Sunday, May 31, 2009

Caipirinha or Mojito Cupcakes or just the cocktail?

So, if your favorite cocktail is a Caipirinha or a Mojito...check it out...now you can make cupcakes too!



How do you make a Caipirinha?
(pronounced kai-pee-reen-yah)

2 teaspoons sugar or 1 oz simple syrup
1 lime cut in quarters
2 oz Agua Luca (or any brand of Cachaca you prefer)
Ice

Muddle sugar and limes in a shaker thoroughly.
Add Agua Luca and cracked ice.
Shake vigorously and pour contents of shaker, including ice, into glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge.


How do you make a Mojito?
(pronounced moe-hee-toe)

Ice
6 ounces light rum (Bacardi)
12 mint sprigs, or spearmint, 8 roughly broken apart
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Club soda
4 slices lime

Place ice in beverage shaker.
Add in the rum, 8 broken up mint sprigs, lime juice and sugar.
Shake well and serve over ice in a high ball glass.
Top off each glass with a splash of club soda.
Garnish each with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.


Ok, need to put the drink down so you can make cupcakes. :)


Here are several websites which have the recipe for Mojito Cupcakes.
When making Caipirinha cupcakes, just omit the mint. Use Cachaca instead of Rum.

Melissa Fehr

Alpineberry

Vegan yum yum

The Baking Beauties

Scrumptious Photography

Wisk This



How about some LATIN MUSIC to dance to now?


Peace in baking,
Carmen

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Cinnamon & Walnut Coffee Cake

What's for breakfast?







Found this recipe on chefinyou.com


The coffee cake was moist.

The scent of cinnamon in my home felt comforting.

Delightful!



Coffee pot is brewing...catch you later...time to enjoy a piece of coffee cake. ;)








Peace in baking,

Carmen

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Memorial Day ~ A Special THANK YOU to our Service Men & Women

5/25/09

A salute to all the
military men and women
who service our beautiful country.

Thank you for everything you do for us!



Picked up a book, CAKELOVE by Warren Brown.

I am testing his recipes, and decided to make one of his cupcake recipes.

After taking a bite of the Cherry-Chocolate Chip cupcake, all I could say was, WOW!



CHERRY-CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES
by Warren Brown








Peace in Baking,
Carmen

Lunch at Kleins Waterfront Cafe ~ Belmar





Friday, May 22, 2009. The weather was absolutely gorgeous in Central Jersey.
My friend and I headed down the shore for lunch at Kleins Waterfront Cafe in Belmar.
I had a Grilled Tuna sandwich with a Corona beer. Watching the boats go by as we ate lunch under the sunny skies...fabulous! I could do this every day. :)


The guy on the left wanted to be in the picture. Why not?


After lunch, I had a lemon gelato with vanilla yogurt...yummy!

We walked around Ocean Grove, found a horse and carriage...nope...didn't take a ride...






























In Ocean Grove, there are these homes which people live in from May to September. They are so small...very quaint.




























I liked the message on the entrance to this home.
"ENTER WITH A HAPPY HEART"










Stopped by the beach to take a few pics...



In the spirit of the summer coming very soon,
I thought I'd make a tropical, summery dessert....behold....
Try baking these soon...I hope you enjoy the cupcakes.
This recipe has the lime curd inside the cupcake. I prefer it out.
Lime curd...if you have not tried this before, give it a whirl!



Peace in Baking,
Carmen

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Classic Crumb Cake ~ Buttery Goodness


Crumb Cake is a cake liked by many.
It is simple to make, yet has a lot of 'wow' power. Why?
Because of its buttery taste and cake moistness...that's why! :)

The recipe for CLASSIC CRUMB CAKE can be found on the Bakers Banter blog. (A King Arthur Flour blog)

After cooling, dust the cake with confectioners sugar using a sifter.


Cut the cake...and enjoy...


The moistness of the cake brings this cake to the level of greatness.
...Time to enjoy this simple yet satisfying creation...

Maybe time for another piece of cake?
Peace in baking,
Carmen

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Would you like a Madeleine?



Carmen & Claudia eating cake...
It was a Friday night of good conversation, laughs, great food & desserts with friends.
Claudia's BBQ was not to happen due to the anticipation of rain. But, Claudia is a great cook and she had made delicious appetizers. There was lots of champagne and wine to go around.
It was a girl's night out. Lisa, Melissa, Amanda, Claudia and I shared lots of stories and laughs.
Claudia's hubby Bob and his friend Doug joined us later in the evening.
For the party, I baked Coconut Madeleines and Lemon Glazed Madeleines. See the recipes below for the Madeleines. I also baked a Poundcake (posted in an earlier blog).
I have to say, I ate quite a few of the Lemon Glazed Madeleines...can't just have one!!

MADELEINES
(pronounced mahd lehnz)
Madeleines are little cakelike cookies baked in a special mold that give them a delicate shell shape.






TIP: To have the little cakes come out of the pan easily,
apply CAKE RELEASE by Wilton with a pastry brush to the pan.






The little cakes will come tumbling out of the pan with much success.
After the cakes are placed on a parchment covered pan, you can adorn the cakes with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar or dip them in a lemon glaze.






Here are two recipes for you to enjoy!


Coconut Madeleines
~ by Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten)












Lemon Glazed Madeleines
~ by David Lebovitz







Doug, Claudia, Melissa, Bob (talking), Lisa & Amanda sharing stories...I'm behind the camera taking the picture.







Amanda (white top), Lisa (blue top), Melissa (pink top)


Carmen & Claudia...pals forever!




Love & Peace,
Carmen

DO NOT USE MY PHOTOGRAPHY WITHOUT PERMISSION

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY (UNLESS INDICATED) IN THIS BLOG BELONGS TO CARMEN ORTIZ OF BAKING IS MY ZEN.

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY PHOTOGRAPHY WITHOUT MY PERMISSION.

Thank You.

~ Carmen Ortiz - blogger (Baking is my Zen)