Each Sunday I like to flip through the Parade Magazine that comes inside the Sunday newspaper with the coupons and flyers.  There is usually a good recipe or two inside.  This week, in preparation for Easter there is a vanilla cupcake recipe and three Easter cupcake decorating ideas.  I think I have seen versions of these over the years but sometimes it’s good to see an old idea again.  Personally I still love the “hot chick” because it looks too easy to mess up!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!  I hope you all have a very lucky day and if you’re old enough you have a green beer or one of these Guinness, Jameson & Baileys cupcakes!  These triple liquor cupcakes have Guinness in the frosting, Jameson in the chocolate ganache, and Baileys in the frosting.  Topped with a small green shamrock, these cupcakes by Cake & Allie look festive and delicious!

A 30 calorie cupcake? Is it possible? These frozen yogurt cupcakes are easy to make (only 4 ingredients), beautiful, and good for you! It’s the perfect spring cupcake! You can find the recipe and instructions at Fit Sugar.

There are so many different options for St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes.  At first it seems like the classic dyed green is the only option but when you start thinking about it there are Irish car bomb cupcakes, mint variations of cupcakes, lucky charms cupcakes, and these Emerald Isle Cupcakes from Gooseberry Patch.  Instant pistachio pudding mix gives the cake portion their green coloring and a few drops off food coloring help add a darker festive green to the frosting.

As much as I love all the crazy and unique cupcake flavors my favorite cupcake is usually a simple vanilla cupcake.  I noticed She Makes and Bakes blog post for the perfect vanilla cupcake and it peaked my interest.  My favorite vanilla cupcakes usually have real vanilla beans in them in addition to vanilla extract so we will see how these, which only call for extract, turn out.   I haven’t tried these cupcakes yet as I decided to give up desserts for lent but as soon as Easter arrives I’m going to test these out.  Click “continue reading” for She Makes and Bakes’s recipe. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you bake treats for your pets?  Have you made them special birthday cupcakes?  I have yet to try baking homemade dog treats for our dog but if they look like these cupcake pops for pets from the blog of Created by Diane, I think any dog or cat will love these treats!

A few years ago we shared these chocolate avocado cupcakes from The Vegetarian Times with you.  The recipe sounded interesting and I have always been curious to see what a chocolate avocado cupcake would taste like but I never got around to buying all the ingredients.  Actually I have never bought tofu so I was excited to find another chocolate avocado cupcake recipe.  This recipe is NOT vegan but it does use lots of ingredients that I tend to have on hand like Greek yogurt and buttermilk.  These chocolate Avocado cupcakes by Itsy Bitsy Foodies are officially back on my “to bake” list, are they on yours?  Have you tried them?