Christmas tree cupcakes

 

Hi check out this creative idea i got online, it makes a 'tower'. Just think this could be an excellent cupcake christmas tree if the stand is the right shape!!

Do you have any creative ideaws for christmas already??

Saffron Cupcakes

I found a great creative idea for Saffron cupcakes along with the idea to put a wristband around the cupcake as a gift! Genius! Now thats a creative idea..

Essie said...

Saffron cupcakes sounds amazing. Just one thing where do you find it? can you buy Saffron at anywhere? As far as I know its expensive? The Band around the cupcake is an excellent idea!Would be great to give a cupcake to friends with a special message on..Please tell me more about Saffron.
October 2, 2009 10:16 AM
Stef said...

Essie - Yes, saffron is expensive, but you can find it the spice section of most supermarkets.

Hows that for a creative idea?? Excellent
October 2, 2009 7:12 PM

Cupcakes & Coffee

Cupcakes are of course One of my fave pick-me ups.Having said that one of my other favourite treats is coffee. I say 'treat' because there is so many creative ideas that can be dreamed up. Lately I absolutely love using cinnamon as opposed to sugar. I also really enjoy almond syrup. Nothing like a delicious, creamy , aromatic cuppa accompanying cupcakes. For an interesting creative idea/take on the above make a vanilla cupcakes (see origanl recipe on my blog post "QUICK CUPCAKE RECIPES")add cinnamon to the cupcake batter. Put high quality instant coffee granules in vanilla icing. Decorate cupcakes with a sprinkling of cinnamon & a coffee bean & voila! Quick, easy, creative cupcakes (stylish too)
For more creative ideas Click Here!

MORE SAVOURY CUPCAKES!!

 

September 26, 2009 1:29 PM
Essie said...

Hey Kimberly, Im so pleased that you replied. Do you have any other creative ideas for savoury cupcakes?.By the way i read your profile & i think you are hilarious!
September 27, 2009 3:26 AM
Kimberly said...

Thanks, Essie ... I do have my funny moments : )

Here are some more creative ideas for savory cupcakes from Stef at Cupcake Project:

Tomato Cupcakes

Olive Oil Cupcakes with Lemon, Thyme, and a Balsamic Vinegar Whipped Cream

Fiesta Cupcakes

I hope you like them!

Kimberlys blog

Kimberly said...

Thanks, Essie.

All the credit for this creation goes to Stef at Cupcake Project (http://www.cupcakeproject.com/) ... you should check out her site for even more creative ideas for savory cupcakes.

Check out Kimberlys funky blog. http//kimberlyhenricks.blogspot.com

tks Kim.

For even more creative ideas Click Here!

Awww SWEEEEET!!!

 











Like the title of this post suggests, when I saw this pic I just HAD to share it..its so squishy..OK, so its not a cupcake cake BUT it is GORGEOUS.

Mind you looking at cakes & dresses all the day makes me wonder when if ever it will be my turn!!! Ive been seriously single for so long that at this rate Im going to run out of creative ideas to bag my own 'cupcake'

HAVE to put out a personal AD:

Cupcake baking, slightly loony with too many cats (kidding, only dogs)SWF seeks companion who enjoys cupcakes for breakfast(seriously I polished 4 for breakfast this morning..Im not even going to try & justify myself). Im only joking..sort of. Are you single? Would love to hear your comments(read moaning)!Are you planning a wedding? I would love to hear how you met..so I can start a hate blog..just kidding!!

Seriously though theres alot to be said for being single..for instance this morning I snuggled in with my cupcakes & cocunut squares(alas, Im a sinner), with a cup of sweet tea (not very creative but im all out of ideas so early int he morning). I have my freedom which wives & mums don't have much of...now Im rambling big time.
Still as much as all my fellow married friends try to convince my how 'lucky' I am to be single (I know they are right), I still get a bit warm & fuzzy when I see ultra nunu, squishy pics..sigh!

Oh well if will excuse me I have some frogs to kiss...For some creative ideas Click Here!

WEDDING CUPCAKE CAKES

 

This is a picture of the cupcake wedding cake( a creative idea for sure) at my sisters wedding for more Click Here!

SAVOURY CUPCAKES

 

This morning as I was contemplating a lazy Sunday breakfast (scrambles eggs & toast..few things more satisfying than scrambled eggs...or leftover cupcakes...or Malva pudding..sorry Im rambling)it occurred to me that a cupcake tasting evening for guests could be fantastic, then I thought, what if I made savoury cupcakes? Such as: Cheese cupcakes topped with cream cheese & smoked salmon...yummy(&maybe a dash of spring onion for garnishing).

I just want to try & turn the traditional cupcake upside down. How about vanilla cupcakes topped with cream cheese & strawberries??

