Weekend Company {Guest Blogger Teri}

Happy Saturday! Happy March!!! That's right, we are knocking on the door of Spring, and I for one am ready! In fact, it was a balmy 66 degrees here in Northeastern Indiana one day this week, and it was so nice! A big tease however, since the next day it failed to climb out of the 40s, but hey, we all know warmer and sunnier days are on their way if we can just hold out. And if you have Spring Fever too, today's post is perfect! It screams springtime, and I'm so excited for her to share it w/ you. So please read on, and be sure to stop by her blog or Facebook page and say hello when you have a chance....

Hi! My name is Teri, and I blog at The Freshman Cook. I have been blogging for about 1 1/2 years. I am married to my very best friend, and I have a 22 year old son that is too far away, in college. I have many years experience in the cooking business. My husband and I have owned several restaurants, and most of my time was spent in the kitchen~my favorite place! I have learned almost everything I know about cooking from various chefs as they came and went from this kitchen or that one. I started The Freshman Cook because training employees to cook was (and still is) a passion of mine. I always loved it when someone would start working in the kitchen, maybe washing dishes, or possibly as a basic prep cook. It wouldn't be long before they would be hanging around the grill, or the bake kitchen, just watching and asking questions. I loved teaching them a skill that they could use to work anywhere in the world. How exciting is that?!! Even if it wasn't to be a career for everyone, it's always nice to know that you have a skill you can depend on. So, I try to show how to use basic cooking and baking skills on The Freshman Cook. It's fun for me and I hope it is fun for my readers!

Today I made some cupcakes, along with a handmade cake plate to show them off. I made three different cupcakes each with three different frostings. These are easy, delicious recipes, and they all started with a boxed cake mix! Can you believe it!?! Although I don't always use boxed mixes to make cakes and cupcakes, I have used them many times, and the carrot cake recipe we are using today, once won me a 2nd place ribbon in the county fair when we lived in Florida! It really is that good!!

Cupcake Garden Party

Top: Berry Strawberry Cupcake
with
Strawberry Cream Frosting

Left: 18 Carrot Cupcake
with
Cream Cheese Frosting

Right: Hummingbird Cupcake
with
Orange Cream Frosting

Berry Strawberry Cupcake

1 box Duncan Hines White Cake Mix

1  3 ounce box Strawberry Gelatin

4 tablespoons Flour

1 cup Corn Oil

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Whole Milk

4 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in mixer

bowl. Mix on low for 1 minute. Scrape bowl, and mix 

on medium for 2 more minutes. Place mix in cupcake liners

and bake for 14-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

Strawberry Cream Frosting

1 stick Butter

4 cups Confectioners' Sugar

Milk

Pink Decorating Color

Chopped Fresh Strawberries

Place softened butter in mixing bowl. Blend with mixer, on low

until fluffy, about 20 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar,

 a little at a time, until completely blended. Add a little milk to

get the right consistency, and blend in color until you 

have the correct color. Decorate your cupcakes with the

frosting using a Wilton 2A tip. Top with chopped berries.

18 Carrot Cupcake

1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

1 3.4 ounce instant Vanilla Pudding

2/3 cup Orange Juice

1/2 cup Corn Oil

4 Eggs

2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

2 cups Grated Carrots

1/2 cup Golden Raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all items except carrots

and cinnamon in mixing bowl. Mix on low for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl,

and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Gently fold in the carrots and 

raisins. Fill cupcake liners with batter and bake for 14-15 minutes.

Cool on rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces Cream Cheese

1 stick Butter

3 3/4 cup Confectioners' Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

Place cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl. 

Blend on low until combined for 30 seconds. Add

confectioner's sugar a little at a time until well incorporated.

Add the vanilla, blend the mixer on medium until fluffy.

Decorate your cupcake using a Wilton 2 A tip.

Top each cupcake with a pecan.

Hummingbird Cupcake

 1 box Yellow Cake Mix

8 ounce can Crushed Pineapple packed in juice

2 medium Bananas (1 cup)

1/2 cup Water

1/2 cup Corn oil

3 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Smash the bananas. You should

have 1 cup. Add all ingredients to your mixing bowl.

Mix for 1 minute on low. Scrape your bowl, and then mix on medium

speed for two minutes. Fill cupcake liners with batter. Bake for 14-16

minutes. Cool on rack.

Orange Cream Frosting

8 ounce Cream Cheese

1 stick Butter

3 cups Confectioners' Sugar

2 tablespoon Orange Juice

1 tablespoon Orange Zest

Place cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl and mix

on low until combined. Add confectioner's sugar a little bit at

a time until blended well. Add orange juice and zest. Increase speed

to medium and beat until fluffy. Decorate with Wilton 2A tip.

Top with a little piece of orange. 

 Thanks for joining me today ! 

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