Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Feb 9, 2012, 2:31 pm
I have to give credit where credit is due.  Jonathan came up with the idea for these passion fruit cupcakes for Valentine's Day with white chocolate frosting.  I mentioned that I was trying to think of something different for Valentine's Day this year and he said, "Passion fruit!"  I wasn't sure ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Feb 6, 2012, 2:52 pm
These honey nut cupcakes for Valentine's Day are just the Valentine's Day treat for the special nut lover in your life.  I gave a honey nut Valentine's Day cupcake to one of the biggest nut lovers in my life - a man who will forever be my Valentine - my dad.  He said without hesitation that this w...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Feb 1, 2012, 11:43 pm
If you're nuts for a nut lover, this is the Valentine's day cookie to make them.  These honey nut Valentine's Day cookies are super simple to make - they have only three ingredients (an assortment of nuts and seeds, honey, and a couple of egg whites to help hold it all together in a chewy granol...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Jan 29, 2012, 11:37 pm
The other day, I found my journal from age eight hidden in a pile of boxes that had recently been moved from my dad's basement to my basement.  Have you had the conversation with your parent when they point out that you now have your own basement and should be storing your own crap?  Reading t...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Jan 26, 2012, 3:07 pm
Cross a cheese biscuit with angel food cake and you get Parmesan sour cream cupcakes.  They're buttery, airy, sticky and sugary on the edges, and they have a tang from Parmesan that works in a cupcake so much better than you would ever expect.  If you like the combination of sweet and salty,...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Jan 23, 2012, 8:12 am
My MOO cards Let's talk business for a few minutes.  Cupcake Project has a couple of new features designed to make your life easier.  First, I'll share them with you, and then I'll tell you about a sweet MOO card giveaway (MOO cards are business cards, but you'll love them even if you don...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Dec 12, 2011, 9:38 pm
... , cinnamon and clove cologne. They're not softies on the outside, but when you go in for the kiss, they melt in your mouth.  This weekend I'll be attending a girls-only solstice-themed ... of simmering water. Melt the chocolate mixture, stirring frequently. Make sure the mixture d...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Dec 8, 2011, 5:25 pm
I've made gingerbread cupcakes before, but this month for my guest contributor post on Paula Deen, I wanted to take gingerbread cupcakes to the next level.  I added chocolate, a splash of coffee, and a bold, ginger orange glaze - and ended up with an unforgettable, sophisticated holiday cupcake. &#...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Dec 7, 2011, 2:03 pm
'Tis the season for dropping hints about what you might want as a holiday gift.  Now's the time to tell someone who loves you about the Cupcake Cruise. The Cupcake Cruise is bound to be a joyous cupcake love fest!  It's a seven day cruise to the Bahamas (from August 19-26, 2012) for cu...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Dec 5, 2011, 2:23 pm
WASHINGTON — Congress wants to add cupcakes to school lunch lines, fighting back against an Obama administration proposal to make school lunches healthier. A new bill would allow any cupcake, regardless of fat content, to be counted as a vegetable, as long as it has a small sprinkling ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Dec 1, 2011, 10:47 pm
Cinnamon sugar kale chips audibly crackle when you first bite into them.  Then, they silently dissolve in your mouth, leaving behind a fresh green flavor and a smidgen of sweetness.  Throw kale chips in a bowl for a quick, easy snack or use kale chips for something crazy like topping cupcak...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 30, 2011, 8:55 pm
Just before Thanksgiving, my family and I headed to Washington, D.C. to visit friends and family.  We rented a HomeAway condo (the link there is to the British site, but there is also a U.S. site that you can use) with four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a fantastic kitchen with Viking app...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 26, 2011, 11:25 am
Photo courtesy of IndriVanilla When the Cupcake Project Explorers and I came up with the recipe for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcakes, we learned that nothing gave the cupcakes as much of a true vanilla flavor as a real vanilla bean.  Although I am a tremendous fan of vanilla bean paste (it makes ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 14, 2011, 8:42 am
While cupcakes get some frosting lovin' on a regular basis, sometimes they get jealous of English muffins (or as I call them, stud muffins). Stud muffins are a key player in Eggs Benedict, where they are topped with bacon, eggs, and drippy, buttery hollandaise.  Cupcakes are used to playing it safe...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 13, 2011, 10:22 am
I'm a carbs girl - as if you couldn't have guessed that.  Come brunch time, you'll find me ordering the French toast, waffles, pancakes, or crepes (I barely take the time to the read the eggy options).  Because of my one-track brunch thinking, I rarely encounter hollandaise sauce.  Until I ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 11, 2011, 1:32 pm
If there were a Greek system for desserts, ice cream and cupcakes would definitely be sorority sisters.  Ice cream made it into my list of top ten frostings, and each May I hold an Ice Cream Cupcake contest on this blog (start thinking about your entry now!). As you know, I like taking cupcak...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 2, 2011, 11:26 pm
... -out-of-the-oven Danishes are a less common but equally magical experience.  I made these single-serving Danish cupcakes with a cranberry cheese filling.  I got a bit carried away with the filling quantity.  ... lot of extra dough on the ends, trim it off. Idea Credit At the end of...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Nov 1, 2011, 9:41 am
