Diet Cherry 7up Cupcakes

I love anything with cherry flavoring in it - especially my soda - so when I saw this awesome recipe for Diet Cherry 7up cupcakes on Grin and Bake It back in March, I just knew I'd have to bookmark it.  Well, I'm just finally getting back to the recipe and I'm totally thinking about making these this weekend.  Here's the yummy recipe Kate from Grin and Bake It shared with her readers:




What you'll need:

   - 1 box of white cake mix
   - 1 can of Diet Cherry 7up
   - 2 egg whites

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add the cake mix and egg whites in a mixing bowl; pour in the can of Diet Cherry 7up.  Beat according to the directions on the box and fill cupcake liners about 2/3 way full.  Bake for around 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


How to make Kate's Low-fat Cream Cheese Icing

What you'll need:

   - 8 oz. light cream cheese, softened
   - 1 cup marshmallow cream
   - 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
   - 1 tsp. vanilla extract
   - 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, marshmallow cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract until well combined.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar.




Don't these just look {and sound} just scrumptious?!?!  Ugh - I may be drooling! :)  Be sure to check out the other delicious recipes Kate has to offer on her blog!  There's no way you could be disappointed!


What fun cupcake recipes do you have to share?

Cookies for a Cure

I know these photos I'm about to show you were made for breast cancer awareness, but really, they could be baked and sold for any type of cancer (ahem... like Multiple Myeloma... see my previous post). I just love the cookies and cupcakes!

Love, LOVE these cookies! The cancer ribbon design with "hope" and "cure" written on them. Too cute.

You can buy these little cute cookie cutters online and make some of your own (I definitely will be purchasing one!)

How cute are these little cupcakes?!

These cookies were made for an event called "Cut for a Cure". You can find more bakery goodies (for all kinds of events) made by Tesoro Cookies on Flickr by clicking here.

Maybe that's what I need to have... a bake sale? Or I could sell those cute little cancer ribbon cookies to raise money. Oh the possibilities.... and the decisions!

Adorable cupcakes for a baby shower

Flickr has some amazing photos from parties on there. While gradually looking for inspiration for my sister's baby shower, I searched for cupcakes. Below is some that I'm keeping as inspiration.

I came across these photos of cupcakes that would be perfect for any baby shower (especially the one I'm throwing for my sister in a few months)! I love the little pacifier's - they're so adorable! Both the small pacifier's and the embossed baby carriage "coins" are made of fondant.


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What about a little onesie? I love the sparkle on these.

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I liked these next ones because they don't involve using fondant - which means they're actually cupcakes I might be able to make!

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Here's some super cute baby face cupcakes!!! I love the details - rosy cheeks, nose, ears, eyes - and of course the little hats!

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Have you made or seen some baby shower cupcakes that just "wow" you? I'd love to see them!

Baseball cupcake toppers

I saw these adorable baseball cupcake toppers on Glorious Treats, and boy do I love them! I won't go into detail (again) how much I just LOVE the the sport of baseball and how excited I am that baseball season is upon us again! (OK... I guess I just went into detail about my love of the sport, didn't I?!)

Anyway, you have to check out these adorable cupcake toppers Glory made for her pastor. I'll definitely be making some for an upcoming party that I throw... or just for fun! I'll actually be making MINNESOTA TWINS toppers rather than the Cubs toppers she made!

If you're interested in finding out how she made them, click here!

Spring Cupcakes

I just loved these spring cupcakes in an ice cream cone found on the Disney's Family Fun web site. Better yet, they're super easy to make! Below you'll find the directions on how to make this cute creation for your next spring or garden party:

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Completely fill the narrow part of the cone with the batter, then set it on a baking tray before transferring to the oven. Be careful not to tip them over, as they're not the sturdiest!

2. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

3. Frost after cupcakes have cooled.

4. To make each candy flower, cut 6 wedges from the edges of a gumdrop. Cut a green gumdrop into slices for leaves (see photo below for further clarification). Arrange candies on top of frosted cupcakes.

Another Easter idea... love these cupcakes!

It's getting late, but I saw these Easter basket cupcakes on Family Fun and just had to share because they're SOOOOOO adorable... and look delicious! Click here to find more Easter ideas - from crafts, to desserts to printables - amongst a million other ideas!

What you'll need to make these cupcakes:

- 1 dozen cupcakes

- 1 bag of jelly beans

- 2 cups of white icing

- Sweetened coconut, colored with green food coloring

1. Frost each cupcake with your white icing. Create an arch with a pipe cleaner or piece of licorice and press into the sides of each cupcake.

2. Shake the shredded coconut in a bag, adding food coloring to get the color you desire. Mix vigorously. (I hate coconut... I wonder if I could substitute white chocolate shredded and dyed with green food coloring - would that work!?)

3. Place a pinch of your coconut on each cupcake. Add a few jellybeans to finish complete the nest.

4. Tie a piece of ribbon around your pipe cleaner to complete the look.

... Voila - your little edible Easter basket cupcakes are complete! Bring these to your Easter dinner and watch your family and friends indulge in your cute little Easter cupcake creation!

Adorable Cupcake Idea!

OMG! I saw these cakes and absolutely love them! I think one of the main reasons I love them is because they would be so perfect for a ladybug themed party - which I would love to throw someday for a little girl's birthday. Martha also shows you a way to make these into butterfly cupcakes, too! Uh... too cute, right?!

Anyway, Martha gives you all the details you need to know to make these adorable bug-themed cupcakes.

To make these yummy, adorable cupcakes you will need:

- Cake

- Icing

- Cupcake liners

- 5 small bowls

- 5 tints of food coloring (or the colors that match your party theme... ahem, red and black for a

lady bug theme!)

- Serrated knife

- Small offset spatula

- Gumdrops

- Licorice strings

- Pastry bags, couplers and round tips

Prepare your cupcakes and your icing. Martha offers up a recipe for a one-bowl chocolate cake, Swiss Meringue Buttercream icing or Simple Sugar icing. Divide icing into 5 separate bowls and tint each bowl a different color.

1. Using your serrated knife, cut the domed top of the cupcake off, making sure it's even. Cut that top part in half.

2. Use your spatula to cover the flat top cupcake with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of your colored frosting.

3. Before frosting is dry, gently press the domed cupcake halves on top (with the flat part facing down), positioning it so one of the ends touch each other to represent the wings of the bug.

** To make the butterfly wings, attach pieces with the cut side up and the rounded edges touching each other in the center (the domed shape will create angled wings).

4. Chill cupcakes until the frosting is firm and the "wings" are secure. About 30 minutes.

While the cupcakes are chilling, you can create the heads of your cute bugs.

5. Cut the licorice strings on a diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Use a toothpick to poke holes into the gumdrop to create the antennae. Insert the pointed edge of the licorice into the holes.

6. Use extra frosting to use as "glue" to secure the heads onto the cupcake bodies.

7. Decorate wings and bodies as you wish. Frost wings with color of your choice then pipe spots, stripes or any other cute ideas you may have!

I just love these! Seriously, how cute would they be for a Ladybug themed party, a Garden-themed party or a Butterfly-themed party? Even a baby shower! I just can't get enough. Hopefully I'll have a reason to make these soon! :)

To see other cute little Spring recipes from Martha, click here.