these cupcakes bug me, but in a good way

Remember when I made the Pinkalicious cupcakes? Well, these cute little bug cupcakes were part of that order too (just in case the little boys that were invited didn't want a pink cupcake!). I almost forgot to share them with you! Since I only needed to make a dozen, I went on a mission to make twelve unique designs.I think I might have been channeling the Yip Yips when I made this little guy. Remember those funny aliens from Sesame Street? (If you're ever in need of a belly-laugh, watch a few of the Yip Yip videos -- guaranteed to make you feel better!)

Here are the rest of the little guys...

Jay's Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Chunk Chestnut Muffin-top Cookies

This cookie is so good, it's actually smiling! Do you see the face?

For a while now, my blog's name has worried me a bit. Not because I don't like the name, but because I've never really pushed myself to try baking with flour other than wheat, almond, or oatmeal, as the name might suggest. But today I'm proud to announce that all that has changed! I'm going to make an effort to regularly bake with a different flour at least once a month. And to kick things off, I decided to look for the most unusual one I could find: chestnut flour!
This past Sunday my family and I celebrated Mother's Day, or as I like to call it, "Let's Spoil The Heck Out Of Mom Day". Seriously, my son treated me like a queen! Not only did I have breakfast made for me, get showered with some awesome gifts, get to go out to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch, AND get to go to Trophy Cupcake for a dessert, I was also treated to a day in downtown Seattle and a stroll around Pike Place Market. This always means a stop at DeLaurenti's which I happen to think is the best Italian grocery store in Seattle. I got a little carried away and bought a bunch of baking supplies. This included "00" flour, some arrack extract (no idea what it is but it smells great!), candied citron, some really authentic extra virgin olive oil, and a pound of chestnut flour. Now I'll admit that I've never even had a chestnut before but I thought it would be fun to see what I could make with it.
As soon as I got home I started my quest to find a recipe. During my research I found out that chestnut flour is very low calories, fat, and carbohydrates! And, to my delight, I found out that it is also gluten-free. This worked out perfectly because just a few days before one of my coworkers, Jay, confided that he's can never indulged in my treats due to his sensitivity to gluten. The moment he said that I knew I had to make him something special. Isn't it funny how things fall into place sometimes? :)It didn't take me very long to find Sara's blog and this insanely yummy recipe. Originally I had wanted to follow it to the letter and make muffins but they fell apart in the pan. However, the tops of the muffins stayed completely intact so I decided to just make cookies instead. Honestly I think they were better than any muffin could have ever been.
The best part about making these was seeing the look on Jay's face when he came into the office. He was beyond thrilled and later on that night he sent me the following message that I just have to share:

Thanks *so* much for showing me that its possible to have delicious baked goods once again... your gluten-free dark chocolate coconut/chestnut cookies made me remember how wonderful desserts were. It really made my week! (I'm really at a loss for words...) Please continue to share your love with so many people. They truly are sincere acts of sweetness!

Soft Chestnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
adapted from Ms. Adventurers in Italy

2 cups or 200g chestnut flour
1 cup or 60g unsweetened medium or finely shredded coconut flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cups of whipping cream
1/2 cups of milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet (60% or more) chocolate, chunked into small pieces
1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a cookie sheet with a Silpat mat or line with parchment paper.

Whisk the chestnut flour, coconut flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter for two minutes until light and smooth. Add the brown sugar at high speed for 2 minutes until light brown and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix for 30 seconds each. Add the vanilla last and mix again on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add half of the chestnut flour mix and very slowly and mix, pulsing at firs. Add the cream and mix for about 30 seconds until all the cream is absorbed. Add the milk until all the milk is absorbed. Scrape the bowl and the beater blade. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients until well distributed. Add the chocolate and mix until everything is well combined, about 20 or so seconds.

Drop dough using a one or two-tablespoon cookie scoop 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 9-13 minutes or just until the tops spring back slightly when you touch it.

Yield:about 24-27 2-tablespoon sized cookies.
Would I Make This Again? Def-in-ate-ly! They have this unexpected taste that is so unique! It's only been a day and I've been craving them like crazy!

