Some Recent Cakes!

Since July of this year, I've managed to do quite a few larger cakes/larger events so I thought I'd share some pictures on here!

An adoption party cake

A pink themed wedding from this summer

The cutting cake from the above wedding

An outdoor Phoenix wedding I did this fall

And lastly, a rustic wedding I did in September!

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

There's not much to say about these beauties. What more could you want in a cupcake? Chocolate, peanut butter, banana? Okay, maybe I'd want some coconut in there but I'd say it's a pretty perfect trifecta as is. Try them. You will not be disappointed. 

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

(makes about 18 cupcakes)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 1/2 mashed large bananas

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, bananas, and whipping cream. Mix until well combined. Whisk in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips. Put cupcake wrappers in cupcake tins. Fill cupcake wrappers 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and frost. 

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces of cream cheese frosting

1/3 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Mix in powdered sugar followed by heavy whipping cream. 

Frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Funfetti Sugar Cookies

I know, you're thinking, "Wait, Baker Mandy is still alive?!" 

Yes, indeed I am! And don't worry, I certainly haven't stopped baking in the past two years.

After a little hiatus... okay, a long hiatus, I have decided to make a come back! I have been feeling particularly inspired to make more recipes and just up my baking and business recently.

So with that, let's talk about these sugar cookies. As you've probably figured out from my past recipes, I tend to be a chocoholic and always add chocolate to any recipe I can. So today for my comeback recipe, I decided to try something a little different. Sugar cookies. I know, doesn't sound too exciting but let me tell you, these sugar cookies are approximately 10x better than the ordinary sugar cookie. I took this batch to my best friend and within the hour after opening the bag, she had downed three of them. 

So if you're like me and tend to add chocolate to everything, put down the chocolate for a second, grab the sprinkles, and try these sugar cookies out.

Funfetti Sugar Cookies

(makes 12 cookies)

Adapted from The Baker Upstairs 

1/2 cup butter, softened 

3/4 cup sugar 

1 egg

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla 

1 1/2 cups flour 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon corn starch

1/4 to 1/2 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with pam. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, corn starch, and cream of tartar, and mix until a dough forms. Fold in sprinkles. Shape into 12 equal sized balls. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Enjoy!

Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I've been MIA from this baking blogger world. I feel guilty for neglecting this little blog but I have to be honest and say that I've felt no inspiration for coming up with new recipes or baking much in general. I've been busy with school and a new job which makes it difficult to want to photograph my baking and post it. I have been on a roll with my fashion blog over here but that's definitely a different sort of blogging and my pictures only take an extra 5-10 minutes of my day to take. But anyway, I'm not sure how often I'll pop up around here but I do have a recipe for you today!
For Lent, my mom gave up chocolate. Today, she was wonderful as always and let me pick out some clothes on line to order as my birthday present. She's at a meeting for the afternoon so I wanted to make a sweet treat with no chocolate that she could come home to! So here you go!

Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from Joy The Baker

For the dough:

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted plus a little extra to brush over the tops

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl mix the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the filling. Set aside. Also set aside the melted butter.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter using hands or pastry cutter until the butter is mixed throughout in small crumb and pea size amounts. In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add all at once to the flour mixture. Dough will be crumbly but turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. If the butter starts to get too warm from handling the dough, place dough in the fridge for 15 minutes and then continue.
Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Spread melted butter over rolled out dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll dough (I rolled my horizontally) and slice into about 1 inch thick rolls. Place rolls in a 13x9 greased pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Dear 2012,
Be good to me.
Love,
Amanda
PS If you aren't, at least provide cookies.

If your 2012 isn't starting out so well, make cookies. It's my solution to all of life's problems. Cookies and chocolate. They cure all life's bumps.
These cookies are a delicious twist on the classic snickerdoodle. I have yet to meet someone who won't eat a good snickerdoodle. Sugary, cinnamony, buttery. What more could you ask for? Well after you try these, you're going to want to put white chocolate in all your snickedoodles. Delish.

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Love Veggies and Yoga

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

(Plus 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat sugars and butter until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flour until dough comes together. Mix in white chocolate chips. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.
Roll 1 inch balls out of the dough and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!

(Also, I've started a fashion blog over here!) 

Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you believe it? The last day of 2011. It has been quite the year. Full of ups and downs, as life often is. Let's only think about the good tonight and focus on the fact that the bad was necessary to get us to the now.
One of my biggest accomplishments this year has definitely been starting this blog and getting more serious with my baking. I have learned so much and cannot wait to see what this next year brings for this little blog.
I've learned, loved, laughed, been loved, baked far too much, stayed up way too late, done things I never thought I would do, and spent time with some of the greatest people I know. I truly hope your year has been as full of happiness.
Now let's get to these cookies. Coconut. Pecans. Oatmeal. Chocolate Chips. This is the ultimate comfort cookie. So if you're spending a cozy night in for New Years Eve, bake up these cookies and enjoy the last few hours of this year.
Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Bakin' and Eggs

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cup oats 
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 350.
Beat butter and sugars. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Lastly, fold in coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips. Chill for 30 minutes.
Dropped by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.
Cool and enjoy!

Cherry Almond Cupcakes with a Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

I made 16 dozen cupcakes. I frosted 16 dozen cupcakes. I decorated 16 dozen cupcakes.
Me. I did that. Can't quite get that through my brain.
Let me tell you something. Making and decorating that many cupcakes makes you not want to eat cupcakes. At all. Not even because the thought of a cupcakes sounds unappetizing but simply because it would feel like eating your masterpiece. True story.
Today I bring you these yummy cherry almond cupcakes to start off with. I made a total of 4 flavors of cupcakes and this is one of them.
I am in love with the color of these cupcakes. The cherry juice makes them the sweetest pink color. They are moist and delicious. And don't have chocolate in them. This doesn't happen often around here but these are so good they don't even need delicious chocolate.
Treat yourself. Make cupcakes.
Cherry Almond Cupcakes with a Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications: Cupcakes
(Makes 24 cupcakes)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice

For Frosting: 

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• milk as needed

Preheat oven to 350. Combine buttermilk and cherry juice. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside as well.
Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, almond extract, and egg whites. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture until well mixed. Spoon batter into muffin cups filling about 2/3 of the way full.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool while you prepare the frosting.
For frosting, beat butter until smooth. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Then beat in cherry juice and almond extract. Slowly add the remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar. If frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until desired consistency.