I released my official website last night (with new imagery and everything)! If you have a spare moment or two, go check it out: http://www.topthecupcake.com/
Thursday, 15 September 2011
I feel dirty!
Ok, so I feel as though I have kind of cheated on cupcakes. Hence, I feel dirty. And before you jump up and down accusing me of using a prepared cupcake packet mix – I did not! I did something much, much worst. I listened to be my husband (problem number one) and his friends (problem number 2) and made savoury cupcakes (problem number three)!
Brendyn had his friends over a few weekends ago to watch the AFL (Australian Football League). The previous week, he and his friends suggested that I expanded my baking horizons to include savoury treats. To keep in theme with my cupcake passion, the boys suggested that I make savoury cupcake … FOR THEM!
I thought I would listen to my husband (being the good wifey that I am) and make him savoury treats. So I made savoury cupcake of all Brendyn’s favourite things: cheese, sundried tomatoes, olives, red onion and salami.
The cupcakes turned out alright. The boys seemed to have liked it, after all they did polish them all off! Basically they were savoury muffins in cupcake patties. To me it was just odd. When I took a bite into the cupcakes, I was expecting something sweet, light and fluffy. Instead what I got was salty, dense and masculine! Ah, you live and learn. So what is the moral to the story? Never listen to one’s husband or his friends!
Brendyn had his friends over a few weekends ago to watch the AFL (Australian Football League). The previous week, he and his friends suggested that I expanded my baking horizons to include savoury treats. To keep in theme with my cupcake passion, the boys suggested that I make savoury cupcake … FOR THEM!
I thought I would listen to my husband (being the good wifey that I am) and make him savoury treats. So I made savoury cupcake of all Brendyn’s favourite things: cheese, sundried tomatoes, olives, red onion and salami.
The cupcakes turned out alright. The boys seemed to have liked it, after all they did polish them all off! Basically they were savoury muffins in cupcake patties. To me it was just odd. When I took a bite into the cupcakes, I was expecting something sweet, light and fluffy. Instead what I got was salty, dense and masculine! Ah, you live and learn. So what is the moral to the story? Never listen to one’s husband or his friends!
Monday, 12 September 2011
The X Factor revealed
So it has been a while since I released a recipe and time is of the essence, so I thought today seemed like a nice enough day to do so. Sadly, I cannot claim this recipe as my own as it is not. I like to refer to this recipe as the X Factor, whereas others like to refer to it as vanilla syrup. Personally, I think X Factor sounds far more exciting. Anyway, I must give credit when credit is due; I got the recipe from Cake Chic by Peggy Porchen. Beautiful book – the cupcakes in this book is just simply breath taking.
X Factor (aka vanilla syrup)
Ingredients
5 tablespoons of water
75 grams of sugar
½ vanilla pod seeds
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Method
1. Place water and sugar in a deep saucepan and bring it to boil.
2. Once cool, stir in the vanilla pod seeds and vanilla extract.
3. Ideally, let the syrup infuse overnight to bring out the vanilla flavour.
4. You can store the syrup by keeping it in an airtight container inside the fridge (it should last up to a month).
Basically once you finish baking your cupcakes, let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes and then brush the X Factor over the top. Make sure you give the cupcakes a generous brush. The X Factor makes the cupcakes nice and moist (without making it dense). I have found that the cupcakes, even after a few days, are still quite moist. I am not sure whether this is the result of applying the X Factor or not, but since using the X Factor, I am telling you, my cupcakes taste different, better different that is. I know I don’t sound much of a baker, given that I don’t even know why brushing vanilla syrup over cupcakes makes them yummier, but I openly admit that I am learning about cupcakes as I go. So please, bear with me. Give the X Factor ago and let me know if it adds anything to your cupcake.
