Watermelon Themed Cake and Cupcakes

Today is #CupcakeLoversDay!  To celebrate, I have teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring you new recipes and posts all about cupcakes.  Special thanks to Valentina at The Baking Fairy for organizing this event.

I'm sharing my Watermelon Themed Cake and Cupcakes.  They are the perfect treat for your summer parties!  Follow my instructions below to make your own!

Since today is all about cupcakes....let's start with those instructions.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:
1 batch of chocolate cupcakes - recipe or box mix that you prefer
1 recipe of vanilla buttercream frosting
green food coloring
pink food coloring
mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Color half of the frosting recipe with green food coloring.  
2. Color the other half with pink food coloring.
3. Pipe a ring of the green frosting around the top of the cupcake.
4. Fill in the rest of the top of the cupcake with pink frosting.
5. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Now for the cake.....


Ingredients:
4-layer cake (I made mine with 2 boxed cake mixes), leveled
the rest of the green and pink frosting from cupcakes
mini chocolate chips


Directions:

1. Layer the cakes with green frosting spread between each layer.
2. Pipe green frosting around the outer edge of each layer, bottom, and top.
3. Fill in top of cake with pink frosting.
4. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Please take a moment to visit all of the other amazing cupcake posts from my blogger friends!!

Cupcakes for Cupcake Lovers Day!

Hosted by Valentina | The Baking Fairy

Vegan Birthday Cake Oreo Cupcakes by The Baking Fairy  
Avocado Cupcakes with Lime Frosting by A Day in the Life on the Farm  
Brown Cow Cupcakes by Palatable Pastime  
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cupcakes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks  
Busy Bee Honey Vanilla Cupcakes by For The Love of Food  
Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting by A Little Fish in the Kitchen  
Cheesecake Cupcakes by Walking on Sunshine Recipes  
Cherry Limeade Cupcakes by That Recipe  
Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes by The Freshman Cook  
Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting by Cooking for my Soul  
Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting by Daily Dish Recipes
Cookies & Cream Cupcakes by Karen’s Kitchen Stories  
Creamsicle Cupcakes by Red Cottage Chronicles 
  Gluten Free Rocky Road Cupcakes by Frugal & Fit  
Honey Lemon's HoneyBee Cupcakes by Simply Inspired Meals  
Lemon Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting by The Olive Blogger
Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla  
Lost Princess Cupcakes by Seduction in the Kitchen  
Orange You Glad Cupcakes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings  
Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes by The Beard and The Baker  
Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes by Crumb Top Baking  
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes by Bowl Me Over  
Pudding Pop Cupcakes by Nik Snacks  
Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting by Join Us, Pull Up a Chair Strawberry Basil Cupcakes with Chocolate Balsamic Frosting by The Spiffy Cookie
Strawberry Cupcakes by Confessions of a Baking Queen
Strawberry Jello Cupcakes by Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats  
Sweet Summertime Cupcakes by Cooking with Carlee  
Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Cupcakes by Our Good Life  
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes by Simple Family Crazy Life 
White Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes by Triple Chocolate Kitchen

Thanks ~ Nichi

 

 I like linking my posts to THESE GREAT PARTIES!!!!

Margarita Cupcakes

We recently celebrated a family birthday with a Mexican feast.  To go along with the theme, I baked up some of these margarita cupcakes for a refreshing end to the celebration.  They are great for your Mexican feast, Cinco de Mayo, or just for fun!!  The cupcake decor and pinata donkeys were provided by Oriental Trading.

24 Cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix
3/4 c. non-alcohol margarita mix
1/3 c.vegetable oil
1/4 c. water
2 tsp. grated lime peel
4 egg whites
Fiesta Cupcake Wrappers and Picks from Oriental Trading
Fiesta Donkeys from Oriental Trading

Lime Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
4-5 cups powder sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk 


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. 
2. Divide batter evenly among cups (three-fourths full). Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.  
3. In a mixer, blend butter, lime zest, vanilla, lime juice, and salt until fully combined. 
4. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time.  
5. Add the milk until you reach your desired consistency.  
6. Frost each cupcake and decorate.   

If you are looking for more great Fiesta or Cinco de Mayo ideas and supplies go to Oriental Trading.  There are so many items to choose from.  Go check them out!! 

**Oriental Trading sent me products for this review.  All opinions are my own. 

Please stop on over to say hi!!

Thanks ~ Nichi

I like linking my posts to THESE GREAT PARTIES!!!!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

I have always wanted to make these fun cupcakes.  I have fond memories of my mom making them for my 4th grade birthday party at school.  Why has it taken me so long to make them myself?  They are simple, yet fun for everyone!

Ingredients:
cake mix of your choice
ingredients for cake as indicated on cake mix box
ice cream cones
vanilla buttercream frosting (recipe HERE)
sprinkles and red hots, or decor of your choice

Directions:

1. Prepare cake mix according to box.
2. Stand cones in muffin pan.  Fill 1/2 way up with batter.  Carefully put into oven.
3. Bake at time and temperature shown on cake mix box for cupcakes.
4. Cool completely, frost, and decorate.

 Please stop on over to say hi!!

Thanks ~ Nichi

I like linking my posts to THESE GREAT PARTIES!!!!

5th Day of Christmas - Peppermint Christmas Candle Push Up Pop Centerpiece

Brought to you by:

           

On the 5th Day of Bloggy Christmas Miss Sheryl gave to me a Peppermint Christmas Candle Push Up Pop Centerpiece!

