Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cupcakes & Mini Cakes

b9b1f82d95da4e0c81926217cdd1a35bCupcakes & Mini Cakes – more than 100 recipes for little cakes & cake pops
Published at DK Canada

About the book

With over 100 recipes for little cakes and cake pops, this delicious cookbook is sure to satisfy. The perfect step by step guide to creating delights and indulgent creamy bites, tasty truffles and breakfast brownies, this book covers all the essential techniques - from simply making to decorating cakes for every occasion.

  • Features over 200 full colour photographs
  • Visual recipe choosers group cakes by themes for easy inspiration

My Thoughts

I recently received this fun cookbook from DK Canada.   Turn out that it became really handy when two of my kids had to do something for their leaders.  They decided to work together and make cupcakes for them.   They picked a fun little recipe for their sweet tooth.  

This cookbook is easy to use and contains pictures to allow you to visualize the end result of a recipe.   The table of contents can quickly bring you to the recipe chooser, the techniques, the cupcakes and muffins recipes, the mini cakes and cake pops recipes, the mini bakes and bars recipes and finally the patisserie and tarts recipes.  Each recipe is clearly detailed with the ingredients and the steps to execute it.

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So as I mentioned, my sons had to bless their Awana leaders in a special way.  The year is almost finished and the volunteers are helping the kids to work hard on their books.    Both my boys have done amazing this year each winning at the Awana Quizzing.  Jérémy and his team won the first place for their book while Dominic and his team won second place.

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So to thank their leaders, they decided to make cupcakes.   The recipe that they picked is the Cherry and Coconut Cupcakes.   Here`s the recipe.

Ingredients:

4 oz Maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup shredded coconut, plus extra for springkling
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
a few drops of pink food coloring (optional)

For the icing:
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar. sifted
4 tsp milk
a few drops of pink food coloring
scant shredded coconut
12 Maraschino cherries.

How to make:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line the pan with 12 baking cups.  Wash, dry, and quarter the cherries.
  2. Place the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, coconut, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and beat well with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the quartered cherries.  Add a few drops of pink food coloring and beat briefly again.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the baking cups and bake for about 15 minutes or until well risen, golden, and the centers spring back when lightly pressed.   Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  4. For the icing, beat the butter in a bowl.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and milk until soft and fluffy.  Beat in a few drops of pink food coloring.  Pipe or spoon the icing on top of the cupcakes and top each with a sprinkling of shredded coconut and a Maraschino cherry.

This morning, after having done part of the homeschool assignments, they started on the cupcakes. 

Jérémy putting ingredients in the mixer.

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We added the cherries at some point.

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Whatcha doing Dominic?

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Ready to be bake – I love the color of these cupcakes…. wish I could have one because I LOVE Maraschino cherries!

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All baked and smelling yumy!

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Decorating time…

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And here’s the final result – a delicious cupcake that unfortunately mom can’t even taste.   I’m sure their Awana leaders will enjoy them!

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To be honest, they have done everything themselves.  They followed the recipe and knew what to do at each step.   It was very easy to let them do this while I was helping their younger sister with her reading.   I am impressed on how easy it was for them to follow the recipe and that they didn’t have to ask for help at any point in time.

Tonight, they are bringing their cupcakes…..   as for me I am hoping that they will redo the recipe in a near future.  Maybe I should go get some Maraschino cherries to replenish our cupboards because they finished the container that we had.   

Cupcakes & Mini Cakes is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned book for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

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