White Russian Cupcakes

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Liquor Cupcakes Adventure No. 2

Bring on the Jack and Coke Cupcakes! Adventures in Liquor part 2. I don't really like Jack Daniels. I am sorry but it is true. My friend drinks Jack & Coke all the time so I decided a little play on cakes for his birthday might be good.

Lets start with the cake. No matter how much cola syrup you add to your batter, it just doesn't make it to cola flavor. When I thought I finally had the right flavor of cake, I baked the batter. Wouldn't you know it? It comes out tasting more like root beer than cola. At least the cake was dense and moist!

Moving on to the butter cream...As I stated, I'm not a fan of JD. I added shot after shot to my butter cream because I didn't think I could taste the alcohol. Eventually I let my partner in crime taste it because I thought maybe my taste buds were on strike. The look on his face was that of a man who just took a shot of whiskey. Apparently, one could really taste the alcohol!

Great! I topped the cupcakes with a black  colored sugar and a Gummy Cola bottle.

Everything was going according to plan but then the birthday boy didn't show up until 2 days later. Most of the alcohol flavor had evaporated out of the butter cream and the root beer flavor seemed to get stronger. In the end, they were cute and neat but must be eaten right away!

Oh My Goodness- Homemade Ceviche!

Let's Get Liquored Up!

Recently, I have had a few male friends with birthdays. Rumor has it that boys don't appreciate regular cupcakes like us girls do. One thing they do appreciate is liquor! I had asked a friend what kind of cupcake he thought his brother might appreciate. I didn't get much of a response so I guessed. He is Irish (go figure with the last name of Conkey) so I decided to make him Irish Cream Cupcakes :) I read a few recipes and decided I was ready to experiment on my own. I made chocolate chip vanilla cupcakes with Starbucks Coffee but replaced 80% of the water with Saint Brendan's Irish Cream. Next, I made a Brendan's & Starbucks Coffee Buttercream. I topped these delightful little cakes with a square of Jameson Irish Whiskey Chocolate Bar. Cheers to the Birthday Boy!

Plant a Garden, Bake Cupcakes and Spread Love

 Today I will take a different approach than cupcakes, sprouts and critters. There are many people in this country rejoicing the death of a man many consider evil. I am just sad. I am sad there is so much hate in this world that people rejoice in death. I saw a billboard yesterday that showed "Battle in the Barn," some UFC style fight. The billboard showed men fighting each other and was covered in blood splatter. I thought to myself, "what is this world coming to when blood and fighting are on a billboard for all to see including small children? Are we so far desensitized that this doesn't bother us anymore?"

We never would have saw such violence 10 years ago. When did we become the Roman Mob? Violence and hate. I try to avoid it. Now that I have children in my life, I am appalled by it. Before I had a family of my own, I thought nothing of it. One of the reasons I started this post is because I really just want the world to be cupcakes, love and plants. I know after the news and all the noise today that the world is not just me. I have hope though, there are many people who are like me and think like me. Martin Luther King was one of them. 

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." —MLK

I have babies!

Although it has been very cold here -where is Spring, anyways?- I have sprouts. I have been monitoring my cold frame, making sure I wasn't cooking anything in there. The baby sprouts don't seem to be in jeopardy of that considering the chill still in the air. This weekend is the Spring Garden Fair and McLendon's 85th Annual Anniversary Sale and Pancake Breakfast. It is very exciting even though my Farmer's Almanac tells me the 30th Poor Planting Day. Break Ground Or Cultivate. Well poop. I don't know that I have any ground-breaking or cultivating to do. Now what :) Anyhow- I would like to share one or two of my sprouts with you...

Cucumbers pushing their way through the soil

Healthy Tomato

Wee Baby Tomatoes

Carrots on their way up

Peas! 

Turnips and Radishes

MMMM Cupcakes....

French Vanilla Cupcake with Lavender Frosting Topped with White Chocolate Decor 

Triple Chocolate Cupcake with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Baked in the Center Frosted with Charity's Peanut Butter Buttercream

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream Topped with White Chocolate Decor

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes covered in Lemon Buttercream  Folded with Fresh Strawberries Topped with True Lemon

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcake with Mini Eggs baked in the Center Frosted with Champagne Buttercream Adorened with Mini Eggs

The boy turns 14

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting per resquest...

Kya and Strawberry

I made a critter for my little cousin Kya. Her name is Strawberry and she has magic powers. She helps little girls sleep when they can't or when they are feeling bad or when they are in pain.
Here is a picture of Kya...and she really is this pretty.

And this is Strawberry...

Her cute little tail

And this is Strawberry just before she was sent off in an envelope to Kya...

  

Happy Trails Strawberry....Heal that little girl..

Sticking to it....

I am still following my farmer's almanac for my gardening. This last weekend allowed me to get my seeds into the dirt (finally). Ok, maybe I am being dramatic but it's only because by this time last year I had starts already. If I have time and patience, everything will turn out better....right?

Dirt...check. Started fertilizer....check....Seeds....check. Starter plant boxes....check. I planted carrots (Heirloom Rainbow Mix), 5 different kinds of tomatoes, 2 different cucumbers, swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, microgreens, peas, beans, strawberries, and I SHOULD have planted my peppers but I forgot :( Now I have to wait until my planting schedule says "It's a good day to plant peppers"...Patience.

So, I figured I would post a picture of "My Area of Operation" so you can see what I am working with :)

To the right is my raised garden beds. These will host carrots, lettuce, spinach, and peas...first. Once that crop starts coming up, I might add some radishes and turnips.  To the left is my flowers, which I planted on Sunday as well. They are an experiment. I am alittle worried they might seed up and spread to my veggie garden. If this happens, they might be sacrificed. We'll see. Also on the left is my super awesome cold-frame, currently hosting my tomato, cucumbers and pea starts.  All of the pots to the right, farther down the path are full of a variety of items, including lavender, onions, chives, and some potted bulb flowers. May are empty and awaiting some plant love.

Anyway, My area is small but it's all mine and it brings me peace in times of stress. Cheers!