X Factor (aka vanilla syrup)
Ingredients
5 tablespoons of water
75 grams of sugar
½ vanilla pod seeds
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Method
1. Place water and sugar in a deep saucepan and bring it to boil.
2. Once cool, stir in the vanilla pod seeds and vanilla extract.
3. Ideally, let the syrup infuse overnight to bring out the vanilla flavour.
4. You can store the syrup by keeping it in an airtight container inside the fridge (it should last up to a month).
Basically once you finish baking your cupcakes, let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes and then brush the X Factor over the top. Make sure you give the cupcakes a generous brush. The X Factor makes the cupcakes nice and moist (without making it dense). I have found that the cupcakes, even after a few days, are still quite moist. I am not sure whether this is the result of applying the X Factor or not, but since using the X Factor, I am telling you, my cupcakes taste different, better different that is. I know I don’t sound much of a baker, given that I don’t even know why brushing vanilla syrup over cupcakes makes them yummier, but I openly admit that I am learning about cupcakes as I go. So please, bear with me. Give the X Factor ago and let me know if it adds anything to your cupcake.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Bake-a-berry-licious!
I was presented with the opportunity to baby sit my little Mini Mousey yesterday and as you could probably have guessed, I jumped at the opportunity to do so! Brendyn and I took her to the markets with us for our weekly shop and then we dropped off Uncle Brendy to watch the football at his friend’s house. I asked Amelia how she would like to spend the day and she said “I want to make a cupcake!” I managed to convince her to bake a batch of cupcakes instead of one! While at the markets she told me that she liked blueberries, so we brought a small punnet of blueberries. I suggested we make blueberry cupcakes and she happily agreed, until she realised that we had to crush up all the blueberries. She explained to me that she wanted to keep some blueberries for home time, i.e. to eat at home, and suggested we crush some blueberries and strawberries together instead. And that is what we did – we crushed some blueberries, strawberries and raspberries together to make mix berry cupcakes!
After receiving numerous suggestions from my sister Gina, Ameila and I made a vanilla cupcake base to complement the mix berry frosting. It was quite berry-licious. Hence, the blog title: bake-a-berry-licious! Gina likes to rank my cupcakes and I think this might take the number two spot in her list! Pity she did not get to try one! Amelia is very independent and she demanded to do everything herself – from shifting the flour to licking the beaters to piping the icing. Her piping techniques needs a little work but she is getting there. She pipes the icing in a circular motion but tends to get a little too excited and places too much pressure on the piping bag. So after Amelia pipped the icing on the cupcakes, I had to wipe half of it off with a knife and spread the icing around the cupcake. To which she then placed ample sprinkles on top of! I don’t think she has quite got the idea of ‘less is more’ just yet!
I managed to save three cupcakes from death by sprinkles and took a few happy snaps of the cupcakes while Amelia was passed out asleep.
When Brendyn returned home, he was amazed by the mess that Amelia and I managed to cook up during the few hours he was away. He just sighed and started to clean the dishes (What a man, what a man, what a mighty fine man ... back vocals: mighty fine man). Was it worth it? Well he ate three cupcakes yesterday and another three this morning! So yes, I would say so.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Hippy go lucky!
So this post has nothing to do with hippes or being a hippy, I just came up with this blog post and thought it was pretty funny. Not wanting to part with this ripper blog title, I decided to use it and here we are.
Anyway, I have been very in touch with nature these last couple of weeks as I have been shopping at the markets. Yes, how very organic of me! The markets are wonderful – there is such a wide selection of fruit and vegetables and everything is so ridiculously cheap! I really enjoy waking up early on Saturday morning and going to the market. It really is a lovely start to the weekend. Here are some lovely fruits I have purchased and picked from my parents garden over the last few weeks:
It is so lovely to be able to wonder through the markets and look at all the wonderful fruit that is in season. I also tend to get cupcake inspired while wondering aimlessly through the markets with my free sample of kettle corn, i.e. sweet and salt popcorn. There are just so many sweet fruits on offer and not enough cupcaking time!
