I am a Cupcake Fairy Godmother!

This is dedicated to my friend Alicia in California. Remember her? I flew out to her a few years ago when she was getting married (see the blog story here).

She recently found out she is expecting a baby girl, and this is her adorable little baby bump ♥

And when I made these stenciled baby shower cupcakes, I thought they might match her belly perfectly.

A sweet baby girl, already leaving a trail of sparkly footprints (in the belly..and soon on her own path in the world).  

♥

Yesterday...  I received this wonderful surprise in the mail, and it made me think about something interesting:

A thank you letter from Daisy Troop 2289 with a custom made cupcake patch!
The girls from the troop designed this Amanda Cupcake patch after taking one of my classes, and now they proudly wear the patch on their sashes!  This by far was one of the best presents I have ever received in the mail.   That's when I realized I too, am on a maternal journey in my very own way. I am a cupcake fairy godmother to all these girls and all the babies/kids I meet along this cupcake journey!  But you know what else is awesome about this "cupcake fairy godmother" responsibility? All the moms and mommies and daddies to be that I meet along the way.  I share the excitement with them every time they visit me or I create a custom cupcake order for them. Maybe Alicia will ask me to be the cupcake fairy godmother for her baby girl?! I hope so.

See these two?  They are husband and wife. Lizzi and Alex Brockmann.

They drove out to my cupcake mansion in the snow (as you can see above) and ordered an item off of my secret menu.  A wish (and wishes are free at The Cupcake Mansion). All you have to do is ask for a handful of sprinkles to take outside and throw in the wind and make a wish. Lizzi didn't tell me what her wish was when she was throwing the sprinkles until her wish came true ♥  Lizzi is wishing in this photo..to have a baby..and she recently revealed to me that her wish came true. She is pregnant! 

Since I am over 2000 miles away from Alicia during a precious time in her life, my hope through this blog is to share some fun cupcake ideas/recipes with her, and maybe someone who loves her can try to recreate their own cupcake love and it can be expressed to her across the miles!  (and what's really awesome..now you can try these too).

Some Cupcake Fairy Godmother Inspiration: 

BEEHIVE CUPCAKES ♥

Cupcakes are Lemon Sundrop flavored. (easy bake at home recipe below!)    Can you tell..it's a girl?! I filled a disposable piping bag with my buttercream frosting (see recipe below). The tip I used was a giant 1A round tip to swirl dreamy fat beehive swirls on top of the cupcake.  The colors used: Americolor Electric Yellow and Americolor Electric Pink. ♥ The bees on the top are made out of yellow fondant, white heart shaped sprinkles for the wings, and a chocolate jimmie for the stinger.  The stripes are drawn on with a black edible ink marker.  You can also buy pre-made bees as pictured above too if you want a quicker option!  The pre-made bees are by Wilton and are sold at cake decorating supply stores ♥

Mini Baby Bump Cupcakes ♥

These were for a boy. You can tell because the heart on the belly is blue! (but you could easily change it to pink).  How I made these:  2 mini cupcakes, and one large cupcake for body shape! I stuck them all close enough together to make "mini baby bump" cupcake cakes! People are always making big Baby Bump cakes lately..I figured I'd give baby belly cupcakes a shot:

Baby Reveal Cupcakes (It's a boy):

I filled the inside of each vanilla cupcake with sky blue frosting for the boy (using Americolor Gel Paste.  If it was for a girl, you could use Electric Pink Gel Paste by Americolor).  The top of the cupcake is a heart..divided between pink and blue ♥ Is it a girl..or a boy?  I've heard it truly doesn't matter because you'll love him/her no matter what (that's why I made the heart)!

Ladybug cupcakes:

Everything edible and made by hand! The face made out of an oreo, cut not in half, but about 3/4.  The mouth made out of a red heart sprinkle. Sugar eyes.  M&Ms as the spots.  The antenna are drawn on parchment paper using chocolate candy melts (I cut a hole in the end of a disposable piping bag filled with melted candy melts and drew little lines on a parchment paper lined pan to make the antenna!  I added little heart sprinkles to the top of the antenna while the chocolate was still wet).  Frosting color used:  Super Red ♥

For the NICU Nurses:

