baking blog

Cotton Anniversary: Cotton Candy Cupcakes

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1454898_10102060996403720_2107784398_nTwo years ago today, I married my best friend and soulmate. We have so much fun together and I wouldn’t change a thing about our marriage. For those of you who are married, you are probably familiar with traditional anniversary gifts. The two year anniversary traditional gift is Cotton. Cotton was not the easiest thing to create a good guy gift, but I had a lot of fun coming up with it. So if you are looking for a good Cotton anniversary gift, I’m happy to share mine. His gift included: (1) a “LOVE” graphic with our wedding date and state we got married in (and live in) printed on cotton and framed (purchased on Etsy); (2) a really nice canvas and leather duffle bag; (3) his favorite cotton dry-fit Nike shirt; (4) some new running socks; and finally (5) cotton candy cupcakes to top off my ultimate Cotton gift! Obviously, I got a little carried away with the cotton theme… but I enjoy putting fun gift packages together.

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If you aren’t celebrating a Cotton anniversary soon, well these are also a great October treat to enjoy the Fair season! At least here in Texas, we make a pretty big deal out of our State Fair and our fair foods, and cotton candy is pretty much a staple fair food.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Buttercream

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes-1

Nothing says Fall like Pumpkin.  I love the smell of pumpkin sweets in the air, I even bought an air freshener for the house so I can soak in the wonderful aroma of the season! There is something about the Fall that makes me want to curl up with a delicious pumpkin dessert and binge watch Gilmore Girls from start to finish. I don’t know why… maybe it’s that Lorelai and Rory loved this time of year as much as I do, or maybe I’m just looking for an excuse to watch that show for the hundredth time.

Anyhow, I think there is something about that Pumpkin flavor evokes the wonderful memories that come with this time of year. Time together with family, the leaves changing, the chill in the air… it’s the perfect time of year. For my first pumpkin recipe, I wanted to try something new. I’ve seen a few chocolate pumpkin recipes out there and it almost sounds too good to be true; I mean, chocolate AND pumpkin all in one little cupcake… the idea gives me goose bumps! But, I’m happy to report, it is possible and it is SO delicious!

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Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

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Who doesn’t love Oreos, right?! They are always my go-to indulgence as far as cookies go. A stack of Oreos and a cold glass of milk can make my whole day better! One of my favorite memories from college would be studying for exams with my best friend and eating a box of oreos while we crammed… clearly I’m a nerd since I look back fondly on studying, but it is so true. It was in those late nights that I felt like I learned so much, probably in part to the crazy sugar rush from all of those Oreos!

These cupcakes are light and delicious and, best of all, they have a whole Oreo in the bottom! Need I say more? It’s not an overly sweet cheesecake flavor, which goes really well with the Oreos both crushed and at the bottom (which also makes for a great surprise when you bite into them)! I paired the cupcake with a dark chocolate frosting, I love the combination of the rich dark chocolate and the light fluffy cheesecake.

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Dark Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue Frosting

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It’s Fall y’all! That time of year for sweaters, boots and scarves (oh my)! Of course, in Texas it takes much longer to actually feel like Fall… but that doesn’t stop me from pulling out the Fall decor and, of course, starting to bake with all my favorite Fall flavors! So to kick off the Fall season, I introduce these fabulous Dark Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes with a Swiss Meringue Nutella Swirl Frosting (it’s a mouthful, I know). 🙂

I know I talk a lot about my love for various types of sweets, and Nutella is definitely no exception. On our first trip to Europe, my husband and I tried Nutella crepes in Paris, Nutella Gelato in Florence and again in Rome… I just couldn’t get enough! There is something irresistible about that creamy hazelnut-chocolate flavor, it’s just perfect for any dessert. Here’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy Nutella, in a cupcake! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

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White Almond Sour Cream Cake with Piped Cream Cheese Frosting

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White Almond Sour Cream Cake-0583I’ve had the same best friend since I was 4 years old, she’s more like a sister than a friend at this point. When she got pregnant I was almost as excited as she was and now her growing little girl is one of my favorite people to hang out with. So, for her 2nd birthday, I decided to make her an awesome birthday cake and cupcakes. The cake was so popular, there was literally none left!

Now, I’m not usually a fan of using cake mixes because I like to bake from scratch; however, I know some people prefer it for convenience.   This cake is so moist with that perfect melt-in-your-mouth flavor, not to mention it’s white so you can do fun colors for the layers.   This recipe does make enough for very tall layers, so you can certainly scale back for a smaller cake.

