Thanksgiving Cupcakes To Replace The Dinner

Since I am called the Cupcake Kid, I am going with the idea that all meals should include cupcakes. And I saw this on Make Bake Celebrate and told my mom we had to do this! Hopefully next year I can really start experimenting and coming up with my own great stuff like this, but for now I wanted to share this with my readers since I think it is AWESOME!

image courtesy of Make Bake CelebrateYou have everything with these cupcakes, you get your turkey, corn, sweet potatoes and even your vegetables! I bet you these vegetables will be eaten with no problems!

The person who created these fantastic Thanksgiving Cupcakes include general directions on her blog at Make Bake Celebrate.

Here are some of the things you will need:

  • cupcakes
  • buttercream
  • fondant
  • yellow, copper, green, ivory coloring
  • caramel
  • marshmallow bits
  • walnuts
  • black and white sanding sugars

These are just so fun! If you make them we would love to see them!!!!! Happy Thanksgiving! Rachel

 

Dracula Cookies For Halloween

Dracula Cookies for Halloween PartyI love Halloween! Even though I am turning 10 soon, I still love the fun of dressing up and of course getting candy! I also love going to Halloween parties and I thought these would be fun desserts for my friends. I have not tried making these yet, they do look a little harder than some of the other things I have made, but I may give it a try and see how I do!

Ingredients

  • 6 Hazelnut truffles (creator used Ferrero Rocher truffles)
  • 5 ounces white candy coating, chopped
  • 1 green or red fruit roll up
  • 6 Oreo cookies
  • 1 (6 oz.) can black decorative icing
  • 6 slivered almonds, cut in half

The recipe is only for 6 Dracula cookies, of course if you want more you should increase the ingredients! You can also use cake mix as an alternative to the truffles for the head – you would just have to make them as round cakes. This option would make more than 6 cookies, so you would need to increase all the other ingredient amounts too!

Directions

Place truffles on a waxed paper-lined pan. Freeze for 10 minutes or until chilled. Meanwhile, in a microwave bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip truffles in coating to cover completely; allow excess to drip of. Return to prepared pan. Refrigerate until hardened.

Cut Fruit Roll-Up into 2-1/2-in. x 1-1/2-in. strips. Reheat candy coating if necessary. Dip truffles in candy coating again; allow excess to drip off. Place one on each cookie. Wrap a fruit strip around base of truffle for cape. Let stand until set.

Using decorating icing and a round tip, pipe hair, eyes and mouth on each. Insert almonds for fangs. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 6 cookies.

recipe and photo courtesy of katherine aras

 

 

Corn on the Cobcakes – An adorable Summer Cupcake!

image courtesy of Monica Buck/Woman’s Day

This wonderful Corn on the Cob recipe…wait….its not corn on the cob! It is cupcakes! Yes, really!

These adorable cupcakes when placed together look just like a corn on the cob! Can you be more creative? The kids will love helping to create this masterpiece. The top is just made of yellow and white jellybeans and you can use a yellow starburst for the “butter” slab!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup(s) canola oil
  • 1 1/4 cup(s) plus 5 Tbsp whole milk
  • 3 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
  • 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) plus pinch kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 box(es) confectioners’ sugar
  • 16  corn holders, assorted yellow and white jelly beans, 4 yellow fruit chews (such as Starburst), black and white sanding sugar, for decorating

4th of July Fun for Kids – Star Shaped Sandwiches

Star Shaped Sandwiches

image courtesy Zui

What a fun idea for the kids – both to make and to eat! These star shaped sandwiches are easy to make even for the younger crowd and will be sure to be a favorite at any 4th of July celebration!

Best part of this treat? You do not need all that much! Here is yous list of things you will need:

  • Bread
  • Star shaped cutter
  • Butter
  • Nonpareils in red, white and blue

Simply cut the bread into the star shape, spread a thin layer of butter then place in a bowl of the nonpareils that are all mixed together. Easy right?

You can of course make these sandwiches with anything including lunch meats, pb&j etc. I think it may be good to try Nutella with the nonpareils – I love Nutella!