Handmade and delivered in person to the NICU nurses at St Elizabeth Hospital here in Appleton, Wisconsin.  NICU nurses are wonderwomen! They should wear capes with their uniforms (and I believe that they are also fairy godmothers) ♥

Lemon Sundrop Cupcakes: (great to use with the beehive cupcakes)

♥Bake At Home Version of Amanda Cupcake's recipe♥

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix

1 cup Sundrop

1 tbl lemon zest (optional)

1 small box instant lemon pudding

1 tsp lemon extract

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

Directions:

Pour your box mix into stand mixer. Make sure you pour your Sundrop out of the can ahead of time into a bowl or clear measuring cup so it will lose some of its “fizz”. Once this is done, you can add to your box mix. Add box of lemonpudding, in powder form to the mixture. Add lemon extract & oil. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes until well blended. Last, add your lemon zest using a spatula. Bake at 350 in cupcake tins (filled about 2/3 full) for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Optional: Dip your cupcakes in a lemon sundrop syrup so they have a deeper Sundrop flavor.  Mix 1/2 Cup of lemonsundrop with 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar.  After your cupcakes have cooled, dip the top of each one in your Sundrop syrup. The syrup will saturate the cupcake so the Sundrop flavor is more intense.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

1 lb of unsalted butter

5 tbl of heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 tsp lemon extract

2 tsp lemon zest
5 Tablespoons Mountain Dew or Sundrop Soda

Around 8-10 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Cut butter into small squares into a large bowl and blend with mixer until fluffy. Add soda beverage, whipping cream, vanilla, and lemon extract to butter. Once ingredients are incorporated, turn mixer down to low and gradually add powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency (the more powered sugar you add, the thicker the texture of frosting-if frosting is too thick, you can always thin it out with heavy whipping cream so don't be afraid to add powdered sugar!  Frosting pipes out more beautiful when it is on the "stiff" side). Last, add your lemon zest by hand.  

The "Fun" In "Funfetti!" Cake Batter Cupcakes!

What can you think of that compares to eating cake batter?

If you think about it, your typical white cupcakes don't even taste like cake batter.

And there is always some special memory of a woman in your life involved with eating cake batter because she'll always lick the bowl with you while she's baking (whether it's your mom, grandma, BFF, or wifey).

I'll reveal a secret here.  (My favorite thing about baking cupcakes is sampling the batter.  I was born a rebellious spatula licking cake batter lover, even after all the warnings about salmonella. And I'm pretty healthy)!

What's even better than cake batter alone....

Sprinkles and Cake Batter!

Cake Batter=Fun

Sprinkles + Cake Batter=Funfetti! ♥

(I think I even just somehow managed to make math fun).

This cupcake goes out to you, my fellow cake batter lovers.

Yay!

Cupcakes that taste like cake batter.

The secret is really in the frosting more than anything else.  I poured half a bag of Pillsbury White Cake Mix in the frosting blend. It was that easy. You can do it too. Now my mind is running away with me because this adventure made me realize that the grocery store aisles could be *full* of things to mix in frosting. Oh my. 

There's a cheesecake filling inside of the cupcake that resembles the texture of cake batter. 

And sprinkles..of course!

The cool thing about this recipe.. is that you can make many things. Cupcakes, Cakes, Cake Pops.  

I even made this giant cupcake with a cupcake liner of sprinkles to celebrate a special birthday♥

This recipe is for more nostalgic moments in the kitchen.  

Please don't forget to add sparkles! ♥♥♥♥

Cake Batter Cupcakes Recipe:

(this one's easy, you will be a cake mix doctor)

1 Box Pillsbury or Duncan Hines Cake Mix

1 1/2 Cups of Buttermilk in place of water

4 Eggs

1 (4 oz) box of White Chocolate Pudding

1 tsp almond extract

1/3 Cup of Vegetable Oil

2 Cups of Multi-Colored Sprinkles

1.  Line your Cupcake Pans with 18 Cupcake Liners

2.  Preheat oven to 325.

3.  Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, whip white Cake Mix, Buttermilk, Pudding, Eggs, Almond Extract, and Vegetable Oil in Stand Mixer until fluffy (for about 2 minutes).  Make sure you scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to blend all the yummy-ness together.

4.  Fold sprinkles into cake batter using rubber spatula ♥

Using an ice cream scoop, fill your cupcake liners about half full with batter.