Homemade Jam Making Myths - Debunked You need fresh fruit to make jam.  Just about everyone I know who makes jam has a garden.  They make jam to squirrel away the summer's bounty in jars for yearlong enjoyment.  I made this cranberry jam because I like jam.  I used frozen cranberries and intend ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 26, 2011, 11:24 am
Crack through a layer of caramelized sugar to reveal a layer of sweet cream below, but you're not done.  Below the cream is your favorite fluffy cupcake!  Welcome to the world of crème brûlée cupcakes! How to Make Crème Brûlée Cupcakes Start by baking your favorite cupcake recipe.  I kep...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 24, 2011, 3:41 pm
Pumpkin crème brûlée is dangerously easy to make.  Pumpkin crème brûlée is a one-bowl recipe that takes five minutes - tops -  to put together and requires only four main ingredients plus some spice.  The only time-consuming element in preparing pumpkin crème brûlée is waiting for ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 18, 2011, 8:11 pm
Regular readers know that I periodically develop recipes for Paula Deen's website. This month, I created these pumpkin mudslide cupcakes inspired by my must-try frozen pumpkin mudslide cocktails.  I'll just share two quick facts about these cupcakes and then I'll send you over to the queen of...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 16, 2011, 10:19 pm
Halloween doesn't have a drink.  On Christmas, we know that we should be drinking eggnog and on New Year's Eve, we've got to toast using champagne.  But, on Halloween, our party drink is left to chance.  Many Halloween parties resort to punch with varying levels of quality and varying level...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 14, 2011, 12:35 pm
After taking a macaron-making class with Amrita of The Sweet Art, I knew that macaron cupcakes were in my future.  Amrita and I talked about it and we decided that we would both make macaron cupcakes, post them on the same day, and see what we each came up with (check out her post at The Sweet Art)...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 13, 2011, 12:55 pm
My favorite part of baking angel food cupcakes was having an excuse to use angel wing cookie cutters.  I fell in love with the cookie cutters that moment that I saw them.  Photo from V.I.P. (Very Important Pastry)The angel wing cookies are designed to rest on a teacup (as shown above), but t...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 12, 2011, 4:35 pm
In Jewish tradition, after someone dies, the mourning family has a stream of visitors for meals and prayers for a full week - it's called sitting shiva.  I didn't fully comprehend the value of the tradition until six years ago when my husband lost his father.  Although hosting guests every d...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 10, 2011, 10:10 am
Fall brings reds, oranges, yellows, and purples; there's no one color to represent Autumn.  Likewise, this year I thought that a single (or even two or three) Fall flavor(s) in a cupcake would not do.  I decided to combine some past single-flavor Fall cupcake favorites into one Everything Fall Cup...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 7, 2011, 5:43 pm
This afternoon, I sat next to my husband on the couch with our two year old snuggled next to us.  Our son enthusiastically pointed his tiny finger towards our television and exclaimed, "Mom!"  He wasn't simply trying to get my attention; he was pointing out that Mom was on TV.  We were watching m...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Oct 5, 2011, 11:52 pm
I'd seen plenty of macaron recipes online, but like many in the Cupcake Project Facebook community, I found macaron recipes intimidating.  I'd heard macaron recipe horror stories like, "It was raining outside so the macaron recipe didn't work at all," or "I over or under-mixed so the macaron recipe...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 30, 2011, 6:14 pm
A Tale of No Cupcake Boxes: Do Not Try This At Home (like a certain author of this blog) It was a sunny day and Blogger X loaded her cupcakes into plain bakery boxes (not cupcake boxes with cupcake inserts).  She carefully held the bakery boxes on her lap while someone else drove (it may hav...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 27, 2011, 11:50 am
Round challah (airy, eggy, braided bread) is served on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, to symbolize the cycle of life.  I baked round challah for the first time last year, but neglected to do any research on the proper way to braid the challah.  I had assumed that to braid round challah, I woul...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 24, 2011, 2:22 pm
"This is it, Stef!! This really, really is the ULTIMATE Vanilla Cupcake!!! I can't believe we finally found it, but I know in my cupcake-loving heart that we did. I will honestly be dumbstruck if this cupcake isn't the ultimate because I can't imagine a more perfect vanilla cupcake."  That was ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 19, 2011, 10:08 pm
Apple bacon cheddar cupcakes with mesquite buttercream are the boyfriend jeans of the cupcake world. They are a perfect fit for your man: they feature the magic word - bacon - and the mesquite gives them a nutty, earthy, manly finish. Yet, when you try them on (your tongue) and experience the chedda...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 16, 2011, 12:15 am
This cupcake recipe is the first recipe that I have ever created solely based on price.  As part of the Hunger Challenge, I had $87 to spend on food for the week for my family of three - and as a cupcake blogger, I wanted to include cupcakes.  For this recipe (and everything else we ate during the...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 12, 2011, 8:54 pm
