Review: Cupid's Gourmet Cupcakes

I was super excited when Diana introduced me to Cupid's Gourmet Cupcakes. This adorable shop carries fun flavours like The Princess (Vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream frosting), Pucker Up (Lemon yogurt cake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest and lemon buttercream frosting), Chai High (Chai tea buttermilk cake with chai tea cream cheese frosting) and my favorite, the Red Velvet.

What makes Cupid's so great are the recipes. The cakes are soft, moist and subtly sweet. The light creamy frostings perfectly complement their paired cakes. Bonus for those with nut allergies, Cupid's prides themselves on being nut-free.

Personally, I love that Cupid's cupcakes aren't greasy. Have you ever had a greasy cupcake? It spoils the whole experience. Just a few months ago, I ordered a red velvet cupcake from a restaurant that was so oily, it left pools of grease on my plate and hands. Not to worry, that won't happen at Cupid's.

With clean decor of white tiles and accessories, Cupid's is warm and inviting. Their Daily Flavours are beautifully displayed as soon as you walk in. The open back area gives you a peak at the busy bakers in the kitchen working on orders for showers and special occasions.

As mentioned, Cupid's rotates flavours. Check out their website for the schedule. Full Cupcakes are priced at $2.50 each, $12.90 for half a dozen and $24.96 for a dozen. Mini cupcakes are priced at $1.15 each, $6.50 for half a dozen and $12.90 for a dozen.

Make sure you go early because they typically sell out well before days end. The shop is open Tues - Fri 10am - 7pm, Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 11am - 5pm and is closed Mondays. Be sure to stop by, these cakes are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

::: Nathalie

Preview

What's to come on the Lime Shop in the next days (pictured above).

Also working on a special apron for the raffle gift pack we're donating to Cupcake Camp next Sunday. (Proceeds go to the Daily Bread Food Bank.)

::: Nathalie

Review: The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Since Hummingbird bakery is supposed to be all the rage in London, England, I was really excited to get my own copy of their cookbook in my last Amazon order.

I bought Nielsen-Massey's Finest Quality Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste from William Sonoma for $16 (CAD) to bake. Logically speaking, supreme vanilla should result in supreme vanilla cupcakes. Sounds like a safe bet.

Recipe Review: Hummingbird Bakery, Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

• When preparing the ingredients, I was surprised to see how little sugar, butter and vanilla this recipe used. (In fact, a lot of the recipes in this book use very little sugar and butter.)

• I followed the directions carefully and added ingredients and mixed as per the book.

• I prepared 12 cupcake liners in my tray and started scooping the cups two-thirds full as directed.

• Hmm... Did a double take at the book since I only got 8 cups going. Weird. The recipe says "Makes 12".

• Moving along, I popped them in the oven and waited. Took them out and was surprised to see how pale my cakes looked. Hmm....

• As the cupcakes cooled, I prepared the icing.

• Having sampled some batter and icing along the way, I knew they were on the bland side but I really thought all of the flavours would come together nicely when the cupcake was complete.

• TASTE TEST VERDICT: Disappointing. Bland cake. Thick sponge consistency. Tasted very floury. Bland icing. Consensus: bland and boring. My worst cakes to date (yes, that includes my Duncan Hines Cake Fails).

My review on The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook:

• Delicious looking, beautiful, inspirational pictures.
• Beautifully laid out chapters.
• Recipes: BORING. Terrible. Waste of time, money and good ingredients.
• If the goodies in the actual Hummingbird Bakeries taste anything like what's in this book, I would be shocked.
• Buy Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book instead. (Martha hasn't failed me once.)

And in case you're still a glutton for punishment and are curious about the above recipe, I'm going to take the time to type this out for you from the book.

UPDATE 3/14/2011: See reader comments regarding their experience with this cookbook here.

::: Nathalie

HUMMINGBIRD BAKERY'S VANILLA CUPCAKES

Makes 12

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 cup all purpose flour

a scant 3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

3 tbsps of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk

1 egg

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

8 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE FROSTING

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

5 tbsps unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsps whole milk

a couple drops of pure vanilla extract

CUPCAKES DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line cupcake tray with paper cups.

