For that special person...

These are perfect for that one, special person - whoever that person is. Show someone how much you love them by baking for them!

I used my all-time favourite vanilla cupcake recipe from the Magnolia Bakery, and coloured the buttercream pink. The big sugar hearts are by Wilton, and the silvery sugar decorations are by Dr. Oetker. I can't remember where I bought the cupcake wrappers, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were by Wilton.

Now escape the heat outside and get baking!

Love,

Miss Diorista

Picnic, anyone?

Summer is finally here, and it is the perfect time to go for a picnic! So grab your sandwiches and a basket, and head outside! Wait... aren't we forgetting something?

Yup, we are! Cupcakes! What is a picnic without cupcakes? Believe me, there's nothing like a picnic in out in the nature with friends and cupcakes! And to make it even more fun, I baked mini cupcakes. You can get mini cupcake tins (as well as mini cupcake wrappers) at most baking supply stores, and they are fun to make. Besides, I still have that funny theory going on from when I was a child; the smaller the better!

Aren't they cute, as they wait for the oven to heat up? Adorable little cuppies :)

Life's a breeze with polka dots! I chose minty green and light pink icing and pink wrappers (from Wilton).

If you want to bake your own cupcakes (and go for a picnic :) then you can find the cupcake recipe (and icing recipe) that I used here. It is by far my favourite, and they are easy to make. Enjoy your summer!

Love,

Miss Diorista

Suitable for any princess...

You can't go wrong with cupcakes! Don't you just love that dish? I got two of those for my birthday last year (which reminds me, my birthday this year is approaching incredibly fast! Yay!) and they are the perfect size for cuppies - which makes me love them even more!

For the cupcakes and the icing, I used Magnolia's recipe (the same as for my Spring cupcakes, you can find the recipe by clicking that link), which has to be my favourite cupcake recipe. They are simple, delicious, everybody loves them, and they are so easy to decorate any way you want!

This time I decided to go for a princess theme, so I chose cupcake wrappers with pink crowns on them, coloured the icing pink, and sprinkled a few silver-y ornaments on top... and to take the theme all the way, we have that adorable pink dish :)

So what is better than eating a delicious cupcake? Well, eating a delicious and good-looking cupcake!

Love,
Miss Diorista

Your feelings can change - but your memories probably won't. - Anonymous

Spring is... almost here!

I'm feeling spring here!
I realized today that I hadn't baked cupcakes for ages - so of course, I had to set that straight :)
This is what I came up with - vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. I coloured the buttercream light green and decorated the cuppies with flower sprinkles. The cupcake cases are yellow. Believe me, those are summery to look at, but eating them just feels like summer! I'm ready for spring here...

I love that you can actually see the snow outside my kitchen window there... and here I am, talking about spring... I guess you can never be too positive :)

Since the recipe I used has been my go-to recipe for cupcakes the last few years, and it tastes amazing, I really want to share it with you. I originally found it online, and I believe it comes from the famous Magnolia bakery in New York (those are the cupcakes they eat on Sex and the City!)

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

*1.5 cups self-rising flour

*1.25 cups regular flour

*1 cup (2 sticks or 250 g) unsalted butter, softened

*2 cups sugar

*4 large eggs, at room temperature

*1 cup milk

*1 tsp vanilla extract

(makes 24 cupcakes)

Heat your over to 350°F or 180°C.

Line your cupcake tins with cupcake cases.

Blend together the two flours in a bowl and set aside.

In a big bowl, cream the butter (medium speed). Add the sugar slowly, and beat until light and fluffy (usually about 3 minutes).

Now add the eggs, one by one, and beat well in between.

Add the flour mixture, the milk and the vanilla extract in three parts each, alternating flour and milk (so: flour, milk, flour, milk, flour, milk). Beat well in between, but don't overdo it.

Fill the cupcake cases about 3/4 full, and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream

*1 cup (2 sticks or 250 g) unsalted butter, softened

*8 cups powdered sugar (I only use 6, which is more than enough)

*0.5 cup milk

*2 tsp vanilla extract

*Food dye (if wanted)

(more than enough to ice 24 cupcakes)

In a big bowl, beat together the butter, 4 cups of powdered sugar, the milk and the vanilla extract for about 3-5 minutes, using medium speed.

Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating 2 minutes in between cups.

Add food dye (if wanted).

Now you can decorate your cupcakes, and believe me, the possibilities really are endless!

Hurry into your kitchens and start baking, folks ;)

Love,

Miss Diorista

  

I never say "Good Bye" because they seem like forever. I rather say "See you later". - Anonymous