Last night, I received the following comment on my Facebook page (it's no longer up, so don't look for it) and I wanted to publicly respond: If a family receives food stamps then I doubt that they have the means to access a Whole Foods store. Buying organic is usually not at the top of the pri...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 11, 2011, 1:09 pm
I'm spoiled when it comes to food and I know it.  Here's a breakdown of my typical week's eating: Breakfast for me consists of cold cereal and soy milk.  I have a pantry stocked with five different kinds of cereal that I mix and match.  I'll typically have some raisins for my breakfast dessert (e...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 8, 2011, 10:19 pm
Apple chips serve as lunchbox-ready snacks that are crispy (baked - not fried) and have just a touch of cinnamon and sugar.  Even store-bought apple chips are wonderful treats, but when you make homemade apple chips, you can not only control how much sugar you add (you don't need to add much), but...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 6, 2011, 11:30 pm
Mesquite flour (or mesquite powder or mesquite meal, as it is sometimes called) is likely a new ingredient to you.  I hadn't heard of mesquite flour before I received a free sample of mesquite flour from Navitas.  Because my only association with mesquite was the wood that we use to smoke fish and...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 5, 2011, 11:03 pm
Often, I'm in the middle of frosting cupcakes when something comes up - forcing me to stop (e.g. my son woke up from his nap and needs to walk down the block to see the train NOW or the world will end).  I decide to cover the bowl to protect the frosting from uninvited house guests (I'm not talking...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Sep 1, 2011, 5:55 pm
Take baklava (the middle Eastern dessert featuring buttery phyllo dough, nuts, and sticky sweet honey), add a layer of brownie, mix in some banana chunks, bake in jumbo silicone cupcake liners, and you get chocolate banana baklava cupcakes.  As a baklava fan through and through, I never thoug...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 31, 2011, 9:58 am
These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes loaded with dark chocolate chips, topped with peanut butter frosting, then dipped in more chocolate are a sight to behold.  This is the ultimate chocolate peanut butter cupcake!  Take a look inside: I developed this recipe last November, but only...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 28, 2011, 5:20 pm
Update 9/1/2011:  This contest is now closed.  The winner is Grace Sheese!  Congrats, Grace!  Thanks to everyone who entered! One of my son's favorite books is Everyone Poops.  Everyone Poops reveals some important pooping facts (some animals poop on the go, while some stop to poop) and h...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 23, 2011, 9:07 pm
Peanut butter cookie dough frosting tastes just like cookie dough - after all, it is cookie dough (lightened up a bit)! Take safe-to-eat peanut butter cookie dough, add two tablespoons of whole milk or heavy whipping cream for every cup of dough, and you've got perfectly pipe-able pean...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 21, 2011, 11:39 pm
  Why does cookie dough always refer to chocolate chip cookie dough?  For that matter, why does 90% of cookie dough ice cream use a vanilla ice cream base?  In the name of variety and a flavor combination that's hard to go wrong with, I present a recipe for peanut butter cookie dough that's safe ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 17, 2011, 10:58 pm
Lollipops don't require artificial flavors or colors or even fancy molds.  All you'll need to make these lollipops are canned pumpkin, canned sweet potato, persimmon pulp, or lucuma pulp*, plus water, sugar, and some sticks.  You'll also want to have a candy thermometer (my favorite is the Maveric...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 15, 2011, 10:57 am
Brown butter cupcakes have a caramel-like taste and smell like a hot skillet of bubbling butter waiting for mom's pancake batter to be poured on. If you've ever burnt dinner, you can burn butter and create unforgettable brown butter. Brown butter cupcakes are basic, vanilla, butter-based cupca...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 8, 2011, 9:37 pm
Brown butter lucuma bars taste exotic yet familiar at the same time. Bake the lucuma bars when you want to impress your foodie friends while still satisfying those with less adventurous palates.  Lucuma is a fruit most commonly found in Ecuador, Peru, and Chile with a pulp that has a texture like s...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 5, 2011, 8:18 am
I'm in puppy love with my Hefeweizen cupcakes.  Maybe it's because I've been on a quest to find the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake and the past 15 or so cupcake recipes I've made have been some variety of vanilla, or maybe these Hefeweizen cupcakes really are just that good.  If you are a beer ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Aug 2, 2011, 11:40 pm
Sometimes sprinkles are just too sweet on a sugary cupcake.  Colored coconut (see my Pina Colada cupcakes) is a nice sprinkle substitute, but coconut is extremely divisive.  There are always crushed nuts.  However, nuts don't go with everything - plus, there's that darn allergy thing to ...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Jul 31, 2011, 10:38 pm
I'm imagining you staring at your screen.  Your head is cocked to the side and you've rested your hand on your chin to ponder my bizarre title.  Could a panko-encrusted wasabi brownie really be the brownie recipe for everyone?  Let me explain: Cakey brownie lovers:  This brownie isn't stick-to-...
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Stefani P. posted an article on Cupcake Project - Jul 27, 2011, 12:15 am
Sure, we call them sweet peas, but most people don't think of peas as a sweet.  Prior to making my sweet pea and ricotta cupcakes, I'd never had peas in a dessert.  Although these pea cupcakes feel like they belong at the farmers' market in a stand next to the lady in faded jeans selling bib lettu...
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