Picture!!!!! (finally)

So I finally got around to posting a picture of my Coconut-Citrus Cupcakes... or rather, figuring out how to do it :) So here it is...

The pedestal is an overturned ice cream dish in case you were wondering.

And here is a picture of brownies who's recipe is coming soon...

Happy Baking :)

Love, Claire

Lime Buttercream Frosting

This is the frosting for the Coconut-Citrus Cupcakes.  Technically, you could do whatever citrus-y flavor you want, but I did lime and I think that it came out SO GOOD!  I know that it doesn't sound the best but... I'm really bad at naming things.  I'm a "call it what it is" kind of person.  Anyway... On with the recipe!!


Lime Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, room temperature
¼ cup shortening
2-3 cups powdered sugar (more buttery, less sugar; sweeter, more sugar)
½ tsp coconut extract (optional)
zest of 1 lime (or whatever citrus fruit you're using)
1 tbsp lime juice (measurements may vary depending on what fruit you're using)

Directions

Put the butter and the shortening in a bowl.
Mix with a handheld electric mixer on medium-high until blended and fluffy.
Add the zest and 1 cup of sugar.
Mix until well blended.
Add remaining sugar, coconut extract (if using), and juice.
Mix well.
You're done!

Pictures will come soon!

Claire

Coconut-Citrus Cupcakes

I. Love. Coconut!!!!!!  I love love love love love coconut.  I love coconut cake, and Almond Joys, and coconut flakes straight from the bag. And, of course, coconut cupcakes.  I just don't understand why some people don't like coconut.  (I apologize if you don't like coconut, are reading this, and are offended.)  And citrus is just something that, well, goes with coconut. (I am really overusing the word coconut.  XD) I got the recipe for the cupcakes from Barefoot Contessa's coconut cupcakes, but I modified them a little. The frosting is my own invention, though. Anyway, I should probably start typing recipes and not the word coconut. (Coconut!!!!!!)  So, on with the (coconut) recipe!


Coconut-Citrus Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks butter (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 eggs at room temperature (To get 1/2 of an egg, break 1 egg into a bowl, beat it with a fork, and measure out 2 Tbsp, since 1 egg is about 4 Tbsp.)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp coconut extract
1 1/2 cps flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (If you are using salted butter, use a scant 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 cup buttermilk (Since I didn't have buttermilk at the time, I made my own buttermilk: Cut a lemon in half, juice 1/2 of the lemon, pour 1/2 cup milk into a liquid measuring cup, add 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, stir it a little, and let it sit for about 5 minutes.)
3 1/2 oz. shredded coconut
zest of 1/2-1 lemon or lime or grapefruit... anything like that

Directions

Fit an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with 10 liners.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add your butter and sugar to the mixer, and cream on High (on my Kitchen Aid mixer, that's around 4) until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each egg, with the mixer on low speed (in between 1 and 2 on my mixer) mixing until, well, they're all mixed!
Add the lemon zest and mix well.
Put your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Stir until combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in a 1/2 cup dry, 1/2 cup milk pattern, mixing after each addition.
Fold in the coconut.
Fill each cupcake liner almost full.
Bake for 25-30 minutes (toothpick test)
Cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes before frosting.



Claire

Why I Started This Blog

Okay... so maybe don't look at About Me to see why I need to get an A.  Instead, look at this post!

So the reason that I want to get an A is that I started this blog for a Genius Hour project assigned by my teacher. (To learn more about Genius Hour, click here.)  I had two things that I wanted to do: start a blog and invent recipes.  So I decided to combine them, and now you have this.  (I haven't actually presented this project yet, sooo.... still hoping for an A).  Anyway, that is why I started this blog and why I want to get an A.  Thanks for reading and come back soon!  I'm planning to post a recipe for Lemon-Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Frosting (taste better than they sound).  Bye!
♥,
Claire

My First Ever Blog Post!!

Hello! So this is my first blog post (but you can already see that up there). I am not this person (they don't even know grammar).  These are three things I want to do with this blog:

1.  Provide amazing (hopefully) recipes for you to make.
2.  Entertain you (another hopefully).
3.  Get an A! (See About Me if you're confused.)

So that's it for my first post! (Number 4 on that list: Become a better writer XD) Please come back to this blog!  Or follow me on Google+.  Or follow this blog by email.  Or never come back to this blog.  Just kidding, please don't do that.  Anyway.  Thanks for reading!
  

          Claire