White Chocolate-Orange Cupcakes

If you know me personally you know I have taken into the art of the gourmet cupcakes.  An area of the kitchen (baking), I really don't fancy as a favorite (I hate the mess and tons of dishes).  So the picture isn't the greatest, but if you could taste them you would never mind.  My littliest loves anything orange, and well- white chocolate just seemed like a great pairing to the fresh orange flavor of these birthday cupcakes we served for his 2nd birthday.  A far cry from the a-typical store-bought-artificial-flavor I don't really like and I am tiring of paying for the conveinence, this is why I started to "create" something just a little more special for such a momentous occasion.  Enjoy! 

These are so easy try them!

1 bag of orange slice gum-drop type candy
1 white cake mix + ingredients to prepare
1 box of instant white chocolate pudding
2 oranges, zested
Orange Extract
Recipe for Classic Butter Cream
Quality White Chocolate Candy Bar (I like Lindt)
Clear Decorator Sugar

Prepare the white cake mix as directed and add pudding mix, zest of one orange, and 1 teaspoon of orange extract (or more for stronger taste) - (taste the batter :) ).  Place batter in cupcake liners about half to two thirds full (this makes a nice flat topped cupcake for frosting).  Bake as directed.  Remove cupcakes onto a  rack until completely cool.  Meanwhile, prepare Classic Butter Cream recipe and add zest of one orange, and additional orange extract to your taste.  It's okay to taste as you go, especially with the butter cream - this is what will make or break a great frosting.  Place frosting in a decorator bag with a tip or in a large zip bag and clip corner.  Frost a swirl on the top of each cupcake.  Take a vegetable peeler and "peel" the side of the chocolate bar to get swirls of chocolate.  Add to top of cupcake along with a little decorator sugar-top with an orange slice.  And there you have one terrific-well-loved cupcake.  Perfect for a spring or summer events.  Great with lemon or lime as well!  With all the great little bulk candy areas at Super Target or the mall you can be sure to find something fun to top the cupcake off with-

ENJOY!!

linked up at

S'More Cups

These sure where a winner at a craft night I attended this week.  Something that seemed like fall, easy to eat, and were gone before the end of the night.

I am a budding photographer -NOT!  But I am trying to utilize my Canon SW20IS.  It is the camera that is a crossover between a point and shoot and a DSLR, manual/digital operation, takes great pictures, but sometimes I never know how they happened.  So, with all that said, pardon the pics if they get a little out of focus someday all the camera classes I have taken will click...

Back to the recipe...

7 full size graham crackers, crushed finely, 1 cup
6 TBLS butter, melted
1/4 cup powdered sugar

12 large marshmallows, cut in half
3 regular size chocolate bars, broken into 12 pieces each

Combine the graham crackers crumbs with melted butter, and sugar.  Use a teaspoon or small scoop and add to a mini muffin pan, and pat down and sides.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 4 minutes (you will see butter start to sizzle with crumbs.  After removing from oven, place one chocolate piece to each graham cup (it will begin to melt on it's own), press cut side of marshmallow in chocolate, and place back in the oven for 1-2 minutes until the marshmallow becomes soft, but not melted.  Remove, and allow to cool for 15 minutes or so.  Remove cups CAREFULLY to a rack with a toothpick, they will get crumbly if you use a knife.  Meanwhile, microwave in small bowl the rest of the chocolate pieces, stirring after 20 seconds, until smooth and melted.  Take graham cup and dip in melted chocolate or drizzle on top.  These are SO EASY, and so much fun to take to an event.  Plan on making a double batch, because there won't be leftovers.  Makes 24 S'More Cups