Saturday, February 25, 2012

Dr. Seuss First Birthday


I made these for a first birthday party for twins!  It was a Dr. Seuss theme and i was asked to make 40 cat in the hat cookies as favors and a small collection of assorted cookies for a platter.  This is one of my favorite sets that i've put together in awhile...it was so much fun to make!  And it was my first time using edible markers for an entire design.  They are great to use because they are just like drawing with real markers, but the dye in them is safe to eat.  They also work well for adding little details on top of a design done in royal icing, like i did on some of the other cookies in this collection.  If you are interested in trying them yourself, you can find them on amazon or at your local craft store: edible markers.

I also had a lot of people on facebook ask me where I purchased the hat cutter.  I bought it from this great online cookie cutter shop called cheapcookiecutters.com.  If you like them on facebook, you will be able to use their discount codes on your order.  Here is the link for the hat cutter in case anyone is interested:

Thanks for the order, Kara!!


The cat in the hat design is based on maryann's (cookieartisan's) cat in the hat cookies where she used an edible marker for the design.
Have A Sweet Day!
~sarah









Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Drum Roll Please...

After going over all of the comments, there are 88 total eligible comments for my giveaway.  Thank you all so much for participating and a big thank you for all of the support you have shown me!  The comments you all left on my blog were so sweet and brought such a big smile to my face!


The winner of Package #1 (Coffee & Cookies) is....
Comment number 2: "Your cookies are amazing! Congratulations...keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your ideas" (Rosa)
True Random Number Generator 2 Powered by RANDOM.ORG



The winner of Package #2 (Valentine's) is...
Comment number 56: "I like you on Facebook. Congratulations on reaching 1500!" (Anonymous)

True Random Number Generator 56 Powered by RANDOM.ORG


Congratulations to you both and ill be emailing you soon to get your shipping information!  If i dont hear from the winners by Monday, February 27th, ill pick a new winner. Thanks again everyone and have a sweet day!!!
~sarah

Monday, February 13, 2012

It's Giveaway Time!!

The giveaway is now closed.  Good luck to everyone who entered!  I will be announcing the winners on Wednesday, February 22nd.


I recently passed 1,500 likes on my facebook page, and as a thank you to all of my fans for being so supportive, i wanted to have this giveaway!  When I first started decorating cookies a year and a half ago I never thought that it would become such a huge part of my life.  I have met many wonderful people who share my love of baking and I am so happy to have come to know each and every one of them. 

I started my facebook page at the end of the summer as a way for my family and friends to see the creations I had been making. I never imagined that a little over 6 months later i would be sharing my photos with over 1,500 of you and in the process turning my passion for cookie decorating into a cookie business!  As a way of saying thank you for being so sweet I've put together not one, but two prize packages...so there are going to be two winners this time around!

I also want to thank those people who first inspired me to begin cookie decorating: Annie of Annie's Eats, Callye of The Sweet Adventures Of Sugarbelle, Maryanne of Cookie Artisan, Glory of Glorious Treats and Marian of Sweetopia.  Yours were the first pages that i ever came across when i started learning how to become a "cookier". I am forever grateful for the wonderful photos, tutorials and helpful tips that i have received from you whether it be from emails or your blog posts.  Thank you so much!

I am very excited to have some wonderful sponsors with this giveaway.  Foose Cookie Cutters, TheRedCooky, Peas and Thank You's, The Back Porch Shoppe, Bake A Box and The Littlebeane Boutique have all graciously donated some items!  And I'm going to be adding some items as well. 

Rules:

1) To enter, please become a follower of my facebook page or blog and leave a comment saying you have done so.

2) For one additional entry, please like one or more of my sponsors pages and thank them for donating items to this giveaway.  

Please include your email address in the comment so I will have a way to contact you if you are the winner.  Be sure to leave your comments on this post so i will be able to include you in the drawing.   

The giveaway ends on Monday, February 20th at midnight EST.  I'll be announcing the winning comments on Wednesday, February 22nd using random.org.  The first comment chosen will receive package #1, the second comment will receive package #2.  Only 2 entries per person and the same person cannot win both packages.  This giveaway is open to US Residents only.  

Good Luck!!!

Winner #1 will receive
The Coffee & Cookies Package!

1) A Copy of Coffee Scrumptious Drinks & Treats

photo from amazon.com

2) Mini Coffee Press and Mug


3) Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans & one package of Peet's Coffee Grinds

Choxie Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans 4.3-oz.
photo from target.com

4) A $25 credit to Peas and Thank You's!


photo courtesy of peas and thank you's

  
5) Life's Short Eat Cookies Sign donated by The Back Porch Shoppe!


6) A super cute cake box with scalloped window courtesy of Bake A Box!

7) Fox Run Tea Party Cookie Cutter Set


photo from amazon.com


Winner #2 will receive
The Valentine's Package!

1) Valentine 7 piece cookie cutter set donated by Foose Cookie Cutters!

B1386Valentine7pc[2].jpg
photo courtesy of foosecookiecutters.com

2) Mini Valentine Cookie Cutter Set


3) A Copy of Julia Usher's Ultimate Cookies donated by TheRedCooky




4) A Credit to Littlebeane Boutique for personalized stickers!

photo courtesy of littlebeane boutique


5)  Heart Whisk and Two Wilton Valentine Cookie Cutters


6) 12 Wilton Silicone Baking Cups

photo from amazon.com



7) Heart Measuring Cups

Dci Heart Measuring Cups, 4 Piece Set
photo from amazon.com

Have A Sweet Day!
~sarah








Sunday, February 5, 2012

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting



I have yet to share a recipe on my website, and i thought it would be fun to start with cupcakes.  If you remember my first giveaway a couple months ago, you know that i LOVE cupcakes!  And this recipe is fantastic, though it does take a little bit of time and a few extra steps, its definitely worth it!  I made these for my husband's co-workers and they went over so well that i made them again a week later for my in-laws too.

The cake itself is light and fluffy and i paired it with a delicious brown sugar frosting.  so good!!!  If you are a coffee lover (which i am) they also tasted great with an espresso buttercream.  These would be so much fun to make for Valentine's day...just add some heart shaped sprinkles and you will be good to go! 

Have A Sweet Day!
~sarah

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (i used 1%)
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together 3 1/4 cups cake flour, the baking powder, and salt.  Stir the vanilla into the milk to combine.

2) With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth.  Adding the sugar in a steady stream, beat until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk mixture, and beating until just combined after each.

3) In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until peaks form (do not overmix).  Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten.  Gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined.  Toss chocolate chips with remaining tablespoon of cake flour, and then gently fold into batter.  This simple step really helps to keep the chocolate chips from falling to the bottom of each cupcake while baking.

4) Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean and the tops are springy to the touch, about 22 minutes.  although baking times will vary depending on your oven.  i only baked mine for about 18 minutes and they were perfect.  Make sure to check on your cupcakes towards the end, this batter seems to overbake quickly.

5) Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

6) To finish, frost your cupcakes.  Decorate with mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, etc.  Have fun with it!


Brown Sugar Frosting
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

1) To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.

2) Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

3) Beat in the flour and salt. Finally, mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

4) Decorate as desired.  I like to use a 1M tip for cupcakes.


Espresso Buttercream (an extra frosting option, in case you are in a coffee mood)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons espresso powder

1) Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2) Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more.

3) Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

Sources:  for the cupcakes, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
             for the espresso buttercream, Brown Eyed Baker
             for the brown sugar frosting, Annie's Eats 
                (if you visit Annie's page, check out her cookie dough
                    cupcakes, they are amazing!)