Stay Calm Cupcake on the News!

Hello Friends,

How are you? Lately, life has been passing at the speed of light. I have been busier than ever and honestly loving every second of it! For those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you know that my cupcake truck is FINALLY finished and that we have been out and about doing events for the past couple of weeks. It’s been a lot of learning, a lot of adjusting, and more baking than I ever imagined. I wouldn’t have it any other way though! My local customers have been amazing and all of your support has really meant so much!

I recently got the opportunity to be on the local news and wanted to share a clip with all of you so you could see the new truck and hear a little bit about the business! Just click the link below 🙂

Food Truck Thursday: Stay Calm Cupcake.

I’ll be posting again this week to update you on some other fun stuff that has been going on, including a recipe for a Banana’s Foster Cupcake Recipes!!

Have a great day – Stay Sweet!

XO, Jill

Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting

Happy Monday! Is everyone surviving so far? Ok good! Today I want to talk frosting! Creamy, sweet, slightly tart, perfectly whipped, frosting!

I’ve been playing around with a lot of new flavors lately and have absolutely fallen in love with the tartness of a fresh cherry complimenting the sweetness of a chocolate cupcake. I decided to add some passion fruit to the mixture, and I am happy to tell you, it is hands down one of the best frostings I have ever made! I used a concentrate from “The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley” and was so happy with how well the passion fruit flavor came through in my frosting. The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley, a company based in California, specializes in all natural fruit and vegetable purees, concentrates, and drink mixes. Through a partnership with CraveLocal, I was able to get some samples from Perfect Puree and was more than pleased with each one of them! I received Blood Orange, Carmelized Pineapple, White Peach, and Passion Fruit. Each delicious concentrate is  just waiting for me to use it in a new recipes! My favorite thing about the concentrate is that I only have to use a small amount, so it doesn’t ruin my frosting consistency at all. I also love knowing that these are all natural ingredients. Nothing better than 100% natural flavor for your cupcakes!

Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting by Stay Calm Cupcake

This Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting is perfect for summer and reminds me why I love to use fresh, seasonal ingredients when I bake. I think you’ll find that it adds just the right about of “pazzaz” to take your next summer dessert to the next level.

Let’s get started!

Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting

• 15-20 fresh cherries. The darker, the better. Do not use frozen!
• ½ cup of cranberry juice
• 1 tbs of water
• 1 tbs of cornstarch
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 tbs of Passion Fruit concentrate by “The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley”
• 2 sticks of unsalted, room temp butter
• 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• ½ tsp of pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Remove all the seeds from your cherries
2. Dice your cherries into medium sized pieces
3. In a medium sized sauce pan, combine your cherries, cranberry juice, and sugar.
4. Cook your cherry mixture on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Make sure you are stirring and “mashing” your cherries so the juice comes out.
5. Combine your water and cornstarch until a milky consistency is achieved
6. Add your cornstarch mixture to the sauce pan and mix well
7. Remove from heat and let cool completely
8. While your cherry mixture is cooling, cream your butter in a mixer on medium high-speed for 1-2 minutes.
9. Once your butter is light and fluffy, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
10. Add the Passion Fruit concentrate at the same time as the last ½ cup of powdered sugar
11. Add your vanilla
12. Once your cherry mixture is 100% cooled, add it to your frosting — I suggest using about 3 tbs. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. (Save the rest or use as a filling for your cupcakes!)

This frosting is delicious on dark chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, and believe it or not, coconut cupcakes! Enjoy the recipe and let me know if you have any questions about using The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley.

Have a great week! Stay Sweet!

xoxo,

Jill

Butterscotch Rum Frosting

Hooray For Booze Infused Cupcakes!

Hello Friends!

It’s been too long since I last posted. I have been busy, busy, busy lately so bear with me while I give you some fun updates! First things first, the truck is so close to completion. We are looking for a company to do the graphics now and hope to be running by the 1^st or 2^nd week in June – so exciting! I absolutely cannot wait to share photos with you.  I’ve also been busy making some great connections in the Orlando and Daytona area and have the opportunity to participate in some seriously awesome events!

I’ll be giving away lots of cupcake minis at SheCon 2012 this weekend in the Crave Local booth. She Con is an amazing conference for female bloggers (Yay for girl power!!). This year it is being held at Disney! Exciting, right?! So if you’re a female blogger in the Orlando area, you should look into getting your ticket. It’s going to be an awesome event! Click here and you can even get 50% off your ticket price!! 

