Snickerdoodles!

Ok, these have got to be one of my very favorite cookies, EVER! They're soft and cinnamony with a slight hint of lemon. Unfortunately however, they don't last very long. They're just too good to resist! Don't believe me? Then try it for yourself! Here's the recipe for these absolutely amazing snickerdoodles!

Snickerdoodles

1 1/4 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teas. vanilla

1/2 teas. lemon extract or finely shredded lemon peel

4 1/2 cups flour

2 teas. baking powder

1 teas. baking soda

3/4 teas. salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tabl. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening until creamy. Add the two cups sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract or peel. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to creamed mixture.

In a seperate small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Next, roll balls of dough about the size of a ping-pong ball.

Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet and gently press down the top of each.

Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

And here is the finished product! Look quite yummy, don't they? I encourage you to try them! You'll be extremely happy you did!

Winter Olympic Cupcakes

Here are some cute cupcakes for the 2010 winter Olympics in Vancouver!

All you need is a white cake mix, white sanding sugar and one recipe of creamy white frosting (below).

First, prepare cupcakes according to directions on box. Cool completely.

Next, prepare creamy white frosting.

Creamy White Frosting

6 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup shortening

Milk

3/4 teas. clear vanilla or almond extract

Mix powdered sugar and shortening in large bowl. Beat in milk and vanilla. For milk, stir it in a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Makes about 4 cups.

Put a small portion of frosting in a small bowl. Tint blue with food coloring.

Fill a small bowl with sanding sugar.

Next, frost a cupcake with white frosting.

Then dip the top in the sanding sugar.

Beautiful.

Time for the rings! Using a very small round tip, pipe on the blue frosting in the five Olympic rings.

The white sanding sugar on the white frosting looks like beautiful, glittering snow. Boy, are these pretty! Now for a question: Which winter Olympic sport do you most enjoy watching? My personal favorite is the figure skating. How about you?

Edible Heart Cupcake Toppers

These adorable little hearts are too sweet to resist! They give an extra festive look to a cupcake.

All you need is some almond bark! (And food coloring if desired)

First, melt two squares of almond bark in a microwave safe bowl according to directions on package.

Then, add a drop of food coloring (if desired). Tip: I used liquid gel food coloring

Next, cut a small hole in the corner of a sandwich bag, and fill it with almond bark.

Then, lay out a sheet of waxed paper and pipe hearts onto it.

After you've made the hearts, lay the waxed paper on a plate, and place in the freezer until set.

Next, prepare cupcakes and frost with festive frosting.

Then add a heart to each one. You can also sprinkle the cupcakes with Valentine ball sprinkles!

I sure do...

...these cupcakes!

Welcome to my Wonderland!

With all the baking I do, I decided to start this baking blog! To start it all off, here is a recipe for...

Chocolate Strawberry Valentine Cupcakes

1 Strawberry cake mix

Creamy Chocolate Frosting recipe (below)

Marshmallow Fondant recipe (also below)

First, prepare strawberry cupcakes according to directions on box. Let cool.

Next, prepare creamy chocolate frosting.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened

1/2 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teas. vanilla

about 4 Tbl. milk (just keep adding a Tbl. until you reach the desired consistency)

Combine margarine and butter in a large bowl. Add in powdered sugar. Mix in vanilla and milk until creamy.

Then, prepare marshmallow fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 tbsp water

1 3/4 cup powder sugar

Place marshmallows in a standard 1 cup measuring cup and push down and pack them in. Place in a microwave safe bowl and add the water. Put in the microwave for about 20 seconds, just long enough for them to soften and puff up. Take out and stir with a spoon until it is combined well. At this point it looks kind of soupy. Then add the powdered sugar and mix and fold until all is incorporated and it is no longer sticky.

Next, you're going to color the fondant. Here's how it's done.

Make an imprint with your thumb in the ball of fondant, and put liquid gel food coloring in the imprint. Tip: You can also use regular food coloring.


Then kneed it with your hands until it is completly colored. Make sure your hands are covered in powdered suger while kneeding.

Finally, roll out the fondant on a heavily powdered sugared surface. Use a small heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts. Frost cupcakes, and place one fondant heart in the middle of each.

Aren't they cute!

Will these little cupcakes find themselves in your kitchen on Valentines Day?

I hope the answer is yes!