Hello, I'm Sheryl from Lady Behind The Curtain. Merry Christmas to you!  I am happy to be participating with a great group of ladies bringing you the 12 Days of Bloggy Christmas! Running from December 1st through the 12th!  On Friday December 13th we will have a cookie exchange link party that you won't want to miss.

I am so excited to share this Peppermint Christmas Candle Push Up Pop Centerpiece with you. This centerpiece comes with hidden treasures. At a distance you can't tell there are cupcakes hidden within the pine. Surprise! There is! The push up pops are pushed into FloraCraft Dry Foam which is a lot softer than Styrofoam. The push up pops can easily be pulled from the arrangement. The lights are battery operated tea lights that I bought at The Dollar Tree {2 for $1.00}. Each tea light offers 120 hours of candlelight.

NOTE: To protect the tea lights I outlined the tea lights onto parchment paper, cut around the inside of the circle and laid the circle on top of the frosting. You don't need to go out and purchase a wicker sleigh for the centerpiece. I used the sleigh because I already had it. You can use any shape. I think a long narrow centerpiece would be beautiful. Now push up pops can be purchased at Michael's, Target and some grocery stores {They are sold at my Safeway grocery store}. If you can't find them at a store you definitely can purchase them on the internet.  

CENTERPIECE SUPPLIES
FloraCraft Dry Foam Container to serve as your centerpiece
Greenery Assorted holiday picks
Push Up Pops
Cupcakes Parchment Paper
Battery operated Tea Lights

Directions:
Fill the container you have chosen to use with the foam. Because of the gradual height I had to stack my foam and secured them with small skewers. Once the foam is secure add the push up pops {empty}

NOTE: Make sure the inside of the pops are pushed all the way down. Decorate with greenery and assorted holiday picks. Bake the mini cupcakes {TIP: use cupcakes liners that way when you peel the liner off the liner takes the baked brown portion with it and leaves a nice clean red and white cupcake}.

NOTE: You will have to trim off some of the cupcakes to make them fit into the push up pops. I use my kitchen sicssors. Add a cupcake to the bottom, then a layer of frosting, another cupcake and top with more frosting. I haven't even gotten to the cupcakes with a hint of white chocolate and peppermint.

Peppermint Christmas Candle Push Up Pop Centerpiece

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 64 Mini Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Mini White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes:

• 12 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 4 ounce white chocolate bar, chopped and melted
• 3 tablespoons red sprinkles

For the Peppermint Cream Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 to 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Instructions

For the Peppermint Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
3. In a small microwave safe bowl melt the 4 ounces of chopped white chocolate and set aside.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
5. In a medium bowl combine the flour , baking powder and salt.
6. In another medium bowl combine the egg whites, milk, vanilla and peppermint extracts.
7. Whip with a fork to combine.
8. Alternated with the flour and egg mixture beginning and ending with the flour.
9. Add melted chocolate.
10. Scrap sides of bowl often and beat until smooth.
11. Add the sprinkles.
12. Fill cupcakes cups 3/4 full.
13. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the Peppermint Cream Frosting:

1. In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese and shortening until fluffy.
2. Add the peppermint and vanilla extracts and combine.
3. Add the sugar 1 cup at a time.
4. Beat until creamy.
5. Add crushed peppermint candy.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Remove cupcake wrappers.
2. Trim the edges to fit the push up pops.
3. Add one cupcake, then frosting, another cupcake and top with more frosting.
4. Put parchment paper circles on the of the frosting and add the tea light.

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Fantastic Fruit Series - Week #5 - Unlimited Limes

 For any of you that follow my blog you know that I'm in the midst of a  

10-week Fantastic Fruit Series.  

I hope you enjoy these roundups of amazing recipes.

Week #1 was Lemon Love - 50 Amazing Recipes
 Week #2 was Wonderful Watermelon -10 Recipes
Week #3 was Sweet Strawberries - 25 Recipes
Week #4 was Outstanding Oranges - 20 Recipes

Week #5 is celebrating unlimited LIMES!!

These fellow bloggers are so talented and previously shared these recipes on my  

Tasty Thursdays linky parties and blogger groups.

I've also added one of my own favorites.

Visit them, share them, pin them, and tell them I sent you. 

The next celebration is all about peaches...stay tuned!!

Lime Icebox Pie from The Weary Chef

Margarita Cupcakes from The Mandatory Mooch

Watermelon Lime Slushie from Cookin for the Seven Dwarfs

Key Lime Cake from Your Homebased Mom

Sesame Salmon with Lime Broccoli from Anyonita Nibbles

Honey, Garlic and Lime Shrimp from Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Key Lime Pie Muddy Buddies from Living Better Together

Key Lime Pies in a Jar from Home Cooking Memories

Sweet & Tart Key Lime Bars from My Life as Robin's Wife

Yucatan-Style Chicken, Lime and Orzo Soup from Cooking on the Front Burner

Mini Key Lime Pies from Flavors by Four

Raspberry Lime Milkshake from Cookin for the Seven Dwarfs

Blackberry Scones with Lime Glaze from Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Key Lime Pie Bites from I Dig Pinterest

Easy Cherry Limeade from Flour On My Face

Don't miss my TASTY THURSDAYS linky party to share you recipes and projects!!

I like linking to THESE GREAT PARTIES!!!! 

Please stop on over to say hi on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.  
Thanks ~ Nichi