Sweet Melissa Sundays (SMS) ~ Sugar Cookies

From THE SWEET MELISSA BAKING BOOK (page 142-143)

Sugar Cookies

is today’s featured recipe in the baking group blog

Sweet Melissa Sundays, acronym (SMS),

which is hosted today by Nina of Nina's Cupcakes.

Check out Nina’s blog for the Sugar Cookie recipe.

This is my first post with the (SMS) group. I look forward to baking the recipes in Melissa's book and meeting new bloggers along the way! I also look forward to hosting. Sounds like fun!

I’ve made Sugar Cookies years ago, but used confectioner’s sugar as one of my ingredients. This recipe doesn’t contain this sugar. However, it is very easy and simple to make…and delicious!

The changes I made to this recipe:

I doubled the amount of vanilla extract. I always use the best ingredients when I bake. My brand of choice is Masseys Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

I halved the dough and added food coloring to one batch. I thought it would be fun to create a yin/yang look for my sugar cookies...especially since the logo for
Baking is my Zen has a yin/yang symbol.

So, now for a taste test…yum…they were good! It had just the right amount of lemon zest and vanilla.

I enjoyed this cookie and really liked how the
pink & beige yin/yang look turned out.
For a first attempt…not bad.

I made several spin-offs from the yin/yang cookie:

~ cookie with a heart in the middle

~ cookie with dragees tracing the yin/yang curve

~ cookie with sanding sugar on top

~ cookie with yin/yang symbol

Give it a whirl. Get creative with other ideas!

Peace in Baking,
Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul

RED VELVET CUPCAKES ~ Is it your heart’s desire?

(photo above: seen in TasteSpotting #74936)

RED is such a beautiful color.

Combine the color red and white and baking…what do you get?

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I baked these cupcakes using the recipe from the book
THE SWEET MELISSA BAKING BOOK by Melissa Murphy.

I hope to visit Melissa’s bakery in Brooklyn, New York soon and will blog about.
Until then, the recipe can be found on a blog by ROSY LIPS AND LAVENDER.

~ ~ ~

There are many recipes out there...
If you want to see baking in action…check out the VIDEOS below…
Below are videos from Epicurious featuring Magnolia Bakery showing how to bake and frost Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Creamy Vanilla Icing
Epicurious February 2008
by Allysa Torey
More From Magnolia: Recipes From The World-Famous Bakery and Magnolia's Home Kitchen

Bobbie Lloyd of New York's Magnolia Bakery
demonstrates how to make delicious Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Decorating Cupcakes
By Epicurious
Bobbie Lloyd of New York's Magnolia Bakery demonstrates her foolproof technique for icing and decorating red velvet cupcakes.


Peace in Baking,
Carmen

Baking is my Zen...sweet nibbles for the soul