Candy corn cupcake bites!

I have to be honest with you, I don't like candy corn. They're like little bullets of sugar with not a whole lot of flavor. BUT, I do really like how they look! And I can't deny the fact that they are symbolic for this time of year. So with that being said, I set out to make a cute treat that would resemble the adorable little candy yet taste so much better.

My solution? Candy corn cupcake bites! These mini cupcakes were such a hit when I brought them in for work today. Everyone kept asking what bakery we brought them in from. When they found I made them, everyone wanted the recipe!

Well hang on to your broomsticks because you'll never believe how easy this really was...

Ingredients:

• 1 box (yes box) white cake mix



• Ingredients required for box mix (mine was 3 egg whites, 1/4 veg oil, 1 1/3 cup water)



• red and yellow food coloring



• 1 can (yes can) white frosting


• Candy corn for decoration

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees


• Prepare cake batter as directed on the box


• Seperate batter into two different bowls


• Add food coloring to each bowl of batter until you reach desired orange and yellow colors


• Line your mini cupcake pan with cupcake liners


• Pour yellow batter first into your mini cupcake liner. Then SLOWLY add orange batter on top


• Bake as directed (about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean)

• Once the mini cupcakes has cooled completely, add a swirl of white frosting and a cute little candy corn for decoration.

How fun! These were the perfect bite sized treat. And if you like the way the layered cupcakes look, you should try my rainbow cake. It was a huge hit too!

Happy Halloween!

. I was also featured on Cupcake Takes the Cake! Very cool!

SCREAMcheese Swirl Brownies

Well what do you know... it's my BLOGIVERSARY! That's right! One year ago today I started this blog. I would have never imagined that my online attempt to keep track of kitchen adventures could turn into such a favorite hobby of mine. Within the past year of this food blog I have really challenged myself. Now it is still quite a stretch to say that I've grown out of my "rookie chef" status, but I definitely think I'm working my way up!

So in honor of my blogiversary, I thought it would be only fitting to give you something that is fun and easy. Because after all, that's what this entire blog is about! If it's not fun then it's not worth doing. And if it's not easy, well, then I probably haven't tried it yet. Ha!

Just in time for Halloween.... SCREAMcheese swirl brownies!

Ingredients:

• 
  
  6 ounces cream cheese, softened


• 
  
  1 egg


• 
  
  1/4 cup sugar


• 
  
  Orange food coloring (just mix yellow and red until you get the color you like!)


• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 
  
  1 box of brownie mix (and don't forget the ingredients that the box calls for! Usually eggs, water, and oil)

Directions:

• 
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.


• 
  
  Mix the first five ingredients together to make the SCREAMcheese filling


• 
  
  In a seperate bowl, mix the brownie mix according to the box instructions.


• 
  
  Pour 3/4 of the brownie mix into the pan


• 
  
  Now add spoonfuls of the SCREAMcheese mix on top


• 
  
  Pour the remaining 1/4 of the brownie mix over the filling


• 
  
  If you want the pretty swirls, just gently drag a knife through the mix.


• 
  
  Bake for 28-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean!

Okay I know it's hard, but allow these to cool completely before cutting. They are DEFINITELY worth the wait! (I would know, I've already had three)

Thanks for following me through my ups and downs. Regardless of success or failure, I've enjoyed attempting everything in this blog. I look forward to what I will tackle next. So heres to another year in the kitchen!

Source: Betty Crocker

Champagne Cake (and my anniversary!)

Could it really have been a year already since I said "I do"? It doesn't seem possible. I remember starting this blog shortly after I got married as a way to track my varied attempts in the kitchen and although that seems like a long time ago, it certainly doesn't seem like an entire year.

I suppose no one wants me to get too sappy on this blog, but I really can't express how blessed I feel to have married a man that I am so proud of, so in awe of, and so insanely in love with. Oh look what I've done. I've opened the emotional flood gates! What's that? You want to hear our engagement story? Okay, if I must :)

I could easily say that the evening started out like any other, but that would be far from the truth. It was a Friday evening around 5 o’clock, the end of another week and I was on my way home. All of this seems fairly normal. However, that night we were already planning on celebrating very exciting events. That same day we received the keys to the very first house we bought. I was wildly excited about getting home and going over to open the door for the first time. On top of that, we were later planning on celebrating my birthday (which wouldn’t occur until the following Tuesday) with a group of close friends. It was bound to be a great evening! Little did I know, the best was yet to come…

Upon arriving home, I made the three story trek up to our top floor apartment. On the way, my mind was buzzing with thoughts of seeing our new house and afterward celebrating it with friends. Suddenly as I neared the top of the staircase, I noticed a big blue sign on my front door. What could this possibly be? As soon as I saw it, my heart began to pound. It said, “Why? Read carefully…”

So I opened the door and and the entire apartment was dimly lit with the glow of candles that were scattered about. On the floor was a path of notes that answered the question of "Why":

• Because you believe in me


• Because we share the same values


• Because we share the same dreams


• Because we love the same dogs


• Because you’ve changed my whole life


• Because I have grown with you


• Because I need you


• Because you’re the most beautiful person I have ever met


• Because I believe in you


• Because you have the biggest heart in the whole world


• Because you have always stood by me


• Because I could live without you, but it certainly wouldn’t be as fun of a journey


• Because you have changed the way I see the world


• Because you are my best friend


• Because I want to grow old with you


• Because you are one of a kind


• Because I want you


• Because I LOVE YOU


• Because I could go on writing down reasons forever


• Because everyday I find something new…


• Because of this


• Will


• YOU

The path led me down the hallway and towards the bedroom. And as I turned the corner into the candlelit bedroom, there he was. Down on one knee. Without a moments hesitation he finished with a simple, "Marry me?"

Did I mention that earlier he secretly drove the 2.5 hours away to where my parents live so he could personally ask my father for my hand in marriage? *sigh* That made me one happy girl. What a keeper!

Okay, enough of that. Let's talk cake! I eluded to some of my wedding food in an earlier post but I didn't have a chance to really talk about our incredible cake. It was DELICIOUS. We had three flavors: white chocolate marble, carrot, and champagne cake. Each tier was just as fabulous as the one before it. And I also have to give a shout out to the incredibly simple and beautiful design done for us thanks to Cakes By Andrea.

Photos by j & B Photography

So in honor of our first anniversary I decided to recreate a small champagne cake for us both to enjoy. The recipe was simple enough, but I think I will leave the decorating to someone else!

Source: AllRecipes

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup champagne
• 6 egg whites
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.
• In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Now try not to decorate like a complete idiot :)

I filled my cake with a delicious raspberry peach champagne jam. After adding my buttercream frosting, I got to work on the detail. Although I desperately tried to imitate my wedding cake, I fell embarassingly short.

But it WAS delicious! So if you're looking for a simple champagne cake recipe, give this one a try. It didn't look or taste nearly as good as the one on my wedding day but I certainly had a nice trip down memory lane while making it.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HANDSOME!