Snickers Cupcakes

Well I saw this cake - and thought wow, yum, but also read the wonderful story behind it's creation, with a tear in my eye for sure.  I really wanted to make it looks like a labour of love and something to be treasured for something special.

Then as I was trolling through Foodgawker, I came upon this recipe for snickers cupcakes.  Hmmm alot more doable in the time I have available at the moment.

Shane said woo hoo great idea, picked up the snickers in the weekly grocery shop but couldn't quite bring myself to pay $4 for a jar of marshmallow fluff - Shane said did you get it - and I'm like nah there must be a way around it - i can make marshmallows, how hard can it be ..... as it turns out super dooper easy and not full of preservatives and rubbish.

So I followed the cupcake recipe for the cupcake but I downsized the cocoa to 2/3 of a cup and upped the flour.  I also didn't have any buttermilk or sour cream on hand, so I used fullcream milk with a teaspoon of vinegar - you could also add lemon juice, to sour the milk up some and add the thing that makes the bicarb soda go fizzy.

I did find the cupcakes made WAY more than the recipe said - i made muffin sized and I got 23 of the blighters, not 14 as the recipe said, her cupcakes must be bigger than mine :D

I LOVE the cupcakes, I'm not a chocolate cake girl, but these were pretty good, plus as an added bonus were still quite nice the next day - I'm a believer in cupcakes being made the day they are served, though my family tells me they are 'fine' the next day - I don't quite believe that.

For the filling I made salted caramel myself.

1/2 cup sugar turned amber, add in 45 g salted butter, when mixed add in 1/4 cup of cream, though for some reason mine wasn't as thick as in previous efforts, it's still very yummy.

Then onto the frosting - well  given that my cupcakes made more, I figured the frosting would be too much, so I made a half batch - substituting the homemade fluff for the store bought variety.

Marshmallow Fluff

one egg white
5oz of honey or maple syrup 

Beat for about 7 - 10 minutes until thick and fluffy - stiff peaks. 

Yup it's that easy - I know uncooked eggwhite, but I've never really worried about that.  If you are concerned, there are eggless recipes, bit more work, but it's cooked marshmallow, just do a google search.

I have frosting left over even after decorating 23 cupcakes.  I forgot the peanuts oops, so the filing was just the caramel.

But they were delicious - not something I'd make everyday - can't beat a good vanilla or lemon cupcake for that.  

Make it Work Challenge

Well I've decided to push myself a wee bit more and I've entered the Shop Contemporary Handmade Make It Work Challenge.  Shane suggested I enter all 6 rounds, so that's what I've done eek!

Anyways here is Week One entry - you can vote for me here

I decided I would make something cute but functional  - the brief was 'something for Her' "embellishments' - what could be nicer than hand embroidery?

So using the Dog Under the Desk pattern - Essential Wristlet I embroidered bright and sunny sunflowers and my favourite of all time roses.  

The Wristlet is big enough for those quick outings, to carry your phone, some change and car keys.  Comes with a little wrist strap and fully lined in gorgeous tilda print, with a wee pocket inside.  Fully hand washable in lightweight denim.

After the challenge, this gorgeous wristlet will be available for sale, so leave a comment if you are interested in purchasing.

There is also a giveaway starting today on the blog as well, so be sure to pop on over and enter.  I've made the cutest hoodie for your little man.

Birthday Outfit

So I had great plans of having this ready in plenty of time, but a nasty bug laid that idea flat, so I was rushing a wee bit to get this finished in time for the birthday that we had to attend.

The birthday girl was absolutely fascinated by the embroidery machine last time she was here, and apparently told her Dad that she was going to be sewer when she grew up after the visit - awwww how gorgeous is that.

Anyways K informed me that I must make it a fairy princess outfit - so I dutifully subjected myself to looking through embroidery designs to find a fairy princess with blonde hair, and stitched her out on felt and added it to the front of a tshirt.  I've decided trying to embroider direct on ready made tshirt is the stuff horror movies are made from so felt it is.

Teamed with a Tilbrook print skirt, fulled lined and on a yoke.  Skirt is Sassy Skirt from Children's Corner view C.

Heaven Sent

Thank you to Jade for these gorgeous photos of her

wee little man Xavier.  He is 12 days old in these photos.

Wearing a CK Heaven Sent.