I finally found a great cream cheese frosting that I can decorate with, this frosting will pipe to perfection! I have yet to try it on a cupcake but hoping it will work with some of the softer frosting styles (it’s definitely not stiff enough for complex flowers, etc.) The trick – you can’t use both butter and cream cheese. Together they are too soft and melt easily.

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White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

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White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes-1

I’m a HUGE chocolate fan, mostly dark chocolate but I do have a special place in my heart for white chocolate. As a little girl, my sister and I would love going to the local candy store to buy a giant chunk of white chocolate. We would obsess over eating it really slow to make it last longer… did I mention I’ve always been obsessed with sweets?!White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes-1017

This cupcake is excellent for a party, it’s light, delicious and a showstopper. Everyone stops to ask, “What’s in this frosting?” I made it the first time for my husband’s birthday, I adapted a few things and made this iteration for a nautical themed baby shower for a dear friend. They were a big hit both times, but I think this recipe is a perfect combination. Next time, to add in a wow factor, I will make a strawberry compote instead of using jam, however jam is a big time saver!

So, what is it about this frosting that drives people crazy?! They can’t quite put their finger on it and when I tell them it only has two ingredients, they are truly baffled. But really, it is just butter and white chocolate! I do have to admit, I was amazed this recipe worked the first time I made it, but it does and it pipes beautifully! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

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Butter Beer (Butterscotch) Cupcakes

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For the Harry Potter fans, this recipe needs no explaining. For the rest of you, think of these as a butterscotch cream soda flavor (I know, who isn’t a Harry Potter fan?!)! It’s incredibly decadent but oh so delicious! I made these at my sister-in-law’s request, she’s both a Harry Potter fan and a big fan of my baking, too. These were an absolute hit at the party she served them and I am definitely excited to make them again. Obviously, this wasn’t a Harry Potter themed party, but these would be a perfect fit and there are tons of decorating ideas out there for Harry Potter (I like the golden snitch and the wands, personally).

I’ve always loved butterscotch (am I the only one that craved those little golden yellow wrapped candies?), but I’ve never had a baked treat that had so much butterscotch flavor. I haven’t been to Harry Potter World yet, but I will absolutely have to try the Butter Beer after making this delectable cupcake version.

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The BEST Funfetti Cupcakes + Classic Buttercream Frosting

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I’ve always been a fan of the more complex flavors in baking, but there is something to be said for the classics. This funfetti recipe is one of my absolute favorites! It’s made from scratch and comes out moist and delicious every time. The batter is so good, it’s almost hard to actually bake the cupcakes… because I could probably just eat the entire bowl of batter off a spatula and be content.

I’ve made these a few times recently for various birthday parties and they are definitely a hit. The frosting is a classic medium/soft buttercream, ideal for decorating. If you are attempting more complex cupcake decorations, you can always add additional powdered sugar to stiffen the frosting more.

The party I made these particular cupcakes for was Doc McStuffins themed – so pink and purple was very fitting. I’ll also have a post soon for the cake from this party, White Almond Sour Cream Cake (and yes, it is SO delicious).

Remember to always make your cupcakes and cakes several days (up to a week) in advance and freeze them. This easy step allows the cupcakes to lock in moisture and makes frosting the cakes easier!

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Decadent S’mores Cake

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Welcome to my blog! This is my first blog post so I want to do a quick introduction… I’m Blaire, a self-taught baker, wife and business woman. I love to venture out and try new things, while traveling for work or Pinterest surfing I am always on the look out for mouth-watering desserts. Recently, I completed my first cake decorating class, now my desserts must taste and look amazing, Sugar B approved! Taste will always be the most important factor for me, I promise that what you see in the pictures will always be the true result of my baking. I hate making a dessert that comes out looking nothing like the picture (this is especially true for frosting recipes). I’d love to hear from you if you have ideas for ways to improve, and stick with me while I work on my photography skills.

IMG_9778And now, onto the important stuff, the sweets! I originally made this S’mores Cake for my husband and his twin brother’s surprise 30th birthday. It was such a big hit (there was literally none left) and I had so many requests for the recipe, it finally pushed me over the edge to start a baking blog. I’m not much for the extra fluff when looking at blog recipes, so I will walk you through my methods but try to keep it short and sweet (pun intended) :).

To start, we make the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. I make it for EVERYTHING.   It is my go to recipe for anything chocolate and, trust me, you won’t regret it!

For the purposes of this post, I only made a small two layer cake, but don’t worry the original recipe was used for the party and it’s definitely perfect!

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