Coconut Pineapple Cupcakes

My husband's birthday is in a few days so I was searching for a coconut cupcake recipe. I found this recipe on a blog yesterday (Apple & Spice).    After converting measurements I got to work.

Ingredients
1¼ cups All Purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
7 tbsp butter
¾ cup baking sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup coconut milk
½ tsp vanilla
1/2 cup fresh pineapple

Method
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a muffin tin with 12-18 liners.  Chop the fresh pineapple into very small cubes, about 5mm square and set to one side.  In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one. Stir in the vanilla.  Add half the coconut milk and beat well. Then add the baking powder and half the flour, repeat with the remaining coconut milk and then the second half of the flour. Gently fold in the pineapple.  Divide the mixture between the muffin cases, filling about ¾ of the way.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire wrack before icing and decorating.  Toast 1/2 cup of coconut in a saucepan, stir every 10 seconds to prevent burning.  Set aside to cool.     In a saucepan, mix sifted confectioner's sugar, 1 tbsp butter and coconut milk until dissolved.  Drizzle on cupcakes and add toasted coconut.

For the topping
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Coconut milk
toasted coconut

Valentine's Cupcakes coming up soon!

It's a CURIOUS GEORGE Birthday

Happy 4th Birthday

Jack, William & Grace

Curious George Cupcakes

To make Curious George fondant heads you will need:

-2.5" circle cutter

-Small Circle cutter

-Large Heart cutter

-Small Heart cutter

-Fondant Rolling pin

-Fondant dyed very light brown (tan)

-Fondant dyed dark brown

-Vodka or gumpaste glue to glue ears on

Roll light brown fondant 1/8" thick. Using the large circle cutter, cut out the face

Using the small circle cutter, cut out 2 circles for the ears

You will end up with 3 pieces like this

Cut the ear so it fits on the side of the main face piece & affix with a small dab of vodka or gumpaste glue

Both ears attached

Roll out the dark brown 1/16" thick. Cut a circle with the large circle cutter

Use the small heart to cut out the upper portion of his face

So it looks like this

Use the large heart cutter to make the bottom portion of his face

It will look like this:

Peel the cut outs away

Here is the top overlay for his face

Attach the dark brown with a small dab vodka or Gumpaste glue

Now you have the base done

Using Fondant or Royal icing affix eyes, nose & a mouth...

Now put his cute little face on top of a cupcake or cake!

Children's Aprons

I've been sewing again.  I really enjoy it but have trouble finding time to sit down & sew.  My sister was kind enought o share her Emmaline pattern with me so I made about 6 adult reversible aprons for Christmas gifts .  I decided it would be fun to make reversible aprons for kids so I made a pattern and went to work.     If you would like a copy of my pattern, email me & I'll be happy to send a copy to you

Emmaline reversible adult apron  (one size fits all)
I made the owl one my sister is wearing & my sister made the mod apron on my mom

Hearts & Polka Dot print - Children's reversible apron (size 2-6/7)

R U B Y

I found wood letters on sale for .49cents each so I grabbed some to paint for Ruby's room. 

Tools:
paint brush
pencil with new eraser
paint - 2 colors
ribbon  - 3 yards
sand paper
staple gun
letters of your choice

1. First sand the letters so they are smooth
2. Apply a base coat & allow to dry 1-2 hours
3. Apply a 2nd coat & allow to dry  1-2 hours
4. Using a pencil eraser dip it into the 2nd paint color and make dots
5. Attach two pieces of 12" ribbon  with a staple gun & tie the ribbon in a bow or knot.
6. Hang on the wall

I didn't get to see hers hung on the wall. Her dad was busy but hopefully next time I go visit her they will be up.

De-Lurk Yourself

My sister just alerted me that it's National Blog delurking week !

Thanks to her post De Lurk Yourselves  maybe I'll know how many of you are out there lurking on my blog!

So, if you're a lurker, I'd like to say hello and encourage you to say hi and introduce yourself!

Happy De-Lurking Week!

Dinner with Friends...Cupcakes to Go

Dark Chocolate cupcakes dipped in mini chocolate chips while hot then frosted with vanilla buttercream (all butter, no crisco) and topped with sprinkles, sugars & jimmies.  

Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
1 1/2 cups butter, unsalted, softened (3 sticks)
pinch of salt
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whip the butter until fluffy. Gradually add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar at a time and reduce speed to low, add in salt and flavoring.