Frogs & Flowers

So I spent last night decorating cupcakes for Kresslynne & Tavis's birthday party. Amber bought the frogs & rings, & made the cupcakes. I used my Cricut Expression 2 to make the adorable flower cupcake toppers, & came up with the idea of putting the little frogs on lily pads.

 I just LOVE these cupcakes!!! I got to practice doing grass/water, & finally put my wonderful little cricut to good use!

Rose Buttercream Frosting Practice

So last night I made about a dozen cupcakes so I could practice making roses with buttercream. Some of them didn't turn out so well, & towards the end they started resembling roses a little bit more, so practice does make perfect. I think the frosting was a little too soft, so next time I'm going to make it a tad thicker & see if that helps.

The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need (Devil's Food)

I'm a huge chocolate lover! I usually just buy those chocolate cupcakes with whipped cream topping at the store, but I love baking & would rather homemake it myself. After about 6 chocolate cake recipes I tried online, I finally came across this one. The name intrigued me, so I made them.... and YES, SUCCESS! These are extremely moist & rich, they are absolutely delicious! Try this recipe just once & you'll see why they call it "The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need!" My kids and I decided to decorate them as owls! Decorate them however you want & with the frosting of your choosing.

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsps baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting: I chose to go with a cream cheese frosting after my sister-in-law made them for me. This is the recipe I went with, click the link above if you'd like to try the frosting that came with the recipe.

• 2  (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter. softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325'F
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee & milk, & mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs & vanilla & beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
3. Pour into a 9"x13" greased & floured pan or 2-9" round pans (or cupcake pan). Bake 9x13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. (Note: I did cupcakes & I think mine were in there for 20-24 mins. Check them with a toothpick to make sure they are finished.) Cool pans for about 15 minutes & then cool completely on racks.
4. While cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese & butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in refrigerator after use.
5. By the way, the cake is recommended chilled, right out of the refrigerator. The rich chocolate and cool frosting just seem to taste best this way. Enjoy!

Link to recipe: "The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You'll Ever Need!"