A few months ago, I was definitely not much of an inventor. I use to like to find a good recipe and follow it to a tee! However, since going to the markets and getting cupcake inspired, I really enjoy experimenting with fresh fruit and cupcakes. Do not get me wrong, there has been a lot more disasters then success stories, but I always manage to end up with cupcakes – so it cannot be all bad! There are always some winners and some losers, but hey, such is life!
Is this a phase you ask? Most probably! I will eventually get bored of the markets and the novelty of waking up early on a Saturday will soon ware off. Having said that, perhaps I have kicked my phase changing ways, after all my favourite nozzle is STILL the Wilton 2D!
Anyway, I have been very in touch with nature these last couple of weeks as I have been shopping at the markets. Yes, how very organic of me! The markets are wonderful – there is such a wide selection of fruit and vegetables and everything is so ridiculously cheap! I really enjoy waking up early on Saturday morning and going to the market. It really is a lovely start to the weekend. Here are some lovely fruits I have purchased and picked from my parents garden over the last few weeks:
It is so lovely to be able to wonder through the markets and look at all the wonderful fruit that is in season. I also tend to get cupcake inspired while wondering aimlessly through the markets with my free sample of kettle corn, i.e. sweet and salt popcorn. There are just so many sweet fruits on offer and not enough cupcaking time!
A few months ago, I was definitely not much of an inventor. I use to like to find a good recipe and follow it to a tee! However, since going to the markets and getting cupcake inspired, I really enjoy experimenting with fresh fruit and cupcakes. Do not get me wrong, there has been a lot more disasters then success stories, but I always manage to end up with cupcakes – so it cannot be all bad! There are always some winners and some losers, but hey, such is life!
Is this a phase you ask? Most probably! I will eventually get bored of the markets and the novelty of waking up early on a Saturday will soon ware off. Having said that, perhaps I have kicked my phase changing ways, after all my favourite nozzle is STILL the Wilton 2D!
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Happy belated Father’s Day!
All work and no blogging makes for a cranky pants Tina. Once again, work has been hectic and blogging and baking has been pushed to the side. Work should quieten down over the next few weeks, so I should be able to get my priorities back into check: One – baking, Two – blogging, Three – everything else!
Anyway, last Sunday was Father’s Day in Australia. I wanted to make a special cupcake that both dads would like. My dad does not usually like to eat my cupcakes as he finds the icing to be too sweet and although my father-in-law does eat my cupcakes, I wanted to make a cupcake flavour he would like. So I thought long and hard about what each dad likes. Generally, my daddy always opts for spiced apple type cakes. And what goes well with spiced apples...custard (one of my father-in-law’s biggest favs)! I thought I had come up with the winning combination.
I found a spiced apple cupcake recipe online. I was supposed to add three eggs to the mixture but I stopped at two due lack of sleep. The cupcake itself was a little dense, I am not sure whether it was suppose to turn out that way or due my lack of ability to follow instructions, but nevertheless it was dense.
Oddly enough, I searched high and low and I couldn’t find a custard frosting. So I had to free style it. I made a batch of fresh custard and mixed it up with a batch of butter cream frosting. It turned out quite delicious. It was really light and fluffy – not what I had expected at all.
To decorate, I sliced two apples into very thin slices and sprinkled the apple slices with cinnamon and brown sugar. I baked the apple slices in the oven for 30 minutes and they turned out a beautiful golden brown.
The cupcakes were not the best, not horrible enough to ruin Father’s Day, but adequate to satisfy an afternoon tea. Happy Father’s Day to all the daddies out there! x
Anyway, last Sunday was Father’s Day in Australia. I wanted to make a special cupcake that both dads would like. My dad does not usually like to eat my cupcakes as he finds the icing to be too sweet and although my father-in-law does eat my cupcakes, I wanted to make a cupcake flavour he would like. So I thought long and hard about what each dad likes. Generally, my daddy always opts for spiced apple type cakes. And what goes well with spiced apples...custard (one of my father-in-law’s biggest favs)! I thought I had come up with the winning combination.
