Thin Mint Mini Cupcake

About a week or so ago I blogged about how strong I was at resisting the urge to buy Girl Scout cookies. Well, that didn't last long. At a family get together last week I found out that my cousins cute little girl is now a girl scout and was selling cookies. How could I not support her?? So I bought two boxes. You would be proud to know that I didn't eat them all in one night and there is still more than half of each box left! Today I was in the mood to do some baking and decided to try something new so I decided to attempt to make a Thin Mint Mini Cupcake. I crushed up what was left of my Thin Mint cookies and threw them into my favorite chocolate batter, topped it with mint buttercream and dipped them in Chocolate Ganache. Delish, going to take some to my mom later today and I know she is just going to love them.

 

 

 

Thin Mint Cookie Mini Cupcakes
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks
2/3 C cold water
2 egg whites
1/3 C sugar
about 14 crushed Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium high for approximately 30 seconds. Add 1/2 C sugar and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl as needed. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each yolk. Alternately add flour mixture and water to shortening mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.

In a large bowl beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add 1/3 C sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into chocolate batter. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter into mini cupcake liners.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotating tins halfway through. Remove from tins and let cool completely on wire racks.


Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
6 C Powdered suger
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Green Food Coloring

Blend butter and sugar together until frosting consistency is reached. Add extracts and blend to combine. Keep in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

Pipe frosting onto mini cupcakes and dip into Chocolate Ganache Glaze.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Recipe from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Directions

1.      Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
Remove from heat, and add chocolate
and corn syrup. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.

 

49ers Cupcakes

My dad always throws the best Superbowl parties filled with so much food you would think he had invited the whole neighborhood when really it is just our family! This year he asked me to make cupcakes - well, he specifically said "49ers cupcakes". I am not a huge football fan and I don't really have a team I am one of those people who cheers for the team that my family is rooting for. So it just so happens that we are rooting for the San Fransisco 49ers! Fine with me since I went on a vaction there this year!  I made a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a white chocolate "SF" for garnish. Can't wait for good food, funny commercials and family time!

GO 49ers!

 

 

Santa Clause is coming to Town

Yesterday we went to our favorite cupcake shoppe, One Sweet Slice, to see Santa and Mrs. Clause. Mia was so excited to sit on Santa's lap but as soon as she sat down she got super shy. After sitting on Santa's lap all the children were given free mini cupcakes and were able to listen to Santa and Mrs. Clause do story time.

We can't wait until Santa visits our house tomorrow night!

PHOTO SHOOT {2 years}

It was an extra hot day. Mia was a trooper. Probably because she knew she got a cupcake from One Sweet Slice at the end of the photo shoot. Thanks to my Awesome Sister in Law these photos turned out GREAT. They really highlight Mia's personality!

 

Mia's 2 year photo shoot

Taken by I Heart Photography by Lindsay

Location: Downtown SLC Library

 

 

Turning Two

Well, it happened. My Baby Girl went and turned TWO on me over the weekend, so technically she is a "toddler" but she will always be my baby girl. Saturday was her actual birthday so we threw her a little party. The theme was turquoise, yellow & gray. I thought about doing a Minnie Mouse theme since she LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse but I figured I would have plenty of years of character themed parties ahead of me so why not relish in the simple "color" theme. She started out her party with a phone call from her cousins in Maryland singing "Happy Birthday" to her.

For Dinner I made Sweet Pulled Pork Sandwiches and had some Ahhmazing help from family with the side dishes.

Oh Nicole...

Mia dancing at her party. It's her party and she'll dance if she wants to!

Instead of a cake I opted for cupcakes. I made a sour cream vanilla cupcake with Vanilla Almond Buttercream and a Chocolatey cupcake with salted caramel filled center, dark chocolate buttercream with a salted caramel drizzle. All topped with fondant decorations {made by me} to spell out Happy Birthday Mia.

Grammy

Of course she got spoiled like crazy.

For Dessert I made homemade icecream. {Raspberry, Oreo & Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cake}

Happy Birthday to You!

Delicous Cupcakes!

Oh, And a sneak peak of her 2 year photo shoot.