OR....Spinach & feta cupcakes topped with Avocado & sour-cream.

OR....Bacon, feta & tomatoe cupcakes topped with mozzarella & cream.

Or..butternut, feta & loads of garlic with roasted pepper cream cheese on top.

Anyway that's what Ive got so far..if you have anymore ideas to add please dont hesitate. I would love to be inspired by you.

For more ideas Click Here!

CUPCAKES CARE

My friend Sam & I were discussing how its possible to use simple things to change & uplift your community. Now before you say oh no! not another blah blah change the world story. Just think about it. In your case(& mine)cupcakes are a wonderful & creative idea/tool toward promoting change. You are probably thinking how?? I don't have time.. I have nothing to offer. If all you have is the ability to make cupcakes, it enough.

The truth is we all have something to offer & its entirely possible to make/find time. If you find yourself wondering what is the point to life? What is my purpose? Why am I on the earth? You are asking the wrong questions. Your fulfillment could lie
in something as simple & trivial as giving cupcakes to people.THINK.ABOUT.IT. Everybody loves cupcakes. Everyone needs to feel valued. Everybody can get inspired with one great creative idea. CUPCACAKES!

Let me give you some creative ideas:

1: You could host a cupcake tasting event(selling tickets or perhaps a raffle) at your child's school & the proceeds could go to the local soup kitchen etc.

2: You could spend take cupcakes to your old age home to cheer up everyone's day.

3: You could start a kindnes campaign giving out cupcakes to strangers & encouraging them to give something (creative ideas) to others.

4: You could get a list of underprivileged children & plan a picnic or cupcake party (see my ideas QUIRKY CUPCAKES FOR KIDS) for them that will never be forgotten

5:You could go over to a neighbour or family that's going through a tough time & take them a tray with their favourite cupcakes & a card from you family to let them know that there is support & love when thy need it.

Creative ideas are endless...

The above is really just some ideas, you will know you community & how cupcakes can bring joy to others. I recently spoke to a lady who was brought up in a orphanage. She wasn't bitter or angry, in fact she reminisced about those years, because some youth evangelists took the time to listen & counsel every child/teen. They were taken on picnics & outings. You never know how far a cupcake & a smile can go in someones heart & life. That kind lady that I met is who she is, because someone cared enough to take the time to do something creative, execute the idea & instill confidence & value in who she was & is, as a person. Of course the biggest difference in her life is Jesus Christ. But you might be able to make that difference for someone with something as small & insignificant as a cupcake. You just might have a purpose & a calling after all.
Click Here!

MY OTHER CUPCAKE

 
Just wanted the whole world to see by beautiful 'Cupcake#2' this pic always makes me go awww... for some creative ideas Click Here!

Why Nigella loves Cupcakes??

Whilst I have alot to say about cupcakes I also have quite a bit to say about Nigella Lawson, first off I'm a fan of hers for a few reasons, one of which is she ignited my interest when it comes to cupcakes & baking in general. She always inspires me & gives me creative ideas.

I have in fact done quite a bit of reading regarding her online & have found so many people lamenting her(not very creatively & not too many clever one-liner ideas+
, saying: (& I quote) her recipes (cupcakes recipes & recipes in general) are too easy(huh???), that she assumes we are unintelligent & that her manner of addressing the camera is condescending. Well if easy, charming cupcake recipes & being comfortable with yourself is a problem I say, make the world problematic! It was quite disturbing to me that women were openly attacking her for being beautiful (quite odd, I don't imagine any of these ladies would compliment her if she were ugly!! In fact I'm quite sure there would be a few nasty one-liner hate-sites in her um..dishonour)

It seems to me that even in our modern world as much as things change things still stay the same, we all would like to have enough time to bake cupcakes with our kids(in my case my gorgeous nieces, creative pink cupcakes, see MY FAVOURITE CUPCAKE under cupcake inspiration).We all want to feel that we have a place to belong. That somehow in our own small way we have made a contribution that will last. Even if its the joy we give to others that they remember & tell others about. Even if the only creativity we can muster is a cupcake, its a worthwhile idea.

Which brings me back to Nigella, what she has taught me is that there are ways to find a compromise, that you can in fact have a lot of a little in life if you are willing to plan creatively & be willing to try any idea. Also what I have learnt from watching her is that its ok to be yourself, because you just might turn out to be somebody great, just the way you are. we all have something to add to this crazy, beautiful world, even if that 'something' is as simple as cupcakes & good home cooking.

Im grateful for Nigellas easy ( creative idiot proof) cupcake recipes/ideas & her naughty smile, because when all is said & done there simply isn't enough hours in the day & if being naughty puts you over, so be it!!

What do you think of Nigella? What do you think of her love for all things cupcake?? I would love to hear your thoughts..
For more creative ideas Click Here!

