Easy Valentine's Day Cake

I made this cake for Halloween using brown and orange colors but look how easy it can be made into a beautiful Valentine's Day cake!  No fancy skills required, no piping, no fuss!

I bought some Valentine's Day heart shaped pans at Kroger.

Next mix up your favorite cake mix, any flavor.  Frost it with your favorite store bought frosting.  Don't worry if you get crumbs in your frosting like I did, no one is going to see it.  You really cannot mess up this cake!

You will need 2 packages of Kit Kat candy and one bag of Valentine's M&M's.

Start at the bottom of the cake and place Kit Kats all around the cake.  Then add the whole bag of candy on top.

Tie a pretty bow around the cake and you are done! 

Now didn't I say this the easiest cake ever!  It is so inexpensive, takes very little time, and looks so pretty!  Besides who doesn't love a little cake and candy for Valentine's Day! 

 

 

Bon Appetite!

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Candy Corn Cupcakes

These pretty candy corn cupcakes can be made for any fall occasion.  If you are making them at home, just use white cake mix and color 1/3 of the batter orange, 1/3 yellow and leave the rest white or you can just use 1/2 orange and 1/2 yellow like I did.

I make my cupcakes from scratch so this is a vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting.  I only used orange and yellow.  See how pretty the inside looks.

Then swirl buttercream frosting with yellow, orange and white and top with a candy corn.  I love how pretty these look.  And let's not forget how delicious!  You can order some of these anytime by going to my Swirly Sweet Cupcakes fb page and send a message or call me at 281-804-3032.

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Easy Halloween Kit Kat Cake

I saw this super easy Halloween kit kat cake on pinterest.  I don't know who had the original idea or I would give them credit but several people have pinned or made their own version.

This is probably the easiest cake I have ever made.  It requires no decorating skills of any kind and it only took about an hour.

Just use any cake mix flavor you like using 2 round 8 inch pans.  Once cool, frost with whatever kind of frosting you like.  I used Pillsbury today because it was on sale. Leave enough room for candy on top.  If I were making this for someone I would use my own cake recipe and my own frosting but this is helpful information to make your own without so much fuss.

Buy 3 packages of Kit Kats that look like this:

Just line each 2 pack all the way around the cake.

Top with your favorite Halloween candy and tie a pretty bow all around the cake.

The first one I used M&M's. 

I had to pick all the green, brown and orange out of a multi colored bag since the Halloween candy is not out yet.

Here is another one using some candy corn mixture I had left from last year.

Then I added some more candy corn around the cake plate for decoration.

Now didn't I tell you that anyone could make this!  Give it a try and send me some pics.

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Owl Cake

I saw this owl cake tutorial on you tube and decided to attempt my own.  My search for the correct piping tip took up too much time so I just used the same piping tip for the white and brown this time.

She made a girl with a cute bow but I didn't add that.  Sometimes you have to work with what you already have and skill level.  2 attempts later and this is my cute owl cake.

The inside is just a white cake with vanilla buttercream frosting.  The outside is vanilla buttercream frosting also with brown food gel coloring.  He's sitting on my counter looking so darn cute! 

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Star Trek Cupcakes for Father's Day

Who doesn't love Star Trek?  This is the perfect Father's Day Cupcake.  You can learn how to make them by watching Jen from Cookies, Cupcakes and Cardio on youtube.com.  Or can order some by going to my Swirly Sweet Cupcakes facebook page and sending me a pm.  6 for $15 or 12 for $30.  Or call 281-804-3032 and leave a message. 

These are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting topped with colored fondant circles and cutouts to make the collar and Star Trek symbol. 

If you keep scrolling you can see the Father's Day Cupcakes I made last year in honor of my Father.

Happy Father's Day!

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Margarita Cupcakes

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  What better way to celebrate than with Margarita Cupcakes!  Oh yes please!

I found this recipe from Brown Eyed Baker after searching for the perfect one. 
This one is from scratch which is my specialty and oh so good!   I don't always eat the cupcakes I make other than to taste test for the perfect recipe, but this is one I didn't mind taste testing.  This is one recipe you are going to want to keep just in case you want to make some for your "rita" friends!  I did make some changes to the original recipe.

