St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Cupcake Toppers

 Top o' the mornin' to ya!

How do you feel about anthropomorphized shamrocks?

You know...shamrocks that smile back at you?

I think these Shamrock Cupcake Toppers are super cute!

Plus, they are easy to make and a tasty treat made out of white chocolate.

Want to whip up some for St. Patrick's Day?

First, save and print this template my hubby made.

Or, you can pipe them freehand if you have ninja piping skills.

Tape your template to a piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet.

Tape a piece of wax paper on top of it.

Melt some green candy melts (I mixed in some white ones to lighten the color).

 Put them in a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip,
or in a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.
Pipe the outline of each shamrock.

Then, fill in each outline with the candy melts.

 

Let the shamrocks harden, then carefully peel them off the wax paper and turn them over.

 Melt some chocolate chips or brown candy melts.

 Pipe a dot of chocolate on the backs of two candy eyeballs

and arrange them on the flat side of your shamrock.

Pipe a cute little mouth.

 Place the shamrock toppers on the top of your frosted cupcakes and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For more good luck, try this yummy treat...
Key Lime Shamrock Cake 

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Lemongrass – Ginger Marinade for Chicken (or veggies/tofu/fish)

I came up with this marinade for my honey, he loves Asian-inspired dishes.

For my vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian friends, this marinade would be great with veggies, organic firm non-GMO tofu, or fish. 

Equipment: Cutting Board, Sharp Knife, Microplane Rasp/Zester or Standing Grater, Blender, Gallon-Size Ziplock Bag or Bowl for marinade, Baking Pan with Wire Roasting Rack

·      1 lemongrass – remove top, dice

·      2 inch chunk ginger – peeled, dice

·      1 leek – remove green tops and end, dice

·      3 fresh garlic cloves – peeled

·      ½-1 lemon – zest and juiced

·      1 teaspoon dried thyme

·      ½ teaspoon kelp granules (See Resources)

·      ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      3 tablespoons organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar

·      2 tablespoons honey, organic grade B maple syrup or organic apple juice

·      2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or substitute with gluten-free tamari)

·      1 tablespoon organic sesame oil

·      1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional, omit for vegan/vegetarian)

·      2-3 pounds organic or pastured chicken thighs or drumsticks

1.    Wash and prep lemongrass, ginger, leek, garlic and lemon.  Remove top from lemongrass, peel the ginger, remove green tops and end of leek (make sure you get any sand out inside the leek when you wash it), and peel the garlic cloves.  Rough chop the lemongrass, ginger and leek.  Zest the lemon with a microplane rasp or a standing grater.   

2.   Add to blender - chopped lemongrass, ginger, leek, garlic and lemon zest to blender.  Add juice from the lemon.  Add thyme, kelp, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, honey, coconut aminos, sesame oil and optional fish sauce.

3.   Pulse in blender until smooth and combined. 

4.   Place chicken (or veggies/tofu/fish) in gallon-size ziplock bag.  Pour marinade over the chicken.

5.    Marinade chicken in refrigerator for 24 hours or at least overnight.  I turn the bag over a few times during the process, just to make sure the marinade gets on everything. 

6.   The next day, remove chicken from refrigerator.  Let rest for about 15-20 minutes. 

7.   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

8.   Roast chicken on a wire rack over roasting pan for 20 minutes skin side down.  Flip chicken at the 20 minute mark and roast skin side up for another 15 to 25 minutes. 

9.   Remove from oven and serve hot. 

Yield:Makes about 4-6 servings. 

Note: This would also be wonderful grilled instead of baked. 

Triple Chocolate Malt Cake

Chocolate.

That's what this delicious creation is all about.

Chocolate malt cake, chocolate malt frosting, chocolate ganache.

Triple Yum!

Oh yeah, and it's decorated with chocolate malt balls too.

Because chocolate is my BFF.

The secret ingredient in this recipe is malted milk powder.

(I found mine by the chocolate milk powder in the store.)

It adds a subtle flavor that brings to mind a chocolate malted milkshake.

Your taste buds are going to love it!!

Triple Chocolate Malt Cake

adapted from Paula Deen's Holiday Baking (2007)

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Ingredients

Chocolate Malt Cake

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup malted milk powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Malt Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup malted milk powder
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• malted milk balls for garnish

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Chocolate Malt Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper. Grease the sides.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine the milk and malted milk powder; stir until dissolved. Add milk mixture, oil and eggs to flour mixture; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat just until combined. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Chocolate Malt Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cocoa powder with electric mixer until creamy. In a small bowl, combine the cream and malted milk powder; stir until dissolved. Add the cream mixture to the butter mixture; beat at low speed until combined. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth.

Chocolate Ganache

Place the chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 or 2 minutes. Then slowly stir the mixture, stirring until all the chips have completely melted. Mix in the vanilla. Allow to cool until it reaches desired consistency.

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I may or may not have eaten a slice of this chocolatey goodness for breakfast.

Enjoy! 

Want some more yummy chocolate recipes?
Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

 Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cake 

  
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Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

  

My son decapitates cupcakes.

He licks off all the frosting, eats the top of the cupcake and refuses to eat the "stump".

(Anybody remember the "muffin stump" episode on Seinfeld?)

I thought of him the whole time I made these Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.

Because they are basically 2 cupcake tops with frosting in the middle.

It's a cupcake sandwich!

Delicious red velvet sandwiches with cream cheese frosting in the middle!

And some heart sprinkles to make them pretty and Valentine-y.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

by Bird On A Cake

  

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (OR 1/2 c. milk + 1 t. vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a wire whisk. Add oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and food coloring. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix on medium high until combined. Grease a whoopie pie pan. Fill each cavity with 2 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the cakes spring back when touched.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Let cream cheese and butter sit in mixing bowl until softened. Mix together until creamy. Gradually add sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in vanilla.

Enjoy!

You might like this recipe too...

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

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