I’m also going to have my cupcakes at a CraveAmerica event in Orlando on June 14^th – more details to come!!

And last but not least, let’s have a little Cupcake Wars update – shall we?? Ok, if you insist! I recently got an email from the producers saying that they really like our brand, our video, and our energy! The email stated that we have made it to the final, final, final round of auditions!! I was told I’ll be contacted within the next week or so to hear the official decision and to start discuss filming schedule! Nothing is guaranteed yet, but I’m so proud of myself for even making it this far. Just goes to show that hard work pays off, and I’m not crazy for trying to pursue my dreams of business ownership and success.

I feel really blessed and overly excited about all the opportunities that are coming my way. I’m ready to kick this business up a notch 🙂

Ok! Thanks for humoring me…the updates are over. On to the recipes!!

Today I am going to share a delicious recipe for Butterscotch Rum frosting! This the frosting to use if you really want to WOW party guests!

Butterscotch Rum Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of unsalted, room temp, butter
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• ½ cup of flour – just trust me on this!
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups of Butterscotch chips (I get mine in the baking isle at Publix)
• 4 tbs of dark rum

Directions:

1. Melt the butterscotch chips in the microwave (or you can use stove top method) Let cool completely before using in frosting
2. In a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. You want it to be smooth
3. Slowly add in 2 cups powdered sugar and mix on low speed until well combined
4. Add in the 4 tbs of rum and the remaining cup of powdered sugar. Add them at the same time.
5. Mix on medium speed for a minute
6. Add in the cooled butterscotch and mix until well combined
7. At this point your frosting will be too thin – add in the flour and the salt.
8. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute
9. Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!

Extra Tips:

If you want a stronger rum flavor, I suggest brushing the top of the cupcake with rum. If you put more rum into the frosting, it doesn’t hold up too well. Just my experience.

Always remember to add your liquids, especially liquor, in with your powdered sugar. This prevents the butter from curdling.

I like this frosting on a dark chocolate cupcake filled with butterscotch pudding. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Stay Sweet.

Jill

Bake Sale Success!

This past weekend, I participated in the Food Blogger Bake Sale, supporting Share our Strenth, an organization fighting childhood hunger. It was such an inspiring event to be a part of! Not only did I meet some of Orlando’s finest food bloggers, I was able to take part in raising over $1,400 for a charity that is helping feed so many hungry children.

For the bake sale, I made Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, Cookies and Cream Cupcakes, and Toasted Coconut Cupcakes! I was thrilled that my cupcakes were a hit with the customers!
Here’s some photos from the event! Enjoy

(I hope Ricky, Chris, and Julius don't mind my fun little additions to the picture!)

The photo above shows the whole group of bloggers who participated in the bake sale. Please go check out their blogs – they all have incredible photography, recipe, and restaurant reviews.

Back row: Julius from Droolius, Angie from Eclectic Recipes, Wanda from My Sweet Zepol, Robin from Simply Southern Baking, Katie from Katie’s Cucina, Julie from The Little Kitchen, Chris from Eat Local Orlando, Ricky from Tasty Chomps.

Front row: ME!! , Marilyn from Forkful, Pearleen from Mega Yummo and Jacqueline from BeyondNFinity.

At the bakesale, getting ready for customers!

 

 

 

 

 Hope everyone is having a fabulous week. Stay tuned for more recipes and some updates from my advetures in Cupcake Wars casting for Season 7!

Stay Sweet!

xo, Jill

2012 Food Blogger Bake Sale

Sometimes it’s nice to know that you have people looking out for you! This morning I got an email from a friend who runs a great local blog, Central Florida Top 5. He asked me if I was participating in a local event for the 2012 Food Blogger Bake Sale. I had no idea there was even a local event going on. But now I am signed up, so excited and ready to tell you about it!

The Food Blogger Bake Sale is a National Effort to support Share Our Strength – an organization fighting to end childhood hunger. Did you know that nearly 1 in 5 kids in America are struggling with hunger? It’s statistics like that which make events like the 2012 Food Blogger Bake Sale so important.
Last year $25,000 was raised through 26 Food Blogger Bake Sales across the U.S. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000 – and I can’t wait to contribute!
I will be at the Food Blogger Bake Sale in Winter Park, Florida on April 28th from 10 am – 1 pm. All of my proceeds will go towards “Share Our Strength”.
What can you do to show your support?
• If you are local to the Central Florida area,  attend the event on April 28th – buy some cupcakes and donate to a great cause!
• Donate on the Share Our Strength website
• Spread the word by tweeting, blogging, and facebooking about this great cause! Use hash tag #fbbakesale

I know many of you are not local to the Orlando, Florida area, so here is a link to a great list of bake sales that will be happening all across the U.S.  on April 28th ! The contact info for each event is listed.