QUIRKY CUPCAKES FOR KIDS

There is so much creative & new ideas to get inspired & fun to be had planning children s parties, armed with inspiration & cupcakes. A truly magical day theme can easily & creatively take place without placing to much strain on ones budget.
Consider the following for inspiration.

SHEEP CUPCAKE:
Vanilla cupcake using mini white marshmallows to create the wool & one pink marshmallow to for the nose icing to create eyes & nostrils.

PIGGIE CUPCAKE:
Pink cupcake with pink marshmallows for ears & nose.Brown smarties for eyes.

CLOWN CUPCAKE:
Vanilla cupcake with a scoop of ice-cream with an ice-cream cone on top of ice-cream upside down(think ice-cream upside down on cupcake like a clown hat)smarties for eyes, a cherry for the nose & jelly tots for the collar around the edge of the cupcake.

BIRDS NEST CUPCAKES:
Chocolate cupcake with flake sprinkled liberally to create a 'nest' texture.Pre-made birds out of icing sugar on top, along with birds eggs made
out of candy.

BUTTERFLY CUPCAKES:
Pink cupcake. Using vanilla icing make the shape of each wing on wax paper, then freeze.Use a pink jelly-tot for the head. & a jelly worm for the body, attach wings.
(this one is truly a favourite as it takes no extra time & would make many a
little girls day).

PLACE-MAT CUPCAKE:
Vanilla cupcakes. For each child use a different colour icing along with a candle with a letter of the alphabet for each child's name( eg; Johnny- blue cupcake with the letter 'J'). Another idea is to make cupcakes for someones birthday decorated with their favourite colour & their name spelled out. Also, children could have a variety of coloured icing sugar to choose from, with different sweets & sprinkles. Making their own cupcake. Pictures of each cupcake could be taken with a message written from each child for the birthday boy/girl, its a great way to record memories.

SPIDER CUPCAKE FOR BOYS:
Chocolate cupcake. Green Astros for eyes, strings of liquorish for legs on each side.

PRINCESS/BARBIE CUPCAKES:
Pink cupcakes.Use rice paper to trace out a three-point crown. Coat with lemon juice & refrigerate till hard. Put a shiny pink sprinkle on each point using
a tiny dot of icing.Place crown on top of cupcake by pushing it into the icing(be liberal with the icing to make the crown stand).

TEDDIE CUPCAKES:
Any flavoured cupcake (depends on what colour you want your teddies to be).
Open a small biscuit (cookie), use each side as an ear. Use Brown smarties for eyes or Astros. cut a pink marshmallow for the nose & icing sugar for the mouth.

CUPCAKE FLOWERS:
Lemon & Strawberry cupcakes. Arrange a lemon cupcake in the centre & the pink cupcakes around as 'petals'. Decorate with Jelly-tots or sprinkles as you desire. The creativ decor ideas are endless, for more Click Here!

FUN FACTS ABOUT CUPCAKES

Fairycake is the (creative..if you can call it that.. not the smartest idea) Brit term for the American/Australian term cupcake.
( that’s right it takes a real man Brit or otherwise to eat a “Fairycake”).
There should be a support group for this sort of thing: “Hi I’m Mr. Churchill (all absurdity intended) & Im a Fairycake addict (perhaps some Village People in the background would be appropriate)..ok that’s it no more coffee(or cupcakes)for me..

Johhny Cupcakes is a wacky, creative clothing line.(I can think of a few unfair ideas & one-liners at Johnny's expense but I will restrain myself..sort of)

There’s a song called Cupcakes Taste Like Violence(that’s one way to describe a sugar high - A for creativity/ideas).

Captain Cupcake was the mascot for a baked goods company( there’s a new reason to wear undies over your clothes every day..... feel inspired, getting creative ideas?...thought not).

Cookies & Cupcakes were an arb band in the late 50s in America (something to do with My Boy Lollipop..hmm)

Camp Cupcake is the affectionate name by one time (we hope) attendee Martha Stewart.
(do you think the experience gave her creative wardrobe ideas..hee hee..nough said)

A Piece Of Cake:
A Memoir by Marie Antoinette(Just kidding couldn’t resist). Cupcake Brown is the author of the memoir about her downward spiral into drugs & prostitution(Gimme my heroin or the cupcake GETS IT!! Makes for creative/interesting 911 calls).

Ron Bennington loves cupcakes soooo much that he’s had one named after him in Chicago, at a place called Mollies. Makes you wonder if he knows he’s eating a “fairycake”.

There’s an actual fragrance called Cupcake. I’ve actually got a body lotion called Cupcake it smells like Vanilla...hmm if eating other people makes you a cannibal, what creative term do you get labeled if you have the idea to eat yourself).

