I have heard of “one-bowl” recipes that make clean up a cinch because you combine all ingredients in one bowl.  But until now I had not heard of  food processor cupcakes.  Sophistimom made these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting in the food processor.  Yes, even the frosting is made in the food processor and she claims that if you make the cupcakes as mini’s you can have cupcakes baked from scratch and decorated in under 30 minutes.

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My mom sent me a picture text of these cupcake molds that she saw at Ross.  The Blooming cupcake kit, which is available from amazon for $18.95, is by Brand Castle.  Each kit includes 6 silicone molds in the shape of flower pots and one chocolate cupcake mix with vanilla icing. There are also daisy shaped and green sprinkles and a pink icing pen for decorating.

I love these Mickey Mouse Cupcakes that Sweet Tooth replicated from a flickr photo.  I actually like Sweet Tooth’s version, which has no fondant better because while I like the look of fondant I think Oreo’s taste better!  These cupcakes are actually really easy since Mickey’s bottom shorts consist of the red cupcake liner with two white circles glued on.  Click on “continue reading” for the rest of the instructions.

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As soon as I saw this cupcake key ring in Coach I wanted to buy it.  I loved the lilac Swarovksi crystals for the sprinkles but couldn’t seem to justify  spending $48.00 on myself.  Even though I passed on buying it in the store I still bookmarked it in my folder of things I want!

Let’s Eat-Everything Food is a division of Buckets Full of Everything Food.  Buckets Full of Everything Food is the creative company of Ilyse Rothman, a food stylist, chef and much more.  With years of culinary experience behind her she has spent decades perfecting the her skills in the kitchen.  Now she brings us cupcake sized cheesecake minis.

Included in the review package was two mini cheesecakes and a sample of cinnamon caramel crack corn, taste bud crack corn that is.  The savory popcorn mixed with the sweet caramel and spice from the cinnamon was addictive and could have easily been finished in one sitting.  After sampling the popcorn I had a feeling I would not be disappointed with the cheesecakes.  As a huge cheesecake fan, I even had cheesecake instead of birthday cake one year, I can honestly say this is good cheesecake.  The mini cheesecakes had wonderful flavor, in addition to good mouthfeel and texture.  They were smooth and creamy but not too soft.  Similarly the graham cracker base nicely complimented the cheesecake but was not overpowering.  I also liked that it held it’s shape and was not too crumbly. Read the rest of this entry »

Sprinkles, jimmys, or shots, no matter what you call them, they all mean the same thing, a sugary sweet cupcake topping.  I have always wondered how you make sprinkles and now you can make your own! Brave Tart originally made the sprinkles then Faith Durand blogger for The Kitchn gave them a try documenting her results. I love that you can make any color you want and any size too.  And for those health conscious cupcake eaters out there, this allows you to control everything that goes into and onto your cupcakes! Click continue reading for the instructions.

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I saw these cupcake earrings on Accessorize and immediately had to add them to my wish list!  They are only $9.00 or £5.00 and they have $5.00 flat rate US shipping! And they have a matching necklace available in both the US and Europe.

Chef Resource offers this Chicago Metallic Cupcake Plunger for $4.95.  Once you remove the center of your cupcakes, you use the plunger to fill them with frosting, fruit, or anything your imagination can think of!

I frequently find myself wishing I lived in Eurpoe.   Things seem to be so much more sophisticated and lovely across the sea.  When I came across John Lewis’s site I immediately wished I had a UK shipping address so I could buy the Flutters and Fancies Tea Towel, £6.99, which has the image of a cake stand filled with cupcakes and a bird on top.  A similar cake stand is actually sold for £22.50, except the bird is painted on the stand instead of being perched on top. The website has more items that match these two along with tons of other great!

Since it’s citrus season now would be a great time to try these gluten-free clementine cupcakes by Emily Malone of Daily Garnish. If you are wondering if you have the ingredients necessary to make these gluten-free cupcakes, I have included the ingredients list below.  For the directions check out the original post!

3 tbsp Earth Balance vegan butter

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp ground flax

5 clementines, peeled and segmented

1/2 cup walnuts

2/3 cup brown rice flour

2/3 cup coconut flour

2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup orange (or tangerine) juice

1 cup powdered sugar

(Note: If you don’t want to make these gluten-free, you can simply sub in 2 cups AP-flour for the other flours, and remove the added xanthan gum.)

Reality TV fan or not, you have to agree that Lauren Conrad has great style! Personally I like her LC line carried by Kohl’s.  For one of the dresses in her spring collection, Lauren poses with cupcakes! I love the dress and the spring feeling from the picture, it even has a little Alice In Wonderland vibe. Even though the dress doesn’t have cupcake on it, if you want to look as cute as Lauren you can purchase the dress from Kohl’s for $44.99.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! If you’re still looking for a cupcake idea to bake for this evening or maybe after school, here’s one more idea for you! I originally saw these semi-homemade red velvet cupcakes with hearts cut out of them on Two Tiny Kitchens.  The cupcake and frosting recipe is posted there along with the instructions for how to make the heart shaped cut out.  One important tip she shared for the heart cutout is to fill the cupcake molds all the way to the top of the liners! Happy baking!

A few weeks ago while looking at Simple Song I noticed the cupcake image shown above.  I loved the Pom Pom heart toppers and of course checked out Hank and Hunt’s Etsy page.  For $10 you could order a set of six toppers that measure 1.5” by 2” each.  This weekend while looking around online I noticed that Jenny from Hank and Hunt was a guest blogger on The Sweetest Occasion and shared a DIY tutorial for how to make the pom pom heart cupcake toppers!  Its obviously too late to order the set from their Etsy page and receive them in time for Valentine’s Day tomorrow, but it’s not to late to make your own! Check out the original post for all the DIY instructions!

