Cotton Candy Cupcakes (No Fail 7 Min Icing)

And when I say "no fail" I mean it.  I have failed at this frosting for so many years I had given up. Always gritty, never done in even 15 minutes and just a complete regret every single time I tried.  Well, as a kid my requested birthday cake was always angel food with "sticky frosting" aka 7 minute frosting.  My mom made so many of those through the years she could probably make it in her sleep now.

I always wanted to learn to make it, but  just never could.  During some online research I so saw someone use a different technique, so I used my moms recipe with a new technique and WA-LAAAA....  Complete and total perfection.  You will never go back to your old fashioned way again after you read my way.  What will really be embarrassing is if you all already do it my way, and I am that far behind the cool kids!

I used just a regular cake mix for these cupcakes, because I wasn't concerned about the perfect cake underneath, my mission was a vessel to carry this dreamy, fluffy, sweet frosting.  I love cotton candy flavored things so don't let that deter you, you can use any flavoring you want or none at all.  My granddaughter loved the idea, and so we had to make them pink and blue like cotton candy, we added sprinkles to our cake and let's be honest, does it get more dreamy or perfect for a 6 year old than cake with sprinkles and pink frosting?  After I iced them and photographed them, we had this moment...

Oh my they are so much fun.  Nobody told me being a Nonna was going to be like this.  Joy, love, craziness and fun!  They are kid approved.  The icing makes perfect mustaches, and then you get bubbles baths afterward.  SCORE!

For the cake I used a white cake mix and simply added in 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste and 3 T. colorful sprinkles.  Bake according to package directions and let cool completely.

7 Minute Frosting
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp cotton candy extract if making that flavor.

Create a double boiler situation using your stand mixer bowl or other metal bowl for the top.  Add in all ingredients EXCEPT the flavoring.  Make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl directly.  Whisk until it becomes warm and if you put some on your fingers you feel no sugar, which will mean the sugar has been completely dissolved.  When that happens if you are using your stand mixer, put it on the mixer and let it rip for 7 minutes.  If you are using a hand mixer, get at it for 7 minutes.  If you try to do this by hand, I suggest you head over to www.mentalhealthhelp.com.  It might take 6 minutes, it might take 8 minutes, but when you achieve stiff peaks you are there.  At that time pour in your extract or flavoring and let it rip another minute.

If you choose to color your frosting I suggest using gel paste, the liquid will thin your frosting.    This recipe should perfectly frost 24 cupcakes, or a 2 layer cake.

There is no better icing to use to recreate cotton candy.!  Nothing but pure sugar, sticky messes, and fun1

ENJOY!

Melting Candle Confetti Cupcakes!

Good Morning friends!  Fancy meeting you here for a new recipe on a Saturday morning, eh?  I am up, not feeling well, and just cracked a window for some fresh 9 degree F air, and can hear birds singing.  I can't lay back down, or I am going to, well...toss my cookies so I am writing this recipe up for you.  Wait.... let's not call this one a recipe, let's call it a method.   I saw a similar idea on the YouTube channel Cookes Cupcakes and Cardio. It inspired me to make my own version, my way.

Don't be to disappointed that I used a cake mix again! HA!  I used a white one, added double vanilla and sprinkles for my own confetti cake, but you can use any cake flavor you like.  Keep that in mind, as I will write it up how I did this particular version. 

I also used Wilton chocolate.  White chocolate, whatever it is, and used them in the colors of my candles.  I didn't run out for candles these are just some I had on hand, otherwise you may have gotten a bigger color range but, let's be honest, they are going to get pitched anyway.  You will need colors of the chocolate that will match your candles.  I got about 18 cupcakes and did about 4 of each color.  (around there).  This all sounds so wishy washy, doesn't it?  Sorry about that, it is just that it all depends on how many cupcakes you get, or make.  Let's just get on with it, shall we?

Note: You can color white chocolate, with gel/oil based food colors.  Don't use the cheap ones, it will seize on you!  I did color the blue one of mine!  A few of mine were flavored chocolate as well.  Just FYI.

You will need:
1 white cake mix (not paid or sponsored but ya'll know I am a Pillsbury girl)
2 T. multicolored sprinkles
1 T. vanilla extract
birthday candles
colored chocolate
white chocolate chips, or chocolate melting wafers in colors coordinating with your candles.

Mix up your cupcakes, adding in sprinkles and vanilla and bake per package directions.  Let cool completely!!!