Very Berry Trifle

Even after everything that I've made in the history of my blog, this is my most favorite. It has everything I love in a great dessert: thick buttery pound cake, lovely sweet berry flavor, a glorious vanilla pastry cream, and dreamy whipped cream. This is my idea of comfort food.

Many years ago I threw a baby shower for my friend Laura. It was my first big party and I wanted to make it extra special, so I went all out. This was years before I had ever had any confidence as a baker so I ordered a trifle from this little old lady that I met during a Curves class (ahh... Curves!). I was dead set on a cake but she suggested it because it would be cheaper to make and it would feed a lot of people too and it was perfect for a girly baby shower. She wasn't kidding that it would feed a lot of people; even after serving it to over 30 people, my family and I was still eating it a full week after the party. (I don't have pictures of that trifle available but the pictures at the top and bottom of the page are of one very large trifle I made for a baby shower a few years ago. That's double the size of the recipe listed in this post.)

Although I never asked the lady for the recipe, I came up with what I think is a very close approximation. I dare say it might even be a little better. I've made this several times: for BBQs, baby showers, birthdays, and it's always a sure fire hit. If you're looking for a good Sara Lee Pound Cake copycat recipe, you will LOVE the one I included below. I learned about it from my friend Emily who made it one day at work and I couldn't believe how good it tasted. The secret is Vanilla Butter Nut Extract, which can be a little hard to find depending on where you live.

You'll notice that the recipe is really long but don't be frightened. I just like to give lots of detailed instructions. I urge you to try this for your next big group event and have copies of the recipe ready.... or maybe you'll just keep this one to yourself. :)

Very Berry Trifle
15 cup trifle bowl or large glass bowl with high sides (like a bunch bowl)
2 piping bags or large zip lock bag (Why use a bag? I prefer using a bag because it gives you better control over the pastry and whipped creams as you're adding it to the bowl. In the end gives a prettier, more even and consistent layer. If you're not concerned about the look of your layers, or you're using a bowl that textured or opaque, then you can skip this step and just use a spoon/spatula.)

Make 24 Hours Ahead:
1 1/2 Sour Cream Pound Cakes (1 large and 1 small sized store bought pound cakes
Vanilla Pastry Cream
Macerated Berries

Make the day of, right before you're ready to assemble:
Whipped cream
Fresh Fruit Layer - This is optional. It provides a colorful layer of fresh fruit for your trifle that brings a bit of visual interest to the look of the dessert. If you're using a textured bowl or one that is opaque in color, then this step is not necessary. If you want to include this then you will need a pint each of any fruit fresh fruit that you're using in the trifle. Typically and depending on the availability of the produce, I like to use strawberries and blueberries because they look the best. Raspberries and Blackberries tend to be too soft and get mushy looking against the glass of the trifle bowl.
Getting Ready
Inspect the bowl that you're going to use, inside and out, being sure to remove any fingerprints that may appear on the surface of the glass.

If you're including a fresh fruit layer, clean and rinse the strawberries and any other fruit you might be using. For the strawberries, slice up a few lengthwise and reserve the larger, red center pieces that have good color. Keep all the ones that are of similar color, shape, and size. Lay each slice on a layer of paper towel. Dry the blueberries or other berry on paper towels too. How much will you need? It's hard to tell you how many slices you'll need because it depends on how thick you slice them, the circumference of the bowl, and how far a part you want to space them. For a 15 cup trifle bowl, I used about 10-14 slices of strawberry and the same amount of blueberries.

Put the pastry cream in a pastry bag -- no need for a tip.

Put the whipped cream in a pastry bag with a star tip of your choice.

Remove the outermost layers of the pound cake and save in a separate bowl. Cut 1/2 inch slices from the cake.

Mix up the berries and carefully cut up any big strawberries with the side of a spoon.

Assembling the Trifle
This trifles is three layers deep. Each layer consists of cake, berries, pastry cream, and whipped cream, in that order.

