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on ready-made frosting

September 13, 2011 by girlinspired 13 Comments

Phew!  With Grace now back in preschool, some end of summer events, and our always growing project list, we have been going nonstop this past week.  Nevertheless, I was feeling inspired (by Nienie, here) to throw together a quick back-to-school dinner/celebration for the girls.  I had just a couple hours to put something together so it wasn’t a big to-do, but it involved the necessities:  homemade strawberry lemonade, crowns, and cupcakes.  That, and a well-balanced dinner, were just enough to put the girls over the moon.

I used Cricut to make the crowns, cupcake liners, and cutesy owl and deer toppers.  To frost the cupcakes, I used one of my tried and true easy frosting tricks – Pastry Pride.  This is a non-dairy dessert topping that you can buy from cake supply stores.  It comes in quart-size cartons and I keep a supply in my freezer.  Then, when I need a quick batch of frosting, I thaw a carton out, whip up the amount I need (don’t overwhip), and I’m ready to go!  It’s great for spreading out smoothly and also for piping swirls, borders, and dots; it isn’t the best frosting for a lot of detail.  Frosted cakes and treats need to stay refrigerated.  The texture and flavor is similar to whipped cream, not too sweet, and really light and yummy.

 I’m so glad we did this.  A little bit of effort and a messy kitchen yielded a special evening for all of us.  Love making these moments with my cute family.  
How do you carve out special moments with your favorite people?

Filed Under: Food and Recipes Tagged With: Cricut, cupcakes, sweet treats

Making Meringue Mushrooms

August 8, 2011 by girlinspired 4 Comments

Although time consuming, these meringue mushrooms were really pretty easy to make.  
Your basic steps are these:
Make one recipe of Swiss Meringue (Recipe here.)  Place a round open tip on a piping bag and fill with swiss meringue.  Pipe meringue onto baking sheet in various-sized caps and stems.  Bake the meringue according to the recipe instructions; basically, you’re drying out the meringue (this takes 2 hours, so plan ahead).  (Baking instructions here.)
Once the caps and stems are baked and cooled, you’re going to turn them into mushrooms!  I used candy melts because they were handy.  Melt up your chocolate and white candy melts.  Spread a thin layer of chocolate candy over the base of the mushroom caps.  When it’s cooled and hardened, spread a thin layer of white candy over the chocolate and drag lines toward the center using a toothpick.  
To connect the caps to the stems, I found it easiest to make a little hole in the center of the cap using a toothpick; then use a little more melted candy as “glue.”  
Pipe grass on your cupcakes and stick those mushrooms on top!  Sprinkle mushrooms with cocoa powder.  Use your fingers and just kind of fling it on there for the most natural effect.
 
So cute!  So fun!
Okie Dokie?  What are you baking this week?


Filed Under: Desserts, Food and Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, cupcakes, meringue, toadstool

toadstool cupcakes

July 27, 2011 by girlinspired 20 Comments

Do you love them?  Do you love toadstools?  You might think I’m crAzY, but I have quite a few toadstool to-dos on my project list.  I saw Martha Stewart do these meringue toadstools on a jelly roll log cake many years ago and I have been wanting to try them ever since.  Graham just celebrated his birthday and, being the only one around here who doesn’t want pink and sparkly, I was excited to surprise him with these earthy little cupcakes!
I’ll show you how to do them in another post so that we can split up the pictures a little bit.  They were just too fun to narrow down the pictures any further.  Hope you don’t mind! 
They’re not just charming to look at either.  They were delicious!  Chocolate chip cupcakes with salted caramel filling, and that yummy marshmallow buttercream.  I used a boxed mix for the cupcakes, but it still took me a good 4-5 hours to make the caramel filling, buttercream, and the meringue toadstools.  Well worth it – cause that’s what we like to do with our afternoons around here!
 
By the way, what’s the difference between a “toadstool” and a “mushroom”?  Is it just that “toadstool” sounds way cuter?   I’m curious.
Sharing at Tatertots and Jello.

Filed Under: Cake Decorating, Inspiration and Ideas Tagged With: buttercream, cupcakes, toadstools

strawberry dream frosting

July 1, 2011 by girlinspired 51 Comments

This Strawberry Dream Frosting made from butter and marshmallow creme is to die for!
This frosting is so delicious and super quick to whip up.  I’d recommend you memorize the recipe and keep the ingredients on hand for those emergency late night sugar cravings.  Or you can behave yourself and save the recipe for a special occasion (or is that redundant?)  Oh well, whenever you choose to use it, this recipe is a keeper. for sure.

This Strawberry Dream Frosting made from butter and marshmallow creme is to die for!speaking of keepers, humor me here, is she not the cutest thing ever?