When they are completely cooled, work with one color at a time.  I tried to coordinate my cupcake papers as well, not everyone is that OCD, shall we say? 

Place your candles in the cupcakes before you do anything else.  Push them down as far as they will go for this one.  Just makes the "melt" look more realistic.

Melt your chocolate in a bowl 30 seconds at a time and if needed add a bit of vegetable oil to it, if it isn't as workable, or pourable as you want it or need it to be.  Also add your coloring if you need to.  When it is melted use a small spoon and start pouring it down the sides of the candle unto the cupcake.  Do this until you have the desired effect.  I used about 1/2 cup of melted chocolate for 3-4 cupcakes.  Let it drip down the side and pool, create layers, whatever makes it more dippy candle wax-ish to you!  It is kind of a fun look and unexpected with the chocolate on top when people expect icing. 

Let the chocolate set, in the fridge or at room temperature for about 30 minutes and enjoy!

I am still on a cupcake roll.  Don't worry it will all end after my birthday!!!

Cake Mix Vanilla Chip Sprinkle Cookies

Hello my dear friends!

It is about 5pm in the evening. I am listening to some classical piano music, only a lamp on in my "office".  One sister just visited, and we spent the afternoon just chatting, watching some TV, etc.  We had some coffee, and just had a really nice visit.  I was just thinking how nice it is to unplug, power down, and just talk.  Find out what is going on in each others lives, etc.  We seem to find less and less time to do this.  Call someone you haven't seen or "talked" to lately, have coffee or a soda together.  Don't text them or call them, see them, face to face if you can.  It is like the lost art of human contact.  I have no idea what got me off on that tangent or what in the heck it has to do with my cookies but....  I think I am just in a deep thoughts kind of mood.  Yea, maybe that is it.

So here are my cookies!  Finally, right?  I was inspired by the Pillsbury website, when I got a link for these in my spam folder.  I am in another "use up" phase so I modified the recipe to my taste, and what I needed to use up!  They are sweet for sure, but I think they are delish.  I think they would be fun to do with chocolate cake mix, and add cherry flavor and maybe a cherry on top.  Add some white chips maybe?  Oh, as always the possibilities are endless but this is my version, I hope you try it!

Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract (choose any flavor you like)
1/2 cup vanilla chips
3 T. sprinkles
flour
flat bottom glass or your fingers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lay your cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

In your stand mixer or large bowl combine dry cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla chips and sprinkles.  Stir or mix just until combined.  Your dough will be a week bit sticky, no problem.

Using a cooking scoop or roll about 1 inch size balls of dough.  Fill up your trays and then tip your fingers OR your flat bottom glass in flour and press the balls down until they are about 1/4 inch thick.  Nobody is coming to your house to measure, so just flatten them out a bit, not all the way but a bit.  Sprinkle the top with extra sprinkles so that everyone knows that fun that is inside!  Bake for 8 minutes.  Mine took literally exactly that amount of time.  They won't get really browned, unless you burn them, they will just get slightly golden!  Let cook for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet to cool before removing.

These are easy and fun, and I wish I had this recipe back in the day of "oh I need to take 2 dozen of something to this meeting in an hour".  They are happy, tasty and cheery.  Most of all they are easy and easy to customize!

This recipe should yield you 2 dozen cookies.  (unless you eat some dough and only get 23)

ENJOY!

Candy Corn Peanut Butter Candy

Think Butterfinger friends.  Think Butterfinger. 

As I ranted last week, I had to buy like a 4.5 or 3.5 lb bag of candy corn last week for a recipe.  They claimed to have no smaller bags.  Psshhht, whatever.  So after I used 1/2 cup out of it, what in the HECK was I going to do with the rest of it?  I had no ideas, except that I wondered what I could do with them if I melted those babies down.   Why didn't I just take a few and do it myself?  I have no idea.  But I went searching around in the world of Google and found this recipe at aboutfood,com. Normally I don't make other peoples recipes but this was to intriguing, and way to easy to not share with you all.

This calls for only 3 ingredients.  Candy corn, peanut butter and chocolate.  Oh and sprinkles if you are cool like me.  This was so easy, I don't even have much else to say about it.  ALTHOUGH.....make sure you do score the candy corn mixture like you are supposed to, because those babies will challenge your sharpest knife.  You can cut them however you like really, fat bars, skinny bars, "bites", the choice is yours.  I did a few skinny and few fat and a few bites. 