First Layer
Arrange cake slices into the bottom of the trifle bowl, placing them right up against the edge of the bowl. Cut small pieces to fit in empty spaces until the bottom is close to being one solid layer of cake. Remember that no one is really going to see this so it doesn't matter how it looks. Just try to keep each layer about the same height. Using a spoon, collect a little of the juice and saturate the cake a bit to get it a little soggy. The, with a slotted spoon add about a third of just the berries directly on top of the cake, staying about 1/2 inch away from the edges of the glass bowl. Then spoon several large spoonfuls of just the juice over the cake. Maybe 1/2 cup or so. When the cake looks about 80 juice-stained you're done. :)

Carefully pipe a layer of pastry cream around the edges of the bowl, working in a spiral to the center. The most important part of the spiral is the outermost edge; the rest of your spiral doesn't have to look perfect.

Carefully piper a layer of the whipped cream around the edges of the bowl, working in a spiral to the center. The most important part of the spiral is the outermost edge; the rest of your spiral doesn't have to look perfect.

Second Layer
Gently arrange a second layer of cake slices into the top of the first full layer, being careful not to pack them too solidly. Cut small pieces to fit in empty spaces until the bottom is close to being one solid layer of cake.
Add your fresh fruit layer. I like to start with the strawberries and place them one at a time, across from each other, working my way around the bowl. I find this works better than placing them side by side because I always end up with a space that's too big or too small for another whole strawberry slice. Once you place a strawberry slice against the glass of the bowl, you really don't want to remove it. If you do it will leave a little footprint behind and you'll need to wipe the glass off before you can continue. To the right you'll find a little diagram that helps you to understand the method I use. The red circles with the numbers are the strawberries in the order that I add them and the little blue circles are the blueberries. The bottoms of the strawberries should just be touching the top of the last layer of pound cake.

Using a slotted spoon, add about a third of just the berries directly on top of the cake, staying about 1/2 inch away from the edges of the glass bowl. Then spoon several large spoonfuls of just the juice over the cake. Maybe 1/2 cup or so. When the cake looks about 80 juice-stained you're done. :)

Add a layer of pastry cream and pipe it behind the fresh fruit that's stuck against the side of the bowl. Continue the spiral to the center.

Carefully piper a layer of the whipped cream around the edges of the bowl, working in a spiral to the center. The most important part of the spiral is the outermost edge; the rest of your spiral doesn't have to look perfect.

Third (Final) Layer
Add a final layer of cake just as you did with the previous two layers.

Add the berries and be a little more generous with the juice and the berries. You don't want to add too much more, but just enough that it causes a nice trickle-down effect down through the other layers of the dessert. Carefully pipe a layer of pastry cream around the edges of the bowl, working in a spiral to the center. The most important part of the spiral is the outermost edge; the rest of your spiral doesn't have to look perfect.

Finally, pipe the top with whipped cream. You can spoon it on and then smooth it out with a spatula or you can pipe little stars of whipped cream all around the top in concentric circles until you get to the center.

Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 8 to 24 hours - the longer the better. Seriously, don't try to cheat and only refrigerate it for 2 hours and expect the magic to happen. Decorate the top with edible flowers or pieces of fresh fruit.

Recipes
Sour Cream Pound Cake
adapted from McCormick.com

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup full-fat sour cream
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon McCormick® Imitation Vanilla Butter & Nut Flavor or vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour 9x5-inch loaf pan or spray with Pam with Flour; set aside.

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside

Beat butter, sugar and sour cream in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 full minute after each addition. Add extract and mix for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in flour mixture until no traces of flour appear in the batter (about 1 minute or so). Pour into prepared pan and smooth out the top.

Place the pan on a thin cookie sheet and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes (maybe as long as 30 minutes) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Note: This is best made two days in advance. For the trifle, store uncovered and unwrapped so that it gets a little stale. If you're making this for something other than the trifle, wrap it in plastic or store in a covered container.

