The last three days have been a whirlwind of cupcakes and finals. Thankfully, the semester is finally over and I am ready for a summer full of baking! 
Anyhow, I made these Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream for someone’s birthday, and though I was a little nervous because I had never used this recipe before, I was incredibly happy with how they turned out. Because I was so happy with the cupcakes, I took even more pictures than usual, but I hope you enjoy them! Continue reading
Remember the other day when I made a Spring Citrus Cake…and then had to re-make it because the first cake was a total flop? Well, I do >.< But thankfully I turned the memory into a positive one, by using the failure cake to make cake pops!
I never used to like cake pops. Like, I was completely against the whole idea of them, and I only tasted one for the first time about 2 months ago. However, now that I was able to salvage a cake because of them, I am feeling a lot more understanding. Continue reading
So next week is the beginning of finals. But…
I wanted to make a cake, like REALLY wanted to. So even though I had class, and projects, and papers, and work, I set aside some time and hyper planned my schedule to I could make one. Then, I was punished by the karma gods. T_T
How, you might ask? Well, I made a cake. It made 6 thin layers in two colors. It was beautiful and tasted wonderful. And as I went to unmold them from the cake tins, they all crumbled into pieces! :O AHHHHHHHH!!! NOOOOO!!!!
Okay, deep breaths. Rethink the situation. The crumbled cakes are perfect for saving and making into cake pops, something I wanted to try more of. However, I still needed a cake. It wasn’t like I just up and decided to make a cake by this point, I had told my Japanese language group that I was making a cake–and this cake in particular! I was determined, and even though I was busy as expletives, I ran to the store, and made the cake again.
Yesterday I received a request for cupcakes. As always when I have the beginnings of an idea, I seek the internet gods for some assistance. In case you are wondering how the internet gods respond to my questions, all the answers are on my pinterest 
Anyhow, I needed a recipe, and it needed to be something I could begin Saturday morning and be completely finished with by 2:00. Because of my time restrictions, I chose a recipe that was simple but elegant. The chocolate cupcakes are incredibly moist, and everything can be put together in the same bowl, which is great. I think I would change the water in the cakes to coffee, to give the cakes a greater depth of flavor and bring out the chocolate. The buttercream is also very easy, and I would definitely use it again.
“It is spring. It is spring, and in spring there is rain, and flowers, and happy things,” I say to myself. Then I open my eyes and look out the window at the blizzard. Yes, you heard me correctly, it is April 18th, and we are having a snow storm. Last year on this date in Minnesota, it was 65 degrees. I was probably wearing shorts. T_T
Well, in the meanwhile, I am going to think happy thoughts and bake spring-like things. Maybe all the positive thinking will turn this weather around? *crosses fingers*
Well, devoted readers, are you sensing a trend in my cooking lately? Matcha Bread, Matcha Cheesecake, GF Matcha Cookies… I think this is the 4th thing I have made with 抹茶 or Matcha, a powdered Japanese green tea, since January. Maybe it helps me learn Japanese? *sigh* If only that were true!
Anyhow, I made these Matcha Cookies, and the recipe worked really well! I made them more decorative with different kinds of chocolate than the original recipe called for. Truthfully though, they are delicious–albeit less pretty–simply plain without chocolate. I was a little worried about how they would turn out, but I have gotten approval from Japanese and non-Japanese friends alike! YAY!