I found a spiced apple cupcake recipe online. I was supposed to add three eggs to the mixture but I stopped at two due lack of sleep. The cupcake itself was a little dense, I am not sure whether it was suppose to turn out that way or due my lack of ability to follow instructions, but nevertheless it was dense.
Oddly enough, I searched high and low and I couldn’t find a custard frosting. So I had to free style it. I made a batch of fresh custard and mixed it up with a batch of butter cream frosting. It turned out quite delicious. It was really light and fluffy – not what I had expected at all.
To decorate, I sliced two apples into very thin slices and sprinkled the apple slices with cinnamon and brown sugar. I baked the apple slices in the oven for 30 minutes and they turned out a beautiful golden brown.
The cupcakes were not the best, not horrible enough to ruin Father’s Day, but adequate to satisfy an afternoon tea. Happy Father’s Day to all the daddies out there! x
Saturday, 3 September 2011
The little joys of life ...
This post is more of a cupcake reflective post, then my usual post about the cupcaking process. So be warned, you may be taken on a rollercoaster of emotions and who knows where we may end up. So lock your seat belts and let’s go on an emotional rollercoaster of cupcakes.
As I am sure you have gathered, I really do like cupcakes. My friend said to me the other day ‘Don’t you ever get sick of just making cupcakes?!’ I was slightly perplexed by this question and it took me a while to come up with an answer that I deemed appropriate. I ended up blurted out ‘No, I love cupcakes!’ Yes, it took me a while to come up with that response. What? I claim to be a good baker, not a smart person! Anyway, moving along swiftly to more pressing matters, I honestly do whole heartedly love cupcakes!
I love the whole cupcaking process. I love trying to figure out a new cupcake recipe. I love designing and making cupcake toppers. I love watching the cupcakes rise in the oven. I love piping fluffy icing onto a cupcake. But most of all, I love, love, love watching people’s faces when they see my cupcakes and how excited they get. I think it must take people back to their childhood, a time when cupcakes were a special treat in the lunch box or were sold at the yearly school fate. Watching people come together to enjoy my cupcakes is one of the little joys I get from the whole cupcaking process. Yes Julian, I saw how many cupcakes you ate last night (joking – or am I?).
I am in the process of registering my business, selling cupcakes and cupcake toppers. The purpose of this business isn’t to make money. I still will be working full time and this side business is just my little creative outlet. Basically, all the money that I do earn from selling cupcakes and cupcake toppers will go straight back into the business, so that I can buy all the baking gadgets my heart desires. I have been slowly (emphasis needs to be put on SLOWLY) working on my website this past month. I will release it all in due course. So please stay tune.
I make cupcakes for the love of it. It really is a passion. For me, it really is one of the little joys of life.
As I am sure you have gathered, I really do like cupcakes. My friend said to me the other day ‘Don’t you ever get sick of just making cupcakes?!’ I was slightly perplexed by this question and it took me a while to come up with an answer that I deemed appropriate. I ended up blurted out ‘No, I love cupcakes!’ Yes, it took me a while to come up with that response. What? I claim to be a good baker, not a smart person! Anyway, moving along swiftly to more pressing matters, I honestly do whole heartedly love cupcakes!
I love the whole cupcaking process. I love trying to figure out a new cupcake recipe. I love designing and making cupcake toppers. I love watching the cupcakes rise in the oven. I love piping fluffy icing onto a cupcake. But most of all, I love, love, love watching people’s faces when they see my cupcakes and how excited they get. I think it must take people back to their childhood, a time when cupcakes were a special treat in the lunch box or were sold at the yearly school fate. Watching people come together to enjoy my cupcakes is one of the little joys I get from the whole cupcaking process. Yes Julian, I saw how many cupcakes you ate last night (joking – or am I?).
