Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes and Oreo Cows

Part I: Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was bored one night (nothing new for this area), so I did the only thing I ever think to do, bake. What I really wanted was cinnamon buns, but I don't have a rolling pin and the dough takes too much time to rise (it has to rise 3 times!). Cinnamon bun cupcakes were obviously the next closest thing, the only problem was figuring out the recipe, but I did and here it is! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

4 eggs

3 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. walnuts, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with paper cups (this recipe makes about 18 so plan for that).

1. Cream butter and both sugars until smooth.

2. Add eggs one at a time mix until incorporated.

3. Add milk and vanilla extract.

4. In another bowl combine dry ingredients.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix only until blended.

6. If you are adding nuts, now would be the time.

7. Fill muffin cups until about 3/4 full.

8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean

9. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

While cupcakes are cooling make the cream cheese frosting.

You will need:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

What to do:

• Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Add vanilla.
• Slowly add powdered sugar until entirely incorporated. Mix until smooth and creamy

When the cupcakes have cooled frost them. Add nuts to the top if desired.

Part II: Oreo Cows

Now you're probably thinking, what are oreo cows? Well, you're probably thinking that if you don't know me, I'm pretty sure I've told everyone I know about them. Anyway, they aren't any kind of dessert, they are actual cows that look like oreos. I thought there was only one set of these cows near Hampshire College, but when John and I were driving to Somerville from Sunderland last weekend we saw these guys:

I know what you're thinking, "Amazing!" and I totally, agree (obvs.). I still don't understand how this happened, but both sets are all oreo cows, there aren't any non-oreos at all. So cool, and I finally have pictures to show people. Awesome! Oreo Cows win.

Iola Clayton's Apple Swirl Cake and One of My New Favorite Things

Hello!

My post today is kind of going to be two posts in one. Part one is about the apple cake I made last night. For Christmas John's parents gave me a bundt pan and the recipe for his grandmother's - Iola Clayton's - apple cake. Part two is about something I keep seeing all over the food section of the internet (yep, there is a food section, it's kind of like how bookstores have a cookbook section except on the internet). But for now, part one.

This is by far the most delicious apple cake I've ever had, not that I've had many, but trust me it's amazing how moist this is. I tweeked the

 recipe a little bit and added a layer of apples in the m

iddle. Without that layer it's a bit less apple-y than I like. Plus if it's apple cake I think there should be some real apples in it. Anyway, here's the apple cake; the recipe follows. Enjoy!

Iola Clayton's Apple Swirl Cake

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 package yellow cake mix

1 2/3 c. apple sauce

3 tsp. cinnamon

3 eggs

1 apple (any kind you like - I used granny smith)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Blend sugar and cinnamon.
3. Grease bundt pan and dust it with 1 tablespoon of the sugar mix.
4. Cut apple into thin slices (it is up to you if you want to peel the apples, I didn't peel them).
5. Blend cake mix, applesauce and eggs until blended and smooth.
6. Reserve 1 1/2c batter and pour rest into the pan.
7. Sprinkle the batter in the pan with half of what is left with the sugar mixture.
8. Place apple slices in a single layer in the pan, then sprinkle with the rest of the sugar mix.
9. Pour the remaining batter into the pan.
10. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
11. Cool for five minutes in a pan on a rack, then invert.
12. Serve hot or cold, as is for breakfast or topped with a scope of vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream for dessert.

Now for part two.

One of my new favorite things that I've been seeing everywhere (including on the Gilmore Girls episode I'm watching on ABCFamily right now, which is really weird) is candy sushi. This "sushi" is entirely made out of candy. What I've seen and will likely attempt first is a fruit roll up, layered with rice crispy treats (homemade, obvs.), then you put in whatever kind of candy you want, like gummy worms, twizzerls, swedish fish, things like that. I really excited to try it, but I won't get to until I have people to make them for. Here are a few pictures that I've found of it that really show how awesome it can be.

This one is a whole tray of different kinds. There are even some chocolate looking ones in there, awesome.

This is equally awesome.

Those are so cool, I love it. That is the next different thing that I want to try. The last one (egg roll cheesecakes) didn't work out as well in my opinion, other people liked them, but I wasn't a fan. Anywho, try the apple cake! It's delicious! 

Quick Post

I know I have been neglecting this blog a lot, so to make up for that I'm going to post some pictures of a few of the random things I've been making since the last post. I'm not going to attach any recipes to this one, but if you want one just let me know.Okay, so here it goes.

Taco Night - March 13, 2009

  Some of John's tacos and the salsa I made.

Pot Luck at the Sud's - March 28, 2009

A table full of food (I made the mini apple pies and the peanut butter and jelly cookies) and the counter full of condiments and rolls.

Stir Fry and Egg Rolls

(This would have been above the picture but Blogger is being mean.)

I was going to post some other random foods, like one of the pizzas my wonderful roomie, Justine, made and the mini coffee pot I bought to keep at John's apartment because they didn't have one, but blogger won't let the pictures move around enough. I guess from now on I should upload the pictures I want and then type around them.

Anywho, that's all of my posts for now, and remember if you want a recipe for any of these just let me know! :)