Happy New Year all you cupcake lovers! As I was out to dinner with my dear friend Heidi celebrating New Years Eve here on the great Island of Martha’s Vineyard we were walking by a candy store and I saw some sort of cupcake decoration from the window. As soon as I saw this I knew I had to make a pit stop there. The store is Good Ship Lollipop in Oak Bluffs, MA on Martha’s Vineyard.

Bake & Decorate Cupcake Set

Lovely Cupcake Magnets(which I am now a proud owner of one thanks to Heidi)

Cupcake Eraser

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me

Six Geese a Laying

Five Gold Rings
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Goose cupcakes were surprisingly hard to find, but I was able to find a fantastic assortment of Mother Goose Cupcakes from A Baked Creation.

As I was brainstorming of an idea to do for a blog tonight for my last day of Holiday Cupcakes,  I was searching and thinking … what do we drink on New Years Eve,  Champagne!!! And just last year I made a simple Champagne Cupcake with strawberry frosting. Here is the recipe that I used.

Shopping List

• 1 box white cake mix (no pudding in mix)
• Bottle of champagne
• an Orange
• Strawberry Jam
• Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Confectioners Sugar
• Milk
• Clear Vanilla
• Butter
• Shortening
• Fresh Strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line the cupcake tins with liner.

In a large bowl combine cake mix, 1 &  1/3 cups champagne, 3 egg whites , 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and the zest of one orange. Beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes. Spoon batter into cupcake liners,  fill either one half or 3/4 of the way full for the perfect cupcake.  Cook for 18-20 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooling you can start on the frosting.  In a bowl cream 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well. Gradually add 4 cups sifted confectioners sugar. Once that is all mixed beat in  2 tablespoons of milk. Stir in 1/2 cup of strawberry jam to the frosting … add more to taste if needed.

Once cupcakes are cooled you can frost them. Garnish with halved strawberries.

So yummy & moist!

Here is a photo of the cupcakes i made last year

I find that this time of year is particularly hard for cupcake hunters like me. It seems that many stores use cupcakes in the Valentine’s decorations so now they are popping up everywhere just screaming for me to take them home! I have to use extreme self-restraint because they are all so cute!

 Here’s what I found at Target:

Oven Mitt and Pot Holder Set and Jar

Target also had kids utensils, divided trays and plates with cupcakes on them.    

And Kohl’s had even more sweet items:

My Kohl’s store also had cupcake welcome signs, table runners, picture frames, large bowls, hand towels, cookie jars, adult aprons, kid aprons and jar candles. They are all between 30%-50% off their price this week.   I must resist!

OurFacebook Fanpage started up just three weeks ago and we already have almost 400 fans! If you haven’t already fanned us, we’d love to have you join in the fun and also share the link with your friends.  I encourage readers to post their own cupcake photos or leave us a message when they find cupcake items.  We  have also had cupcake questions and comments posted by many of you.   Here are some yummy photos posted recently by one of our fans, Jayne.

Thanks Jayne!  Keep those cupcake comin’!

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

And the winner is… Terri!
Congratulations! Please email us at allthingscupcake@gmail.com or go to sassybellewares Etsy shop and email her directly. Thanks to all who entered and commented on her wonderful items. Our next giveaway will be mid-January. Special thanks to sassybellewares for sponsoring this giveaway!