I am in the process of registering my business, selling cupcakes and cupcake toppers. The purpose of this business isn’t to make money. I still will be working full time and this side business is just my little creative outlet. Basically, all the money that I do earn from selling cupcakes and cupcake toppers will go straight back into the business, so that I can buy all the baking gadgets my heart desires. I have been slowly (emphasis needs to be put on SLOWLY) working on my website this past month. I will release it all in due course. So please stay tune.
I make cupcakes for the love of it. It really is a passion. For me, it really is one of the little joys of life.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
FML!
The three elements combined to make a perfect cupcake - Fluffy, Moist and Light (FML)!
I know of some people who perfer a dense cupcake, but in my opinion I think these people are crazy. How can a person prefer a dense cupcake to a FML cupcake of joy?!
It has taken me a while, but I think I have discovered the secret to making a FML cupcake! I use to think that if you beat the mixture for long enough, it would make the cupcake fluffy. But I have since discovered that this is not the case. If you over beat the mixture, it actually has the opposite effect, it makes the cupcake dense.
So after extensive research and experimenting, I have discovered that in order to make a FML cupcake, one has to beat the butter, sugar and eggs for an extensive period of time. Basically, you can never over beat the butter, sugar and eggs. However, once you have added flour and milk to the mixture, you want to beat the mixture as little as possible. That is, stop beating the moment the flour and milk is combined.
From my extensive research, I have discovered that if you over beat the mixture once the flour and milk has been added, the air is let out of the mixture. I wonder why beating the butter, sugar and eggs adds air to the mixture and yet, when you beat the flour and milk into the mixture, the air is let out? Very odd. But nevertheless, it works! I swear by it. Give it a go and let me know.
Hmmm, darn, now I feel like a cupcake! FML!
I know of some people who perfer a dense cupcake, but in my opinion I think these people are crazy. How can a person prefer a dense cupcake to a FML cupcake of joy?!
It has taken me a while, but I think I have discovered the secret to making a FML cupcake! I use to think that if you beat the mixture for long enough, it would make the cupcake fluffy. But I have since discovered that this is not the case. If you over beat the mixture, it actually has the opposite effect, it makes the cupcake dense.
So after extensive research and experimenting, I have discovered that in order to make a FML cupcake, one has to beat the butter, sugar and eggs for an extensive period of time. Basically, you can never over beat the butter, sugar and eggs. However, once you have added flour and milk to the mixture, you want to beat the mixture as little as possible. That is, stop beating the moment the flour and milk is combined.
From my extensive research, I have discovered that if you over beat the mixture once the flour and milk has been added, the air is let out of the mixture. I wonder why beating the butter, sugar and eggs adds air to the mixture and yet, when you beat the flour and milk into the mixture, the air is let out? Very odd. But nevertheless, it works! I swear by it. Give it a go and let me know.
Hmmm, darn, now I feel like a cupcake! FML!
Monday, 29 August 2011
Putting the cupcakes in Rock N’ Roll
I love it when people request themed cupcakes as it gives me the opportunity to make cupcakes that I wouldn’t usually make. For instance, this weekend I had a cupcake order for a 29th birthday. The birthday boy’s (or man I should say) lovely mum placed an order of 30 cupcakes. She told me that he liked guitars, so naturally I had to make guitar themed cupcakes! I also made cupcakes spelling out ‘Happy 29th Birthday Neil’.
Like always I miss calculated how many guitar toppers I actually needed and ended up with 10 spare! And to think, maths was actually my strongest subject growing up. I even went to Math Camps and everything in High School!
Last week before taking Zachy to school, he noticed some fondant toppers drying on my kitchen table – flower and cat toppers more specifically. He said to me, ‘Aunty Tina why don’t you combine the two toppers. Place the flower on the cat, that way the cat will look like a girl cat. She will look so cute!’ And that is exactly what I did. So when I saw the left over guitar toppers, I thought ‘What would Zachy do?!’ So I thought, why not make some boy penguins and make them play the guitar. And so, I did.