Thanks in advance for your support! Stay Sweet!

Xo, Jill

Funky Fresh Tie-Dye Cupcakes

What is more fun than Tie-Die?! Well, Tie-Die Cupcakes, of course! These colorful cupcakes are the perfect addition to any birthday party. With a simple vanilla base, the recipe is quick and virtually impossible to mess up. Get creative with your own color combinations and make your next party funky fresh!

Here’s the recipe – Enjoy!

Tie-Dye Cupcakes

Makes 15-18 Cupcakes

You’ll Need:

~ 2 cups all-purpose flour
~ 1 ½ cups sugar
~ 1 tablespoon baking powder
~ ½  cup milk

~ ¾  cup water
~ 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
~ ½  cup butter, softened
~ 3 eggs

~ 3 different colors of food coloring

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your over to 350 degree
2. With a whisk, combine flour, sugar, baking powder
3. Add in the milk and whisk to combine.
4. Add water, vanilla, butter, and eggs. Combine with an electric mixer then beat two more minutes.
5. Divide the batter into 3 small bowls
6. Color each bowl of batter a different color
7. Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners
8. 8. Starting with one color, put a spoonful of batter into each liner
9. Alternate colors until cupcake liners are ¾ full
10. Bake at 350 for 12-15 Minutes.

Vanilla Frosting

• 2 Sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tbs of vanilla extract
• 3 colors of food coloring

In an electric mixer cream the butter until light and fluffy. I usually beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes.

Slowly add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Mixing in between each addition

Add in the vanilla extract, mix to combine

(If your frosting is too thin – add more powder sugar. If your frosting is too thick, add in a tbs of milk.)

How to decorate with multi-colored frosting

• Separate the frosting into 3 small bowls. Using food coloring, color each bowl a different color.
• Cut the tip off your piping bag, insert the piping tip.
• Use a medium size cup and fold the piping bag over the edges – this makes it easier to fill the piping bag with frosting.
• Using a spoon or spatula, put one of the colored frostings into the piping bag. Alternate colors until your piping bag is filled with multi-colored frosting.
• Pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Add sprinkles if you desire.

There you have it! Let me now f you have any questions.

Until next time, Stay Sweet!

Jill

Chocolate Caramel Spice Frosting

Hello Friends!

Can you believe that March is almost over, Spring is here, and Easter is right around the corner! I honestly didn’t even realize just how close Easter was until I actually looked at a calendar. I plan to work on some fun Easter cupcakes this weekend so I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and share with you some of my tips for creating the perfect Easter cupcake treats. For today though, I want to share a recipe for some sinfully delicious frosting.

Chocolate Caramel Spice frosting is perfect for almost any cake flavor. I suggest making a batch of the frosting first, tasting it (try not to eat it all) and then deciding what flavor cake you think it will best accompany. So far my favorite cakes to use with this frosting have been:

• Chocolate Coffee Cake
• French Vanilla Cake
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake

I’ve worked hard on perfecting the recipe and am so happy to finally be able to share it with you!

Chocolate Caramel Spice Frosting

What You’ll Need:

1. 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
2. 1/3 cup of cream-cheese (room temperature)
3. ¼ cup of milk chocolate chips
4. 15-20 caramel squares
5. 2 tbs of heavy cream
6. 2 cups of powdered sugar (sifted)
7. 2 1/2 tbs of cinnamon

The Process

• Start by unwrapping all of your caramel squares. Place them in a pan on the stove over medium heat.
• Stirring the squares constantly, add the heavy cream.
• Continue cooking until the caramel is melted and you have a nice caramel sauce. Let cool (do not put in the fridge though)
• In a mixer, cream together your butter and cream-cheese until it is light and fluffy.
• Add in 1 ½ cups of the powdered sugar and all of the cinnamon – continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until well combined.
• In a microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips (usually 40 seconds does it) Make sure the chocolate is melted smooth and does not have any chunks left in it.
• Pour the melted chocolate in the mixer and mix for 1 minute.
• Add in the remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar – mix well.
• Pour in the cooled caramel sauce – mix for 1 minute or until frosting is smooth.

** If your frosting is too thin – add more powdered sugar. **

There you have it – another great “go-to” frosting recipe! If you have questions about the recipe, let me know. I hope you all enjoy the recipe as much as I do.

