Sugar Play

Please indulge me as I (briefly) gush about my extraordinary “niece.”

Before heading off to begin her new life as a Penn State student, I was lucky enough to enjoy an afternoon of lunch, cupcake fun, and lots of laughter with this smart, funny, lovely (etc., etc.) lady and her equally fabulous mom. 

I just love luring people into my world of sugar play.

 Hard at work crafting mini works of art.

Look, it’s a gum paste rose!  (How can you not love this gal?)

Frosting the cupcakes - the girl's a natural.

Flowers and leaves artfully placed by the graphic design student.

Lemon Cupcakes (adapted from Pillsbury Kitchens’ Cookbook)

1 ¼ c flour

1 ½ t baking powder

½ t salt

¾ c sugar

½ c milk

Juice of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

1/3 c butter, softened

1 t vanilla

1 egg yolk

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350° and put liners in muffin tin.

Combine all ingredients except vanilla and eggs in a large bowl, then beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Add vanilla and eggs and beat for 2 more minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes, until cupcakes spring back from a light touch.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Strawberry Frosting

1 c butter, softened

1 c shortening

1 t vanilla

2 T milk

4 c (1 lb box) powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

¼ c frozen strawberries, thawed

Beat butter, shortening, vanilla, and milk until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and salt and beat until well combined.  Puree the strawberries and stir into the frosting.

You'll have plenty of left over frosting.  I'll show you what I did with it in my next post.