Frog Cupcakes

Ready to jump into Spring? Thses cute little frog cupcakes should help get you in the Spring spirit!

Frog Cupcakes

Make cupcakes any way you want. For these, I used a yellow cake mix and prepared them according to package instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

You will also need:
Marshmallows
Brown M&M'S
Red icing- (I buy this from the store because it's really hard to get a pretty red icing at home)

For the icing:

Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, softened

6-8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

green food coloring

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating. Add in salt and vanilla. If the icing is too thin, add some powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a touch of milk.

Ice the cupcakes with your green frosting. While the icing is still "wet" looking you are going to add the eyes. Take a large marshmallows and cut them into thirds. Place two eyes on the cupcake and then add two brown M&M's for the pupils. Snip off the tip of the red icing and pipe on the mouth.

 

I love how cute these frogs came out! They would definitely add a bit of fun to any party! 

Ready to jump into Spring? Thses cute little frog cupcakes should help get you in the Spring spirit!

Frog Cupcakes

Make cupcakes any way you want. For these, I used a yellow cake mix and prepared them according to package instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

You will also need:
Marshmallows
Brown M&M'S
Red icing- (I buy this from the store because it's really hard to get a pretty red icing at home)

For the icing:

Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, softened

6-8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

green food coloring

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating. Add in salt and vanilla. If the icing is too thin, add some powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a touch of milk.

Ice the cupcakes with your green frosting. While the icing is still "wet" looking you are going to add the eyes. Take a large marshmallows and cut them into thirds. Place two eyes on the cupcake and then add two brown M&M's for the pupils. Snip off the tip of the red icing and pipe on the mouth.

 

I love how cute these frogs came out! They would definitely add a bit of fun to any party! 

Oreo Truffle Pops

My boss gave me this recipe a couple of years ago and since then I have seen it on several blogs. These are some of my favorite things to make. I really enjoy making cake pops, but often don't have the time and this is a quick alternative.

Oreo Truffle Pops

1 pkg regular Oreos
1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
Vanilla Candy Coating, Candy Melts or 2 pkg chocolate chips
Lollipop sticks (found at baking & craft stores) 

In a food processor crush Oreo's  to a fine crumb. If you don't have a food processor, place oreos in a freezer grade, gallon size bag. Use a rolling pin to crush Oreo's. Put crushed cookies into a large bowl and add cream cheese.
Sometimes in the kitchen, your hands are the best tools. Using one hand to gold the bowl, take your other hand and mix in cream cheese until well incorporated.
Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This makes it easier to dip the balls.
Melt your candy coating or chocolate coating of choice.
At this point you can just dip the balls and place on waxed paper to cool or if you want to make a really pretty display you can follow the following steps to make them pops.
Take the tip of the stick and dip in chocolate. Take the chocolate covered tip and push into ball about 3/4 of the way. You do not want the stick to go through the ball.e also seen them at Wal-Mart
Put the ball in the chocolate and using a spoon, pull the chocolate up and over the ball. Pull straight up and sideways.  Hold it over the bowl in your left hand, and tap your left wrist gently with your right hand. If you use the hand holding the cake pop to shake off excess coating, the force of the movement will be too strong and could cause the cake ball to loosen or come off the lollipop stick. Tapping the wrist holding the cake pop absorbs some of the impact. The excess coating will fall off, but you will need to rotate the lollipop stick so the coating doesn’t build up on one side, making it too heavy on that side.
While the coating is still wet, if desired use sprinkles to decorate.
Place sticks in styrofoam to dry. You can also get cake pop stands at most baking shops and I have also seen them at Wal-Mart.

                                                    

 I really like to make these because you can really make them for any occasion. Change the colors, change the topping, and a drizzle.  Also to make them for party favours, you can get those little cellophane bags and tie them with ribbon. It makes for a cute gift and they are always appreciated!

If you want some great tips on making pops in general, check out Bakerella's web-site. That lady is amazing and has some great tips on making and decorating pops!

My boss gave me this recipe a couple of years ago and since then I have seen it on several blogs. These are some of my favorite things to make. I really enjoy making cake pops, but often don't have the time and this is a quick alternative.

