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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