bread+001.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;">♥Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts♥ </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes one 9-inch loaf</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><ul><li>1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 t. baking soda</li>
<li>1 t. baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 t. salt</li>
<li>3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips</li>
<li>3/4 c. walnuts, toasted, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature</li>
<li>1 c. sugar</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1 c. mashed ripe bananas</li>
<li>2 T. fresh lemon juice</li>
<li>1 1/2 t. vanilla extract</li>
</ul><b>Directions: </b><br />
<ol><li>HEAT oven to 350°F and butter and flour 9x5x2.5" metal loaf pan.</li>
<li>WHISK first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.</li>
<li>COMBINE chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 T. flour mixture and toss to coat.</li>
<li>BEAT butter in large bowl until fluffy.</li>
<li>ADD sugar gradually, beating until well blended.</li>
<li>BEAT in eggs one at a time.</li>
<li>BEAT in mashed bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.</li>
<li>ADD flour mixture.</li>
<li>SPOON 1/3 of batter into prepared pan. SPRINKLE with half of nut/chocolate chip mixture. SPOON 1/3 of batter over. SPRINKLE with remaining nut/chocolate chip mixture. COVER with remaining batter. Run knife through batter in zigzag pattern.</li>
<li>BAKE until tester inserted into center comes out clean (about 1 hour 5 minutes). Turn out onto rack and cool.</li>
<li>Try to suppress your utter disappointment at the dismal failure before you. Or else have amazing success and come tell me all about it. I'd love to hear how you made it better! <br />
<br />
</li>
</ol><ol></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-52547663372156324802009-11-17T23:39:00.000-08:002010-01-23T15:25:25.051-08:00Streusel Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFkFHHariGlDMV5spmW1JQ89Cnv6EutugMEHzc-maZ8XR6I4tPTZIiTk3H23rW4myhubGMb0c8tZ0RN0-gA6o9ROKacXQExjwXSVYKhODc8Te_b_e-hLHYU5MzEyukDUn3rsia-10dbQ/s1600/Streusel+Cupcakes+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFkFHHariGlDMV5spmW1JQ89Cnv6EutugMEHzc-maZ8XR6I4tPTZIiTk3H23rW4myhubGMb0c8tZ0RN0-gA6o9ROKacXQExjwXSVYKhODc8Te_b_e-hLHYU5MzEyukDUn3rsia-10dbQ/s320/Streusel+Cupcakes+007.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Have you been hankerin' for a <b style="color: red;">yummy treat</b> for breakfast? Tired of spending $5 on muffins at Starbucks that taste like glazed cardboard? Try these tasty goodies! These <b style="color: red;">Streusel Cupcakes</b> from Martha Stewart's book <u>Cupcakes</u> really hit the spot. I made them on Saturday before the fam and I took a roadtrip to Disneyland and they were just what we needed!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWrEe45Q5BLjzbKikkyrBalVN9sUGIrmIEcp9_lrkmxAh2Jz46OQp4b5k0n8YojdaCY-aXKvFTECQkdoUVwOcQidfSAU4axhKfhsJQkKkPXXZ2F2VT5QU5Zg7kxt4hP0oqyCPYIfjhpo/s1600/Streusel+Cupcakes+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWrEe45Q5BLjzbKikkyrBalVN9sUGIrmIEcp9_lrkmxAh2Jz46OQp4b5k0n8YojdaCY-aXKvFTECQkdoUVwOcQidfSAU4axhKfhsJQkKkPXXZ2F2VT5QU5Zg7kxt4hP0oqyCPYIfjhpo/s320/Streusel+Cupcakes+003.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: red;">♥Streusel Cupcakes♥</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Makes 24 cupcakes</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cupcake Ingredients:</b><br />
</div><ul><li>2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 t. baking soda</li>
<li>1 1/4 t. baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 t. coarse salt</li>
<li>1/2 c. + 2 T. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature</li>
<li>1 c. sugar</li>
<li>3 large eggs</li>
<li>1 1/2 t. vanilla</li>
<li>1 1/4 c. sour cream</li>
</ul><b>Streusel Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul><li>2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 c. packed dark-brown sugar</li>
<li>2 1/4 t. ground cinnamon</li>