Before putting your cupcakes in the oven, you'll want to make your 

Cheesecake/Cake batter-esque filling:

Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 egg

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Whip Cream Cheese, Egg Sugar, and Vanilla in a medium sized bowl until creamy.

Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop this on top of the cake batter in cupcake liners.

Bake your cupcakes at 325 for appx 18-22 minutes. When your cupcakes are baked, the "cheesecake" portion might look unfinished. This is supposed to stay soft, to resemble cake batter!

The Cake Batter Flavor is in the Frosting! ! ! ! !

7 oz Marshmallow Fluff

2 Cups of Unsalted Butter

1/2 Package of White Cake Mix

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Appx 8 Cups of Powdered Sugar

Optional: 2-3 Tablespoons of Heavy Whipping Cream

Using the paddle attachment, whip Marshmallow Fluff and Butter together (both at room temperature) in a stand mixer.  Next add White Cake Mix and Vanilla Extract.  Gradually add Powdered Sugar until frosting is the thickness desired. (Less Powdered Sugar=light and dreamy fluffy frosting.  More Powdered Sugar=thick stiff frosting good for piping details)

Tip:   If you add too much powdered sugar and want a fluffy, lighter frosting.you  use the heavy whipping cream in your frosting recipe.

Yes, I had a Giant Sparkly Cupcake Party....

Everyone at least once in their life should host something as fabulous as a Giant Sparkly Cupcake Party. ♥ I did last week, and it was wonderful.

(This is me and my giant sparkly cupcake, photo courtesy of my talented friend Angela from Angel Cakes). 

I made a cupcake vow to my hometown of Waupaca, and to all my cupcake friends......When I reached 1000 "likes" on the Amanda Cupcake Facebook page, I would return the love by baking and swirling a giant sparkly cupcake like magic.  

♥

I invited everyone in town and from afar to eat my giant cupcake magic with me.

And if you dare...you could wear a tutu with me while eating a cupcake at the same time.  I mean..I spill frosting and edible glitter on my tutu often!  I wonder what my designer Mir Tutu thinks of that?

 

The journey to becoming a giant sparkly cupcake isn't always predictable. (This is what my colorful cake batter looked like in the pan before baking). 

..This is the unpredictable proof, at 350 degrees.  My colorful cake batter turned into a very beautiful kaleidoscope while baking. (Hint: Curiosity is a good thing! I would have never discovered such a beautiful sight if I wasn't curious enough to peek inside the oven 10 minutes after my giant cupcake started baking!)

♥

I am glad I didn't eat my giant sparkly cupcake alone.

So many of my friends showed up, 

and they are all wonderful characters:

A Tu - Tu Designer.

A Chef.

Two Cupcake Superstars.

Some Young Aspiring Superstars.

My Artist Boyfriend. (the one who made this amazing drawing of me).

An Adorable Birthday Girl and Her Daddy.

My Friend from the Waupaca Middle School Dance Team (remember Chocolate Peanut Butter Love?)

My blonde bombshell of a friend. (there's always a blonde bombshell).

My past high school teacher who gives the best cupcake hugs.

 My Make-Up Artist Friend Kate Unger who gave make-overs all night.

Nicki Minaj as the soundtrack.

Eeek! Look at the adorable mini cupcake cake pops Angel Cakes made just for me!  They look just like my giant cupcake, except in mini giant cupcake size! 

 

♥ Angel Cakes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am still squealing with joy.  Just look at the box! You put so much ♥ into this wonderful gift.

Or what about this Ranch Bacon Cupcake that tasted just like a dream Subway sandwich,  masterminded by my Master Chef friend Lonnie and her talented tutu designer sister Miranda?

Lonnie and Miranda call them Dainty Dinners. ♥

Who says cupcakes can't be savory instead of sweet?

.....and of course..one giant sparkly cupcake.

 ♥

I tried to top the giant cupcake with a whole crazy mixture of everything I've piled high on cupcakes in the last year:

Love.

Sparkles.

Gems.(edible ones like glitterized peanut butter cups).

Disco Cherries.

Life.

Color.

Sparkling Oreo Cookies. 

I even made the cupcake liner out of chocolate candy melts. 

And the cutting of the cake.. was just a sweet & beautiful disaster. 

It was so ginormously spectactular, we cut the cupcake with a cleaver.

