I've always loved to read all the wonderful updates on the Cupcakes Take the Cake blog. You can find so many great recipes, cupcake shops, decoration ideas and cupcake stories via this fabulous site. We feel so lucky to have been featured last week (Monday, 6/8). Thanks Ladies!
Check out the blog post here Cupcakes Take the Cake blog.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Going to New York
From June 28- 30 I will be attending the Fancy Food Show in New York. If you're going to the show, please stop by the Hagensborg Chocolates booth to say hi (and also taste their delicious Truffle Pig bars).
Of course, I plan to go a couple days early for LOTS of cupcake tasting!! I can't wait! I have a very long list (above are just a few examples) of all the fabulous shops I'd like to go to.
I've also scheduled a meet up with two of the fabulous ladies of Cupcakes Take the Cake blog; Rachel and Nichelle. I'm really looking forward to meeting them.
When I get back, I will definitely be blogging about the whole visit.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Trophy Cupcakes Opens New Store in University Village
University Village shop opens tomorrow at 9am!
It's confirmed, the second Trophy Cupcake shop opens their doors tomorrow. The new store is located in University Village. Below is an excerpt from their recent newsletter:
We are located in the southern breezeway, near the children's playground, two doors down from Pasta & Co."
Visit their website at www.trophycupcakes.com
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sur La Table- Cupcake Baking Class
Have you ever taken a cooking class? I have and they are always so much fun. You meet new people and get to make new dishes you haven't made before.
How about a cupcake baking class? I had not but saw that Sur La Table (one of my favorite kitchen shops) was offering a class and had to go.
First step, find a friend who enjoyed cupcakes and learning as much as I do. Check-- I had my friend Shanda (of Pixel Soup Creative) at the mention of "cupcake".
So we signed up and went to the class (cost $69) in Kirkland on May 30th. The instructors name was Ed Kernan (on Twitter @sltcooks).
The description of the class was:
Our ganache turned out amazing as well as the Vanilla Cream. Unfortunately a couple teams frosting didn't work out so we had a few cupcakes shy of the frosting. However, I always say "the frosting shouldn't have all the limelight".
The best part of the whole day of course was the sampling of all our hard work. My favorite was the Boston Cream Pie (no, not just cause we worked on them). See recipe below. It was a delicious day with some very fun people. Thanks Shanda for being my partner in (vanilla) cream.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 ounces unsalted butter, at 65-68F, plus more for tins
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Cream (recipe follows)
Chocolate-Ganache Glaze (recipe follows)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.
Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.
Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each and serve immediately. (Note in the class we decided to inject the vanilla cream and roll the top of cupcake in the ganache. Either works well).
Ingredients:
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stiffing until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.
Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions:
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.
Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
How about a cupcake baking class? I had not but saw that Sur La Table (one of my favorite kitchen shops) was offering a class and had to go.
First step, find a friend who enjoyed cupcakes and learning as much as I do. Check-- I had my friend Shanda (of Pixel Soup Creative) at the mention of "cupcake".
So we signed up and went to the class (cost $69) in Kirkland on May 30th. The instructors name was Ed Kernan (on Twitter @sltcooks).
The description of the class was:
"From a casual meal to an elegant dinner, they're the perfect petite, sweet dessert. In this class our chef will share some special cupcake recipes designed to celebrate spring and show you how easy it is to craft these creative little crowd-pleasers."
MENU:- Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
- Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream
Our ganache turned out amazing as well as the Vanilla Cream. Unfortunately a couple teams frosting didn't work out so we had a few cupcakes shy of the frosting. However, I always say "the frosting shouldn't have all the limelight".
The best part of the whole day of course was the sampling of all our hard work. My favorite was the Boston Cream Pie (no, not just cause we worked on them). See recipe below. It was a delicious day with some very fun people. Thanks Shanda for being my partner in (vanilla) cream.
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
3 ounces unsalted butter, at 65-68F, plus more for tins
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Cream (recipe follows)
Chocolate-Ganache Glaze (recipe follows)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour standard muffin tins. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Warm milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Beat eggs and sugar with a mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients.
Bring milk and butter to a boil. With mixer on low speed, add milk mixture to batter, and beat until smooth Add vanilla. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each halfway. Bake cupcakes until light gold, about 15 minutes. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Let cool.
Using a serrated knife, cut each in half horizontally. Spread 1 tablespoon vanilla cream on each cupcake bottom. Sandwich with top. Spoon glaze over each and serve immediately. (Note in the class we decided to inject the vanilla cream and roll the top of cupcake in the ganache. Either works well).
Vanilla Cream
Ingredients:
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Whisk yolks until smooth. Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add milk in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stiffing until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes.
Pour 1/3 of milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Pass vanilla cream through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Chocolate- Ganache Glaze
Ingredients:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions:
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and add chocolate and corn syrup. Let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, stirring often. Use immediately.
Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Now on Facebook
If you are like me, I enjoy time catching up with friends and family on Facebook. Of course, it does not replace the cherished moments of being together for coffee chats, family celebrations and day-to-day moments. However, it really can keep you in touch with all those you care about.
Therefore, we have decided to also have a presence on Facebook to share Bella Cupcake Couture news with all cupcake lovers and chic fashionistas.
We hope you join us on Facebook. Click here to become a fan.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Featured in Kitchenware News and Gourmet News
Bella Cupcake Couture was recently featured in the June edition of Kitchenware News (page 2) and May edition of Gourmet News (page 20).
Kitchenware News is a leading business-to-business publication covering the specialty foods and kitchenwares market. And Gourmet News is the business newspaper for the gourmet industry.
Bella Cupcake Couture is proud to be a part of the past two months news coverage for both of these newspapers.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Going to the Parasol Party
The Parasol Party is a scene-setting event. Stepping into the lush gardens of the Clise Mansion guests will enter into a feminine, vintage, European fantasy. Where else can a girl and her friends sip cocktails, snack on decadent sweets, enjoy signature shopping, and partake in a fashion show under their very own parasol?
Sponsors of the Parasol Party include Seattle Picks, Bella Umbrella, DRY Soda, Wink Cupcakes, Amore Chocolates, BellevueMassage, The Bathery, and Brick House Photography. Vendors include Poco Carretto Gelato, LUSH, Scentsy Candles, Deco Modiste, Party Girl Aprons, Sandy Martino Jewelry, Julep Nail Parlor and of course us, Bella Cupcake Couture.
Please go to www.halfpastlavish.com/events.html for event details. Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com for $15 or at the door for $20. Evite Link
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