Pony In My Pocket Martha Stewart Strawberry Birthday Cupcakes

I promised my brother that I would make horsey-type cupcakes...because he and his wife Mary own and love horses...that promise just happened to coincide with the birthday of one of Cupcake Queen's friend's daughter, who is six years old today! She also loves horses!


These little ponies are called Pony in My Pocket Charm Fashions...because one can wear them on a bracelet or a necklace.


The cupcakes are Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcake recipe (see below). They are very moist and delicious!


The first part of the frosting is Martha's chocolate frosting (recipe below.) After I frosted the cupcakes, I melted a jar of Marshmallow Fluff and then dipped the frosted cupcake into the fluff for a few seconds!


Then I decorated the cupcakes with all kinds of colored sugars! This was pretty much fun and was so easy. I knew I needed a white surface for the sugars...and I still wanted the chocolate frosting!


Layla really wants that Pony in Her Pocket cupcake!


While Nigel could have cared less...he only cares about chipmunks!

Here are the recipes:

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

* 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup milk
* 8 large egg whites
* Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
* 24 small fresh strawberries, washed (hulls intact), for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture.
5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each with a heaping 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto rack; then reinvert and let cool completely, top sides up.

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

Makes 1 1/2 cups

* 3 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
* 1 pinch of salt
* 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
2. Sift sugar, cocoa, and salt into a large bowl. Put cream cheese and butter into mixer bowl; mix on medium until fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar mixture; mix until combined. Mix in melted chocolate and sour cream. Use immediately, or refrigerate airtight up to 2 days; bring to room temperature, and stir before using.

Marshmallow Fluff Topping

1 jar of Marshmallow Fluff

Heat in a tall, small pan until the fluff is easy to stir. Dip the frosted cupcakes one at a time into the fluff. Let the cupcakes sit for a few moments and then pour the colored sugar over the fluff.

Remember...this should not be stressful...just have fun and see what happens.

Hope you have a great week!

CQ

Pony In My Pocket Martha Stewart Strawberry Birthday Cupcakes

I promised my brother that I would make horsey-type cupcakes...because he and his wife Mary own and love horses...that promise just happened to coincide with the birthday of one of Cupcake Queen's friend's daughter, who is six years old today! She also loves horses!


These little ponies are called Pony in My Pocket Charm Fashions...because one can wear them on a bracelet or a necklace.


The cupcakes are Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcake recipe (see below). They are very moist and delicious!


The first part of the frosting is Martha's chocolate frosting (recipe below.) After I frosted the cupcakes, I melted a jar of Marshmallow Fluff and then dipped the frosted cupcake into the fluff for a few seconds!


Then I decorated the cupcakes with all kinds of colored sugars! This was pretty much fun and was so easy. I knew I needed a white surface for the sugars...and I still wanted the chocolate frosting!


Layla really wants that Pony in Her Pocket cupcake!


While Nigel could have cared less...he only cares about chipmunks!

Here are the recipes:

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen

* 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup milk
* 8 large egg whites
* Strawberry Meringue Buttercream
* 24 small fresh strawberries, washed (hulls intact), for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture.
5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each with a heaping 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto rack; then reinvert and let cool completely, top sides up.

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

Makes 1 1/2 cups

* 3 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
* 1 pinch of salt
* 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
2. Sift sugar, cocoa, and salt into a large bowl. Put cream cheese and butter into mixer bowl; mix on medium until fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar mixture; mix until combined. Mix in melted chocolate and sour cream. Use immediately, or refrigerate airtight up to 2 days; bring to room temperature, and stir before using.

Marshmallow Fluff Topping

1 jar of Marshmallow Fluff

Heat in a tall, small pan until the fluff is easy to stir. Dip the frosted cupcakes one at a time into the fluff. Let the cupcakes sit for a few moments and then pour the colored sugar over the fluff.

Remember...this should not be stressful...just have fun and see what happens.

Hope you have a great week!

CQ

What Will You Learn Today?

Just having some fun here today (via Chris Lehmann).



Although it could be an interesting assignment - having to figure out what you could say well in a limited amount of words per "slide" and in this format.

Painting the Amy Sedaris Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes!

