Cupcakes

338.  Cupcakes.  Wouldn't you just love one right now?  Chocolate, Vanilla or Carrot Cake Cupcake? No matter the flavor, a cupcake is always a delightful treat.  Satisfies me every time.  

My beautiful niece was engaged to be married and asked if I would whip up several batches of cupcakes for her Bridal Shower.  What an honor to be a part of her celebration in life.  The shower was held at a winery and our setting was on the back patio overlooking the vineyard.

So I chose to make three varieties:  Lemon Raspberry,  Salted Chocolate Caramel and Vanilla Blackberry.  

The Lemon Raspberry cupcakes were made from scratch with lemon cake, raspberry buttercream and raspberry jam filling topped with a fresh raspberry and lemon zest.

The Salted Chocolate Caramel cupcakes were made from scratch as well with a chocolate cake, caramel buttercream and fresh caramel placed in the center and drizzled across the top, then sprinkled with Flur d sal. 

The Vanilla Blackberry cupcakes were made from scratch with a vanilla cake, blackberry buttercream and blackberry jam filling topped with a fresh giant blackberry.

We had a lovely day and the beautiful bride-to-be was showered with love.

 My sweet sister was the hostess extraordinaire.  She designed all the flower arrangements and painted a masterful copy of their invitation.  Every detail was perfect...cupcakes included!

And, "They lived happily ever after."

"When you hold a cupcake, sorrow disappears."

~ Anonymous

Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

297.  This is a lovely recipe using ripe bananas.  Those unpleasant guests that show up on your kitchen counter, seemingly, unannounced.  The delight is in the frosting which has hints of honey and cinnamon spice.  You will be surprised and satisfied!  Compliments of Martha Stewart's recipes.  

Recipe here:  Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Honey-Cinnamon Frosting
• 
  
• STEP 1
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Line cupcake pan with paper liners or silicone cups.
• 
  
• STEP 2
• Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix causing cake to be tough). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.

1. STEP 3

   Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.  

Frosting

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. 

1. Spread tops with
   Honey-Cinnamon Frosting.  Drizzle honey across top of frosting.
2. OPTIONAL:  Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.
3. 

"My biggest thing is banana pudding, but it's the devil!  So no one is allowed to bring it into my house.  Because, I can't control myself.  So why put it in my domain?"
~ Jennifer Hudson

Fig Upside Down Cupcakes

234. Lovely Figs! So many lovely figs!

Hand picked and just waiting to be used.

Fig Upside Down Cupcakes

1 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup almond meal (almonds ground to grainy consistency)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

6 to 8 figs diced

brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line paper baking cups in cupcake pans. Yields approximately 24 cupcakes.

In a large bowl mix together milk, sugar, oil, extracts and egg till blended. Add flour, almond meal, baking powder and baking soda, spices and salt. Mix until smooth.

Chop figs and cover the bottom of each paper liner with fig cubes.

Spoon 1 teaspoon of brown sugar over figs.

Then pour batter over filling 2/3 full.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool.

Buttercream Spice Frosting

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

5 cups confectioners sugar

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 - 3 Tablespoons milk or as needed for right consistency

Cream all ingredients together in a mixer and whip until smooth and sugar has incorporated. Adjust milk or confectioners sugar to desired consistency.

Pipe frostin onto cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Fabulous Fig Upside Down Cupcakes!!!

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day Trip

182. The air was a chilly 49 degrees, but the sun was warm and the sky, a gorgeous blue. A day trip was on our agenda, after we placed our votes this election day. Our first destination was to explore a new apple orchard, Fort Salonga Farm in Northport, Long Island.

The trees are all dwarf size with over 50 varieties available. But that is all that is available...apples and red raspberries each August. We spoke with the owner, who was very helpful to answer all our queries and allowed us to walk around a bit.

We were told about the best kept secret on the North Shore, Sunken Meadow State Park. After we received directions, we headed over to the Park.

From the access road you could see the Long Island Sound on the horizon. What a beautiful sight!!

We parked and walked through the old bathhouse kiosk with the original bricks and wooden counter. There were old original doors which added to the quaint atmosphere. As you walk through and up the stairs, it opens to the boardwalk and beyond is the calm sandy beach.

It was beautiful. And as you looked across the Long Island Sound, you could see Connecticut in the distance.

Fall leaves, golden and red were all around. Highlighted against the blue, blue sky...it was stunning.

We next headed west towards Asharoken and Eatons Neck, NY. We found a local beach that was just beautiful.

The water was calm and filled with small boats, sailboats and fishing boats.

We also found a great spot to walk around close to the shore with picnic tables and swings.

Canoeing and kayaking would be wonderful in this inlet at Price Bend.

Heading back south, towards Northport, NY we passed so many beautiful sights.

Our last stop was also a beautiful sight! We traveled along Jericho Turnpike into Woodbury, NY, were one of our favorite cupcake shops is located. "Crumbs" Bake Shop. We just love these cupcakes and it is a must to pick up a few each time we are in the area. The Woodbury Crumbs Bake Shop is a great spot.

The cupcakes we selected were "Carmel Apple",

"German Chocolate Cake", "Pumpkin Cake", "Toasted Coconut", "Peanut Butter Cup" and "Fluffernutter" which was filled with peanut butter cream in a vanilla cupcake with fluff added to the frosting. I don't have a picture of that one...it disappeared.

We enjoyed our day trip and were so glad to see the fall leaves before they disappear for another winter.

"The whole secret of the study of nature

lies in learning how to use one's eyes."

~George Sand

"Do not look to the ground for your next step;

greatness lies with those who look to the horizon."

~Norwegian Proverb