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Samstag, 13. Oktober 2012

Super Mario Goomba Cupcakes

My boyfriend's brothers birthday was coming up and I haven't had a clue what to get him as a present. I remembered then, that he loves Nintendo. Therefore I was checking the internet for all kind of Nintendo related things. I thought then, why not baking a Nintendo controller cake?!

After a bit of researching it seemed to me to much (yes, I am lazy, wasn't in the mood as well and I personally prefer to bake things from scratch). So I thought, well which kind of popular character has Nintendo next to Mario and Luigi? Randomly I looked for Goomba (you know this little brown mushroom with teeth that attacks Mario). I searched for recipes for it and just found ones that I didn't like much, I found a photo by Tomo-Chi though, where the little Goomba cupcakes looked very cute and delicious. 

Inspired by these cupcakes I made my own ones. I chose a classic vanilla cupcake recipe as base and for the frosting a chocolate cream cheese frosting.


GOOMBA CUPCAKES (for 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

  • 1 bar softened butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2/3 cup cold milk


Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from the original recipe at allrecipes.com)
  • 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
  • 8 ounce cream cheese
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tbsp. of salt
  • 2 tbsp. evaporated milk (I used the sweetened) 

Decoration
  • black decorating gel
  • white cookie decoration frosting
  • chocolate almonds for feet 

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. 
  2. Cream butter and sugar together. 
  3. Add one egg at a time and beat it carefully in. 
  4. After you have added the eggs, stir in the vanilla. Make sure everything is well mixed. 
  5. In a new bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together. 
  6. Add the butter-sugar mix to the the dry ingredients and mix it together. 
  7. Stir in slowly the milk and make sure that all ingredients are well mixed. 
  8. Have you cupcake pan prepared with cupcake liners and pour the mixture have way in the pan. 
  9. Bake it at 350ºF for 18 to 24 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the cupcake is ready. 
  10. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and let them cool down. 
  11. For the frosting have all the ingredients at room temperature. 
  12. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until it is soft and fluffy. 
  13. Break the chocolate in small pieces and melt it in a double boiler slowly. 
  14. Pour the melted chocolate over the cream cheese and mix it until both ingredients are well blended. 
  15. Add vanilla and salt to it. 
  16. Mix powdered sugar and cocoa powder together, then add it slowly and carefully into the cream cheese mix.
  17. Taste the cream cheese chocolate mix, if it is sweet enough for you. If not, then add a little bit more of the confectioners sugar. 
  18. Scrape the sides of the bowl and slowly add evaporated milk into the mix until the frosting is spreading consistency. 
  19. Spread the frosting on the cooled down cupcakes. Let it harden a little bit and add the whites of the eyes in an oval form on it. 
  20. Use the black decorating gel to draw the mouth, eyebrows on it and the pupils.
  21. After drawing the mouth on it, use a toothpick to draw the tooth on each side.
  22. Last, use the white frosting as "glue" for the feet. Put a drop on the choco almond and attach it to the liner of the cupcake. 






Donnerstag, 24. Mai 2012

Happy World Turtle Day! ^_^

...to you all!
I have to let you know that I adore turtles. I love almost all animals, but turtles kinda fascinate me. They kinda remind me in people. Some are slow and other ones are active and swimming around. Harold and Franklin, my little baby turtles (I got them from my boyfriends parents this year) are so active and jumping around. Well not really, but they swim and dive and climb their little stones up. So I thought I dedicate this blog today to my turtles and all the other out there.


Franklin is the big, shy one & Harold is the alpinist, he climbs and climbs and climbs, like a little mountain goat *hihi*



Why do we have a World Turtle Day?

The purpose of this day, every May 23rd since 2000, is to inform people. Nearly the half of all the turtle species that we know about, are at risk of extinction. We, as human kind, are encouraged on this special day to discover the world of turtles and to learn how we can help to protect them. You can find more infos about the Turtle Day here.
© by tortoise.com

Montag, 21. Mai 2012

Summer Break is coming to town

The spring semester is almost over YAY :-D and I have already lots of plans, but I also have to make some:

  • start seriously blogging (as you know and can see, I just started it and right before all my finals, bad idea)
  • to cook & to bake more (it's so much more healthier & I really enjoy doing it, but time is sometimes so short)
  • finishing my website & my uncle's geesh...I promised him to be done with it, when I come to visit Germany
  • stop cluttering (I'm clean, but it's so stressful if you're messy - lets say it is the double of the work that you have to do than you would if you would be neat - and I'm half German, I should be neat, huh?)
  • to start yoga & pilates again (I stopped it last year, 2 years ago (?) I don't even remember)
  • to get back into art (well, nothing special, but it's so relaxing)
  • get more disciplined (I'm really lacking in disciplin lately, and I hate it)
  • to study Thai again (you gotta love the country, the language and of course the food, especially when your mommy is Thai & it's been a while since I did)
  • a road trip would be wonderful (either in the US or Germany/Europe, at least a city trip) 
  • start more filming (especially when I'm in Germany, I wanna get my friends fitness short done)
  • get back into photography (old school as well as digital - but since I'm in the desert I'm so uninspired *sigh*) 
  • oh yeah, and that of course as well - RELAXING 

I guess after that my summer break will be over as fast as I can blink :-)
What are your plans for the summer (break)? I'm curious what everybody is planning on doing.

Happy Pick Strawberries Day!

Today on Sunday May, 20th 2012 is "Pick Strawberries Day"!
I actually should study for my finals this week, but seriously, sometimes you need a break from all this studying and to get a snack. 

Therefore, I have a little "recipe". Well, you can't really call it recipe, but it's delicious and I got my friend Marion from Germany addicted when she came to visit me. 

All you need is:
  • a box of fresh strawberries
  • marshmallow creme 
Wash just as many strawberries as you plan to eat. Dry them carefully. Then take one strawberry, dip it into the marshmallow creme or use a butter knife to cover it with the creme. So simple, yet so good :-)



Here is another snacking recipe that my coworkers love, they got kinda wild with it.
  • strawberries
  • whip cream or sour cream
  • brown cane sugar
Wash you strawberries and dip one of them first into the cream and then roll them in the brown sugar. It tastes delicious. 


Donnerstag, 3. Mai 2012