Recipe of the Week: Lemon-licious!

OH MY GOODNESS all you lemon lovers out there are in for a treat with these little pieces of heaven!! My mom and grandma are both huge lemon fans, and went nuts for these! A wonderful combination of both sweet and tart; a refreshing flavor perfect for those blistering hot summer days. Normally if I'm going to bake I want it to be 100% homemade and I honestly get joy out of measuring every small detail that goes into my goodies. BUT sometimes you just want fun and simple! When I came upon this fast and equally scrumptious recipe by Paula Deen (whom I adore) I just had to try it. I did adjust the originial glaze recipe to give it a bit more of a kick. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to check back next week for the latest update!

Lemon-licious Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cake-
1 package yellow cake mix

1 3.5oz package instant lemon pudding mix

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

Glaze-

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

grated zest of 1/2-1 lemon

1 tbsp butter (vegetable oil can be substituted)

2-3 tbsp milk

Directions:

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, and oil in an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to incoperate completely each time. Pour batter into lined muffin tin, half way up each cup. Bake for 12-15 minutes until bouncy to the touch. Let them cool for a minute or 2, and while they are still hot turn onto a tea towel.

To make the glaze, in a medium bowl add sugar, lemon juice, zest and oil, combine well. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until reaching the desired consistency for dipping.

With your fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they are still warm, covering the entire top of cupcake. Place on wire racks with wax paper underneath to catch any glaze that may drip. Let the glaze set (for about an hour) before storing in air-tight containers.

Recipe of the Week: A Peanut Butter Classic

Introducing Pretty in Pink Sweet's recipe of the week! Every week I will be posting one of my favorite recipes that I turn to time and time again for special occasions, homemade presents, and just those days when you want to share a yummy treat with family and friends :)

Peanut butter cookies are one of those cookies that stand out as a childhood favorite. I have tried many a recipe, but continue to come back to this recipe originally developed from Taste of Home. Why are these so amazing? It is the perfect rule of thirds:thick, soft, AND chewy! They have such a wonderful texture that will have you going back for 2nds with a tall glass of milk, I can promise that. I DON'T suggest substituting butter for the shortening in this recipe-it effects the amazing texture, there is a science to baking folks I promise you it will effect it (although I'm sure they would still be tasty). Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

"Oh Honey" Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
Sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

sources: Annies Eat's/Taste of Home

February 2010

Valentine Cupcakes: Chocolate cupcakes with pink fluffy buttercream frosting and chocolate heart toppers.

















Margarita 21st Birthday Cake: 10" round with 2 HUGE layers of double chocolate cake, raspberry filling and buttercream frosting. fondant details in neon pink,orange and yellow

















Purple & Gold Wedding Cake: Each layer is covered in white fondant, fondant flowers w. candy centers and ribbon around the base of each cake.

1st tier=vanilla cake with cream cheese icing.
2nd tier is marble cake with a chocolate ganache center and buttercream covering.
3rd tier=double chocolate cake with a raspberry filling and buttercream covering

Add a caption

A very clean wedding cake, simple but sweet. Each layer is covered in white fondant, fondant flowers w. candy centers and ribbon around the base of each cake. 1st tier=vanilla cake with cream cheese icing. 2nd tier is marble cake with a chocolate ganache center and buttercream covering. 3rd tier=double chocolate cake with a raspberry filling and buttercream covering

A Passion for Pink & Yummy Sweets

Welcome all you sweet lovers! My name is Melissa, and I am on a mission to tantalize your sweet tooth and satisfy your every craving. Pretty in Pink Sweets is the name, and baking is my game.

It all started as a just a tiny little 5 year old girl watching my grandma bake her delectable cookies, pies, and breads. As soon as my parents would trust and allow me to bake in the kitchen my baking journey began. I started off small, trying my hardest to perfect the chocolate chip cookie. I then moved on to more advanced treats such as lemon bars, pies and layered cakes. I was soon dubbed the "mini Martha Stewart" by family and friends, such a big name to live up to, and one I didn't take lightly. ;) No matter how big the event (a birthday or holiday) or how small (such as a thank you present) I take the opportunity to bake and share my passion and love with others.

These days cupcakes have become my favorite thing to create, there are so many fun varieties to make and decorate! I have grown to develop some of my own recipes and have had the honor of winning first prize & best in show at our state fair bake-off.

Why pink? Because it is the most fabulous color of course! I am a girly girl in every regard, if it comes in pink I will buy it. My kitchen is covered in it from my KitchenAid Mixer down to my spatula. So it only seemed appropriate to incorporate my love of baking with my devotion to this beautiful hue.

So are you ready for sweet sensations? Seduce your taste-buds with my signature double chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Or if your in for a rich treat, try my Oreo cookie truffles covered in only the best 100% coco chocolate. :) Not what your looking for? Request what ever your heart desires, I will be more then happy to make your sweet dreams come true.

Stay tuned, more creations to be featured!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes w. Cream Cheese Frosting

(original post on 5.15.08, updated 7.26.09)

Sorry guys I had to take this recipe down, since it is my orginial recipe. I am in the process of building my small baking business, I will have many more updates concerning this in the near future so keep checking back!! So far I have developed the name, designed my business cards and had them printed. I am now working on building my website and getting my name out there.

The Cupcake Life

Cupcakes have become my favorite thing to bake, they are pretty quick to whip up and are fun to decorate for special occasions. The above chocolate cupcakes are frosted with my homemade cream cheese frosting (recipe can be found here) and valentine heart sprinkles.

I think the smallest touches can make this biggest difference. For example, I found these football key chains at a party store, took off the key rings (of course properly cleaned the footballs) and used them as toppers for a super bowel party. Making boring cupcakes into party cupcakes. ;)

Sorry for the lack of recipes lately, I am in the midst of putting together a handful of recipes for a few baking contests coming up.

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

6 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Baker's)

Directions:
1. Preheat to 350°F. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well blended; set aside. Beat eggs, pumpkin, sugars, milk and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in chopped chocolate.

2. Pour into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

3. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 18 (1/2-inch thick) slices to serve.