<li>3/4 t. coarse salt</li>
<li>1/2 c. + 2 T. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
</li>
</ul><b>Directions:</b><br />
<ol><li>HEAT oven to 350°F and line tins with liners.</li>
<li><b>FOR STREUSEL: <br />
-WHISK together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. <br />
-CUT IN the butter using a pastry blender. Refrigerate 30 minutes before using.</b><br />
</li>
<li>WHISK together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (just like <a href="http://the-red-deer.blogspot.com/2009/11/clives-tips-tip-2.html"><b>Clive says</b></a>!)</li>
<li>CREAM butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.</li>
<li>ADD eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.</li>
<li>STIR in vanilla by hand.</li>
<li>ADD flour mixture and sour cream; stir until just combined.</li>
<li>DIVIDE batter evenly among lined cups. Sprinkle half of the topping over the cupcakes, gently pressing it into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with remaining topping.</li>
<li>BAKE, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.</li>
<li>To finish, place cupackes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; drizzle evenly with milk glaze.</li>
</ol><b style="color: red;">MILK GLAZE: </b>Whisk together 1 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar (sifted) and 3 T. milk. Use immediately. <br />
<br />
<i><b>**Glazed cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers** </b></i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The streusel topping really does it for me on these cupcakes. I mean, I <i>suppose</i> these somewhat<b> <a href="http://missdotscupcakespot.blogspot.com/2009/09/black-bottom-cupcakes.html">violate my rule</a></b> of needing frosting to really be considered <i>cupcakes </i>but hey, Martha says they're cupcakes and I'm sure as heck not gonna argue with the <b>Homemaking Queen</b>! <br />
</div><br />
<img align="left" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" style="border: 0pt none;" />Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658853459218480466.post-76582902408158588182009-11-11T22:51:00.000-08:002009-11-13T16:06:32.393-08:00Cookie Cutter Tutorial<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUPT8Y9uJcUvsVE2qqfRnMP8YdGhcBWeD-gzhRzT9cmZmYQW8YWnrFMqfR4M0Jrx-3NVdiqeKZldzepBBJjVMGxjp8bnJIw-zRDGAIms0e8t2OTxJJ4lEt2fhsTZXL8n31Bd4x08DKXA/s1600-h/ChargerBolt.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUPT8Y9uJcUvsVE2qqfRnMP8YdGhcBWeD-gzhRzT9cmZmYQW8YWnrFMqfR4M0Jrx-3NVdiqeKZldzepBBJjVMGxjp8bnJIw-zRDGAIms0e8t2OTxJJ4lEt2fhsTZXL8n31Bd4x08DKXA/s320/ChargerBolt.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403106648242750578" border="0" /></a>The above little beauty is the team logo for the San Diego Chargers or who we San Diegans affectionately know as <span style="font-weight: bold;">the Bolts</span>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Due to a couple of football party cupcake orders I have for this weekend, I'm going to be needing a few of these cut out of fondant. Instead of manually cutting them one by one, I thought it would be a good idea to use a cookie cutter. <span style="font-weight: bold;">One problem:</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Where was I going to get a Charger Bolt cookie cutter in the size I needed?</span><br /><br />I figured the best way to go would be DIY. Armed with incredible ingenuity and an over-inflated sense of self-confidence, my ECA and I headed to Lowe's for material ideas. We ended up buying some <a href="http://www.theductshop.com/uploads/commerce/images/category/snap_lock.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;">metal duct pipe</span></a> that ran us about $3. I had the ECA borrow some <a href="http://www.mytoolstore.com/ideal/35-001.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;">tin snips<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></a> from our onsite property manager and cut the piping in 1" wide strips that ran the length of the pipe (Come on, that's a <span style="font-style: italic;">man's</span> job. I just bake cupcakes.)