Coconut Cupcakes

Saturday night - what is a regular college kid doing? Most likely at a frat party, getting drunk.

Unlike them, I'm at a kickback, not drinking. It's like a kickback-housewarming party. So I asked the hosts what they wanted me to bring out of the two choices - coconut cupcakes or rootbeer float cupcakes. Two out of the three wanted coconut cupcakes so I went with that.

This was really simple to put together. It was just basically throwing everything together and I really enjoyed that because I am sick and I just can't stand anything too hard.

It was simple - just mix everything and into the oven it goes. While I was waiting for the cupcakes to finish baking, I whipped together the cream cheese frosting. Very simple, very tasty.

While waiting for the cupcakes to cool, I just put the frosting into the freezer. That's how I make sure that my frosting is pipe-able. I stirred every once in a while to make sure that frosting was not freezing too much.

Recipe:
[found here]
/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
7 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut [I had toasted it]

Frosting
1/2 pound (1 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, room temp
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry.
Mix until just combined.
Fold in 3 1/2 ounces of coconut [I basically took a little more than half and put it into the batter]
Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Fill each liner to the top with batter. [I put two tablespoons in]
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes [mine were done in 15], until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts.
Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

I also topped mine with these coconut M&M's I found at the local supermarket. SUPER FUN!

Caramel Apple Turnover [sms rewind]

I made these recently because I had many more apples than I know what to do with. You will see many more apple recipes soon.

Anyways, this SMS recipe was from ages ago - before I had join the group.

These turnovers were one of the things I had been eyeing since I do enjoy a good turnover. What happened to these turnovers, I have no idea.

First - as I was making the caramel apples - it just didnt turn out caramel-y. It had been okay and I went to do something else, and when I came back like a minute later, they were too far gone. I was lazy, and I just kept them be. They were really sugarly, but it was still good.

Second, for some reason, the puff pastry hates me too. I had left it out to defrost a little since it was too hard to undo without it defrosting a little. I had fallen asleep and so when I got back up, it was too doughy for me to work me. Then back into the freezer it went, but it still wouldnt separate. *sigh* It was just not my recipe I suppose.

Regardless. I had made the turnovers as best I could. The triangles didn't all work out, so I made them into eggroll shaped and some of them opened up and looked like hotdogs.

With the extra ricotta cheese and eggs, I decided to do something different. I had made a sweet omelette. It was quite interesting. I think the sugar and the eggs worked out pretty well together. It's something that I would definitely try again when I have extra sugar and eggs.

Recipe found here!

Tagged!

So, I just got tagged by Shandy for this a-z post. I know that I often do this on facebook, but never on my blog, but oh well! She's a great blogger and person! Recently graduated college, but she's going great with her career and baking! Procrastination has taken hold which is why I'm doing this now...

My Tag:

1. A – Available/Single? Taken by my boyfriend. <3>

2. B – Best friend? My boyfriend, my "husband" Dmitriy, and quite a few other people.

3. C – Cake or Pie? Cupcakes.

4. D – Drink of choice? Water, but sometimes I enjoy a soda, lemonade or iced tea. Coffee is a need when I stay up doing homework only to have a 9:30AM class.

5. E – Essential item you use every day? Mousse, Cell phone, Lotion, my PLANNER!

6. F – Favorite color? I should be putting Blue and Gold for Cal, but I really do like the color Red.

7. G – Gummy Bears or Worms? Sour gummy worms.

8. H – Hometown? Born in Beijing, China, lived in Brea, CA for most of my life. Living in Berkeley now....

9. I – Indulgence? Baking stuff. Lots of pretty decorations or cupcake liners.

10. J – January or February? January. Boyfriend's birthday and I dont have school for most of January.

11. K – Kids & their names? No kids yet.

12. L – Life is incomplete without? Friends and Family, Circle K, and Baking.

13. M – Marriage date? n/a - I'm not married.

14. N – Number of siblings? 1 - my little brother.

15. O – Oranges or Apples? Oranges.

16. P – Phobias/Fears? I'm afraid of failing. I like doing everything perfectly the first time. I hate it when things don't work out as they should.

17. Q – Quote for today? Love each other or perish - Tuesdays with Morrie

18. R – Reason to smile? Anything and Everything. Mainly for today - no school tomorrow!

19. S – Season? I love the summer. Cute dresses and everything!

20. T – Tag 4 People? 1. Alex Chu - because he encourages me to bake and he's one of my closest guy friends before he moved to Socal, far far away from Berkeley (sorta). 2. Gail N. - because she's awesomely amazing. She's doing what she loves. 3. Katiecakes - because she's an awesome baker and her stuff always looks so good. 4. Stephanie - because we're both in school and baking - it's two full time jobs =].

21. U – Unknown fact about me? I actually chose to go to Berkeley due to it's business school. Although I was not eventually selected to be in the business school, I absolutely love it here. I enjoy my major and the freedom of classes that I am able to take as not a business major.

22. V – Vegetable you don't like? Eggplant.

23. W – Worst habit? I bite my nails. It's getting better as my friend and I are getting our nails done so I don't bite them as m.

24. X – X-rays you've had? Foot - when I thought I sprained it. Arm - when I fractured my elbow in the 2nd grade. Teeth - dentist.

25. Y – Your favorite food? Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken. or...this Chinese dish that my Mom makes with egg and tomato with rice.

26. Z – Zodiac sign? Sagittarius

Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake [sms]

This week's SMS, Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake, was chosen by Sarah of Blue Ridge Baker. She always has some beautiful pictures that make me drool all the time.

This was a great choice for this week. I had quite a bit of baking, but it was fun to take a step back and create this for my friends and I. This has been my first REAL week of school. Thank you for everyone's encouragement last time - I really feel like I can get through this year. It's going to be hectic, but it'll be nice to be in the swing of everything. The classes that I'm finally enrolled in are just so interesting.

Since the last time I've posted, I've decided to get Jason Mraz tickets. =] He's coming to the Berkeley Greek Theater again, Oct 9th. My friends and I have decided to go and see him. I'm so looking forward to it. I'll be sure to post pictures when that time comes.


Anyways, I had a great time making these. I had bought some blackberries, strawberries and kiwi to top these yummy souffles. I think that it was a great choice just to make a quarter of the recipe. I had intended to just make an eighth, but I decided to make it a quarter at the last moment because I was afraid that the souffle part wouldn't be enough in the ramekin.

I think it was a healthier choice than I normally bake is great! I really enjoyed it.

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

Turtle Cupcakes

These turtle cupcakes were made for a friend of mine who is leaving for Saipan.

Byebye Hedwig, I'll miss you!

One of his favorite things is turtles so I decided to make him turtle cupcakes - even though they aren't turtles, it's in the name. He also loves the Lakers and Kobe. So in honor of Kobe's old number - 8 - I decided to use the sugar ball thingies that I bought a while ago and use 8 of them. It was a great thing because even if people didn't realize it, I knew it. =]

I'm going to miss him!

As for the recipe - I had it but now I can't find it anymore. SORRY! But I did write down the ingredients for the cupcake part.
Ingredients:
1 egg
2/3 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of flour
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of cocoa
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 cup of hot coffee
Directions:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Mix the egg, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract together.
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Pour in the hot coffee and stir until fully mixed.
Pour into your cupcake liners and bake for 15 mins or so.

I had used my buttercream from the dobos torte so I didnt have to make anymore. I had cut a v-shape well into my cupcakes to fill it with caramel and pecans. I finished the cupcakes with some sprinkles.