Kitty Litter Cupcakes - April Fool's

I wanted to do something for April Fool's Day but I wasn't really sure what.  I'm sure there are a myriad of cupcakes out there that epitomize the April Fool's pranks but in all honesty I didn't have a whole lot of time  LOL.  So someone suggested Kitty Litter Cupcakes.

I've seen the cakes.  I have cats.  No way.   

So I took a very simple Kitty Litter Cake recipe off the web and modified it a bit.  I looked everywhere for something I could use as the scooper but nothing came to mind.  And my fondant had hardened thanks to not zipping the bag up all the way...darnit!  Maybe next year when I have more time.

Kitty Litter Cupcakes

2 doz

1 box yellow, vanilla or spice cake mix (or really anything you want - I used spice)

1 bag vanilla creme cookies

1 bag tootsie roll midgees (they're the little ones)

1 jar frosting - I used vanilla but you can use what you like

green food coloring

Make the cake as directed and then place into lined cupcake tins and bake until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes.

I had thought about icing the cupcakes and then putting the "litter" on top but to me it didn't look right.  So I sorta of cut part of the top of the cupcake out to make an indent.  Like a very very shallow cone cut.

You can make it deeper if you want but I just wanted a surface cut so it look like the litter was sitting inside the cupcake.  Next I used a spoon and filled the indent with about 1 tspn of frosting so the "litter" would stay.  Of course if you LOVE frosting, make the indent deeper and you can add more frosting.

Now it's time to crush the cookies.  Yes, I know the original recipe calls to put them in a food processor or blender to crush but after the week I've had, bashing the cookies to smithereens with a rolling pin seemed a better idea.

 See?  Much better.

Take a little of the smashed cookies and place in a bowl.  Add about 3 drops of food coloring.  I ended up using 6 but that was my own personal preference.

Use a fork to smear/mix the dye into the cookies.  If you're having a hard time getting it to mix properly, like I did, put it in a jar and shake it vigorously for about 20 seconds.

Next sprinkle the undyed cookies on the top of the frosting then add some of the green.  Make sure to cover as much of the frosting as you can.

Then, take two tootsie rolls and put them in the microwave for about 10 seconds.  My apologies for not having the photos, my camera inadvertently eats photos.

Cut a little piece of the tootsie roll off and roll it between your fingers and palms until it resembles well....cat poop.  Make sure you taper the ends off too.  Then strategically place on the cupcake.

Enjoy!

* cupcakes will keep in an air tight container for several days but are freshest in the first 3 days.  Best, of course, when eaten right away.

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Ok so I think these would have been better as jumbo cupcakes but they were really good nonetheless.  At least with the jumbo tins the entire pineapple circle would have fit whereas with the standards I had to break them up. 

I literally cooked the entire thing in a cupcake tin.  Most recipes have you make the cupcake first and then add the topping afterwards.  But I wanted to try it like a true pineapple upside down.  The recipe below is for standard (which gives you a small cake) and in parenthesis is the conversion if you want to make this a jumbo cupcake.  I'm sure the jumbo will yield more cake than the standards.  If I did these as minis I'd have to add the topping afterwards.  Oh, I also added some Amaretto to the cake and topping after it had cooled....yummy!

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

I'm going to give you the box version so you're not spending as much time on them as I did.

Ingredients:

1 box spice cake mix or vanilla cake mix (I used spice, was yummy)

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)

4 eggs

1 sm can crushed pineapple

2 large can pineapple rings

1 jar maraschino cherries

1 cup shredded coconut

Brown Sugar

butter (for greasing the tin)

Amaretto (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake as instructed.  Add 1 can of crushed pineapples, along with the juice.  Mix on low for 10 seconds.

Mix about 1 cup brown sugar with melted butter (about 1/2 stick).  If mixture is watery, add more brown sugar.  You want it to be firm but not dry.  Wet but not watery.

Grease the cupcake tins - whether it be standard or jumbo.  Grease the inside and along the top.  Place 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar mix in the bottom of each standard cupcake tin (2 tblspn for jumbo tins).  Using a spoon, spread evenly along bottom of tin.  Sprinkle about 1 tspn of coconut on top of the brown sugar mix.  Take the pineapple and break it up to fit in the standard tins (can place a whole ring intact in the jumbo tins).  Take a maraschino cherry and cut in half, place one half in the middle of each pineapple "ring" (can put a whole cherry for the jumbo cupcakes).   Now fill the tins about 3/4 way with the cupcake filling for both standard and jumbo.