<br /><br />Below is a step-by-step of how we made the cookie cutters:<br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's the ducting with the crimped ends trimmed off (thanks baby!)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUd3EzJVAXE9yRRu2I6kOwNRRcQeV1eN_mkNmjBO9dgT6UVwssHXJqgyWSmqearEfS45z77i4_aE9bpGlCVBVp5ItX24jpPWYvCgdWgkjvgl2qKEKD_kMxrjVxYVra06Fw042FxNP5_Ac/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUd3EzJVAXE9yRRu2I6kOwNRRcQeV1eN_mkNmjBO9dgT6UVwssHXJqgyWSmqearEfS45z77i4_aE9bpGlCVBVp5ItX24jpPWYvCgdWgkjvgl2qKEKD_kMxrjVxYVra06Fw042FxNP5_Ac/s320/Cookie+Cutters+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403115634552425810" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">One of the 1" strips.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxULKRhhVg2sE-NaecUVGXtrVh3ufBjbocc7ccDNCsANn7dlJ4e77iqqdOvdZRneKu6jxUNdoSKzobx8nZP59Iza15dYqFiZ-wH17irxun9mOCmkd8C64-TaSRNJTrVosthSTaVqOJ3M/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxULKRhhVg2sE-NaecUVGXtrVh3ufBjbocc7ccDNCsANn7dlJ4e77iqqdOvdZRneKu6jxUNdoSKzobx8nZP59Iza15dYqFiZ-wH17irxun9mOCmkd8C64-TaSRNJTrVosthSTaVqOJ3M/s320/Cookie+Cutters+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403115636048537970" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The templates/guides I used for the cookie cutters.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhRXS6Vrl4GTc_jxXexBh3CerhrO3VTNj4h1Z4Z_1Vl0qPiV0Br071g84qZneHP-a_b86rdMpwoRPfynN-MVLi_rdYtTkxydtFvfeq2O3_lEXOcmRX7CdDtVBGgnqwg3T5G_YieCYRjk/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhRXS6Vrl4GTc_jxXexBh3CerhrO3VTNj4h1Z4Z_1Vl0qPiV0Br071g84qZneHP-a_b86rdMpwoRPfynN-MVLi_rdYtTkxydtFvfeq2O3_lEXOcmRX7CdDtVBGgnqwg3T5G_YieCYRjk/s320/Cookie+Cutters+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403115645536475234" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">I began by folding/bending the strip of metal around the shape of the bolt.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDlTPC4WZdNu1vYVdMY-IzGa0fc6ggGnGzHg4eb-n4NXSbc8TEpvekWVXwPnAEjfVbEDSqecQDSbbagipzUclsh8z9bA-Q1qoFv9vllXDorbpaWphvZRkh1IyivL5lsgDP_tPMq6EDxM/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDlTPC4WZdNu1vYVdMY-IzGa0fc6ggGnGzHg4eb-n4NXSbc8TEpvekWVXwPnAEjfVbEDSqecQDSbbagipzUclsh8z9bA-Q1qoFv9vllXDorbpaWphvZRkh1IyivL5lsgDP_tPMq6EDxM/s320/Cookie+Cutters+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403115650809558290" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">I used my thumbs to work out as many of the wrinkles in the edges as I could.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_4nGCEx4U5CBY0qYVnkxKf80iSeqGlm4fmIqhlMC73fRMZtveZXmnXcDwdoSWRwD2YMibiSFqnAgsTDbXwZM7rY2h5A-pWqUZSmDmhAQQGkg4AxXIipM9azMc_EGvXagX2HQkRvH-UA/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_4nGCEx4U5CBY0qYVnkxKf80iSeqGlm4fmIqhlMC73fRMZtveZXmnXcDwdoSWRwD2YMibiSFqnAgsTDbXwZM7rY2h5A-pWqUZSmDmhAQQGkg4AxXIipM9azMc_EGvXagX2HQkRvH-UA/s320/Cookie+Cutters+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403115654153072114" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Of course, ECA couldn't let me have all the fun. He had a go at it, too.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0hFih8BziurA3VPODUfJeuSALs_1gfDsz8ZwUB80f9UPEFLsNVHm3HAjo9EANJA2OqfIMX2fBwAc0tkT71hBuUIz2C77EUuaOt5RbSwJtBZxTeBt_qedEQJWDeT2PZaKvMeJY74btqA/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0hFih8BziurA3VPODUfJeuSALs_1gfDsz8ZwUB80f9UPEFLsNVHm3HAjo9EANJA2OqfIMX2fBwAc0tkT71hBuUIz2C77EUuaOt5RbSwJtBZxTeBt_qedEQJWDeT2PZaKvMeJY74btqA/s320/Cookie+Cutters+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403119755052377234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDqa0KwzFPCmEXHRevOUy2gadkMv3LNtmWXzCkRR7r_534PqTl2mxKz6DRRl5kzZYgdarwcT0x4NlMNz4s36eZ1bTjJbS7UynCqXUl8PHH1VxUkjT-kJkTe_lNiKBKrPYeIxdouSc5SE/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDqa0KwzFPCmEXHRevOUy2gadkMv3LNtmWXzCkRR7r_534PqTl2mxKz6DRRl5kzZYgdarwcT0x4NlMNz4s36eZ1bTjJbS7UynCqXUl8PHH1VxUkjT-kJkTe_lNiKBKrPYeIxdouSc5SE/s320/Cookie+Cutters+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403119762674465826" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Once you're done shaping your cookie cutter, you might be left with a tail.