Vanilla Pastry Cream
2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
2 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (all the specks looks so lovely)

Bring half and half to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. While the milk is warming up, whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolk and flour in medium bowl to blend. Once the milk is hot (but not boiling) very gradually, whisk in half of the hot half and half, whisking quickly so as not to scramble the eggs. Transfer to saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Boil 1 minute. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in vanilla. Optional step: Pour the pastry cream through a wire mesh filter to ensure a smooth texture. Press plastic onto surface of pastry cream. Cover; chill until cold, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Try not to eat the whole bowl :-))

Macerated Berries
1 16 oz bag of frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries from Trader Joe's is my favorite) or 4 pints of fresh berries of your choice
1 16 oz bag of frozen strawberries or 4 pints of fresh strawberries of your choice
1/2 cup of sugar

A day or two before you want to assemble the trifle, dump the frozen berries into a large bowl. Pour the sugar over the berries, add 1/2 cup of water, mix it up, cover, and stick it in the fridge. Every 12 hours or so, mix well.

Whipped Cream
3 cups very cold whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until stiff peaks form. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Have Leftover Ingredients?
This recipe isn't one that's measured out perfectly and you'll more than likely have cake, pastry cream, berries, and whipped cream left over. And since I typically make this for some big event, I rarely get any. So, if you're in the same boat or have a neighbor or friend you'd like to treat, do what I do. Take some of the cake cuttings that I have left over, break them up into smaller pieces. Combine it with any left over pastry cream and any left over berries, juice and all. Mix it up well and squish it down into a small bowl so it's about 2-4 inches high. Spread any left over whipped cream on top and stick it in the fridge overnight. It won't be as pretty as your trifle but it will be super yummy!

Yield: The big trifle with the flowers on it fed *a lot* of people; I'd say roughly 30-40 servings, depending on the portion size. The smaller one feeds about 15-20 servings.
Would I Make This Again? Without a doubt! This is one of my "go to" recipes that I will make in a pinch because it's always a big hit no matter how large the crowd.

Did you say Powerlifting a Ballet Dancer?

Did the title grab your attention? I was just teasing you (sort of!). Truth is, I spent the last day making powerlifting and ballet themed cupcakes for the same birthday party. Why would someone want both of these? Well, let me explain why. Last week one of the trainers at my gym asked me if I would be interested in making her boyfriend cupcakes for a little birthday party she was organizing. He's pretty big into powerlifting and she knew making gym equipment into something edible would be right up my alley. I was psyched! But then, yesterday afternoon she called me with a little dilemma: there was to be another person at the party who was celebrating a birthday too! Not wanting to leave them out, she had hoped I could include a few ballet themed cuppies in with her order. I couldn't imagine ever having the opportunity to create such two diametrically opposite themes, so how could I possibly say no?
For the cupcakes I decided to make a chocolate and peanut butter combination - with two toppings: a simple peanut butter glaze and a fluffy fudge frosting. The cake in this recipe was unique in that it was a cross between cake and a brownie so I've decided to call it a Crownie! :)
The frosting was a bit of an issue. I followed the recipe exactly as it was written but when I was ready to pipe, it was the consistency of fudge! It was so thick, in fact, that I was not able to get it to even come out of the tip. So to lighten it, I added some soften cream cheese, a bit more vanilla, and a little more powdered sugar. The result was much more frosting-like added a lot to the overall texture.




As you can see, I got a little carried away...but I had SO much fun making them! And just in case you're curious, this apparent talent I have for making random things out of fondant and gum paste is new. While I've always appreciated the arts and can doodle with the best of them, I had no idea I could do this! So to all those people out there who doubt their ability to make things out of fondant, I dare you to give it a try. I bet you'll surprise yourself with what you can do. :)

Peanut Butter and Chocolate "Crownie" Cupcakes with Whipped Cocoa Fudge Frosting
adapted from All Recipes