This Valentine’s Day season we have showed you how to put hearts on top of your cupcakes and bake cupcakes in the shape of hearts.  Now we share with how to bake a heart in your cupcake.  If I was a little kid and bit into one of these I know I would have freaked out in excitement.  To be completely honest, if someone made these for me now I think I would still freak out! Bake It in a Cake seems to be willing to try baking anything into a cupcake.  She once baked a pie into a cupcake!  These hearts baked in cupcakes are much more tame and the pink hearts are actually sheet cake; so you’re baking a cake in a cupcake!  Head over to Bake It In a Cake to see full instructions on how to bake hearts in your cupcakes!

Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh’s website includes home, design, and children’s sections.  While looking around on the children’s page I noticed these heart-shaped cupcakes.  They’re perfect for Valentine’s day which is only 3 days away! The original post comes from Disney’s Family Fun where they call them Cupid’s Cupcakes. Below are the easy instructions for making these heart-shaped cupcakes without buying a heart-shaped pan.

To create the heart shape, place a small marble or a 1/2-inch ball of aluminum foil between each liner and one side of the tin (a great job for kids). This will push the paper into the batter to form the notch in the heart.

Amanda and Blue Paperie

Amanda Parker and Family

The Gypsy Factory

I’m a huge fan of cupcake toppers since they are quick and easy cupcake decorations that take a simple frosted cupcake and transform it into a beautifully festive cupcake. Here are six different free printable cupcake toppers that I have found.  Click on the images to be taken to the respective websites where you can download the pdf files.

Country Living

Love2Create

Penny Candy Studio

If you’re looking for a homemade  valentine idea that’s kid friendly these cupcake goodie valentines are just that! Martha Stewart came up with the crafty idea to create goodie bags out of cupcake liners to hold Valentine’s Day treats.  Here are the steps:

1. Flatten two paper cupcake liners. Place one liner face up, and lay the other face down on top of it.

2. Lift the edge, and apply glue along a short section. Press to attach; let dry. Continue gluing in sections, leaving the last section open. Fill with candy; seal opening with glue.

3. Cut out heart or other shape from construction paper; add cut-out images, ribbons, or paper or fabric flowers, and write or stamp a note. Glue onto center.

My sister shared this Design*Sponge video with me because she said it had to do with cupcakes.  As the Valentine’s Day DIY video by Tiger in a Jar began I was skeptical that cupcakes could be involved but I kept watching and right around 1:28 an unfrosted cupcake comes rolling out!  If you look at the image above, the base of the circus stands are cupcakes, tops removed, flipped over and frosted!  Watch the video for yourself and you’ll see the cupcake being transformed!

Love You Cupcake Card, $4.50, by Natalie Eden.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been looking for them or maybe it’s because cupcakes are still growing in popularity.  Both reasons are possible explanations for why I’ve found so many cute cupcake Valentine’s Day cards! Here are some of the best that I’ve found.

Conversation Heart Cupcake by Monkey Mind Design, $4.00

"You Want Me” cupcake card from Kate’s Paperie, $4.25

The Cupcake Ward Cookbook is a fundraising project created by a 12 year old girl, Georgie.  The money raised by sales of the book will go towards Great Ormond Street Hospital where a new ward, which will be called the Cupcake Ward, is being built.  The book features recipes by famous cookbook author’s such as Nigella Lawson and Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa. The book costs £17.00, including worldwide shipping (£13.00 with UK shipping) and can be purchased through bunnyandboo.net.

These Sweet Girl Valentine’s Day Cards where the little girl is holding a cupcake are too cute! I am always impressed with how we are capable of customizing items, like these cards by Olliegraphic.  You pick the age, hair style & color, skin tone, eye shape & color, and glasses.  Basically you can make the little girl on the card look just like you! Finally you choose the text at the bottom of the card. The price of the cards depend on how many cards you order.

Fossil, which most know as primarily a wrist watch company also offers handbags, wallets, and clothing.  This month Fossil has a DIY lookbook with great Valentine’s Day projects from some amazing blogs.  Two blogs which I read on a regular basis came up with DIY projects related to cupcakes.  Twig & Thistle blogged about her DIY Valentine Heart Wreath made out of cupcake liners. Creature Comforts came up with homemade cupcake wrappers and toppers.

Groundhog day is one of those holidays you get excited about as a kid but as an adult you seem to forget about; at least I know I do.  But since tomorrow’s Groundhog Day it’s the perfect excuse to bake cupcakes, more specifically  to make these Groundhog Day cupcakes by Lilly Jane.  I found this recipe via Hip Hip Hooray and really like how easy they are with the DIY toppers for the groundhog  and cocoa powder for the shadow.  I would only want to eat one without a shadow which means spring will come quickly! Below are the four simple steps to decorating your cupcakes for Groundhog Day.  For the groundhog cupcake topper PDF visit Lilly Jane’s original post!

1. Bake some delicious cupcakes.

2. Frost cupcakes with a white tones frosting (so it looks like snow)

3. Using tape and a little extra paper create a stencil from your cupcake topper paper trimmings. Dust cocoa powder onto cupcake.

4. Gently push groundhog cupcake topper into cupcake, just behind your new cocoa powder shadow.

This Chocolate Cupcake card is by Curious Chocolate, a European chocolate company.  When you first look at the card you notice the cupcakes but a closer look reveals a cupcake recipe written around the cupcakes.  If I lived in Europe I would definitely buy this card for 2.50 euro and some of the chocolate too!

My sister noticed these Desperate Cupcakes Note Cards at her college bookstore.  The card set contains the characters from the Desperate Cupcakes book featured in images that are said to be difficult situations, such as the one shown above where the cupcake is in yoga class.  Amazon offers the set of 16 cards for $11.04.