Cupcakes Archives | Flour Arrangements

Tangy-Sweet Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

March 26, 2017 by Suzanne Cowden Leave a Comment

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Full of tangy citrus flavor, these moist lemon cupcakes provide a perfect vehicle for billowy meringue frosting. A sweet treat for lemon lovers, these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are surprisingly simple to make.

My practical-joke-loving daughter Eliza hatched a plan to wear a shirt that reads “Life” while handing out lemons to passersby.

If she gets a friend to film people’s reactions, maybe they can create a viral video that will pay for their college educations. We even have tons of lemons right now, so the time is right. I feel it.

They’d better hurry, though, since I’m baking my way through our lemon supply. After making a lemon meringue pie the other day, I felt pretty sure that light, airy meringue frosting would taste awesome with lemon cupcakes.

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Buttermilk Cupcakes

June 14, 2016 by Suzanne Cowden 4 Comments

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These tender Buttermilk Cupcakes are full of sweet vanilla flavor. This mix-by-hand recipe is just as easy to prepare as box-mix cupcakes, but it tastes infinitely better.

Simple, yet classic, these buttermilk cupcakes are super versatile. Tender in texture and full of sweet vanilla flavor, they pair well with anything from fruit to chocolate to caramel and beyond.

When I made a batch last weekend for my daughter’s end-of-the season soccer party, all the beautiful ripe strawberries I’ve seen lately tempted me to experiment with a fresh berry buttercream recipe. But then my daughter suggested mixing up two batches of frosting — one chocolate and one vanilla — so she could arrange cupcakes in the shape of a soccer ball for her party.

Brilliant, right? I postponed my berry craving for another day….

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Simple Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

May 18, 2016 by Suzanne Cowden 6 Comments

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Mixed by hand, these Simple Chocolate Cupcakes are just as easy to prepare as box-mix cupcakes. They’re rich, tender, and delicious, especially topped with Vanilla Frosting, which, like the cupcakes, is easy to make without an electric mixer.

My daughter Eliza and I were recently talking about the kinds of treats her classmates bring to school for their birthdays. Clearly looking for an opening, she said, “If kids only knew how easy it was to make cupcakes, I bet they’d bake their own birthday treats.”

I wasn’t surprised to learn that most kids bring grocery store cupcakes to school. If you don’t bake regularly, the idea of making a classroom’s worth of cupcakes seems like a lot of extra work.

With the addition of birthday activities to an already full week, it totally makes sense. Eliza, though, was bound and determined to expose her fellow fifth-graders to something new.

I’ve been baking with her class one morning a week during math centers this year, and since we’re always on the lookout for recipe ideas, she wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass without exercising her persuasive skills. I’m partial to baking cupcakes, anyway, so it didn’t take much to sell me on the idea….

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Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

March 31, 2016 by Suzanne Cowden 6 Comments

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With fresh orange zest and juice mixed into the thick batter, these Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes bake into tender little treats with a deliciously sweet orange flavor. Topped with vanilla buttercream or freshly whipped cream, they’re reminiscent of the classic orange-vanilla frozen bars.

When we arranged a cupcake decorating date with some friends a few weeks ago, I asked my kids what kind of cupcakes they wanted. Eliza suggested baking some that would taste like Orange Creamsicles.

I’m a sucker for these classic summer-time treats that combine sweet orange and creamy vanilla ice cream on a stick. At the mere thought of them, I can almost hear the chimey, tinny sound of the ice cream truck rolling through the neighborhood.

I’m sure it would never have occurred to me to try and replicate this frozen treat in cupcake form, so I’m glad I asked for suggestions….

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Grasshopper Cupcakes

March 4, 2016 by Suzanne Cowden 2 Comments

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Inspired by the after dinner drink, these rich chocolate cupcakes topped with minty frosting come together as decadent and delicious Grasshopper Cupcakes.

A few weeks ago, my husband ordered a Grasshopper after we’d finished up our meal at The Boxing Room in San Francisco. I’d never actually tried this after dinner drink that inspired Grasshopper Pie, one of my favorite childhood desserts, so I couldn’t help taking a few sips to see how I felt about it.

The drink tasted delicious, but to be honest, it was a bit sweet for my taste. I’d much rather sink my teeth into this amazing flavor combination than sip it from a glass….

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Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes

January 29, 2016 by Suzanne Cowden 14 Comments

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Fresh raspberries, Framboise, and plenty of dark chocolate come together in these decadent Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes.

Tessa, who’s seven, grabbed a box of little chocolate heart cookies at the store the other day. When my girls ask to buy cookies, I usually tell them that we should just make them ourselves.

Before I could say a word this time, she asked,”Wouldn’t these look perfect on top of some Valentine’s Day cupcakes?”

She held the box up to my face to make sure I’d taken in the full measure of their chocolate-covered-pink-and-white-sprinkled adorableness.

“Why, yes. Yes, they would.”

The girl is good. With one simple question, she got me to buy her cookies AND make some Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes.

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Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

September 24, 2015 by Suzanne Cowden 2 Comments

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Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes deliver rich chocolate flavor with warm Kahlua undertones. A simple espresso buttercream adds sweetness with an edge.

These little Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes pack a big punch. Don’t let their petite cupcake cuteness fool you; they’re deep, dark, and decidedly indulgent with a shot of sweetness from the espresso buttercream frosting.

The hefty dose of chocolate chips mixed into the batter adds extra richness, and a sprinkling of cocoa nibs over the top as a finishing touch adds an almost earthy, bitter crunch that offsets the sweetness of frosting. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that just one cupcake will probably be enough to satisfy almost any dessert-lover at one sitting….

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Triple Threat | Triple Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

April 22, 2014 by Suzanne Cowden 9 Comments

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The deep sweetness of salted-caramel frosting pairs perfectly with the intense chocolate flavor in these triple chocolate cupcakes.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting | Flour Arrangements

Cupcakes. They’re small, awesome, and delicious. Baking a batch of tiny cakes seems like the perfect solution when, for no special reason at all, you find yourself in need of a little treat.

But then you remove two dozen cupcakes from your oven. You realize that you want to eat every single one, especially once you’ve topped them with salted caramel frosting. Your solution has suddenly created a new and dangerous problem.

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