To keep the kids busy even longer-let them make their own little flags! Give them some strips of paper, let them create and ten attach their art to toothpicks! Simple idea that will be fun for everyone!

And if you need a Star Shaped Cookie Cutter you can find them on Amazon. We like this Star Shaped Crust and Sandwich Cutter since it seems to fit better with those little hands!

full story from Zui 

Almost Healthy Snowman Cupckaes!

Healthy Snowman Cupcakes

Photo by SkinnyTaste.com

These adorable cupcakes, from SkinnyTaste.com are low fat, easy to make and as you can imagine – the kids love them! A fun afternoon activity to get ready for the holidays.

The face is made up of jellybeans, mini chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows and a few colored sprinkles. Standard Duncan Hines cake mix was used for the cupcake – but contain a healthy twist.

The mix was mixed with 6oz.fat free Chobani yogurt, egg whites and water for the low fat option. Take away the oil and butter and you have a healthier option.

The icing was made from powdered sugar with a little melted butter and water.

Ingredients:

  • 18.25oz. cake mix
  • 6 ounce fat free Chobani yogurt
  • 1 1/3 cup water
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tbsp. boiling waiter
  • M&M’s
  • Jellybeans
  • Sprinkles
  • Mini marshmallows

For the full recipe and instructions visit SkinnyTaste.com

 

 

 

Kid’s Birthday Cakes That Will Bring Smiles!

A child’s birthday party is a day to show them they are special! These cakes will do just that! Creative and eye-catching, these unique birthday cakes will be sure to bring smiles to the birthday boy or girl and your guests.

Credit: One Charming Party

Creative Rainbow Doodle Birthday Cake

Credit: Sweetapolita

Guitar Shaped Birthday Cake

Credit: Doughmesstic

Baby Shoes Birthday Cake

Credit: Savory Sweet Life

St. Patty’s Day Treats My Friends Would Love

Every kid likes Oreo’s right? These Shamrock Mint Oreos from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen are a great idea for a class party! I know my friends would love them, just wish we had time to make them. :-(

Here is the recipe in case you find some time to whip up a batch:

Cookies:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used Hershey Special Dark cocoa powder)

 

 

Filling:
1/2 envelope (1 teaspoon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon) unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Green food coloring

What to do next:

Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg, water and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in the flour and cocoa until well combined; the dough will be very stiff.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, about the size of a walnut. Place the balls on prepared baking sheets and flatten each to about 1/8 inch with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. I also cut my cookies with a round cutter after flattening to ensure that they would all be the same size, but this step is not necessary.

Using a very small heart cookie cutter, or a paring knife, cut shamrocks into half of the cookies.

Bake cookies for 18 minutes. If cookies begin to look too dark or you smell scorching chocolate, remove baking pans from oven immediately. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Make filling:

Soften the gelatin in a cup containing 2 tablespoons of cold water, then place the cup in a larger dish of hot water and leave it until the gelatin is completely dissolved and the liquid is transparent. Remove the gelatin from the hot water and let it cool until it’s room temperature but hasn’t begun to set.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the shortening, then beat in the vanilla and mint extract. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating until mixture is creamy. Beat in the gelatin.If the mixture seems to dry, add a couple teaspoons of hot water and beat until it is the right consistency. Add green food coloring, a few drops at a time, until desired color is achieved.

Sandwich the cookies, placing a small ball of filling on top of a cookie, and flattening it with another cookie top.

and now – ENJOY WITH FRIENDS!!!


 

Nutella Chocolate Cobbler – In Honor of World Nutella Day!

As you may or may not know, today is World Nutella Day! A day to celebrate Nutella and it’s many uses! Rachel at Cupcake Kid Cafe loves Nutella just sandwiched in between 2 pieces of bread – and I think she has had that same lunch every day since school started!

But when I started looking around – I was amazed at the amount of recipes that actually use Nutella.

Here is a what looks like a delicious recipe over at Savory Sweet Life for Nutella Chocolate Cobbler. They were inspired by a recipe found at Tasty Kitchen.

