Sweet Treats: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

One of my favorite desserts. Reminds me of my childhood, my dad's favorite.
Simple to make, pretty to look at, almost like a comfort food for the sweet tooth.

Heart warming. especially when adorned with a little crape myrtle cutting.

What is your favorite dessert? Is there a reason other than simply how it tastes?

Sweet Treats: A Fanciful Twist Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcake Recipe

So many interior design posts lately. Love them, and have plenty more to come, but I believe a cupcake post is in order. Really, if the whole world could just sit together and eat cupcakes merilly, wouldn't it be such a lovely place, as friendship and the desire to serve and help each other magically took place?

Vanessa, of A Fanciful Twist never ceases to ignite my imagination. Her lovely storytelling is simply wonderful as well as her lushious photography, full of magic and sparkles. Her famous Mad Hatter Tea party, full of whimsical details is on the horizon, (here, you can see 2008 and 2009* and some blogger parties here), and read the delightful little introduction to this year's party here (in which I plan on atteneding this year).

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Do you not just love the shape of her cupcake? Her secret? Using extra tall cupcake liners! I've never seen them in stores, have you? Here is the recipe she uses, and her special notes on making the cupcake and icing:

the cupcake and the bee postcard set for sale in her shop

"I used this Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcake recipe right here. Two important notes are that, I increased the buttermilk to 1 scant cup (instead of 2/3 cup) after reading the reviews about dryness - And I only cooked mine for 16 minutes. Perfection!"

♥ Ingredients ♥

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1. Beat butter and all the sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until well blended.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. With mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture, followed by a third of the buttermilk – repeat, alternating in thirds. When all the flour is incorporated beat mixture on medium speed just until well blended.

4. Fill paper-lined or buttered muffin cups (1/3-cup capacity) about three-fourths full with batter (about 1/4 cup in each).

5. Bake in a 350° oven until tops spring back when lightly touched in the center, 16-20 minutes. Cool on racks 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.

6. Decorate with your favorite frosting.

♥Frosting♥

"My frosting invention is rather fluffy cheesecake like, but much more mild -

I took one stick of room temperature softened salted butter, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1/4 Tsp. of Vanilla and mixed them together with my hand mixer. I had 1 cup of powdered sugar waiting, that I added little by little to the already mixed sour-cream, butter and vanilla mixture.

I didn't use all the sugar for my mixture. But, you should add it little by little, tasting it until the frosting is to your likeness. I don't like mine very sweet. Note also that this cupcake recipe is very sweet on its own."

peace offering cupcake for the mad hatter

Cherries, sprinkles, fairy dust and whimsical dress-up costumes are optional.

Oh Cherry Very Happy (giveaway)

 

cherry love michelle

A box of no-bake cherry cheesecake called out to me from the grocery store aisle. I quickly became disoriented, "where am I?" "how did I end up in the baking section?" "why are boxes talking to me?" I must have been hungry, which is a big no-no whilst grocery shopping. I am a rule breaker.

Before I knew it (okay, 2 days later as a bribe to get my eldest to poo in the toilet), I was at home making this sweet thing. My son wanted to help, but was scared, nay angry at the beaters, choosing to plug his ears as if we were attending a monster truck rally.

I eased him in to it, by letting him put his hand on top of mine as I used the beaters. Eventually, he was able to handle it and took over. Oh, what fun he had! This is what I penned, "blender elation, a montage"...

Now, I am no cook (hence the boxed dessert), I have no huge foodery imagination, though my parents always "let" me decorate the fruit/cheese/cracker/vegetable trays b/c I did one heck of a job on those beasts.... but I did something a little special to this cake of not actual cheese but cheesecake none-the-less.

I melted about a half cup of semi sweet (my fav) chocolate chips. After the cheesecake was spooned into the crust, I topped it with a thin layer of melted chocolate.

stolen moments cooking

After it set for an hour or so, I topped it with the cherry topping. The thin chocolate layer had hardened a tad, but it was soooo good, not too hard as to make a crunch, but enough for a crisp taste.

Cynthia Barcomi

{My heavens, I hope I don't sound like Conan O'Brien's major foodie associate producer, Jordan Schlansky. Their skits are hilarious, view some here. And this guy's hobby is bullwhips. BULLWHIPS. my friend. And he is perma serious. Though he is pretentious, eccentric, passionate, vulcan, I like him!}

But we are serious too. Serious on inhaling every morsel of cherry that we can, even if it means smearing our faces into it as to absorb the sweetness through osmosis. As if our entrance into heaven depended on our plates being licked clean. Then licked again, just to be on the safe side.

Since virtual cheesecake does little more than cause a bit of mouth watering, I decided to host a giveaway, here, today, right now... it is my gift of sweetness to you ! So, dig out some old (or new) photos of yourself or (someone you know who may need a pick me up) that you wish to glamorize and have it ready for the giveaway. To enter for the glamour touch up, just leave a message on why you  need it!

I will choose one winner randomly, and another winner who I think needs it :)  (my before/after preview below):