Cupcake Nuggets

I saw this very innovative creation on the Cupcake Activist's blog.  It didn't only make me craving for cupcakes, but chicken nuggets too.  They looked so real and so cute!  I need to make this one of these days=) Perfect sweet treats for kid's birthday party or bridal/baby showers=)

The recipe is originally from a blog, called the Cupcake Project.  According to the creator, "Cupcake nuggets are cupcake pieces breaded with cupcakes and then deep fried.  Cupcake nuggets look enough like fast food chicken nuggets to fool all but the nugget connoisseur, but taste like doughnuts with crispy, sweet exteriors."

For recipe and more interest cupcake projects, click here.

Whiskey White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe

I made some cookies for the family during Christmas time.  Sound strange but I got to admit that I don't like to drink any kinds of alcohol beverages.  However, I do like to use alcohols to cook and bake.  I think the alcohols take the food or the baked goodies to a deeper level of flavor.

Whiskey White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Recipe (Make about 24 cookies)

Ingredients

You could ignore the oatmeal in the picture. 
I was thinking of putting some oatmeal inside the batter, but I though it will be too much texture for one little cookie.

• 1/2 cup of Whiskey and 1/2 of Gold Rum (to soak the cranberries in, then saving 2 teaspoons of it for later), if you don't have rum, just use 1 cup of Whiskey.
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup (two sticks) of butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips

Instruction

1. Put the cranberries in a measuring cup and then pour whiskey and/or rum.  Put the cup in a microwave and heat it for 30 seconds.  And let the cranberries soak in the alcohol for about 15 to 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until light, fluffy and well incorporated.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and add 2 teaspoons of the Whiskey that the cranberries soaked in. Beat well until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through to ensure even mixing.

4. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the mixture a bit at a time, beating until just mixed. Fold in the brandy soaked cranberries (get rid of the liquid by squeezing the cranberries) and white chocolate chips. Let chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.

5.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Flour your hands (to prevent the dough sticking on your hands), and grab about a spoonful of dough and make it about a size of ping-pong ball.

6. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I made some little vintage inspired tags to dress up the cookies.

I need a break and a whoopie pie

I have no idea since when whoopie pies have become a trend.  You see them everywhere now, even at Starbucks!  They are a very easy to make little treat at home.  They are also good for party, or put them in a cute box; they would become a very sweet and cute favor for your guests to take home.

I found this chocolate whoopie pie's recipe from Food.com.  They came out taste good and moist, but they are very messy and sticky to roll though.  Since this is my very first time of making whoopie pies, I am sure I could develop a better recipe in future.

Make about 20 pies

Prepare Time: 20 mins

Bake Time: Approximately 15 mins

Whoopie Pie

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whoopie Pies: In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and oil until crumbly. Add eggs and beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. Gradually beat flour mixture into sugar mixture. Add milk and mix together well.
4. With lightly lightly floured hands, roll dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place balls 2" apart onto cookie sheets lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten balls slightly with bottom of lightly greased flat-bottom glass.
5. Bake at 425F for 5-6 minutes or until tops are cracked. Cool for 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

I didn't make the filling.  I have a whipped cream in my fridge, so I just pipe my pies with the whipped cream.  But below is the filling recipe I found on Food.com.  If you are on the rush, whipped cream is a good alternative.  If you have ice cream at home, you could even make it like a ice cream sandwiches. 

Filling

4 tablespoons milk

4 tablespoons butter or 4 tablespoons shortening, softened to room temp Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in milk and extract until fluffy.

3 -3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (OR mint extract is good)

1. Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in milk and extract until fluffy.
2. Pipe filling using pastry bag (or spread w/ knife) on to flat bottom of cooled whoopie pie and top with another whoopie pie to make a sandwich.