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0s_Nsdv5OJJky75WjVw-wiuEWs_vX1qM5lAMsAhQvJAjL86tR1SURWiUmurpecZwTEKx-PMiOd0az7CK6TDI3DNZrAw2PliosJmhyTMyLyngwzarj52OoMryx5NIciWYTz-5U51Oc14/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0s_Nsdv5OJJky75WjVw-wiuEWs_vX1qM5lAMsAhQvJAjL86tR1SURWiUmurpecZwTEKx-PMiOd0az7CK6TDI3DNZrAw2PliosJmhyTMyLyngwzarj52OoMryx5NIciWYTz-5U51Oc14/s320/Cookie+Cutters+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403119767321858786" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use the tin snips to cut it off but leave a little bit at the end to fold over and glue.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNISdMhyphenhyphen5FA2EMvfKKf9A8g_Sqs2UK-o5zBITvAwvYTd2Lzd3mLgeP8riVv5iq01ZZQT3NgTnpAQ6evtykSVJEzoVIrHgC9Yto7ybgin0uJlA1LGLFnuuTKvyj1GO-qxZPzzJl3PcIio/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNISdMhyphenhyphen5FA2EMvfKKf9A8g_Sqs2UK-o5zBITvAwvYTd2Lzd3mLgeP8riVv5iq01ZZQT3NgTnpAQ6evtykSVJEzoVIrHgC9Yto7ybgin0uJlA1LGLFnuuTKvyj1GO-qxZPzzJl3PcIio/s320/Cookie+Cutters+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403119774062678274" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wrap the extra bit over the raw edge and use a bit of hot glue from a glue gun to seal.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafgc-i17YniSoVFz5dQv_Za-lE3bov3JyEaP3VRPhfCaJol1FPOV8GmpAKcxRFS3XvwK8P3o8hCwM_NVhcvEwBPZp52FOResC-GdoixfnBfyBktcnEPl4mwEdKuv73nEvxq6qpzCL7-I/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafgc-i17YniSoVFz5dQv_Za-lE3bov3JyEaP3VRPhfCaJol1FPOV8GmpAKcxRFS3XvwK8P3o8hCwM_NVhcvEwBPZp52FOResC-GdoixfnBfyBktcnEPl4mwEdKuv73nEvxq6qpzCL7-I/s320/Cookie+Cutters+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403119758035695698" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ta-da! The finished products. ECA's is on the top and mine is on the bottom. It's OK, you can say his is better. It'd probably just serve to stroke his male ego. Oh <span style="font-style: italic;">fine</span> I admit mine looks more like <a href="http://www.ferretbrain.com/images/library/ccbdc44808db0ae61c06543878d2f583.jpg">Sonic the Hedgehog</a> than a Charger Bolt but COME ON, it was my first try!!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMlI-ORui21A2wty9954kN9T7iYIybTBR5ZVVLRM50UuiAQGd1GxLoogEFCqPb00fD0wVBPJte9rB-sjI-8Dak2qwAOXeCY9YUrdzrDcCjUtT_qOhAFwozbh2I5spJwUYMSITKF1mUgs/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMlI-ORui21A2wty9954kN9T7iYIybTBR5ZVVLRM50UuiAQGd1GxLoogEFCqPb00fD0wVBPJte9rB-sjI-8Dak2qwAOXeCY9YUrdzrDcCjUtT_qOhAFwozbh2I5spJwUYMSITKF1mUgs/s320/Cookie+Cutters+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403120564288634866" border="0" /><br /></a></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Look, I made a football, too :)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNoZsXyyK_Efm1SptD_1v0K5STfppC3L36C1VHabfvaaxTDKGliE4PVOjFf1bdAVJ-7eUb8ax9voFFojngZ3aYPh9DTAeM5fNYDcxVLAOwjwuDALWg98K3Z6mcdZ97EWWze_ZZydmqJQ/s1600-h/Cookie+Cutters+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNoZsXyyK_Efm1SptD_1v0K5STfppC3L36C1VHabfvaaxTDKGliE4PVOjFf1bdAVJ-7eUb8ax9voFFojngZ3aYPh9DTAeM5fNYDcxVLAOwjwuDALWg98K3Z6mcdZ97EWWze_ZZydmqJQ/s320/Cookie+Cutters+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403120567688354882" border="0" /></a></li></ol>I've got a bunch of strips left that I can't wait to fold into other fun shapes. Perfect activity to do in front of the TV when you're watching something like, oh, say, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096446/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willow</span></a>. Not that that's what I was doing or anything. Noooo... not at all...<br /><br />I'd love to see some cookie cutters that you made! If you get a chance, post a pic!</div><br /><p><img style="border: 0pt none ;" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd23/digiscrapper219/Designer%20Blogs/Miss%20Dot%20Cupcakes/signew.png" align="left" /></p>Miss Dothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12684733883350489841noreply@blogger.com21