Stay Sweet!

xo, Jill

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some mint chocolate chip cupcakes! This recipe is a classic and the minty green frosting makes its perfectly festive for an Irish holiday.

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

~*~ Makes 15 Cupcakes ~*~

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:

• 1 stick Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tbs Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 tbs Vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Beat about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them until they are well combined
5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat it just to combine.
6. Add the liquids (milk & vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine.
7. Continue adding the dry ingredients. Beat for another minute till smooth
8. Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20-22 minutes.

Mint Buttercream

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of room temperature butter (it’s very important they are room temp)
• 3 cups of powdered sugar (no need to sift)
• 1 tbs of cream of tartar
• 6 tbs of Half and Half
• 1/2 cup of thawed cool whip
• 1/4 tsp mint extract (use a little more depending on how “minty” you want it)
• 2 drops of green food coloring

Directions:

1. Beat the butter in your mixer until very creamy. You will need to scrape the bowl several times
2. Adding one cup of powdered sugar at a time, mix in with the butter.
3. Add the half and half and mint extract. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes (be patient!)
4. Add the cream of tartar, food color and cool whip.
5. Mix on medium high for another 3-4 minutes.

I like to decorate my cupcakes with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s also a nice touch to bake them in some festive cupcake liners.

There you have it, an easy and delicious way to celebrate the luck of the Irish!

Stay Sweet!

xoxo, Jill

McCormick St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway (closed)

Can you believe we are already gearing up for St. Patrick’s day?! I can’t. But I can say I am so excited to announce a new giveaway. A McCormick Giveaway!

Last October, McCormick was kind enough to send me and 2 of my readers a fun Halloween kit, full of baking supplies. It was such a fun giveaway and the box was filled with so many great baking items. I just couldn’t resist another opportunity to partner with McCormick again!

 McCormick has agreed to give 3 of my lucky readers a fun gift set just in time for the holiday of luck!! This box if filled with lots of ingredients for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day treat!

The McCormick gift set includes:

1. Vanilla flavoring
2. Green food coloring
3. Peppermint Extract
4. Two packages of St. Patrick’s Day cupcake liners
5. Over 10 St. Patrick’s Day baking recipes

The giveaway is simple. Once you complete the following items, you will be entered to win. A winner will be announced on Monday the 12th and your prize will ship that afternoon! Ready for the rules?

McCormick St. Patrick’s  Baking Kit Giveaway Rules:

You must leave a comment on this blog post for every entry you submit

Mandatory:

Go the McCormick Facebook Page and tell them Stay Calm Cupcake sent you!

Extra Entries:

Follow my facebook page and leave a comment

Subscribe to my blog (on the top right hand side of the blog)

Follow me on Twitter and retweet about the contest. Use the tweet “@StayCalmCupcake is giving away a McCormick Halloween Kit!

Next week I will be featuring lots of yummy St. Patrick’s Day treats. So make sure  you stop back by and get some inspirtaion for making yummy green treats of your own!

Have a great weekend. Stay Sweet!

xo, Jill

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes

So here it is friends, the long awaited and much requested Key Lime Pie Cupcake recipe! Just in time for all of the  green festivities that St. Patrick’s Day brings us next month.

This tart and tangy, sweet and sassy cupcake certainly packs a punch. It is a guaranteed hit with anyone who loves Key Lime Pie as much as I do….which admittedly, is too much! 🙂

Enjoy!

Key Lime Cupcake

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 6 cups cake flour sifted
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 8 egg whites
• 1 Lime
• 3 tbs of Lime Jello Mix (dry)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Fill Cupcake pan with liners
2. Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Set aside.
4. Beat egg whites with hand mixer until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.
5. With your stand mixer at slow speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with milk. Beat well after each addition.
6. Add in 3 tbs of dry Lime Jello mix – mix well to incorporate
7. Beat in 1/3 cup of lime juice
8. Beat in vanilla extract.
9. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
10. Pour batter into prepared pans.
11. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.

 

Whip Cream Frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of your stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth.

While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream.

Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue.

Continue mixing until the frosting can hold a firm peak. Do not over beat though.

Decorations:

• The zest of one lime
• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• Lime green sanding sugar

Once your cupcakes have cooled and your frosting is ready – pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Place the graham cracker crumbles on a plate and roll the edge of the cupcake in the crumbs. Sprinkle each cupcake with lime zest. Finish with a few lime green sugar sprinkles.

There you  have it! Fun, festive, and delicious!!  Until next time, Stay Sweet!

Xo, Jill