Cupcakes and Decoration Items

As the trend...there are so many cupcake stores these days and every coffee shops you go to, you will find cupcakes instead of coffee cakes... I've visited a cupcake store "Just Cupcakes" near by and their cupcakes was pretty impressive.  Their cupcakes were moist and each of them had very distinct flavors, unlike others...

However, I am not really big fan of cupcakes daily basis. Those little cupcakes have too much frosting-usually butter cream-on such a small portion of cake part. For me, it just not balanced right. But the other day, I had very young guests (They are three years old girls) and all adults were having an espresso chiffon cake. So I thought cupcakes might be better treat for those little girls. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make  proper frosting for American cupcakes, so I used whipped cream instead and it turned out be NOT so great... so I made only one kind of frosting that I like, which is....cream cheese frosting. 

Basic Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• 8oz(1 package), Cream Cheese
• 1/2stick (4 table spoon), Butter 
• 1 cup, Powder Sugar
• 1 tea spoon, Vanilla Extract

Leave cream cheese and butter in room temperature about a half hour till it is not so hard anymore, and whipped them up with electronic mixer and add powder sugar and vanilla extract until it's combined. If butter and cream cheese doesn't get soft enough, use microwave but lower power for 15-30 seconds. Make sure you don't melt the butter, just soften them up.

I used one table spoon of strawberry preserve, and one tea spoon of black berry liqueur, instead of vanilla extract, it'll give this frosting extra flavor and pretty color without food coloring.

Kids really enjoyed it for their afternoon snack along with a glass of milk, so that it really made me happy. :) As you can see in this picture... right after you make this frosting, it is much softer than normal frosting. So if you like to decorate the cream better, this frosting needs to be in the fridge for at least a half hour. 

I've purchased this pink decorating candy at local TJ Maxx about $3 right before Valentine's day but silver ones made by the same company priced about $8, at another gourmet store. Micheal's sometimes offer decorative candies for sale. I have visited other decorating store has very wide variety and it is fun to look around. They have a web site and one of my friend  order from other state and told me that they have pretty good customer service and shipped quickly. http://www.wineandcake.com/ 

These little decorating items really makes finishing touch to the home baked cake different and go people say wow!! The first impression is very important as well as the taste of the cake. 

This is the espresso cake I made for my friend's birthday. My guests enjoyed it very much. :)