Nutella Cobbler Recipe

Photo: Savory Sweet Life

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons abaking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Nutella
6 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup hot tap water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of white sugar.  Stir in milk, Nutella, butter, and vanilla.  Mixture will be thick like the texture of peanut butter.  Spread mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish.  In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and remaining cocoa.  Sprinkle mixture evenly over the batter.  Pour the hot water over  everything and do not stir.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is slightly firm but not fluid like liquid.  Spoon mixture into small bowls and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


What can the kids help with?

Let them be a part of the fun, if they are old enough let them measure out the ingredients and even use the mixer if they are up for the challenge. but here are the more simple things that the little ones can do!

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of white sugar

2. Spread mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish

3. Spoon mixture into small bowls and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Licorice Cupcakes

We know that somewhere in your family is a licorice lover! I happen to be that one person in our family…but if you have a licorice lover these are the cupcakes for you! The recipe comes from a website called Kayotic so we want to give them a big shout out for such a unique recipe with such drool worthy images!

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:

1 stick butter (115 gr)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 oz soft sweet liquorice
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp water
2 eggs (room temperature)
1/2 tsp salt

Peppermint Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese
2 cups confectioners sugar
25 soft peppermint pillows (or 1 tsp peppermint extract)

DIRECTIONS:

Cream the butter and sugar for 4 or 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs—one at a time— and beat until it’s creamy.

Put the liquorice in a pan and add 2 tbsp water.

Melt the liquorice over low heat while stirring occasionally. When it looks too dry, add 1 or 2 tbsp water. I used a total of 4 tbsp water.

Add the melted liquorice to the sugar butter. Along with the baking powder and salt and beat until it’s a smooth brown concoction.  Add the flour and stir until just combined.

Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners and fill them 2/3 of the way with the batter. Bake them at 350F (175C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

For the icing combine the (soft) cream cheese with the peppermint powder (or 1 tsp extract) and 2 cups confectioners sugar. It will look grainy at first…but will then transform into a firm and creamy frosting!

Now ice your cupcakes and ENJOY!

For the full recipe and an adorable printable recipe card visit Kayotic Kitchen’ s Licorice Cupcake Recipe

All images courtesy of Kayotic Kitchen.

Resolution Cookies – A Great Way To Ring In The New Year

You would love to ring in 2011 with your kiddos, but staying up past midnight just isn’t in the cards.

Celebrate instead by making New Year-themed fortune cookies together. The kid-friendly take on the classic comes courtesy of local foodie Rebecca Coleman. Her blog, Cooking with My Kid, documents the family kitchen hijinks (she’s got two wee ones), so you can expect the recipe to be as easy as three … two … one.

New Year’s Resolution Cookies
Makes two dozen

Ingredients
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 egg whites
1 c. superfine sugar
1 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 pinch salt
3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Gel food coloring
1 tbsp. multicolored nonpareil sprinkles

1. Write resolutions on three-by-half-inch paper strips using food-safe ink.

2. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. Prep two baking sheets with Silpat or nonstick cooking spray.

4. Melt butter; set aside to cool. In an electric mixer, combine egg whites and sugar for one minute. Mix in flour and salt, beat. Mix in butter, heavy cream, and vanilla; beat until smooth.

5. Divide batter into two bowls. Mix multicolored nonpareil sprinkles into one batch. Add a drop of food coloring to the other.

6. Place teaspoon-size scoops of batter at least four inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using the back of the spoon, smooth batter into even rounds about three inches in diameter.

7. Bake eight to ten minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven.

8. Working quickly, slide a spatula under one cookie, lift, and flip over onto a dishtowel. Place one resolution message in the center of the cookie. Fold cookie in half and pinch at the top to form a loose semicircle. Place the folded edge on the rim of a coffee mug and pull each point down, one to the inside of the mug and one to the outside.

9. Place folded cookies in a muffin tin to hold their shape until firm.

10. Crack one open, discuss, devour, repeat.

For more kid-tested recipes, go to cookingwithmykid.com.