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The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days Cupcakes

I have seriously tried to limit the number of cookbooks in my bookshelf.  Not only is the internet a major source of information (and free at that!), but we just don't have the space.

However, there are a few cookbooks that I love having on hand, in person, ready to be flicked through at a moments notice.  And this book - the Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days - is fast becoming one of those books.  I love it even more so as it was a "just because" present from my Dear Husband :)



The cover is textured and PINK.  Not just a pastel pretty pink, but a bright-in-your-face PINK!!  There's no mistaking the market for this cookbook.  And the rest of the book follows in its bold use of colors. 

This cookbook, for me, provides inspiration by way of baking, photography, and food styling.  Much progress on the first one, not so much on the last two.. oh well, so let's talk about the baking.

So far, I've tried two basic recipes - the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  I figure if the basics are right then the rest will follow.

And how right they are...



The cupcakes are made using a methodology different to what I am used to.  The recipes do not start with creaming the butter and sugar together, but with the mixing of the dry ingredients to which the wet ingredients are added.  Not only is this method simple and quick, but it produces a beautiful light, fluffy and moist cupcake base.  And the batter - seriously, I could forego the baking and just drink the chocolate cupcake batter.  It is seriously yum.  

While the cupcakes taste wonderful on their own (says she who manages to devour 5 mini cupcakes before they've even cooled down), the frosting really adds that beyond-homemade-heading-towards-cupcake-bakery feeling.  It is good...

The frosting is light and airy and just melts in your mouth.  And the chocolate frosting is dark, delicious and utterly decadent.  Perfect.



My modifications to the recipes has been to reduce the sugar, in both the cupcake and the frosting.  This reduction in sugar did not have a detrimental effect on the final product as far as I could tell.  Oh yes, as always, I made mini cupcakes for better portion control (again, says she who ate a few more cupcakes to taste with the frosting.  Ahem, the portion control is for Little Miss M).

I first tried the vanilla cupcake with the vanilla frosting.  No photos because I was so disgusted with the frosting colors I ended up with. 
Second, and as pictured, the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  The recipe yielded 56 mini cupcakes but probably could have given over 60 if I hadn't eaten all of that batter!

I definitely will be making both of these cupcakes again as well as trying out some of the other recipes.

But for now, I think I'll head on out with Baby M for a walk and very-crisp-fresh air.  Rug up little one!!




Have you done any baking this week?  Head on over to A Spoonful of Sugar Designs for more baking inspirations!

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Comments

  1. A Spoonful Of SugarJuly 12, 2011 at 9:53 PM

    Your cupcakes look delicious!! Thanks for linking up:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. DmarieJuly 14, 2011 at 11:16 AM

    okay, the only thing sweeter than that little cupcake is that little darling!

    ReplyDelete
  3. petiteleitJuly 14, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    @A spoonful of sugar - thanks! They were delicious. 56 mini cupcakes did not last two days :)
    @dmarie - what a lovely thing to say. When she is sleeping that peacefully, it is a hard call to say which is sweeter.

    ReplyDelete

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