It's a rare, but alluring surprise when something is just as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside!

An even bigger sparkly giant cupcake party:

Will happen when I reach 1999 likes on Facebook.

That means more cupcake love for the world to share.

♥

Mark your calendar. 

Jelly Belly Cupcake Contest ♥ Amanda Cupcake Style

I just entered the Jelly Belly Cupcake Contest..
I know what I would do with the $10,000 if I won!

 

I'd contribute it to opening Amanda Cupcake as a *bakery*.

I can imagine what my bakery would look like.

• An Amanda cupcake "cupcake" of the day.
• Creative cupcake making classes.
• I'd want to hire a creative pie baker. (I am more of the cupcake girl although I do make yummy mini pies).
• An interesting visual display of cupcakes upon entering.
• The smell of sugar and frosting and yummy-ness in the air.
• Some old school flair (coffee cake, donut holes with pretty sprinkles-things you miss from the old school bakeries).
• Coffee and Cake Pops.
• Conversation and romantic dates. Maybe future husbands and wives would meet on their first date over a cupcake here!
• And I would definitely want to see a line out the door.
• That would just mean that my dream of sharing my cupcake love is spreading around the world.

My Jelly Belly Cupcake Entries:

 Giant Cupcake with an Edible Jelly Belly Liner.  This whole thing is a cupcake.  But the Liner is made out of Edible Candy Melts.  (I molded it using a giant cupcake pan)  Then I "glued" each Jelly Belly to the Cupcake liner using melted chocolate.

I think of people like my dad who like to "pick" through the jelly beans and addictively eat them.  Can you imagine entertaining a party with this giant cupcake?  All your friends could stand around and pick off the jelly belly flavor they wanted to eat! And don't forget to mention the cupcake underneath it all!

Some of the Jelly Belly Flavors I used:

Pomegranate

Tutti Frutti

Chocolate Pudding

Cotton Candy

Pomegranate Cosmo

 I swirled on some chocolate cream cheese frosting.  And a disco cherry! True to the "Very Cherry" Jelly Belly Appeal.

I tried to make the other entries true" to the Jelly Belly brand.

Beautiful, colorful, fun, and about the flavor!

Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Cupcake.  I used the Toasted Marshmallow Jelly Belly Beans as the "Marshmallows"

I sprinkled on some graham cracker butter crumbs..Added a clear candy "spark" (to resemble a spark in the fire you are toasting your marshmallow in!) And of course..a Hershey bar!

I made a "blue velvet" cupcake that tastes like a blueberry jelly belly.  The cupcake itself is blue. The frosting is blue.  Decorated with a delicious carmelized candy bridge, some blueberry Jelly Belly beans..and topped with a fresh blueberry! So delish.

Cupcakes for Sweet Nica

First of all, can I just say that Anna, my new friend who ordered the cupcakes in this blog is "THE REASON" why I love delivering cupcakes to people?! It was her daughter Nica's 3rd birthday soiree and I was gladly asked to take charge of the sugar rush (dessert of course!)

Anna gave me the warmest sweetest hug when I arrived with Nica's giant Tinkerbell cupcake. She was BEAMING!

A quote from Anna which will take its place in history on my Amanda Cupcake Facebook page:

Amanda!!!! This is without a doubt the most beautiful and amazing cake I have ever seen and tasted! Our friends and family LOVED the giant cupcake. They were absolutely impressed. They all said they had never seen anything like this and wished you were in milwaukee. Nica was SO in love with the cake too, she just stared at it and checked out every detail. Thank you So sosososo much!


Who wouldn't just float into lightly frosted meringue heaven when hearing such a compliment?

When I arrived with all of the confectionary delights, little Nica was standing at the front door in awe, barely holding back her excitement.

I made Nica a giant chocolate cupcake.
The Frosting was Strawberry Meringue ♥
Tinkerbell crowned the giant cupcake on a sparkly pink rose petal. ♥



The front of the giant cupcake was light pink.
The back of the cupcake faded into a hot pink.



Rosettes, Swirls & Twirls of Au Natural Strawberries.

I created a giant cupcake liner out of chocolate.

Happy!

Filled the cake with strawberries & strawberry meringue.

.
 Anna ordered a lot of other cupcakes too-this blog had to be VIP reserved for Nica's giant Tinkerbell cupcake!
 ♥