Chocolate Cupcrownies
1 cup unsalted margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Peanut Butter Glaze
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, it's up to you)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cocoa Fudge Frosting
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons buttermilk
Pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 oz (half a package) full fat sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 muffin tins with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, sugar and baking soda. Set aside. Make a well in the center and pour in chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread batter into prepared pan.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup margarine, 1/4 cup cocoa, water, and 1/2 cup buttermilk in a saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove 1 cup of the hot liquid and very slowly, maybe a tablespoon or two at a time, whisk it into the beaten eggs. Continue adding the chocolate liquid to the egg mixture until you've mixed it all together. Pour the chocolate/egg mixture very slowly into the saucepan, whisking the entire time. Turn the heat back up to medium and continue whisking several minutes until the mixture just starts to come to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Pour in chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and mix until well blended and no dry ingredients appear. Add vanilla and beat until smooth - about 1 to 2 minutes. Don't be alarmed at how liquidy the batter looks.) Fill each cupcake tin 2/3rds of the way. Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips over the top of each cupcake. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is set and a toothpick entered into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and continue to cool.
While the cupcakes are cooling, mix the peanut butter and oil together until the oil is absorbed. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Spread a little over the top of each cake.

In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup margarine, salt, and 6 tablespoons buttermilk. Heat just until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl and beat in chocolate mixture. Continue mixing until smooth. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined. If the frosting seems a little thin, continue to add more powdered sugar until it's at the consistency you want. Spread or pipe on each cupcake.

Yield: 19 cupcakes, er...cupcrownies. :)
Would I Make This Again? Maybe. I liked how dense they were. I'd like to make this in a 9x13 pan and see how it compares.

Oh! Nuts Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Mel a.k.a "Short Person's Mom" of Stories of Short Person! You're the lucky winner of the Oh! Nuts Giveaway.

Thank you to everyone that entered! Based on the popularity of this giveaway, I plan to do it again very soon.

Erin's Pinkalicious Cupcakes

Considering the fact that I have a thirteen year old son, it shouldn't seem too odd that I had never heard of the book, Pinkalicious. However, that all changed when I volunteered to make cupcakes for my friend's daughter's third birthday party, as I became a bit of a subject matter expert on the story. The book is about a little girl who eats so many pink cupcakes that she turns pink! Erin just loves it and asks her mom to read it to her just about everyday. And who could blame her? This book so so cute and girly, with it's unique illustrations and silly, albeit moralistic plot.At first glance, the cupcakes seem simple enough, but it was much more than a little pink icing, some sprinkles, and a cherry. The part I found most challenging was the frosting and getting the tall, rounded shape perfected. After a bit of research, I was able to achieve this by adding just a little flour to the frosting, which was the perfect stabilizer. Admittedly, the frosting looked a little on the dry side, but it had to be to support the domed shape, hold on to the fuchsia swag border, and the cherry on top. Perhaps someday I'll come up with a smoother, more visually appealing recipe, but I think in the end it worked out really well.
These cupcakes were challenging but so much fun to make! I actually squealed with delight when I was done making them because I felt they looked just like the cupcakes that were in the book. The best part was that Erin did too; she really thought her cupcake was Pinkalious!

Pinkalicious Cupcakes
Note: The following recipe is one that I put together and is no way endorsed by the publisher or authors. If you'd like to use their recipe, they have one available on their site.

Supplies You'll Need Ready
- Solid purple cupcake liners (Save 10% by entering code PC0050)
- Gel Food Coloring in both Pink and Purple (Please, do not use liquid or water based coloring. I used the CK brand that comes in the tube in Bright Red and Purple)
- Wilton White-White Food
- Pastry/Icing Bags
- Icing Tip ( I used a Ateco #15)
White Non-parallel sprinkles (should be available in your grocery store)
- 24 Maraschino Cherries, with stems

Cherries
Before you start baking, remove the cherries from the jar and let drain on a few folded paper towels. Discard any cherries that aren’t in good shape (those you get to eat!) After about an hour, flip the cherries over. Cover lightly and set aside.