Somehow those little guys got out of the box last night and I found them this morning adding another color to the Amy Sedaris "Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes" I'd made earlier in the day. They are from her book I Like You....it's so funny. I also made her "Tattletail's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting" to go along with them and frosted some white and some lilac. When I woke up I found the painters at work adding a spot of green...hmmmmm...the must have had some left over paint from their last job!

I don't know if you have her book or not, but it is really hysterical...I received it for Christmas from my good friend, Meg, who loves to try out new things and is into knitting beautiful scraves. I have never read a recipe written the way Amy wrote hers. It's a bit of a guessing game, but as she says "I like to take chances." Me, too!

The cupcakes were a huge success! They are a little bit crunchy around the top edges and the rest of the cupcake is moist and dense, as opposed to some others I've made that are very light. These cupcakes have authority! They practically scream VANILLA! VANILLA! Next time I'm going to try them with her Dusty's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting....maybe I won't be able to wait until next week to do it!



I found these little pots at Ikea yesterday and thought they would make cute cupcakes...I sprayed the inside with PAM w/ flour before I put the batter in and they fell right out when it was time to pop one in....your mouth...that is! The frosting was, again, a pretty funny recipe. Pour everything in a whip it up. It tastes divine!

I can see why Amy's cupcakes were voted second in New York City by New York Magazine...they are delish! More photos are on my flickr place: photos by the cupcakequeen.

Here are the recipes for both the vanilla cupcakes and vanilla buttercream frosting as quoted from her book:

Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will need: Unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, flour, milk.

Put 1-1/2 sticks of butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth. Pour in 1-1/2 cups of sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. I like to crack the eggs on the side of the bowl while it is moving, which can be really stupid. I like to take chances. Yes, I have had to throw away my batter because I lost eggshells in the mix. Yes, it was a waste of food and yes, I know how expensive butter is, but what can I say? I'm a daredevil. Mix well. Add: 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla, 2-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 21/2 cups of flour, and 1-1/4 cups of milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes; I get 18 because I'm doing something wrong, although my cupcakes were voted second best in the city by New York magazine.

Tattletail's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

In a bowl, combine 1 box (1 pound) of confectioners' sugar, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Really whip it, don't be afraid to get in there. I occasionally add food coloring and sometimes substitute pure almond extract for vanilla.

If you do choose to add pure almond extract instead of vanilla, you're on your own. I don't know the measurement for it, but I do know it's less than the amount of vanilla you would add.

---

Hope you enjoy them!

CQ

Painting the Amy Sedaris Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes!

Somehow those little guys got out of the box last night and I found them this morning adding another color to the Amy Sedaris "Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes" I'd made earlier in the day. They are from her book I Like You....it's so funny. I also made her "Tattletail's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting" to go along with them and frosted some white and some lilac. When I woke up I found the painters at work adding a spot of green...hmmmmm...the must have had some left over paint from their last job!

I don't know if you have her book or not, but it is really hysterical...I received it for Christmas from my good friend, Meg, who loves to try out new things and is into knitting beautiful scraves. I have never read a recipe written the way Amy wrote hers. It's a bit of a guessing game, but as she says "I like to take chances." Me, too!

The cupcakes were a huge success! They are a little bit crunchy around the top edges and the rest of the cupcake is moist and dense, as opposed to some others I've made that are very light. These cupcakes have authority! They practically scream VANILLA! VANILLA! Next time I'm going to try them with her Dusty's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting....maybe I won't be able to wait until next week to do it!



I found these little pots at Ikea yesterday and thought they would make cute cupcakes...I sprayed the inside with PAM w/ flour before I put the batter in and they fell right out when it was time to pop one in....your mouth...that is! The frosting was, again, a pretty funny recipe. Pour everything in a whip it up. It tastes divine!

I can see why Amy's cupcakes were voted second in New York City by New York Magazine...they are delish! More photos are on my flickr place: photos by the cupcakequeen.

Here are the recipes for both the vanilla cupcakes and vanilla buttercream frosting as quoted from her book:

Tattletail's Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will need: Unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt, flour, milk.

Put 1-1/2 sticks of butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth. Pour in 1-1/2 cups of sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. I like to crack the eggs on the side of the bowl while it is moving, which can be really stupid. I like to take chances. Yes, I have had to throw away my batter because I lost eggshells in the mix. Yes, it was a waste of food and yes, I know how expensive butter is, but what can I say? I'm a daredevil. Mix well. Add: 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla, 2-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 21/2 cups of flour, and 1-1/4 cups of milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about two-thirds full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes; I get 18 because I'm doing something wrong, although my cupcakes were voted second best in the city by New York magazine.