1/2 cups cake flour (I always use King Arthur)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp cake enhancer (King Arthur) optional
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
2 eggs room temp
zest and juice from 1 1/2 limes
2 Tbsp. tequila
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
To Brush the Cupcakes
1 to 2 Tbsp tequila
green gel color

Tequila Lime Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup butter flavored crisco shortening
16 oz  bag powdered sugar
2  to 4 Tbsp. Lime juice
2 Tbsp. Tequila
pinch of salt
green gel color

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.  Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.  I used some green and white dots from kingarthurflour.com. 
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cake enhancer, and salt.  Set aside.
In an electric mixer on med high speed, beat butter and sugar about 5 minutes.
Add eggs one a time mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Add lime zest, juice, vanilla and tequila.  Mix until combined
Add dry ingredients in 3 batches.  alternating with buttermilk only until incorporated.  Do not overmix.  Add just a little green gel color to make the batter a slight green color.
Divide batter evenly in muffin cups.  Bake for approx. 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack.  Brush the tops of cupcakes with tequila. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Mix butter and shortening together, gradually add powdered sugar.  Add juice, tequila and salt until desired consistency.  Just a touch of green gel color to make a light green colored frosting.

 

I rimmed the bottom of the cupcake with sugar sprinkles to represent the salt.

Then sprinkled with a little lime zest and a lime topping.

Just a little different with a different decorating tip. 

Go to my Swirly Sweet Cupcake facebook page to order some anytime.  You don't have to have a holiday to enjoy these cupcakes. 

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Until next time, Deana :)

Pink Champagne Cake and Cupcakes

What a great Mother's Day gift if I do say so myself!  Pink Champagne Ombre cake or cupcakes.  First I started with the cake.  I had been wanting to make an ombre cake so I used a box cake mix to practice with.  I used Pillsbury but you can use any one.  Instead of the water called for on the box just use pink champagne.  Now how easy is that!

I used Andre.  You can find it at your local store and it's really cheap.  As you can see it is almost all gone.  This is one drunkily cake as my friend Susana said.  (hehe)

I made a three layer cake and then made cupcakes with the rest of the batter.  I colored each layer with different shades of pink using Wilton gel color. 

Then frosted each layer and crumb coated which is just adding a thin layer of frosting on the outside. 

Starting at the bottom with the darkest pink, I used a 1m Wilton tip to make roses and end with the lightest color on top. 

Now isn't that a pretty cake and so easy!  I ran out of frosting at the very top but you didn't see that right?  :)

 

Look how pretty the inside looks with the three different color ombre layers. 

 

 

 

 

Let's get to the cupcakes.  I had enough batter left over to make about 8 cupcakes.

I found a recipe for a filling I wanted to try.  I wish I could remember where I found it so I could give them credit but hopefully they will forgive me.  Yes I know I should write these things down or save the website. 

I box vanilla pudding
1/4 cup pink champagne
1/2 cup milk
Whisk together one minute.  Set in refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Using my neat little gadget from King Arthur Flour I made a hole in the center of the cupcake and filled it with pudding, then place the top back on.

Now they are ready for frosting.  3 different tips.  2D Wilton tip for rose.  Wilton 22 for rosettes and Wilton 1m for bigger swirl.  Topped with edible dragon flies and butterflies from Sugar Robot Inc. on Amazon.com.

Any buttercream frosting will work just add 1/4 cup pink champagne and 1/4 cup milk along with butter and a pinch of salt, confectioners sugar.

You could have a glass of pink champagne with your cake or cupcakes but I literally used the whole bottle.  Happy "drunkily" Mother's Day! 

If you'd like to order a cake or cupcakes, I would make them from scratch but they would still contain pink champagne. Of course you could have a pink cake with no liquor but what fun would that be?   $35 for a cake.  Cupcakes 6 for $15 or 12 for $30.  281-804-3032. 

Thanks for sharing in my adventures!  Happy Mother's Day to everyone!   Deana :)