Blogging Day 229: New Title Picture!

I designed a new title picture!!



polyvore.com



I decided since I changed my background from red to pink I should change my title picture too. I, of course, created it with the help of polyvore! You guys have to check this website out! Addicting!!

I'm not sure if I like this one as much as I did as the other one... What do you think? Do you like it?

<3 Zerila

Veggie/ Water:  I keep missing the stupid waters!!!!

Blogging Day 167 : Chinese New Year Inspired Cupcakes

First things first, I googled how to write Happy New Year in Chinese characters and if I did it wrong at all, I do apologize. I mean no disrespect.

Now, onto the fun stuff! The Chinese New Year Celebration has begun!

Happy New Years Everyone!

We celebrated the New Year at work and I was inspired to create these cupcakes.

Let's Begin!

Items you will need ( the numbers given will give you the above look, numbers can vary based how many people will devour your cupcakes):

Icing: I used Martha Stewart's Buttercream Icing with a tbsp of cinnamon. It added a nice flavor, I could not think of a flavor that was Chinese that would be good for cupcakes. Maybe ginger?

Icing Round Tip

Icing Bag: I used a gallon ziplock bag and honestly, they are a lot easier to use then your normal bag because it allows for more room to stuff the icing in. Just cut off a corner and insert tip.

18 Cupcakes: I used yellow cake.

Hot Water

Icing Spatula

Print out of Happy New Year in Chinese Characters.

14 Fortune Cookie

Black Gel Icing

Let's Being

Step 1:



For some reason I got some crazy looking cupcakes this time around. No worries, as morphed as your cupcakes are, it can always be covered up with icing.



Layout your cupcakes and fill your icing bag with icing.

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Step 2:

Squirt out icing on top of your cupcake. It does not have to be perfect, just make sure you put enough icing on there.

Once done, place in fridge for about 30 minutes or more, until the icing has harden.

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Step 3:

Once the icing has harden, it's time to smooth out the cupcakes. Taking a glass of hot water, dip the icing spatula in the hot water and smooth out the icing. You can grab a paper towel and wipe off any icing you take off, or excess water. The heat will allow you to easily smooth out the icing.

Do not put away the water and the spatula yet!

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Step 4:

Now that your cupcakes are all smoothed out, set aside all but four. With the picture of the Chinese characters close, use the black gel icing and write out the characters.

Do not worry if you make a mistake. Using the spatula, scrap off the black icing. You may scrap off a bit of the white icing. If you find you are making to many mistakes on one cupcake, and it looks like your are about to run out of the white icing, grab another cupcake and being again.

The last two characters were the hardest for me.

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Last step:

On the rest of the cupcakes place a fortune cookie on top.

Granted, the characters are not perfect, but a fun idea to celebrate a culture's holiday. I encourage everyone to find a city that is celebrating the New Year and check it out. I plan on traveling to DC and watch the festivities there.

Have fun! Remember: Be creative, Be Imaginative and Make it your own!

Veggies/Water: I have been eating ALOT of oranges lately! I have one for breakfast, lunch and snack. Very yummy!

Oh, I finally added a picture of myself in my profile! I was having a lot of fun with my computer's camera program.

OH!!! Big announcement! My Grandpa is getting married!!! Congratulations Grandpa!!

<3 Zerila

Blogging Day 77: Zombie Cupcakes

This past Friday for work, we had a Halloween party, and I decided to dress up as a zombie. We also had a to bring a side dish or dessert, and my first thought was to make vampire cupcakes. I had made them for a friend, who was a fan of True Blood, for her birthday a couple months back.

http://bakingbites.com/2007/10/vampire-cupcakes/

They are basically vanilla cupcakes with cherry filling. I found them extremely cute and tasty. 

I thought dressing up as a zombie and bringing vampire cupcakes was a bit of cross branding. You know when you Chanel sunglasses while carrying a Prada bag. Very no-no. ( Of course I do it all the time, but do as I say not as I do. ) My point is,I decided to be a little inventive and create the ' ZOMBIE CUPCAKE'. 

I named it myself. I am so proud of my little zombies.  Sometimes I find my awesomeness to be to much, don't you? Alas, its a burden we must all endure.

Ingredients you will need:

Vanilla/Yellow/White Cupcake Mix( already mixed together)

Green Food Coloring

Icing ( I used Martha Stewart's Basic Butter Cream Icing)

Cupcake Cups

Can of Cherry Pie filling

Chocolate Powder

2 Pastry bags

Icing Tips

Chop Stick

First drop about three drops of green dye into your already mixed together cake mix. 

I am using a Kitchen Aid, but any mixer will do. Even if it's the old fashion, stone age tool, the spoon. Keep adding three drops at a time until you get the desired green color that YOU want.

Line your cupcake pan with the cupcake cups and cook them according to the cake box instructions. Or if you are hard core, your own recipe.  I have yet to master the cake, my cake's always come out bland and tasteless, but one day I will achieve my goal of making a delicious cake by hand.

Now that you have all the cupcakes baked. Set them aside to cool down.

REMEMBER: DO NOT walk away and leave your cupcakes unprotected. Your family members need only one minute alone with your cupcakes to cupcake-nap them.

 Next you need to puree the cherry pie filling. Again, I used the Kitchen Aid, but any way you can get those cherries pureed is good.

After your cupcakes are cooled down, cut a triangle shaped hole in your cupcake. Set aside the cut out top.

Take your pureed cherry pie filling and fill one of the pastry bags. Fill up the holes in your cupcakes with the filling.

Now, take the piece that was cut out and remove the access cake, so that all you have left is the crust and cover up the filling.

Set the cupcakes aside, and now work on the icing.

Again, add three drops of food coloring, mix and continue until you have the desired green color.

Using a plain circle tip at the end of the pastry bag, fill up the bag with the lovely green icing. Ice the cupcakes until you have a nice layer of icing.

Place your cupcakes in the fridge for about 15-30mins, so the icing will set.

After the icing has hardened, remove from fridge.

To smooth out the icing you will need an icing spatula and a cup of hot water.

Using the heated spatula, smooth out the icing. I find it easier when the icing is set because I do not move all the icing, just the top layer.

Now with the chopstick you are going to make impressions that look like teeth. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, but after a while I got pretty good. Amazing, the kind of skills you will acquire if you try.

Taking the chocolate powder, sprinkle around the teeth marks to get the desired rotted out bite look. You can also wet the end of the chopstick and pat the chocolate powder onto the teeth marks. I did both, it all depends what you find easier.

Now, for the last step, take your left over pureed cherry filling and add the blood marks. Again, practice makes perfect.

ALL DONE!

Perfect for Halloweens parties, horror movie night, zombie movie premieres, all night marathons of Resident Evil 4, or in celebration of the new show 'The Walking Dead'( Trailer Below).

Have fun! Remember: Be Creative, Be Imaginative and Make it your own!



<3 Zerila