2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a bowl. Mix and beat at slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is well combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat well.

3. Whisk egg, vanilla and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into flour mixture and beat well, scraping bowl along the way. Do not over mix.

4. Spoon batter into cupcake tray, two-thirds full and bake for about 20 - 25 mins or until golden brown. Insert tooth pick in the middle of a cake and make sure it comes out clean before removing from oven. Place on a cooling rack.

VANILLA FROSTING DIRECTIONS

1. While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Beat icing sugar and butter together in mixer at low speed. Combine milk and vanilla in a separate bowl then add to butter mixture, a few spoons at a time. Mix well until light and fluffy, about 5 mins. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier it becomes. Frost completely-cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Happy Easter Carrot Cupcakes!

A holiday and the fabulous spring weather meant I had to try a new cupcake recipe - Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Everyone who was treated to these was very pleased and even took a second helping!

I left out the raisins in order to give it a fluffier cupcake consistency. I also substituted the regular cream cheese for the light variety seeing as it's generous on the vegetable oil.

Next time I make these, I'll opt for 1 cup of vegetable oil instead of the recommended 1 1/2 cup. It just felt like too much. If you're confident modifying recipes, give it a try with the 1 cup and let me know how they turn out.

Hope everyone had a fabulous Easter!

:::: Nathalie

Carrot Cupcake Ingredients

Makes 24 cupcakes

• FOR THE CUPCAKES
• 1 pound carrots, finely grated
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• FOR THE FROSTING
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla-bean seeds, and raisins. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
2. Divide batter among liners, filling 3/4 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 23 to 28 minutes, rotating tins halfway through. Transfer tins to racks to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from tins; let cool completely.
3. Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar. Continue to beat while adding remaining sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Add vanilla, and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Treats for your tummy and a good cause.

Last week I mentioned that I would be partaking in the bake sale at work. Funds raised went to The Cancer Society's Relay for Life. With some advanced prep work, I baked a mini army of Sugar Cookie bunnies and my infamous Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Butter Cream frosting. Both recipes can be found on good old Martha's website.

I'm happy to say that my goods sold out (along with almost all the others, but ya know).

::: Nathalie

Banana Cupcakes

Makes 12

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Honey Cinnamon Frosting

• 1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes

Picture Blog: Aprons, Bracelets, Cake Fail and Diana

Busy weekend with 2 birthdays for the in-laws, hosting Sunday lunch at our house, baking, and making aprons and bracelets. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

My niece Mackenzie with her Moomin apron. I made it for her 6th birthday. That's me trying to hide behind her.

An array of new bracelets coming soon to The Lime Shop.

Diana modeling some of her favorite picks.

Cake Fail! I cut corners and bought Duncan Hines cake mix and frosting. It was the worst cake I've ever had to work with. Crumbs galore and it was on the brink on falling apart. Yes, those are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups heaped on top.

More cake fail. Cupcakes were also Duncan Hines. They didn't rise well and were kinda greasy. They tasted decent though.

Diana making faces.

The End

::: Nathalie

Happy Bday Diana!

Diana celebrated her birthday this past Wednesday.

We threw a dinner for her Saturday night: spaghetti and chicken parmesan and toasted with pink sparking wine. Homemade Red Velvet Cupcakes were served for dessert. Yum!

Happy Birthday Diana!!!

::: Nathalie

Cuppies!

So it's not fashion related but who doesn't love cupcakes!? I made these bad boys this past weekend for my family - fluffy chocolate cakes with butter cream icing and colorful sprinkles (proudly decorated by my man). Yum yum!

::: Nathalie

Happy Easter

To make your own birds nest cupcakes just bake regular cupcakes, ice them, dunk them into shredded coconut and decorate with chocolate eggs. Do this on a freshly iced cupcake and the coconut and eggs will adhere nicely.

Happy Easter from Nathalie and Diana.