There’s a song called Cupcake about gay marriage, narrating the story of a gay rights activist.(a bit of a contradiction in terms if you think about it...smart idea..creative..NOT!)

Cupcake is a derogatory, creative term for an effeminate man...shame what did the poor
cupcake do to deserve being compared to a man, any idea?...(ok just kidding..calm down.. breath)
For more creative ideas Click Here!

MY FAVOURITE CUPCAKE!!

Above is my most favourite cupcake(also known as squishy nunubug, creative..i know..you got better ideas?). Gorgeous isnt she?
However as much as I would like to brag this cupcake isn't mine. Shes my brother & beautiful wife's baby (one of 3).I'm a proud auntie. I bet you just cant help but smile & get wrapped up in her contagious(albeit goofy)laughter of my little cupcake. This fantastic moment got me to thinking why do we love cupcakes so much?. Its not just that they're delectable, sugary, delicious & addictive(& they are..), but more often than not cupcakes are part of all the beautiful moments in life creative occaions, birthdays, a treat for a job well done(er..or in some cases seemingly done..what they don't know cant hurt..kidding)lazy Sundays sitting around chatting with family friends discussing ideas about the future, cosy & warm. Of course munching on midnight snacks. Most importantly cupcakes represents being loved by others & the creative life we sometimes wished we could have or the type of role in life we we would like to fulfill, or at least it does to me. to be honest with the fast paced life we lead good old fashioned family time seems to have faded. So perhaps its time to make some new cupcake memories.

Heres some creative ideas, for example you could:

1 : Bake pink strawberry cupcakes & your children, neighbours children, neices & have a princess/barbie party with pink dresses & a tea party theme.

2: You do a grown-up, creative version of the above complete with marula cupcakes(see vanilla cupcake recipe below & add 15ml marula) cucumber/salmon sandwiches along with some good music. Theres so many creative ideas that would apply.

3: You could pack a lovely picnic basket along with some lemon cupcakes(summer sunshine type of idea)
& have a creative outing with your family/friends.

4: Consider making a cupcake birthday cake like a tower on a stand.

5: You could have a cupcake party, invite guests(great for kids or a family board games night). Each person gets to make & decorate their own creative cupcake/s with vanilla cupcakes made & ready along with different flavoured icing sugar & sprinkles.This idea really works.

I really hope the above inspires you to be more creative & fun with plenty of ideas with something as simple as a cupcake.
For more creative inspiration & ideas Click Here!

QUICK CuPcAkE ReCiPeS

Quick Cupcake Recipes
Cupcake recipes are so quick & easy to make if you know how! Heres one of my favourite creative recipes with endless ideas to create themes & flavours. Its to the point & cuts the err..cupcake when it comes to making cupcakes..read on:
Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups all self raising flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs

Easy Cupcake Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (160c). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.
Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl again. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.
Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
TA DA!!!! (that’s a technical term)
For more detailed creative info Click Here!
Then you can read my previous post on decorating cupcakes & get more creative ideas go mad & fab (going a bit drag my apologies all the pink on my blog went to my head..hee hee…no more coffee for me..help…)
to really get cracking & creative Click Here!

INSPIRING IDEAS FOR CUPCAKES

Cupcakes are have become the new ‘it’ creative cake because they are , more economical than traditional wedding cakes and usually easier to decorate as well offer more options & ideas, but sometimes decoration might be time consuming.So to help do away with the lengthy process heres some suggestions:

How about making each cupcake in a special shape? Such as: a flower, star or hearts?

There are specialty shaped pans to achieve that look.
Icing sugar pre-made flowers and fruits are always beautiful as decorations on cupcakes. The creativity & ideas are endless.

Use flowers (roses) for weddings and creative colour to go with the theme & décor works well too.

Try using different colors & ideas and you will get gorgeous one of a kind cupcake wedding cakes. For more elegant designs use the liners in different colors including gold or silver ones!

Once, I made cupcakes with spongebob faces . You guessed it! People like funny things, especially if they are sweet & cute. Gave everyone a smile on their dial. Its creative & fun.

How about Christmas bells & berries on cupcakes for a Christmas wedding.
Another you might want to consider is using using jewelry pre-made (of course).


The possibilities/ideas are endless as you may see, pre-made icing decorations provide so many easy creative options.

The other day I was watching a show on cake décor. The chef was so impressive(his decorating abilities I mean.. with all these celebrity chefs around its hard to tell which..yummy..err cake I mean).He used very dark choclate icing to make elegarnt twirls ontop of vanilla cupcakes with a dusting of gold…gorgeous(again the cake I mean…hmm)……anyway that’s enough from me. Hope I gave you some fresh cupcake inspiration!! He ws very creative, with innovative ideas.
For mor ideas & inspiration Click Here!