Pumpkin Cake

Okay, I'm not sure if this is cheating or not, but I'm going to blog about something my sister did.  She made delicious cupcakes and decorated them very beautifully! I helped if that counts as anything. I also had fun photographing them, here are a few pictures.

 Before she made them I brought her to a craft store and we bought a piping bag with a huge cupcake end,  and as you can tell she was very good at using it.... Although it was my idea to add the sprinkles!

Okay, now this technique is 100% my own design, it's called "I'm not very good at icing cupcakes, so here is my lame attempt."

 My sister did all three of these, she used some sort of colored powder you can get at cake decorating stores, and dusted it over them.

My mom came up with this one, isn't it perfect?







Now although I can't give you step by step instructions on how to make these, I can give you an excellent pumpkin cake recipe that you can make, so you can experiment with your own icing ideas.

Pumpkin Cake

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Olive Oil
2 or 4 Eggs (whatever you feel like adding)
2 Cups of Pumpkin Cooked and Mashed
1 tsp. Salt
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp. Cinamon
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Vanilla

Mix in order given. Bake in a 9x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Or bake in muffin pans and lower the time.

Creamy Dreamy Chocolate Cupcakes

I am so happy! Can you guess why? We got a new computer! The old one was getting so slow it would take ten minutes to upload a picture, and half the time there would be an error, so blogging was almost impossible to do. That's part of the reason I didn't blog all summer. The other reason is that I went to visit my Uncle and Aunt in Ontario! It was the first time I had ever been that far away from home. But anyways, I made some....gasp...cupcakes. The recipe book called them "Chocolate Cheese Cupcakes" but what kind of a name is that? I mean really, it's quite nasty. But don't fret, my best friend and author of  "Jacy's Food Blog" helped me come up with a better name! Try "Creamy Dreamy Chocolate Cupcakes"! That name gets me so excited!

Wow! Did that ever load fast...oops, back to the cupcakes. Yes, although they may look a little funny, you'll change your mind as soon as you take your first bite, perhaps even sooner. 

Creamy Dreamy Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/2 Cups Flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 Cup Sugar (I uses Sucanat)
1/4 Cup Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1 Cup Water
5 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Vinegar (I used organic apple cider vinegar with mother)
1 tsp. Vanilla


Chocolate Chip Filling:


1 8-oz Package of Cream Cheese
1/3 Cup of Sugar (again, I used Sucanat)
1 Egg
1 6-oz Package of Chocolate Chips


In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt. in a second bowl, beat together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Gradually add this to the dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Fill 18 paper lined cupcake tins about half full of batter. Set aside and make filling.  To make the filling  beat the cream cheese, sugar, and eggs together in a small mixing bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. Now top each cupcake with about a tablespoon of the batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until top springs back when pressed. 

Enjoy these wonderful cupcakes, but don't forget to share!

Cupcakes

     I know it's been a while, but.... I get tired of saying that, and I'm sure you get tired of reading it too! So never mind that, I'm posting right now and that's all that really matters. So lately I've been busy sewing. I don't really have any finished projects to put up here since the dress I just made looks like a maternity dress, and it's just way to embarrassing to show you. But along with my sewing kick, I have been getting sewing books from the library, one of which is called "Bend the Rules Sewing" by Amy Karol. The name itself describes the way I sew! Here is a little quote from the book that I very much enjoyed, "When you do make a mistake, try to laugh about it, cut yourself some slack, and eat a cupcake." I'm telling you, this book is perfect for me! So, after reading that I just had to make some cupcakes (since I can't seem to sew without making mistakes!)


Here are the cupcakes I made, the recipe is for a cake, but it worked great for making cupcakes.

Sour Milk Chocolate Cake
I know, the name doesn't sound to appealing, but i didn't choose it!

1/2 Cup Cocoa

1/2 Cup Hot Water

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sour Milk

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

2 Tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

Add hot water to cocoa and cool. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, soda, vanilla, cocoa mixture and lastly flour. Bake at 350 degrees. For a cake bake in a 8x12" pan for 35-40 minutes. For cupcakes bake bake for 12-15 minutes or until done.

Here are a few pictures of the my cupcake making just for fun :)

 Batter in the pans.

 Baked!

 Cooling.

Decorated! Enjoy!