2009 April 10 — Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

Cupcake Recipe

April 10, 2009 · by JudyL

Brenda, who works with my husband and lives just a hop, skip and jump away from me, commented on the cupcakes I sent to work with Vince today. I love compliments so I’ll just share it here so you can all read it several times!

Thanks for the cupcakes today. Vince did share with us they melt in your mouth – SOOO GOOOD! I’m not a frosting person, but this frosting was great. Can you share the recipe? I’m going to get that carrier, great idea! I don’t have anything to carry pies or cupcakes. Thanks for sharing! HAPPY EASTER!

I’ll share the recipe here:

Chocolate Cake – This makes 36 cupcakes or you can make a sheet cake or a 2 layer cake.

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 sticks butter, softened but not melted
3 large eggs or 4 small eggs, at room temp
1-1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. If using cake pans, grease and flour pans. If making cupcakes, line pans with paper liners.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Add flour mixture, alternating with milk.
Add vanilla.
Pour into prepared pans. For cake, bake 30 – 35 minutes. For cupcakes, bake 15 – 20 minutes. Check with tester/toothpick.

Cool completely and frost. I used Buttercream Icing.

2 sticks butter, softened but not melted
1 pound powdered sugar
Cream or Half & Half to get to desired consistency (I use cream)
Flavoring (I mostly use almond for my icing but you could use any flavor you like)

Cream butter til fluffy and smooth. Add powdered sugar. Add cream til it reaches the desired consistency. Add flavoring . . different brands are stronger so use whatever it takes to achieve the flavor you want. Food coloring can also be added at this point.

· Filed Under: Cooking · 6 Comments

Keeping the Vampires Away

April 10, 2009 · by JudyL

I don’t really believe in vampires .. I don’t think I do. But if they do exist, I don’t think they’ll come around our house. Vince, being Italian, thinks garlic goes with everything. Not sure what Chad’s reason is but whatever he cooks, the first thing I say is “not too much garlic please!” His idea of not too much garlic is quite different from my idea of not too much garlic.

Have you ever eaten at a Carino’s? They serve bread with crunchy garlic chips in olive oil. When we would go there, we’d always ask for garlic chips to go. Then one day we found them at our local Wal-Mart. I was thrilled but Vince and Chad were more thrilled. They’re no longer at our local Wal-Mart. In fact, about six months ago, I found them on the markdown shelf. Made my day! I bought them all but we were on our last jar and getting desperate. Wal-Mart no longer carries them and despite my most desperate pleas, will not get them again.

Out of desperation, I contacted the company who makes them. Nope, they only sell to stores . . not desperate-hooked-on-garlic-chip families like us. I guess I sobbed and begged enough til the guy finally said “OK Lady! If you’ll stop emailing me and buy 12 jars, I’ll sell them to you!” He didn’t really say that but he wasn’t too keen on sending them but I have no shame when it comes to food. I scribbled out a check, popped it in the mail and my favorite UPS man delivered a box of garlic chips.

Now . . I’m off to hide them from Chad and Vince. Garlic chips will be rationed at my house!

· Filed Under: Cooking · 7 Comments

3 in 1 Carrier

April 10, 2009 · by JudyL

Have you seen these 3 in 1 carriers? They’re made by Mainstay and our local Wal-Mart has them.

If you use this insert, it’s a cupcake carrier. Stick a dozen cupcakes in the little circles and they can’t slide around but . . don’t overfill the cupcakes because if they’re the least bit too big, they bump into each other.

If you use this insert, you can carry 18 deviled eggs. You can bring those right to my house if you’d like!

If you use no insert, you can carry a pie. And, you could also bring that to my house.

So . . what do you think I did with my carrier? Pie, Deviled Eggs or Cupcakes??

Chocolate cupcakes with green buttercream icing with the little toasted coconut nests with M&M eggs . . for Vince to take to work today.

But, wait . . what if someone doesn’t like coconut? Well, folks, I aim to please.

Chocolate cupcakes with pink, green or yellow buttercream icing with colored sugar sprinkles. They were beginning to look more like Mardi Gras cupcakes rather than Easter cupcakes though. That’s ok . . they’re still going to work with Vince.