Tattletail's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

In a bowl, combine 1 box (1 pound) of confectioners' sugar, 1 stick of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Really whip it, don't be afraid to get in there. I occasionally add food coloring and sometimes substitute pure almond extract for vanilla.

If you do choose to add pure almond extract instead of vanilla, you're on your own. I don't know the measurement for it, but I do know it's less than the amount of vanilla you would add.

---

Hope you enjoy them!

CQ

Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcakes

	Wow....this recipe seemed crazy at first...in all my cupcake adventures, this is the FIRST time I've made cupcakes using bread crumbs instead of flour!
	I made these for my sister, Robin's 50th...that's the BIG 50!...birthday. Her BIG DAY was actually Jan. 25th, but she wanted a slumber party at our Mom's house so we did it last night. Three of our relatives came down from New York, and two of her Suitland High School buddies came, too.
	The recipe for the these is in the book called Tempt...Cupcakes to Excite by Betty Saw, who is a chef in Malaysia. The recipe was so easy...literally eggs, castor sugar, grated lemon rind and white fine breadcrumbs!
	This is my Mom's dog, Arby...he is investigating the cupcake! Arby is an 8 year old cocker spaniel and a real lover!
These are people at the slumber party: Marie, Noelle, and Maddie from New York::and our Mom!
Laura and Catherine made all the wonderful appetizers! Robin and Jean having a nice hug!
	And, this is today, Sunday....breakfast at Bob Evans...we love the Bob Evans...what a great ending to a great party!
Here's the recipe: Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcake "This is a soft spngy cupcake made usng ony fresh white breadcrumbs without flour soaked in a tangy spice-flavoured syrup." Large paper cases--makes 10 cupcakes Ingredients (sponge batter) Eggs (2 large separated) Castor sugar (80 grams, divided into 2 portions Grated lemon rind (1 tsp) Fresh white breadcrumbs (75 g) Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey (100 ml) Caster sugar (40 g) Orange or apple juice (2 Tbsp) Cinnamon stick (1 cm piece) Clove (1 whole) Cointreau (1 Tbsp, optional Topping: Fresh grated white coconut for sprinkling ------------------------- Method: Line muffin pans with paper cases. Place egg yolks with 40 g sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Whisk until pale, thick and light. Beat in lemon rind. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 40 g sugar of sugar gradually and continue to beat until stiff. Fold a third of the egg white mixture followed by the breadcrumbs into the egge yolk mixture. Carefully fold in remaining egg white mixture in tow batches. Spoon mixture evenly to fill paper cases and level surfaces with a teaspoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 C (350 F) for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pan before tkaingout. Meanwhile, prepare Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey syrup. Place all ingredients except Cointreau in a small saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in Countreau if using. Remove and leave spices in the syrup to infuse for 15 minutes. Note: This recipe is a good way of using leftover white bread. Simply slice off the crusts and tear them into a food processor. Process until they become fine crumbs. Measure out amount required and use immediately or store in covered containers in the freezer. They will keep for 1-2 months. *The Apple Cider + Vinegar is from Wescobee, an Australian produce. Cointreau can be replaced with either fresh apple or orange juice. *I did not have this product to I did equal amount of honey and Apple Cider Vinegar together. I have no idea if this was right or not, but it tasted great!
Rock On! CQ

Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcakes

	Wow....this recipe seemed crazy at first...in all my cupcake adventures, this is the FIRST time I've made cupcakes using bread crumbs instead of flour!
	I made these for my sister, Robin's 50th...that's the BIG 50!...birthday. Her BIG DAY was actually Jan. 25th, but she wanted a slumber party at our Mom's house so we did it last night. Three of our relatives came down from New York, and two of her Suitland High School buddies came, too.
	The recipe for the these is in the book called Tempt...Cupcakes to Excite by Betty Saw, who is a chef in Malaysia. The recipe was so easy...literally eggs, castor sugar, grated lemon rind and white fine breadcrumbs!
	This is my Mom's dog, Arby...he is investigating the cupcake! Arby is an 8 year old cocker spaniel and a real lover!
These are people at the slumber party: Marie, Noelle, and Maddie from New York::and our Mom!
Laura and Catherine made all the wonderful appetizers! Robin and Jean having a nice hug!
	And, this is today, Sunday....breakfast at Bob Evans...we love the Bob Evans...what a great ending to a great party!
Here's the recipe: Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Sponge Cupcake "This is a soft spngy cupcake made usng ony fresh white breadcrumbs without flour soaked in a tangy spice-flavoured syrup." Large paper cases--makes 10 cupcakes Ingredients (sponge batter) Eggs (2 large separated) Castor sugar (80 grams, divided into 2 portions Grated lemon rind (1 tsp) Fresh white breadcrumbs (75 g) Apple Cider Vinegar Honey Syrup Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey (100 ml) Caster sugar (40 g) Orange or apple juice (2 Tbsp) Cinnamon stick (1 cm piece) Clove (1 whole) Cointreau (1 Tbsp, optional Topping: Fresh grated white coconut for sprinkling ------------------------- Method: Line muffin pans with paper cases. Place egg yolks with 40 g sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Whisk until pale, thick and light. Beat in lemon rind. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 40 g sugar of sugar gradually and continue to beat until stiff. Fold a third of the egg white mixture followed by the breadcrumbs into the egge yolk mixture. Carefully fold in remaining egg white mixture in tow batches. Spoon mixture evenly to fill paper cases and level surfaces with a teaspoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 175 C (350 F) for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes in pan before tkaingout. Meanwhile, prepare Apple Cider Vinegar + Honey syrup. Place all ingredients except Cointreau in a small saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in Countreau if using. Remove and leave spices in the syrup to infuse for 15 minutes. Note: This recipe is a good way of using leftover white bread. Simply slice off the crusts and tear them into a food processor. Process until they become fine crumbs. Measure out amount required and use immediately or store in covered containers in the freezer. They will keep for 1-2 months. *The Apple Cider + Vinegar is from Wescobee, an Australian produce. Cointreau can be replaced with either fresh apple or orange juice. *I did not have this product to I did equal amount of honey and Apple Cider Vinegar together. I have no idea if this was right or not, but it tasted great!
Rock On! CQ

Don't Miss This Snow Ball!

This really started out as a joke...Mainly because it was about 65 degrees today in Washington, DC! But I really wish we had some snow and the only way I could get it was to make Snow Balls! Underneath all this snow is a coconut cupcake. The frosting is made with cream cheese!

Here is what they look like BIG! This little person project is so cool. I love doing them. I've found several sets of little people for the next weeks!
I thought these ballroom dancers were adorable and they fit right in with my snowball (get it?? Snow Ball.....hmmmmm) idea. Oh well...this cupcake is the very first cupcake I made when beginning my personal cupcake journey nearly 2 years ago! If you'd like to try the recipe: Click Here.
Did I tell you all that we got a new puppy...is there such a thing as an old puppy??...his name is Nigel and he is a French bulldog...Layla actually seems to like him and protects him from the other dogs who visit us. I'll post a photo of Nigel soon. Nigel looks a lot like Harry and so sometimes we call him Harry...but we're trying to get over that!
Visit my flickr site and see more of the Snow Ball Cupcakes ....FLICKR

Rock On!

CQ

Don't Miss This Snow Ball!

This really started out as a joke...Mainly because it was about 65 degrees today in Washington, DC! But I really wish we had some snow and the only way I could get it was to make Snow Balls! Underneath all this snow is a coconut cupcake. The frosting is made with cream cheese!

Here is what they look like BIG! This little person project is so cool. I love doing them. I've found several sets of little people for the next weeks!
I thought these ballroom dancers were adorable and they fit right in with my snowball (get it?? Snow Ball.....hmmmmm) idea. Oh well...this cupcake is the very first cupcake I made when beginning my personal cupcake journey nearly 2 years ago! If you'd like to try the recipe: Click Here.
Did I tell you all that we got a new puppy...is there such a thing as an old puppy??...his name is Nigel and he is a French bulldog...Layla actually seems to like him and protects him from the other dogs who visit us. I'll post a photo of Nigel soon. Nigel looks a lot like Harry and so sometimes we call him Harry...but we're trying to get over that!
Visit my flickr site and see more of the Snow Ball Cupcakes ....FLICKR

Rock On!

CQ