10 Cupcake Treasures of 2013

NinjaBaker — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 07:29:04 +0000

As a curtain is drawn on the final days of 2013, I find myself contemplating…the discovery of ten cupcake treasures in 2013! From the World Wide Web constellation of sites touting spectacular sweets, eight cupcake recipes were destined to slip into my must-make file. Every single recipe meets the Ninja Baker cupcake standard: appealing and attractive, do-able and delicious!

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Serendipitously, eight is the number associated with prosperity in Japan.
(A stream of fortune broadens with each brush stroke
of the Chinese character for eight. )

Two articles sparkling with cupcake tips and fun facts were also spotted and savored in 2013. (Scroll down to see the links.)

Life is short: Why not please the senses with pretty cupcakes? Here are eight links to recipes which are sure to please even the pickiest cupcake connoisseur.

1. Oreo Cookies and Cream Cupcakes from Alida’s Kitchen

America's favorite sandwich cookie appears in Alida's Kitchen's
Oreo Cookies and Cream Cupcakes.
(Photo Courtesy of Alida's Kitchen)

2. Milo Cupcakes with Condensed Milk Buttercream from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs

Milo - Australia's Ovaltine - makes for magical chocolate malted cupcakes
from All That's Left Are The Crumbs.
(Photo Courtesy of All That's Left Are The Crumbs)

3. Mounds Brownie Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

A candy bar in brownie batter!
Mounds Brownie Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

(Photo Courtesy of That Skinny Chick Can Bake)

4. Honey Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Ganache from Neighborfood

Nutella ganache is drizzled atop a banana cupcake.
A blissful creation from Neighborfood.
(Photo Courtesy of Neighborfood)

5. Mini Coconut Cupcakes from Noshing with the Nolands

Puffs of mini coconut cake and frosting perfection from Noshing with the Nolands.
(Photo courtesy of Noshing with the Nolands)

6. Green Tea Steamed Cakes from Just One Cookbook

Forget the oven! Green tea steamed cupcakes from Just One Cookbook.
(Photo courtesy of Just One Cookbook)

7. Mocha Cupcakes with Cappuccino Frosting from Desserts Required

Swirls of cappuccino cap a mocha cupcake.

A coffee lover's delight from Desserts Required.

(Photo Courtesy of Desserts Required)

8. Midori Melon Cupcakes from Ninja Baking

Japanese Midori Melon liquor tickles the cake and frosting of the Ninja Baker's cupcake.
(From NinjaBaking.com )

Click here for a few pointers from Diana's Desserts on Tips for Cupcakes.

Cupcakes are a necessity of life. The Cake Spy explains Why Cupcakes Are Nutritious.

Wishing you a 2014 sparkling with treasures of la dolce vita – the sweet life.

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker has guest blogged and contributed recipes to numerous food sites. These additional recipes can be found here.

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Melting the Waxen Hearts of Women

NinjaBaker — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 07:12:17 +0000

Bon-bons, chocolat, cookies (better known as biscuits or "biccies" in the UK) and fresh flowers seem to sway “women’s waxen hearts”*¹ whether in France, Japan or the United States. Maybe that’s why Farmers Markets with their array of divine flora, produce and, of course, desserts have become the vogue in cosmopolitan cities in the US and Japan and around the globe.

Menton Market on the Côte d'Azur

Photos of flower, biscuits and confections courtesy of Ivan Woodhouse.

On the Côte d'Azur – the trendsetting French playground for the rich and romantic since England’s Queen Victoria – the tradition of selling flowers in an open-air market alongside food vendors is a centuries old affair. Daily, visitors to Menton Market see colors plucked off of Renoir’s palette onto the petals of flowers on sale.

Divinely colored fleurs. Photos courtesy of Ivan Woodhouse.

But it’s not just flowers and produce that are offered. Market-goers in Southern France also get to experience some unique food combinations. I’m talking chocolate covered olives. Or maybe I just think it slightly strange because I was brought up in Tokyo. And you might find it odd that I welcome the modern twist of an azuki bean and green tea cream filling in a candy bar.

Front and center from the Menton Market: Chocolate covered olives!
Photo courtesy of Ivan Woodhouse.

The Ninja Baker's favorite combos with chocolate:
Azuki beans (on the left) and green tea (on the right.)

The good news in Menton, as in most places around the world; the oldies but goodies do survive. On the Côte d'Azur traditional French cookies and colorfully wrapped candies still abound. Just like Oreos and M & Ms remain staples in the American pantry while Glico’s cream-filled biscuits and Milky caramels with the rosy cheeked lass on the bag endure through thriving, bubble and recovering economic times.

Cookies and caramels that were and still are popular in Japan.
It is comforting for this Ninja Baker that some of "sweet stuff of life" - of childhood -
remains unchanged.

Whether your palette is on the wild side or prefers the tried and true…

Wishing you a week of unexpected flowers and sweets.

The Ninja Baker

The Ninja Baker's recipes are also available at:

?Allrecipes.com:
The Ninja Baker's Japanese Plum Sweet Memories and Recipes

Bob's Red Mill

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake Minis with Espresso Cream

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Champagne Glaze & Optional Lemon Peach Marmalade Filling

?LifeKraze

*1 Shakespeare, William, Twelfth Night, II, 2, line 27

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Farmers Markets around the world