Apr 15 2013

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

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I’ve always loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches so I decided I’d try making one as a cupcake. There are many recipes out there making different versions of this cupcake, but none were exactly what I wanted. For example, I’d see a cake recipe I liked but didn’t like the frosting that went with it or I didn’t like how the jelly was used in the cupcake, etc.

I knew from the start I wanted to use my favorite jam/jelly I get from IKEA. Made from lingonberries, it’s a perfect blend of sweet and tart. Lingonberries sort of tast like cranberries. This the same preserves IKEA uses in its Swedish meatball meal from their restaurant. For the peanut butter, I used Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter. The recipe I used for the cupcakes from Taste of Home uses the overly processed sweet peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy, but the natural peanut better worked just as well.

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When the cupcakes were done baking, they smelled like delicious peanut butter cookies. I put the jam in the middles of the cupcakes once they were done cooling. I used my #1 Wilton frosting tip (one of the large ones) to cut the holes out. Save the little piece of cupcake that you cut out of the center and cut off the top of it. This top will be put back onto the cupcake like a cap on top of the jam filling. To make the jelly or jam easier to spoon, slightly warm it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. You don’t want it hot, just a little more runny so it will fill the hole nicely. This is especially good for jelly you pull out of the fridge.

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The frosting is super easy. This Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting from the Food Network is a good one for this recipe. If you want more peanut butter flavor you could use a peanut butter frosting like the one that accompanies the Taste of Home recipe above, but I think the cupcakes have plenty of peanut butter flavor on their own. I was only able to get about 15 cupcakes from the the recipe despite it being labeled as 18 servings. If you pile your frosting on like I did, make the whole recipe from Food network. If you only thinly frost the tops of the cupcakes, you could probably get away with only half a recipe.

Garnish the tops of the cupcake frosting with a little more jelly/jam. You might want to warm it up again for this, as it was much easier to drizzle the jelly when it was more liquid.

This was a very simple recipe to put together. I was happy to find that I already had all of the ingredients for this one in my kitchen which almost never happens! Now you can have PB&Js for lunch and dessert!

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Mar 14 2013

What Do Women Want? eShakti Wants to Know

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Since my giveaway for an item under $75 from eShakti.com is winding down, I thought I’d share with you another opportunity to win something from eShakti. For International Women’s Day, which was March 8th, eShakti is holding a contest. They want to know what you think women want. Tell them in 45 words or less in an email sent to contest@eshakti.com and you’ll be entered to win a $150 gift card to the store! How cool is that? Remember to make your entry creative so that they are more likely to pick it. You have until tomorrow, March 15th, to get your entry in. Good luck!

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Mar 11 2013

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Whiskey Ganache Filling and Irish Cream Frosting

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I love the combination of the ingredients in the unfortunately named alcoholic drink the Irish Car Bomb. It includes Guinness Stout, Jameson Irish Whiskey, and Baileys Irish Cream liqueur. It’s called Irish because of the Irish alcohols used in the drink, but the drink originated in America. The “car bomb” part of the name in part refers to the shot of Baileys with whiskey floated on top, being dropped or “bombed” into a glass of Guinness, but also to the history of car bombs that have plagued Ireland in years past.

Many find the name offensive, but that’s the point isn’t it? Alcoholic drinks are named outrageous things so that people remember them, for example: Agent Orange, Kamikaze, Redheaded Slut. Alcoholic drinks tend to be offensive. That’s just how it is. I’m not here to judge, I’m just here to bake! So let’s get to it!

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I used Brown Eyed Baker’s “Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes” recipe to make these but changed a few things about the recipe to suit my own needs. First, I decided not to call what I made Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, mainly because I chose to use Carolans Irish Cream instead of Baileys and many would not consider it a true “Irish Car Bomb” without the holy trinity of Guinness, Jameson, and Baileys. For the purposes of this recipe, Carolans Irish Cream works just as well for the frosting, but if you want the more authentic taste of Baileys, I’d suggest using the exact recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.

IMG_2988The other thing I decided to try was splitting the batter into two, making one half as Brown Eyed Baker did, and the other with dairy substitutes for the heavy cream and sour cream. They aren’t completely vegan, but my boyfriend prefers less dairy in his diet, and I wanted him to be able to eat these too! Plus he helped me make these, so it was only fair to make something he could eat.