And that is how I put the cupcakes in Rock N’ Roll!
Like always I miss calculated how many guitar toppers I actually needed and ended up with 10 spare! And to think, maths was actually my strongest subject growing up. I even went to Math Camps and everything in High School!
Last week before taking Zachy to school, he noticed some fondant toppers drying on my kitchen table – flower and cat toppers more specifically. He said to me, ‘Aunty Tina why don’t you combine the two toppers. Place the flower on the cat, that way the cat will look like a girl cat. She will look so cute!’ And that is exactly what I did. So when I saw the left over guitar toppers, I thought ‘What would Zachy do?!’ So I thought, why not make some boy penguins and make them play the guitar. And so, I did.
And that is how I put the cupcakes in Rock N’ Roll!
Sunday, 28 August 2011
"Happy Lion King!"
My goodness, it has been a crazy busy week. I am exhausted. But given my lack of blogging, I knew I just had to blog tonight. So why has my week been so crazy? Just the usual work stuff got in the way and, oh yeah, it was BIRTHDAY!
As it was my birthday, I had to bring in something to share with my colleagues. My natural inclination was to bring in cupcakes of course. Given that it was the night before my birthday, Brendyn did offer to make the cupcakes for me. Although this may be a nice gesture to some, I was mortified by the offer. Did he realise what he was suggesting? My colleagues eat my cupcakes on a regular basis and they have now come to expect a certain cupcake standard. And if Brendyn made my birthday cupcakes, PEOPLE WOULD THINK I ACTUALLY MADE THEM! I am sure that Brendyn’s cupcakes would be nice, I just doubt it would be as nice as mine. Sorry darling!
The night ended with me making over 100 cupcakes – cumquat, coffee and strawberry flavoured cupcakes. I didn’t end up taking a photo of all the cupcakes because I didn’t think they look special enough. Having said that, I do regret it slightly. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the cumquat cupcakes as they were somewhat dense. But everyone else seemed to have enjoyed them, so I guess that is the main thing.
Given the hectic work week, we had my birthday celebration today! Both sides of the family got together for a spectacular day of eating. A few weeks ago, Ameila said she wanted to throw me a surprise Lion King party, where she could wish me a “Happy Lion King”. Not wanting to let her down, I made a Simba cupcake topper. I had intended on making all the Lion King characters, but time did not permit.
All in all, I had a fabulous birthday. Having said that, my gosh, I am glad this week is over!
As it was my birthday, I had to bring in something to share with my colleagues. My natural inclination was to bring in cupcakes of course. Given that it was the night before my birthday, Brendyn did offer to make the cupcakes for me. Although this may be a nice gesture to some, I was mortified by the offer. Did he realise what he was suggesting? My colleagues eat my cupcakes on a regular basis and they have now come to expect a certain cupcake standard. And if Brendyn made my birthday cupcakes, PEOPLE WOULD THINK I ACTUALLY MADE THEM! I am sure that Brendyn’s cupcakes would be nice, I just doubt it would be as nice as mine. Sorry darling!
The night ended with me making over 100 cupcakes – cumquat, coffee and strawberry flavoured cupcakes. I didn’t end up taking a photo of all the cupcakes because I didn’t think they look special enough. Having said that, I do regret it slightly. Personally, I wasn’t a fan of the cumquat cupcakes as they were somewhat dense. But everyone else seemed to have enjoyed them, so I guess that is the main thing.
Given the hectic work week, we had my birthday celebration today! Both sides of the family got together for a spectacular day of eating. A few weeks ago, Ameila said she wanted to throw me a surprise Lion King party, where she could wish me a “Happy Lion King”. Not wanting to let her down, I made a Simba cupcake topper. I had intended on making all the Lion King characters, but time did not permit.
All in all, I had a fabulous birthday. Having said that, my gosh, I am glad this week is over!
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