I love cupcakes, but sometimes there is too much of a good thing. I made 40 cupcakes on Friday, for Lizzie's birthday. Lizzie, my friend Nancy's daughter, was all about cupcakes for her party this year. Fortunately, a recent article in Food & Wine magazine detailed how to make the perfect cupcake. Mine weren't perfect, but they were pretty good. I made a big vat of buttercream, and used it to make strawberry, peanut butter, and Oreo cookies and cream frosting. And of course, I made chocolate frosting too. I worried that I'd be gobbling all of Lizzie's cupcakes, but hours of inhaling the buttery, sugary fumes made me sick to my stomach. I never thought I'd say this, but it will be a long time before I crave another cupcake.
The cupcake tree at the party. Not shown are the peanut butter cupcakes segregated from the others (to protect those with nut allergy). (Picture by Craig Warden)
And here's Lizzie (in the middle) with her party guests, posed in front of their Hummer limo. Birthday parties are a lot more exciting now than in my day. (Picture by Craig Warden.)
As mentioned before, I used recipes from Food & Wine which were quite good, and easy to make.
I doubled the white buttercream recipe from the magazine and divided it into three bowls, mixing
strawberry jam into one portion, peanut butter into a second one, and used the plain white buttercream to make cookies and cream cupcakes. I used crushed mini-oreos as a topping, sinking a whole little Oreo in the top of the cupcakes. I should have made more of this variety because they were the overwhelming favorite.
The chocolate frosting recipe was quick and simple to make, with an intense chocolate flavor.
I used their chocolate cupcake, and yellow cupcakes recipes for the cakelets.
That's a cupcake overload for me just looking at them. I reached for the strawberry ones but got my screen instead. ;) Then I look at all those kids and think 'They could probably eat that many!' Youth, sigh.
Hadn't seen a hummer limo before . . .
Cupcakes look beautiful!
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | May 12, 2008 at 12:36 AM
Those cupcakes look very pretty and delicious! It must have been a great party...
Cheers,
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | May 12, 2008 at 02:36 AM
That was really *sweet* of you to make all of those! Wow...a hummer limo...
Posted by: Gretchen Noelle | May 12, 2008 at 05:26 AM
These are beautiful and what a nice thing you did! I bet you're now adopted by all those kids.
I laughed when you said smelling all the butter and sugar made you queasy. My brothers and sister and I have talked about how growing up with a cake decorator mom the smell of frosting isn't always a good thing, we used to get tired of it too, and just the fact that frosting has a smell--you don't normally think of it has having a strong odor but it does. It's unmistakable.
Posted by: Glenna | May 12, 2008 at 06:45 AM
Oh, these are some yummy cupcakes, Sher!
Posted by: Patricia Scarpin | May 12, 2008 at 08:42 AM
Hi There. I have just been looking through your blog and it is excellent. I have now bookmarked it and will be a regular reader. I especially like the design and the photos. I am a blogger myself and have set up a site called http://www.ifoods.tv where bloggers and foodies can share their photos and drive traffic to their own blog. Would love to see some of your great photos on there! Keep the great work up on the blog. Cheers!
Posted by: Niall Harbison | May 12, 2008 at 09:35 AM
Sher those cupcakes are amazing! Can you come and live near me? I need a friend like you!
Posted by: Emily | May 12, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Those girls must have loved these! And the hummer. Different times!
Posted by: Callipygia | May 12, 2008 at 01:47 PM
The cupcakes look scrumptious! Lucky girls!
Posted by: Oli | May 12, 2008 at 04:09 PM
i think this is just perfect for you! ;-P
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2008/05/croissant_religieuse_cupcake_wallpaper.php
gosh, did you save me a strawberry one?
Posted by: whaleshaman | May 12, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Birthday parties are crazy today compared to what I had.
Oh and there is no such thing as cupcake overload. :)
Posted by: peabody | May 12, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Beautiful cupcakes! If you have too many chocolate ones, I'm happy to help you....
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | May 13, 2008 at 05:53 AM
I read that F&W article too. I don't care much for buttercream. All of that butter kind of grosses me out. I prefer the cream cheese type frostings.
I'm sure the kids gobbled those up though, and they look really great :)
Posted by: RecipeGirl | May 13, 2008 at 03:56 PM
Cupcakes are so happy. I love to make them, but finding a good recipe that stands out can be challenging. These look outstanding.
Posted by: Renae du Jour | May 13, 2008 at 08:29 PM
What a great friend you are. I think I'd like to eat several dozen of those right this second... they're for the babies, you know. Definitely not for me. ;)
Posted by: Kristi | May 15, 2008 at 04:45 AM