For the less dairy version of these cupcakes, I used almond milk in place of the heavy cream, and vegan sour cream instead of regular sour cream. The vegan sour cream didn’t quite taste like real sour cream, but since it was mixed into the batter, the taste didn’t matter much and it moistened the cake just like the regular sour cream did.

Amazingly, the alternative batter cooked up better than the regular batter. The less-dairy cake cooked faster and rose better than the regular cake. I had to cook the regular cupcakes longer than what the recipe suggested. Not sure what I did wrong with Brown Eyed Baker’s recipe. Also, the almond milk ganache thickened quicker than the heavy cream one (which is good). It was interesting how different the two batters worked out.

IMG_2976Taste wise, the cupcakes were about the same. You’d never miss the dairy products that I cut out of the alternative cupcakes. I could taste the Guinness in the cake as well as the whiskey in the ganache. I would have liked more of a whiskey flavor though. You might want to add a little more whiskey to the ganache if you like the flavor. The frosting was a little sweet for my tastes on its own, but the bittersweet ganache counteracts the sweet well when it’s eaten all together.

Speaking of the frosting, the recipe calls for 2 cups of butter! That’s a crazy amount. One reason my frosting might have been too sweet is because I chose to use less butter but only cut the powdered sugar buy one cup. Therefore, I might have used too much powdered sugar for the amount of butter. If you cut the butter down, make sure to proportionally cut the confectioner’s sugar too, or it could end up too sweet like mine (unless you like really sweet frosting).

IMG_2989These cupcakes are really rich and boozy: a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Although the recipe says they only take one hour to make, I highly doubt anyone could finish these in an hour unless you are a quick professional baker. They took me several hours to prepare, mix, bake, and frost, and that was with help! Doing these on my own would have been difficult. I’d suggest making these with a friend, and then drink the extra alcohol while you’re waiting for them to cook. 😉 Keep in mind that these cupcakes do have a slight alcohol content, because the ganache and frosting do not have the alcohol cooked out of them. They are not for those under the legal drinking age.

Have a fun and safe St. Patrick’s Day and drink (and eat) responsibly!

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Feb 28 2013

eShakti Dress Review {and Giveaway!}

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I’ll be changing things up a bit with today’s post. Instead of baking I’ll be talking about clothing. Specifically, I’ll be reviewing a dress I got from eShakti.com. eShakti, a vintage inspired woman’s online clothing store, specializing in customizable pieces ranging from sizes 0 to 36W, contacted me to ask if I was interested in reviewing a piece of clothing for them. So, wait, I get to review a cute piece of clothing, and I get to keep it? Uh, yes please!

Thus began a long drawn out process, all of which was my fault. I knew they were offering to give me free customization on the piece I was to review, but not being familiar with such an opportunity, I chose one of their standard sized dresses, because the measurements where pretty close to my own. That was a mistake. Why get a dress that’s “pretty close” to your size when you can get a dress that is exactly your size?!? Yeah, I don’t know why I didn’t think it through better.

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Her Fifties Sundress in poppy red. image ©eShakti.com

After browsing their many pieces, I decided on the Her Fifties Sundress in crimson (I don’t think this color is available anymore but the “poppy red” looks similar). The first dress I received (the standard sized one) was too big in the bust which made everything fit all wrong. I could have reviewed this dress, but I really wanted to see what the dress would be like if it fit right. Luckily, eShakti.com has amazing customer service, and allowed me to return the item and order the same dress with my customized measurements this time. Generally, customization only costs an extra $7.50, which is an amazingly affordable price. You can also choose to change the neckline shape or alter the sleeves or hem length if available for the piece you want to buy. Find out more about their customizeable options here.

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image ©eShakti.com

A few weeks later, after receiving the ill-fitting dress, returning it, and receiving the better fitting dress, I finally had a great piece to review. I have got to thank eShakti for working so closely with me to get me a product that I would love! Here is all the good and bad about the dress I received:

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Bra strap snaps

PROS:

  • Comfortable
  • Lightweight
  • Cute retro style
  • It fit well with my customized measurements
  • The dress is well made
  • It has snaps under the dress straps where you can attach your bra straps to hide them (refer to the picture to the right).
  • There is an invisible side zipper to give you more room to get the dress on (although it was a little difficult to zip up).
  • It has pockets (but you can get it made without pockets if you like).
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Sorry for the pit shot!

