Oreo Cupcakes

The artistry behind cupcake baking in modern kitchens around the world never ceases to amaze me. The imagination and creativity that spurs such unique and adorable results as those pictured above demonstrate some of the variety and scope that comes with the mere addition of Oreos to the mix! I would like to show you my own attempts but I feel I shouldn't show you how my Oreo pandas got so disfigured, dismembered and destroyed on my first go. Next batch, honest!

Blau x

Images via theworldsbestever, toostinkincute

Blue Velvet

I really dislike mince pies so this Christmas lets make red velvet and blue velvet cupcakes instead.....

Ingredients

CAKE:

2 cups Sugar
2 sticks Butter, Room Temperature
2 whole Eggs
1-½ Tablespoon Liquid Blue Food Coloring
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 drop Violet Gel Food Coloring (optional)
2-½ cups Cake Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

FROSTING:
1 pound Cream Cheese, softened
2 sticks Butter, Softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 cups Sifted Confectioners Sugar


Preparation InstructionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake pan(s) with paper liners.
Cake:
In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together to form a paste, and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture.
Pour batter into cupcake papers. Batter will be thick! Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

Blau x


Recipe from SprinkleBakes

L.O.L.A....Lola

Lola's is best known to some as that pit stop of tasty heaven on the ground floor of the Oxford Circus branch of Topshop. Victoria Jossel and Romy Lewis grew up in the same area of London when their families moved from South Africa in the early 90’s. Their relaxed and warm South African families love entertaining - so growing up life revolved around food and desserts. Victoria graduated in Computer Science and worked for Goldman Sachs for five years. She always felt like she could be much more creative, and started a simple website to take orders for cupcakes from her home kitchen. Demand was so high that she approached Romy, a Journalism graduate, about coming on board to help set up LOLA’s in 2007. The rest as they say is hostory!

Lola's use only the finest natural ingredients and they're always baked fresh on the day of delivery.
Blau x

Study Survival

What Bear Grllys never told you....

Out here on the academic terrain one may find themselves occasionally trapped and isolated from the larger population. The key is not to panic and to have many of the essentials stored away at various locations such as your college locker or your bedroom desk.

My insider tips; drink tea from a mother-f#$%ing soup cup, dress cosy and check out Cupcakes by Katie.

Blau x

Sweet, for your cheeks

Having an other half who's ceoliac means we have been left behind in the cupcake trends. Until we stumbled upon Sweetcheeks, who have a weekly stall at Sunday Upmarket on Brick Lane. Not only are they beautiful, they are, unlike alot of gluten free baking, really really yummy. Like all who eat wheat free, when you get your hands on something good, it's the most exciting thing ever and the girls on the stand were just as enthusiastic. Which was nice.

Check 'em out.

Ezzie x

Cup Cakes Lingerie

I have rekindled my complete and utter lingerie lust so naturally I can't wait to visit the new lingerie shop open now in Ranelagh Village. Cup Cakes Lingerie’s promise is to offer clients a comprehensive range of Lingerie and nightwear to suit all tastes, sizes and situations! Cup Cakes Lingerie have searched the globe to find you a selection of the finest quality, feminine range of brands that will make you feel like a goddess in any situation.

Find them at;
44-46 Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 10.30am - 6.00pm, Thur-Fri 10.30am - 7.00pm, Sat 10.30am - 6.00pm


Blau x

Black Forest Cupcake

I do so love a deliciously rich dessert...

 

Ingredients.

15 oz  can pitted cherries (sweet) in syrup 

4 oz  bittersweet (dark) eating chocolate - coarsely chopped

5½ oz  butter - coarsely chopped

11 oz superfine(castor) sugar

2¼ fl oz cherry brandy

5 oz all-purpose (plain) flour

2 tblsp self-raising flour

2 tbls cocoa powder

1 egg

Decoration.

6 fl oz thickened cream, whipped

2 tsp cherry brandy

4 oz (100g) block of bittersweet (dark) eating choclate

Method.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 335oF (170oC).

2. Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers.

3. Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup.

4. Take ½ cup of cherries and ½ of syrup and process in a food processor, until smooth.

5. Cut the remaining cherries in half and reserve. Discard the remaining syrup.

6. Place the chocolate, butter, sugar, brandy and cherry puree into a saucepan. Over a low heat, stir until chocolate has melted.

7. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

8. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa.

9. Then wisk in the egg. It will be runny - but that is correct.

10. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases. You will probably find that you fill the cases close to the top (don't worry, they don't rise a lot).

11. Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm to touch.

12. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Decorate.

1. Allow cakes to cool completely.

2. Mix the brandy into the whipped cream.

3. Top each cake with some of the remaining cherry halves.

4. And top this with some of the cream.

5. Using a vegetable peeler, scrap along the side of the block of chocolate to create curls. (You made need to clean the peeler from time to time.) And decorate the top of each cake.

Previous recipes include; French toast, red velvet cupcakes, and sinful Oreo cheescake.

Blau x