Pink Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart
Note: This recipe makes exactly 24 cupcakes.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup full-fat sour cream
Pink Gel food coloring (I used CK Food Color Gel in Bright Red)
Optional: Wilton's White-White Icing Color

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cupcake tins with 24 cupcake liners. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Mix 2 tablespoons of the sour cream with just a pin sized amount of the food coloring gel. Be sure to mix it together really well, breaking up any globs. Keep adding more food coloring until the color is the right shade of pink – you want it a little bit brighter than what you envision the end product to be. Add a little at a time until you get the desired shade. Add this to the larger bowl of sour cream and mix well. If the color is too light, remove a tablespoon of the sour cream and repeat the process again. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time, mixing one minute for each one. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. If the color of the batter is not the color you had envisioned, remove a tablespoon of batter to a little bowl, add more color, mix well, and then add it to the big bowl of batter. Mix well. Repeat this as necessary.

Fill the cupcakes about 2/3 way full and smooth the tops as best you can. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until a toothpick put into the center of the cupcake comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay). Be careful not to over bake - you don't want brownish pink cupcakes!

Let cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and let cool completely. When they are totally cool, store them in a covered container. Pink Frosting
1 cups white vegetable shortening
1 cups unsalted butter
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
8 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
4 tablespoons milk
Pink Food Coloring Gel
Optional: Wilton's White-White Icing Color

In a small bowl, mix together the milk and a very small amount of food coloring gel – and I mean a very little bit. You want to achieve only a pale pink.

In a separate bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and flour. Set aside.

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Note: If you find that after you add the pink milk mixture to your frosting that the frosting is too pink, you can use Wilton’s White-White icing color to mute it. It works wonders!

Reserve about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the frosting and cover it to keep from drying out.
Fushia Frosting
Reserved 1 1/2 to 2 cups of pink frosting
Pink Food Coloring Gel
Purple Food Coloring Gel

In a clean bowl of stand mixture, mix the frosting for about 30 seconds just to warm it up. In very small quantities, add a blob of pink/bright red food coloring gel. Mix until it’s well combined. You want the color to be saturated and very bright pink. When you’re there, add just the tiniest bit of purple to the mixture so that it deepens the pink to the point that it’s about to go purple. Unfortunately there’s no good way for me to precisely measure the amount of food coloring I used. You just have to go slow and be patient. Make sure you have a reference point for the color you’re trying to achieve near by to keep you calibrated.

Get your piping bag ready with the Ateco 15 tip and add the frosting to the bag.
Assembly
Pour the white non-pariels into a small rounded bowl and have a small spoon at the ready. Set aside.

Have a little cup of water ready. Set aside.
Pipe a generous amount of frosting on the top of each cupcake, doing your best to create a domed shape. Don’t worry about it looking perfect and pretty at this point just try to go for height. Using a small off-set spatula, gently coax the icing into a somewhat smooth domed cap of frosting. You may need more frosting so add it if you need to.
Loosely Cover the top of the cupcake with piece of plastic wrap – one that is large enough to completely cover the cupcake. Cup one of your hands and gently use it to gently push against the plastic wrap, forming the surface of the cupcake into a rounded surface. Continue to press and mold until you get a smooth (or close to it) cupcake surface free of dents. This sounds a bit difficult, but believe me, when you’re in the moment, it will make sense.

While the frosting is still damp, turn the cupcake upside down and drip the top of it into the bowl of sprinkles. Use the spoon if you need it to direct the sprinkles around the cupcake and/or to tamp them down. Now, if you find that the non-pariels are not sticking to the surface it just means that the frosting is too dry. Using your finger, gently dampen the surface of the cupcake (just a teeny tiny amount of water works wonders) and try again.

Using a bit of pressure, slowly pipe a continuous “w” shape on the sides of each cupcake. It really helps to have a cake stand that turns to do this, but if you don’t, just pipe with one hand while you slowly turn each cupcake with the other.

The key here is the placement of the frosting-swag. If your cupcake has a good sized dome, you should have a nice horizontal surface to work with.

Top each cupcake with a cherry and tap it down just a bit to hold it in place.

Keep the cupcakes covered until you’re ready to eat them.

Enjoy!!

Yield 24 cupcakes and probably more than enough frosting
Would I Make This Again? I would, but I have to admit that these were not easy, but now that I have made them, they'd be easier next time.