CONS

  • Wrinkles easily
  • It shows sweat stains very easily and also my deodorant really liked to rub off onto the dress (if you got this dress in black, the sweat problem may not be as noticeable).
  • Without a petticoat, the skirt is a little limp.

Overall, the pros outweighed the cons. I really love this dress, though I might have to wear a cardigan over it to cover those pit stains!

eShakti has so many styles to choose from. With their spring line just released, you have a lot of new pieces to browse including dresses, skirts, and tops. Also, for any upcoming brides out there, they have a great bridesmaid dress section set up to help you find the perfect fit, color, and style for all your bridesmaids!

Besides having great clothes, I really like that everything on eShakti is very affordable, the shipping is quick (even for customized pieces), they can make items in so many sizes, and the customer service, in my experience, has been quick to reply and helpful.

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Now for the fun part!

BUY IT: They are offering my readers 20% off with the coupon code SHNESKLLER (expires 3/20/13).

UPDATE (3/4/13): Good news! Due to a glitch, some blogger coupon codes did not work when people tried to use them, so they’ve fixed the issue and have extended the 20% off offer until March 20th!

Note: (*conditions apply)
Code has to be entered in the ‘Promotional Code’ box. No Minimum Order Value. The discount code is not case sensitive. The code can be used any number of times until the validity period. This code can be clubbed with any other gift coupon or gift card in the same order. This discount code is not applicable on our Overstock category. Not applicable on previous purchases.

According to the website, if you’re new to eShakti.com you can save $25 on your first order if you register with their site! Not sure if this is stackable with the coupon code above but it’s worth checking out.

Giveaway

WIN IT: On top of all of these great discounts, they are also giving away to one of my readers one item of choice under $75 from eShakti.com! Fantastic!

To Enter: Fill out the Rafflecopter widget below. The only mandatory entries are to enter your name and email address and to follow eShakti on Pinterest. If you don’t have a Pinterest account, you can sign up for one here for free.

Time period: Giveaway begins on 3/1/13 at 12:01am EST and will end on 3/22/13 at 11:59pm EST.

The Prize: One item of choice under $75 from eShakti.com.

Giveaway is open to all legal residents of USA and Canada who are 18+ years of age.

Complete Official Giveaway Rules

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* This review is my honest opinion. I received a dress from eShakti for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated in any other way. I have styled the dress with my own cardigan, belt, petticoat, and shoes in the above photos. 
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Feb 25 2013

My Fave: Betty Crocker Decadent Supreme Chocolate Mousse Cake Mix

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IMG_2921Sometimes I’m too pressed for time, or too lazy, to make cupcakes from scratch, so I’ll turn to box mixes in my time of need. In general, I prefer Duncan Hines cake mixes, but this cake mix above, Betty Crocker’s Decadent Supreme Chocolate Mousse Cake, is a winner.

I found a bunch of boxes of it for $0.99 each at Grocery Outlet a while ago and stocked up. I think it’s still sold in regular grocery stores, but the box might look a little different now. It comes with the cake mix and a packet to make the chocolate mousse topping. Both are super easy to prepare, and if cooked right, the cupcakes will turn out moist and delicious (I cook the cupcakes for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, checking them at 15 minutes).

I have not tried making it into a layered cake like the box suggests, but I have made it into some great cupcakes multiple times. I like to add chocolate chips or other candy to the batter before cooking.

The mousse topping is light and fluffy, almost pudding-like, and very tasty. It’s easy to make too! All you have to do is add some milk to the packet of mousse powder and voilà!: mousse topping! It would be a good dessert all on its own.

This was my last box, I hope I can find it at the store next time. Doubt I’ll find it for $0.99 again though.

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***This review was my idea and I was not compensated by Betty Crocker or any one else. ***
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Feb 22 2013

Win Ad Space on Shane’s Killer Cupcakes

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To kick off my Sponsors section of my blog, I’m offering two readers a 150×150 px ad space that will run for 30 days. Along with that, I will also mention you on Facebook and/or Twitter at least once during the month. This is a perfect opportunity to advertise your blog, website, Etsy store, Facebook page, Youtube channel, etc.

This giveaway is a part of Happily Rambling‘s 3 Days of Giveaways.

To Enter: Fill out the Rafflecopter below. The only mandatory entry is to leave a comment about what you would like to advertise if you win. All other entries are optional. There will be two winners.

Must be 18 or older to enter. Open world wide!

Giveaway beings 2/22 and will end on 2/27 at 11:59pm.

Official Rules

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