You will need:
3 cups of candy corn (traditional flavor)
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
12 oz. chocolate chips for dipping
sprinkles (optional)

Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment (or foil) and then spray it with non stick cooking spray.  I leave the ends long so I can lift my goods right out as you all know.  Set aside and in a large bowl microwave your candy corn, 30 seconds at a time.  The first few times it will seem it will never melt.  DO NOT over heat it, or it will get hard on you, thus 30 seconds and stir.  When it is melted, add the peanut butter and combine completely.  If you find the candy corn stiffens up on you, you can microwave it another 10-20 seconds to loosen it up so it can be combined easier.  When that is done press it into the bottom of your baking dish and make sure it is even and as level as you can get it.  NOW......  take a knife and score the bars however you will want them.  The world is your sandwich, make it how you want.  When these chill they will become very hard yet crispy.  (again, think Butterfinger).  Now, into the fridge and let chill about 1 hour. 

Melt chocolate chips, and add about 1 tsp. vegetable oil.  I find it makes dipping easier, by thinning the chocolate just a WEEEEEE bit.  Remove the bars from the pan, and using a large knife, cut along your score lines.  Now start dipping.  As these come to room temp they will soften, and become chewy.  Dip them, and place them on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet and immediately sprinkle if you are sprinkling, so they will stick.  When you are done, refrigerate again for 30 minutes to an hour and dig in.  If you serve these chilled they will be almost the consistency of a Butterfinger, if you serve them at room temp, they will have more of a chewy consistency, but delish, either way!

ENJOY!

Mixed Up Sugar Cookie Bars

I brought you a sweet treat!  I actually brought you a freezer clean out recipe!  I have made these 2 times since for different friends. 

I have always been a bigger fan of sugar cookie dough, than chocolate chip dough.  My best friend used to make me sugar cookies with white chocolate chips in them all the time.  I LOVE them still!  I had run on a sale on this cookie dough and so I grabbed a couple and hadn't used one of them.  I needed to clean out the freezer and so I took what needed used up and came up with these beautiful, yummy babies.  I tend to have little patience for scooping out cookies.  I took the easy way and baked them as bars.  They take a bit of time to bake but don't worry, they are worth it.

Make sure to take the bars out maybe even before you think they are perfectly done, they will carry over cook and you don't want hard bars!  I added sprinkles to mine, because I have this thing about brown cookies.  They needed a pop of color!  These are perfect for bake sales by the way!!

30 ounces sugar cookie dough (I bought my dough)
1, 10-12 ounce bag of chocolate chips (you decide the kind!)
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
sprinkles

Preheat your oven to 350.  Combine cookie dough and chocolate and butterscotch chips.  Spread into a 9x13 cake pan and even it out as best you can.  Sprinkle the top with sprinkles and bake for 35-45 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before cutting!

Easy, huh?  I know!  And yummy too!

Snowballs!

I promised to pull out the stops and still get you some easy Christmas (or just winter in general) treats and I WILL!!   I love that nearly all of the recipes I am getting to you this year, are kid friendly.  GET YOUR KIDS in the kitchen, they will love it and you will find they will be more likely to eat what they think they don't like if you let them help cook or fix it!  I know it isn't hard to get them to eat treats, but in general, I found it to be VERY true!  Some of my best Christmas memories are those spent baking with my mom and sisters.

 

I would say I am into snow this year.  But I'm not.  I would say I am into balls this year, but, that...isn't appropriate.  ANYWAY.   That being said, I am not sure where the idea of these came from other than I wanted to make something that looked like a snow ball.  I made some white chocolate covered Valentine Rice Krispy treats last year but they were a bit different.  I went with the traditional rice krispy treats and fancied up the aftermath, so to speak!

I used white chocolate chips but use the melts if you so choose or almond bark.  No biggie there.  For after the chocolate dipping I went with coconut, snowflake sprinkles, fancy flaked sugar, white edible pearls, and I think that is it.  You know I was just in NJ so I picked up some fabulous sprinkles at the Amish Market.  Only to come home and find 9 HUGE bottles of Christmas sprinkles in the big bowl of sprinkles.  Oops.  (teehee)  I hoard sprinkles, apparently. 

Like I said, these are easy, and they will look great on your UNBROWN cookie trays!