Oreo Truffle Pops

1 pkg regular Oreos
1- 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
Vanilla Candy Coating, Candy Melts or 2 pkg chocolate chips
Lollipop sticks (found at baking & craft stores) 

In a food processor crush Oreo's  to a fine crumb. If you don't have a food processor, place oreos in a freezer grade, gallon size bag. Use a rolling pin to crush Oreo's. Put crushed cookies into a large bowl and add cream cheese.
Sometimes in the kitchen, your hands are the best tools. Using one hand to gold the bowl, take your other hand and mix in cream cheese until well incorporated.
Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This makes it easier to dip the balls.
Melt your candy coating or chocolate coating of choice.
At this point you can just dip the balls and place on waxed paper to cool or if you want to make a really pretty display you can follow the following steps to make them pops.
Take the tip of the stick and dip in chocolate. Take the chocolate covered tip and push into ball about 3/4 of the way. You do not want the stick to go through the ball.e also seen them at Wal-Mart
Put the ball in the chocolate and using a spoon, pull the chocolate up and over the ball. Pull straight up and sideways.  Hold it over the bowl in your left hand, and tap your left wrist gently with your right hand. If you use the hand holding the cake pop to shake off excess coating, the force of the movement will be too strong and could cause the cake ball to loosen or come off the lollipop stick. Tapping the wrist holding the cake pop absorbs some of the impact. The excess coating will fall off, but you will need to rotate the lollipop stick so the coating doesn’t build up on one side, making it too heavy on that side.
While the coating is still wet, if desired use sprinkles to decorate.
Place sticks in styrofoam to dry. You can also get cake pop stands at most baking shops and I have also seen them at Wal-Mart.

                                                    

 I really like to make these because you can really make them for any occasion. Change the colors, change the topping, and a drizzle.  Also to make them for party favours, you can get those little cellophane bags and tie them with ribbon. It makes for a cute gift and they are always appreciated!

If you want some great tips on making pops in general, check out Bakerella's web-site. That lady is amazing and has some great tips on making and decorating pops!

Swiss Chocolate Cake

You may have heard this cake referred to as a candy bar cake. Whatever you want to call it, it's delicious! My mother has been making this cake all of my life and I think it's still my favorite cake.

Swiss Chocolate Cake

1 box Swiss Chocolate Cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
3 eggs
1½ cup milk
1 cup oil

Frosting
1- 12 oz carton Cool-Whip thawed
1 v8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
3 Hershey bars

Mix cake ingredients together
Pour into 3 round greased cake pans and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes
Let cool
For frosting beat cream cheese and sugar
Stir in candy bars
Ice Cake and serve

 This cake is rich, so just be aware of that when slicing. Sometimes for a little extra crunch, I'll fold in 3/4 cup of chopped pecans into the icing and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of chopped pecans on top. Put a few chocolate curls on top and voila! It makes for a pretty presentation and is always one of the first desserts gone at a pot-luck. Enjoy!

You may have heard this cake referred to as a candy bar cake. Whatever you want to call it, it's delicious! My mother has been making this cake all of my life and I think it's still my favorite cake.

Swiss Chocolate Cake

1 box Swiss Chocolate Cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
3 eggs
1½ cup milk
1 cup oil

Frosting
1- 12 oz carton Cool-Whip thawed
1 v8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
3 Hershey bars

Mix cake ingredients together
Pour into 3 round greased cake pans and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes
Let cool
For frosting beat cream cheese and sugar
Stir in candy bars
Ice Cake and serve

 This cake is rich, so just be aware of that when slicing. Sometimes for a little extra crunch, I'll fold in 3/4 cup of chopped pecans into the icing and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of chopped pecans on top. Put a few chocolate curls on top and voila! It makes for a pretty presentation and is always one of the first desserts gone at a pot-luck. Enjoy!

Garden of Love

Garden of Love Cupcakes 

For these cupcakes prepare any flavor cupcake according to the package instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely

Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, softened

6-8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating. Add in salt and vanilla. If the icing is too thin, add some powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a touch of milk.

 I iced them with my  homemade buttercream with a butter knife. Using a piping bag and a small round tip, pipe on the stems. Change to a leaf tip and pipe on a few leaves. The "flowers" are Wilton's large heart sprinkles. You want to work fairly quickly because the sprinkles won't stick as well when the icing dries.

I made these cute little cupcakes for my daughters school and the kids loved them. So did I! 

Garden of Love Cupcakes 

For these cupcakes prepare any flavor cupcake according to the package instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely

Buttercream Icing

2 sticks butter, softened

6-8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and milk, alternating. Add in salt and vanilla. If the icing is too thin, add some powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a touch of milk.

 I iced them with my  homemade buttercream with a butter knife. Using a piping bag and a small round tip, pipe on the stems. Change to a leaf tip and pipe on a few leaves. The "flowers" are Wilton's large heart sprinkles. You want to work fairly quickly because the sprinkles won't stick as well when the icing dries.

I made these cute little cupcakes for my daughters school and the kids loved them. So did I!