The Sugar Faerie Spring Garden Cupcake Cake (Hummingbird Cake)

I made one of my favorite cakes into a Cupcake Birthday Cake for a friend's birthday celebration.  I drew inspiration from a photo I saw on Facebook.  I made all the flowers from gum paste and let them cure for 36 hours.  I folded parchment paper in accordian style to mimic a cupcake liner, held it in place with a ribbon and then placed a sparkly Faerie on top.  Once the topper was in place I began to transfer all the flowers around it, added some sprinkles and a frosted edible "pearl" here and there, and finally the banner, giving the cake personalization.

I am not teaching gum paste flowers here as I'm an amateur myself.  You can buy the kits at JoAnns or Michaels as I did and teach yourself.  It isn't that difficult.  I'm sharing with you my recipe for Hummingbird Cake.  I love this moist, luscious cake so much, I even had it as my wedding cake.

Ingredients:

3 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 c vegetable oil
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 c chopped toasted pecans
2 c mashed bananas
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; add eggs and salad oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not eat. Stir in vanilla, pineapple,  pecans, and bananas.

Spoon batter into 3 well-greased and floured 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove and cool competely.

Spread frosting between layers and on top of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 c butter or margarine, softened
2 16-oz. pkgs. powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Note:  If you are going to do a cupcake cake, do not frost the sides.  Add extra frosting to the layers and mound or use a piping bag to make a dome of frosting on the top to simulate a cupcake.

Happy Birthday JJ!

Cereal Encrusted French Toast w/Sauteed Bananas

Ingredients:

1 loaf Challah or Brioche, cut into 1" slices
4 large eggs
1/3 c whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 c crushed cereal flakes, any type (I used Barbara's High Fiber w/Cranberries)
12 T butter, divided
3 medium ripe bananas, sliced
1/2 c maple syrup
Powdered Sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 200*.
In a shallow bowl beat eggs with milk, vanilla & salt.  In another bowl add the crust cereal. Add 6 T butter to a cast iron or heavy duty skillet and melt over medium heat.  Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture then coat each side with the crushed cereal.  Place in skillet and cook on each side until a dark golden brown.  Remove from skillet and put in oven proof dish and keep warm in the oven while making the topping.

In a large skillet melt remaining 6 T butter and add sliced bananas.  Saute for 2 minutes then add the maple syrup.  Continue cooking until the bananas are softened.

Warm serving plates in microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Place french toast slices on each plate and spoon banana mixture over top.  Dust w/powdered sugar if desired and serve.





Bon Appetit!

Banana Zucchini Cupcakes With a Caramel Center & Browned Butter Pecan Frosting

I had a zucchini that I needed to use and 3 very ripe bananas.  Put them together and whaddya get? A fall-feel cupcake full of flavor with gooey caramel and a brown butter frosting.  I only needed 2 bananas so I shared one of the bananas with my doggie.

  

Ingredients:

2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 c grated zucchini (about 1 small squash) with moisture squeezed out in towel
1 c mashed ripe bananas (2 small)
1/2 c caramel chips

Caramel:

1/3 c heavy cream
2/3 c caramel chips

Browned Butter Frosting:

6 T butter
1/4 c heavy cream
4 c sifted confectioners' sugar
1/ 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3/4 c finely chopped pecans (I toasted mine, but not necessary)

Heat oven to 350*F.  Line 16 cupcake cups with liners.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl place flour, baking soda salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and oil until well blended.  Add bean paste & blend. Add flour mixture little at a time.  On the lowest speed add zucchini, bananas & caramel chips. Mix until combined.

Using a muffin scoop, fill each cupcake cup 3/4 full.  Place on middle rack in oven and back for approximately 20-25 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.

In the meantime, in a large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat until it turns an amber color. Remove from heat and slowly pour in heavy cream.  It will bubble up.  Stir in sifted confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy; add pecans. Set aside.

With a sharp knife, remove about a 1" hole halfway down in the center of each cupcake. Reserve the removed cake.

Make the caramel: Heat the heavy cream and the caramel chips in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Continue stirring until all the chips are dissolved and you have a nice, smooth caramel.  Cool slightly.

Spoon the caramel into hole in each cupcake and replace with the reserved cake center.

Add frosting to piping bag fitted with large star tip.  Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

Drizzle with melted caramel and add a pecan half and banana chip if desired.

Makes 16.

Written and composed by The Sugar Faerie herself!