This month's Baking with Spirit Challenge over at Cake of the Week is Midori. Well, um...Let me see. Midori. Never tried it and not in the BIWB liquor cabinet. What to do?
First, immediately go to BevMo, get a bottle and taste it. Check.
Second, search the Midori web site for cocktail and recipe ideas. Check.
Third, pick a cocktail that seems fun and feminine. Japanese Slipper. Check. {Please note: Midori has no baking recipes. That had me a bit scared.}
Fourth, search the internet for baking recipes using the Japanese Slipper as inspiration. Check.
So, believe it or not, there is only ONE recipe on the web that I could find for a Japanese Slipper Cupcake. The Lone Baker. Nice name, killer photo.
Once I had the idea and a good graphic, I set to work creating a solid recipe that I thought would bring out the 3 flavors of this cocktail: Midori, orange (Triple Sec) and lemon. I knew that baking with Midori might be tough, so I decided to just use it in the frosting. That left the cupcake to be the showcase for the orange and lemon flavors, with the addition of Triple Sec of course.
Found my cupcake recipe "base" on Paula Deen's website. I know...Think what you like. But, you have to admit, she does have some very good recipes. I needed something to bring out the citrus flavors and hold up with the Triple Sec. Check.
Scored on her recipe for an orange creamsicle cupcake that infuses the citrus zest into the sugar. Great technique and something I will bring to all my citrus baked goods.
And, I will tell you, this Midori Seven Minute Frosting has changed my life.
I had no idea this frosting was so easy and so delicious. We never had this when I was a kid because we didn't have a stand mixer and there was no way my mom was going to stand with a hand mixer for 7 minutes. Lower in fat, too, than buttercream frosting. A good thing!
Thank god for my Kitchen Aid mixer, Bella! And, now I also have no fear of my future with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
These are a shocking light green color and I love the pop of orange in the liners and sprinkles on top. Super moist and so full of citrus flavors. A very nice cupcake version of the Japanese Slipper Cocktail. Super festive, too!!
And, please check out all the other Midori-inspired baked creations this month at Cake of the Week.
Enjoy!
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So, have you ever watched Hoarders? I know, not something you'd expect me to talk about on this blog. But, I ~more often than I'd like to admit~ find myself glued to the TV watching these very, very sad people trapped by all their STUFF. I have stuff, do you?
Good thing for me, though, is that Hoarders makes me feel okay with my stuff. I do need to purge this fall and make some changes to my life plans with all my stuff. For example: Do I need 10 plastic lawn chairs and 2 tables for the next back yard bbq bash? Probably not. I think my large party days are over and to "draw" a crowd like that probably isn't in the cards. Maybe next big bash will be a "Bring Your Own Chair" party...I don't know.
And, I will admit: there is a method to all this purging madness. The simple truth is I need MORE room for all my BAKING STUFF! Baking stuff before party furniture? I think yes!
The Giveaway!
Yes, you read it correctly: OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY!! So, we have a few little this and thats for one of you--to add to YOUR baking STUFF! We're very excited to start our giveaways and we hope you can come back over the next few months to see what else we're giving away. Our friends at Sur La Table are helping us gather up some of these goodies--We can't wait to share!
We're giving away these two fun cupcake items from Meri Meri: 3 cupcake boxes and cupcake liners. Pretty cute, huh? All you have to do is leave us a comment with your contact information. You have until Sunday, Nov. 11th at 9pm (PST). Open to everyone, no matter where you live cuz that's just how we roll. Sorry, the giveaway is closed...Stay tuned for the winner annoucement coming soon!
Now, on to the cupcakes!
I made these cupcakes using a few recipes. The most special part is the blueberry compote that I learned to make from my friend, Susan, over at My Mother's Apron Strings. Susan is amazing...I just wished I was as generous as her. She's so creative and a great baker. Someday we're gonna meet up and enjoy some tea and treats...I have hope. :)
Extra special blueberry and mascarpone filled cupcakes with yummy blueberry mascarpone frosting...And, yes, there is booze in these: blueberry infused gin!
Baking with Spirit Feature
I'm also sharing this recipe as part of our friend's, Janine, blog Cake of the Week, which features a monthly Baking with Spirit challenge. This month it's GIN! I'm excited to be able to share these blueberry-gin inspired treats! Please check out Janine's fun creations...Reading her blog always bring out the Anglophile in me!
So much is happening!!!
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