I first found the basic “Almost Homemade Buttercream” recipe in my Hello, Cupcake book (aff.).  Since then, I’ve seen the recipe in several places, so you may already be familiar with it.
STRAWBERRY DREAM FROSTING    Print This Recipe!

Whip two containers of marshmallow creme in your mixer.
Adding one tablespoon at a time, gradually mix in 3 sticks (1-1/2 cups) softened, unsalted butter.  Beat well.
Add 1/2 c. powdered sugar and beat in.
(If you’re not making strawberry frosting, add 1/2 t. vanilla extract).  This vanilla version is heavenly on lemon cake – just sayin’.
Now, the simple strawberry part.  Add 1/2-1 teaspoon of strawberry extract (to taste) and a very small dot of pink gel food coloring.

This Strawberry Dream Frosting made from butter and marshmallow creme is to die for!

The extract has a pink tint, but I wanted just a bit more color.  This frosting is very soft because it’s pretty much just butter, but if you work in a cool room, it really pipes out nicely.  If it gets too soft, I’d recommend putting your mixing bowl into the fridge for a while to firm it up some, then rewhip it before piping.  I added some clear sugar crystals and halved strawberries on the top of my cupcakes.  They were delicious!!

This Strawberry Dream Frosting made from butter and marshmallow creme is to die for!

Who’s making cupcakes tonight?  Anyone?  Do you have a favorite go-to frosting recipe?
Please note:  This recipe is essentially just butter and marshmallow fluff – it will melt if room temperature is too warm!  They do need refrigeration!  They will melt in the sun!  If your butter is too soft when you mix up the recipe – the frosting will be too soft!  That said, I’ve used this recipe dozens of times with perfect piping results!

Need more delicious AND beautiful dessert ideas?  Try these:

Cherry Buttercream Frosting - yum!! so easy and delicious!

Cherry Buttercream Frosting – mmmmm!

Four simple but stunning cake decorating techniques

Cake Decorating Techniques!

mud pie banner

Ice Cream Mud Pie

Image Map

Filed Under: Desserts, Food and Recipes, Parties, Popular Posts Tagged With: buttercream, cupcakes, marshmallow, strawberry

little princess

January 5, 2011 by girlinspired 19 Comments

Well, I suppose the skirt did kind of give it away, and yes, it’s a Cars party, Lightning McQueen and all.  I am having way too much fun planning this party and I’ll share my fun ideas in a bit. 

For today, though, we had a special-little-actual-birthday birthday party.  And there was plenty of pink.  Because even though my little Gracie wants a Cars party, when I turned her loose with my Hello, Cupcake! book, she picked out the princess cupcakes for her day-of birthday treat.  These particular cupcakes threw me for a loop as I used some homemade fondant rather than smooshing and rolling out a bazillion gumdrops for the dresses.  The fondant wasn’t looking so hot with the pink sugar crystals, and my backup fruit rollup idea didn’t work either.  And I really thought I was defeated this time.  But then I gave it one last go with the fondant and omitted the sugar crystals and you know what?  It totally worked.

This was my first time working with fondant; I’m practicing for the Cars cake.  I hope it’ll turn out how I picture it in my head!!  I’ll share any tips I acquire after a little more practice! 
Happy birthday, my little princess. 

Filed Under: Cake Decorating, Inspiration and Ideas Tagged With: cupcakes, party, sweet treats

the way her eyes lit up

September 28, 2010 by girlinspired 14 Comments

One thing that has become more noticeable to me since becoming a mom is that I’m always trying to remember things.  Remember to buy milk and diapers.  Remember baths, shoes, and brushing teeth.  Remember nap times, school times, play dates, birthdays.  Remember my keys, my credit card, my name. 
 
Most days I forget most things, I think.  I find myself running back into the house two, three, maybe even four times to grab one more thing that I forgot.  Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and my heart races as I remember something from the day before – too late.  Or I think of something that I MUST still remember when I wake up tomorrow. 
 
No adjustment to my system operation will compensate though.  Because I’ve decided that the brain can only store so much information at any given time – and mine is mostly dedicated to remembering moments.  You know the ones I’m talking about, the moments that *count*!
 
Like the way her eyes lit up when she saw her FLOWER cupcakes just as her party guests started to arrive.
 
 More party pictures to come…
 

Filed Under: Cake Decorating, Food and Recipes Tagged With: cupcakes, flowers, party decor, sweet treats

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It is my hope that you will find inspiration on the Girl. Inspired. blog. All photos are copyright protected by Girl. Inspired. If you wish to share something that you have seen here, I am absolutely thrilled! Please use only one picture with a direct link back to the project you are referencing. Thank you so much for your understanding!

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