Orange Scented Scones [sms]

This week's SMS, Orange Scented Scones, was chosen by Robin of Lady Craddock's Bakery. I didn't know that Robin lived in Orange - I actually live 2-ish cities down, Brea. Well, I guess that's where my parents live since I currently reside in Berkeley. I guess it's only right that she chose the orange scented scones. Orange, located in Orange County, was once in the center of orange production. Well at least Orange County was, not really anymore though - it's all industrialized.

As for me getting better, I have no idea if I'm better or not. The cough is still there, but emotionally and what not, I'm feeling LOTS better. I don't think that I have the swine flu, but I know that there has been lots of cases of the swine flu in the local area - mainly in the dorms.

Anyways back to the scones, they were yummy! it was CHOCOLATE and ORANGE so it was good. It was really yummy to eat it right of out the oven. I also topped them with cinnamon sugar because that makes everything yummy.

So in this recipe, we were supposed to use oat flour, but I decided to just use regular flour and some rolled oats. I added actual orange pieces in it and it was really good. It was a good idea to decrease the heavy cream as in suggested.

I also added coconut on one of them to see how different it'll be. It was good, but I think I enjoy the Chocolate Orange one better.

Recipe for the scones here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Poppy Seeds Galore [sms]

So I started to make this week's recipe chosen by Melissa from Lulu the Baker. I thought I would have a great adventure story about finding the poppy seeds, but I found them at a local grocery store before leaving for Berkeley. At home [Brea], my parents have a lemon tree that grows HUGE lemons so I had brought a couple of those because they dont use them and I might as well use them. So I decided to make both variations of the poppy seed cake - in cupcake form. In addition, I didnt get to use a blender/food processor, I have neither here so I just zested the orange and lemon and squeezed as much juice as I could out of them.

So I knew that I had some strawberries that I didn't feel like eating, but wanted to bake with. I found this really nice recipe that uses strawberries and poppy seeds. LOW FAT TOO! Anyways, so I made all three of these. In one night. Ambitious I know. It wasnt that hard actually. I enjoyed it enough.

President's retreat was crazy fun and amazing. I was sweaty from being in the heat in Fresno, but then again, I was able to go into a river and meet some amazing people. It was really fun and I'm really glad that I went. I am all sore all over, but I'm glad that I went. =]

Orange

Lemon

Strawberry!

I had not put on the glaze since I was roadtripping with these poppy seed cupcakes, but I know that I wish that I did!

Recipe here for the whole lemon/orange poppy seed cake!

Tropical Lemon Cupcakes

Oh this cupcake and cake were delicious. I was out with Alex and Macky that day. Eating at cheeseboard was awesomely amazing too. They have yummy pizza and all of its vegetarian.

Then we baked Virginia Carpenter's Tropical Lemon Cake. Virginia is one of the Berkeley Kiwanians that I had competed against. Her cake had won so I decided to make it for myself. She was so right. This cake was amazing. Nothing like it that I've tasted. Sweet and Sour.

Recipe for the cake/cupcakes:
Ingredients:
1 (18.25 oz) package of lemon cake mix
1 (3 oz) package of lemon flavored gelatin mix
5 eggs
1 cup of veg oil
3/4 cup of fresh orange juice

Directions:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 in pan or line a cupcake pan with liners.
In a large bowl stir together the cake mix and lemon jello.
Combine the eggs, oil, and orange juice in a blender and blend for 5 minutes (or since I didnt have a blender, in a bowl with a hand mixer.)
Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
Beat for another 5 minutes. Pour into pan/cupcake liners.
Bake the cake for 40-45 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. I had baked my cupcakes for like 15-20 minutes.

Glaze:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
2 cups of powdered sugar
Directions:
Combine the fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Beat until smooth.

Put it all together!
When the cake/cupcakes come out of the oven, make sure to make holes with either a fork or tooth picks. Then pour the glaze of the cake/cupcakes.

Very moist and yummy cake!

All of them! So many!

Thanks for Alex and Macky for helping me!
<3 Nina