Place in oven and cook for about 15 minutes (18 - 20 for jumbo) or until toothpick inserted comes out clean of cake.  You might get some of the brown sugar topping but that's ok.  Allow cupcakes to cook in tins for about 5 minutes.  Take about 1 tspn of Amaretto and drizzle over each cake.  Afterwards use a flat cookie sheet and place on top of the cupcake tins, holding them together flip them over.  Give the cupcake tin a few good hits and they should slide out.  Take about 1/2 tspn of Amaretto (if you want) and drizzle over the top of each cake.

Enjoy!

Guava Cupcakes

I can't remember where I first heard about guava cupcakes but on a trip to South Florida I stopped at a little Cuban cafe called Relcreo Bakery.  They had oh so yummy Cuban sandwhich.  The bakery also had pastelitos de guayaba without the cream cheese though.  It was also very very yummy.  At the advice of a Cuban friend, he expressed that he's never eaten pastelitos de guayaba without cream cheese.  So a cream cheese frosting it was.

I wish I had a photo of the inside of it but alas, every now and again my camera eats the good photos.  I swear it's a representation of eating the real thing.

The cupcake is a vanilla bean cupcake with a whipped guava filling and then of course the cream cheese frosting and a little orange gumpaste rose I made.  I wanted to add sugared guava peel but couldn't find any guava.

I wasn't really sure about the combination but once I bit into one I could see why the two ingredients are favored together.  It was really really yummy!!  I will post the recipe as soon as I can get it all written out.

I've gotten the preliminary drawing for the first Bridal Cupcake and hope to start it as soon as I go out and buy the dowels.  Also someone gave me a great idea for an April Fool's Day cupcake.  I did mention 3 cupcakes with spring flowers on them and will be working on them as well.

Coming up!!

Sunday was the first day of Spring!!  Expect 3 Spring Cupcakes within the next week or so topped with 3 of my favorite flowers in either gumpaste or fondant.  

Also a Guava Cream Cheese Cupcake this week some time.

Once I get done with some of my major requirements for school, there's about a month left, I can start working on the Bridal Cupcakes.  It's just something I have in my mind that I would really like to "try".

Oh I also have an Easter Cupcake I want to make in mid April and something that's not really a cupcake but looks like fun!

I'll also present the Mother's Day cupcake in mid April.

Peach Cupcakes

Nothing fancy but something my father requested.  I had made these in mini form at the South Florida cupcake party and they got thrown out.  They weren't a hit but my father loved them.  I revised them a little and I'm sure they'd be more of a hit this time around.

This is a simple peach flavored cake with a peach mousse buttercream.  It's got a very nice peach taste that hits you the moment you put it in your mouth.  I didn't want to overdo the peach since some people don't like it.  The original was suppose to have a filling too but I like that this cupcake is simple.

Bailey's Irish Whiskey Cupcakes

This is actually the first liquored up cupcake I've made.  And it was soooooo good.  Or at least it had A LOT of thumbs up from the recent cupcake party I hosted.

This is a dark chocolate cake soaked in Irish whiskey filled with a hazelnut chocolate ganache topped with a Bailey's buttercream and sprinkled with chocolate sprinkles.  I later added a little St Patrick's Day gold edible glitter.  Just in time for St Patrick's Day!!

I made minis for the party, as is standard, and they were the first to go.  I think I might have one or two left to eat later!!!  YUM!!  I made other alcohol laced cupcakes for the party but there were my favorite.  There was enough liquor to say WOW but not enough it knocked you over!!  I also offer these as standards!

Mardi Gras / King Cake Cupcakes

I've always wanted to do a Mardi Gras cupcake but over the years I forget by the chance Fat Tuesday rolls around.

NOT THIS YEAR!

I took a King Cake recipe and basically made my own cupcake.  This is a vanilla / cinnamon based cupcake with a vanilla / cinnamon buttercream.  

The cupcake is filled with a pecan, brown sugar, raisin and chocolate chip crumble mix.  I couldn't resist the chocolate chips. 

The top of the cake is dusted with disco dust and sugar sprinkles in yellow, green and purple.  I had another little decoration to add to the top but alas, as someone once said "Ur such a klutz ;)" I dropped the wax paper with the chocolate masks on it....sighs.  Oh well.  Maybe next year??  :D

Coming Up!

Mardi Gras is the 8th!  So be on the look out for my King Cake Cupcake!

Sunday will be the cupcake party in South Florida.  There will be a few new cupcakes that I haven't shared yet made at the party so next week look out for those!

Also, I'm a Bailey's nut.  So there WILL be a Bailey's Cupcake (with a twist) to honor

Mr St Patrick on the 17th!

I also have a very ambitious project I will be working on once I return from South Florida.  It will involve cupcakes, of course, and weddings.  I'm hoping it comes out as well as I see it in my head!  If they do, they will be gorgeous!!