6 cups Rice Krispy's
10 ounces mini marshmallows (or regular size)
4 tbsp. butter
18 ounces white chocolate
white sprinkles of choice (and/or shredded coconut)

In a large pot, add in marshmallows and butter.  Stir on LOW until melted and combined.  Add in rice Krispy cereal and mix until ALL combined.  Let sit 10 minutes.  Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, roll into individual balls.  I got approx. 32 out of my mix, but it will depend on how big or small you want your snowballs to be!  When you have rolled them, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour, I did mine overnight.  You want them nice and set! 

Dipping and Decorating:
Melt your white chocolate 15 seconds at a time in the microwave.  I use a pint size ball jar for mine, I find it easy to dip in and out quickly!  Stir between each 15 seconds and add a few drops of vegetable oil if your chocolate needs thinned out a bit for easier dipping.  Get your sprinkles, coconut, sugar, whatever you want to use, ready for dipping.   I just used 4 bowls and put one kind in each one.   Using a toothpick or skewer, stab your balls, (omg that sounded horrible but I am leaving it) one at a time, dip in white chocolate, and then GENTLY top on your jar to get ALL excess chocolate off.  Then roll in your sprinkles or coconut or sugar of choice!  Place on your cookie sheet, pull out the skewer and move on.  When you are finished, refrigerate again for 1 hour to set. 

I LOVE these little snowballs.  I love using different finishing sprinkles, and items to give them all a different texture and I love that you expect them to be cake pops and they aren't!  If snowballs could be an elegant Christmas treat, these would be your snowballs!

Your "sneaky rice krispy treat lovin" Chefwannabe

 

PS.  How cute would 3 of these look in a little favor bag for winter party favors?!?

Pudding Cake - Visits from Philly

As many of you may or may not know, an uncle who is very dear to me and my brothers and sisters had a massive stroke 2 days ago.  With brilliant medical intervention and PRAYER, he is doing much better and will be headed to a rehab facility soon.  Thank you all for your prayers.
 

Look at those heavenly layers of cake, pudding and whipped cream!

That being said, the last few days have been spent walking down memory lane about my Uncle Will and his wife Aunt Millie.  They still live in the same neighborhood my dad was raised in, and though it has been rare that they leave the city, they did venture out to visit us in Nebraska when I was a kid.  My dad left the old neighborhood and the family.  In reality he did it (at 17) so his dad would have one less mouth to feed.  Anywho, so the story goes that my dad met my mom and they made their life in my hometown, which is also my mom's hometown.  For big city people, this WAS a different world.  


My Uncle Will took me and my sister Patty to "Mel's Dime Store".  If you are from my hometown, you remember the ol' place!  We didn't have alot of money growing up and rarely got toys aside from Christmas and birthdays.  Well, he took us in and let us each pick out 2 toys, anything we wanted.  I remember knowing I wanted to pick TWO baby dolls.  I couldn't believe in my 5 year old mind that someone had THAT MUCH MONEY they could buy us each 2 toys! Oh the GLORY!  

While we were busy picking out toys, my Aunt Millie was busy at home....cooking!  She is Italian to the core and cooked us a feast every single night of their visit!  She also made us "pudding cake".  We were sure this was a "city dessert" when in reality it was cheap and cheerful!  She was after all feeding a family of 12 plus themselves!  It was the first time I was introduced to "jimmies".  When we learned what they were we felt so "la-dee-dah".  She made 2 pans of this one night and it has stuck in my head like glue ever since.  (I grew up and moved to South Jersey and jimmies are a food group of their own!)  I want to share it with you.  It is so delicious and not to heavy for these hot summer months.  


I used a sugar free angel food cake from the store.  You can easily use sugar free pudding and fat free whipped cream.  NONE of those choices will affect the dessert at all, only make you be able to eat more!  

Aunt Millie's Pudding Cake
1 angel food cake
2 sm. boxes chocolate pudding
2 sm or 1 lg container of whipped cream
chocolate jimmies

Cut your angel food cake into slices.  Lay them in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Prepare pudding as directed and pour over the sliced cake.   Spread on whipped cream (you could make your own too!)  Sprinkle the top with jimmies.  HEAVY on the jimmies please!  Refrigerate until ready to serve!

I hope you make this easy, delightful dessert.  What a great recipe for your kids to make or to help with!  Enjoy this as much as we did as kids and do as adults.  Thanks Aunt Millie for teaching us "country kids" about jimmies.  It changed our lives! 

Your "missing Uncle Willy and Aunt Millie" chefwannabe

Chris