C/O I Heart Photography

Her Party was a success. She loved all the attention and all of her new gifts. So much work for her party but she is definitely worth it. Love her to pieces!

P.S.
You should all go check out this LOVELY giveaway and enter to win!

XOXO,
Whitney

Linking Up!

One Sweet Slice

We included in our Summer list to "Find The Best". I took that upon myself to find the best cupcake (in my opinion) in the Salt Lake Valley. I have already visited The Sweet Tooth Fairy, twice. Their cupcakes are outstanding, delicious, super moist, etc. etc. etc. I can definitely see how they have won Cupcake Wars. Anyway, on Friday I was getting Mia's 2 year pictures taken and I wanted some cupcakes for her photos. Perfect Opportunity for me to try out a new cupcake shoppe! I decided on One Sweet Slice because they are fairly close to my home and I was going for convenience. I walked into their store and was amazed and how gorgeous it was, very chic! I gazed at their assortment of cupcakes and was pleasantly surprised with how many different cupcake flavors they had to offer. I wasn't counting, but there were at least 15 different types of cupcakes, if not more. How is a girl to decide??

 via

via

After about 20 minutes of drooling contemplating, I finally made up my mind. I went with Vanilla, Princess, Samoa, Chocolate Fleur De Sal, Raspberry Swirl and Strawberry Margherita. They were all decorated beautifully and I thought it would be great to way to thank my Sister in Law for taking Mia's pictures. I wanted to try them all but I chose the Chocolate Fleur De Sal for me to indulge in. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. Perfectly moist, amazing.

And the best part? I got a punch card so you know I will definitely be back! 

XOXO,
Whitney

Tres Leches Cupcake

My sister is in town and we have been running around like crazy having a good time while she is here. The other night she came over to my house for dinner. I was craving mexican food so I decided to make Cafe Rio style chicken burritos. I love making this, especially when people come over because EVERYONE loves it, and it's super easy since I get to throw the chicken in the crockpot. As I was preparing dinner my baby girl was napping and I had a little extra time. Every now and then when the house is completely clean, dinner is cooking, and I have some free time I like to bake. Since I was making mexican food for dinner I thought it would be fun to stick to that theme and make Tres Leches cupcakes. I have never made these ones before and I always love trying something new. I used my handy dandy Martha Stewart Cupcake book to lead me in the right direction. In the recipe she tells you to use tinfoil liners, well I didn't have any of those so I was a little nervous my paper lines would get soggy. I decided to double line them and it actually turned out just fine. The liners held up great and they weren't soggy of tearing apart. My nephews liked them so I guess that means they were good! You know something is good when it passes the taste test from a child.

Here is the recipe:

Tres Leches Cupcake
Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart

makes about 20 cupcakes (I halved the recipe and it made 9)

Ingredients

6 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

Whipped Cream

Ground cinnamon, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper-lines foil liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together egg whites, baking soda, and salt until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low. Add yolks and sugar, whisk until completely combined. Fold in melted butter with a flexible spatula. Add flour in four batches, folding until just combined after each.

2. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each halfway. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately poke holes in the tops of cupcakes with a skewer.

3. Whisk together evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. With cupcakes still in tins, brush milk mixture over cupcakes, repeating until all liquid has been used. Allow cupcakes to absorb mixture, at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 day in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic once completely cookl bring to room temperature before serving).

4. To finish, dollop whipped cream generously onto cupcakes, and dust with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.

XOXO,
Whitney

Cookies & Cream Cup[cheese]cakes {Martha Stewart Recipe}

So what do I do when I am trying to fill my time and deny the fact that my marathon is in 4 days? I bake! This weekend for Mother's day I was in charge of bringing salad & cookies to our family get together. Well, I love cookies and all but I wanted to do something different and a little more fancy if you will. So I made these Cookies & Cream mini cheesecakes. Thank you Martha Stewart! These are delicious, creamy and filled with America's Favorite Cookie: The OREO! Such a simple recipe. Instead of making a crust for each cupcake you just place an oreo cookie at the bottom of each cake.

You can WOW your guests and make them think you spent hours and hours making these when really they are a cinch. {Thats our little secret though}

XOXO,
Whitney

Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes
Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Makes 30

Ingredients:
42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt


1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

2. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.