Confectionery Canary

If you're looking for the prefect autumn treat look no further! These delicious little cakes are sure to be a favorite at any holiday gathering you attend this season! I usually only make these once a year for Thanksgiving but they're so yummy I may have to half the recipe and make them again before next year! I've used this recipe to make a cake and to make cupcakes.  This recipe makes one 9 x 13 cake or about 30 cupcakes.  Whether you're making these cupcakes for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just a seasonal treat, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mash sweet potatoes. Beat egg and sugar until fluffy. Add cup of vegetable oil and sweet potatoes. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking power, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add into potato mixture. Mix until just combined.  Add vanilla. Bake cake for 40 to 45 minutes, cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes.  Finish them off with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans if you wish!

Red Velvet Cupcakes, the perfect Southern treat!  I've been on the lookout for a great red velvet cupcake recipe for a while. And this one is pretty tasty!  I adapted it from a Georgetown Cupcake recipe and here's what I came up with!  It's fluffy, moist and chocolaty delicious!

What You'll Need:
- 7 Tablespoons butter (room temp)
- 1/2 cup + 6 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons red food color
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cup sifted flour
- 3/4 teaspoon vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; about 3 to 5 minutes. Add egg, mix until combined.  In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder, red food coloring and vanilla.  Add to butter mixture and mix well.  Add salt to milk. Alternate adding flour and milk, mixing on low until just combine. Scrape down sides as need. In a separate bowl mix vinegar and baking soda and quickly add to batter. Just combine, do not over mix.  Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes. Makes about 18 cupcakes. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting or my new favorite, White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting!

If you're looking for a fun way to decorate cupcakes in honor of spring, look no further! I saw this idea on Pinterest and had to give it a try for myself.  This is so much easier than it looks and a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen!

What You'll Need:
- 16 to 20 whole mini marshmallows per cupcake
- Colored sugar sprinkles
- Baggies or small bowls (one for each color you use)
- Scissors

Directions:
Hold mini marshmallow, on its ends, between your fingers and cut horizontally. Repeat this process for all of the marshmallows. You should end up with 32 to 40 bits for each cupcake.  Place marshmallow halves into colored sugar and stir or shake, shake, shake!  The colored sugar will stick to the cut ends of the marshmallows.  Take a cupcake and spread on a layer of frosting, not too thick, the marshmallows make them pretty rich.  Arrange marshmallow halves on cupcakes starting from the outside and work your way around to the center.  For the center, add a half of a different color to give the flower more character.

Need a great Vanilla Cupcake recipe? Click HERE
Need a great Buttercream Frosting recipe?  Click HERE

Who doesn't love cupcakes?!  I've actually always had difficulty making homemade cupcakes, but with this recipe, I finally had success!  That and lowering my oven temperature and not improvising ingredients.  I made this fun batch of cupcakes for Easter but this basic recipe works great for any occasion!  This recipe will give you about 20 delicious little cupcakes!

What You'll Need:
- 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cupcake pan(s).  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add in eggs and vanilla.  Cream together until the mixture is smooth.  In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together then add to the butter mixture, mixing on low.  Scrape down sides and bottom.  Slowly add in milk.  Mix everything until it's just combined.  You don't want to over mix or else your cupcakes will become dense.  Spoon batter into cupcakes liners, (two tablespoons worth per liner worked for me), about half full because they will rise.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 when you put your pan in the oven.  This technique effects how they rise.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely then frost with your favorite frosting or a delicious buttercream! (click the word "buttercream" for my recipe!


**Canary Curve Ball: Click HERE for a fun floral cupcake decorating idea, perfect for spring! >>>>>>>>