Page 146 Strawberry Cupcakes

"Chopped fresh strawberries are folded into the cupcake batter, and thin slices are added as garnish for a pretty-in-pink treat. Strawberry Buttercream (Made with jam) ups the fruit-flavor ante, but sweetened whipped cream is an easy and delicious alternative." - Martha

These are certainly pretty-in-pink cupcakes. In fact, the photo in martha's book attracted me to making them before I even read the recipe. Mind you, my photos never look the same as hers, but I think I do a pretty-good job!

These are cupcakes, not muffins; I like to make that distinction when appropriate. Muffins are usually more dense and bread-like whereas a cupcake is airy, fluffy and a dream to eat. Strawberry cupcakes are heavenly for sure! I didn't use fresh berries, I had some frozen ones in the freezer (the boys like to make smoothies in the AM). So instead of chopping fresh into small tidbits, I used my large-hole cheese grater and accomplished the task that way. It was perfect. And as it turned out, I grated a bit much so I used what I had leftover to add to my Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and what great flavor it has! You can even see the bits of real strawberries in the icing...delish!

Page 63 Streusel Cupcakes

"All the features of a traditional coffee cake -- tender cake base, crumbly streusel top, and simple milk and sugar glaze -- are packed into portable single-size portions. Try serving them for brunch or as an after-school snack." - Martha

OMG! These are so yummy! My kiddos and family devoured them so quickly; I almost didn't get a picture of them! Have you ever just thought that sometimes the coffee cake you are eating is a bit dry? But the streusel on top makes it taste all the better; so you eat the tops off and then what's left is the somewhat dry cake? Well, that's what I usually think (perhaps its just that I really like the streusel topping with the glaze on it.) But I must tell you that these cupcakes are so fluffy and tasty that you will never think about dry streusel cakes again!

I made muffin tops for this recipe but I also made one full-sized cupcake just to be sure of my findings. Not only are the shallow streusel-topped cupcakes superb but the full-cupped cake is just as pleasant to munch as well. These would be perfect for a brunch, a PTA meeting or even if you are hosting an at-home sales party. Easy to make, easy to store, VERY easy to eat!

Page 47 Mocha Cupcakes

"Dramatic peaks of coffee-flavored seven-minute frosting and a single coffee bean crown mocha cupcakes; the coffee variation of swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate covered espresso beans would be delicious substitutions." - Martha

What can I say? I opted for more chocolate on top than more coffee flavoring! Rather than use a coffee bean, I chose to add chocolate curls to the tops of my cupcakes; I really enjoy the mocha mixed flavors of coffee, chocolate and vanilla but coffee alone doesn't do it for me. The frosting called for pure coffee extract and Martha gives a source for on-line ordering of such an item, but I didn't have the time...I was making them tonight! I used exactly what she recommends you don't...instant coffee crystals. I don't know why she says "no" to them for flavoring, she doesn't explain. However, not knowing how different they would have turned out, I think my frosting tastes great and it's very flavorful!

The cupcakes themselves called for 3/4 cup of freshly brewed espresso and 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder which are added to the batter at the end. I actually looked the other day for espresso powder at my local grocers and couldn't find it...anywhere. So here again, I used instant coffee crystals in place of the espresso powder and instead of the freshly brewed espresso, I used a product Starbucks sells at the grocery store called "Double-shot" Espresso and Cream. Deelish! Totally a light but definitive taste of the coffee-chocolate mix. Mocha...Yum!

Page 55 Applesauce-Spice cupcakes

"Applesauce in the batter makes these cupcakes incomparably moist. Pecans add a bit of texture, but they can be omitted. The creamcheese frosting gets a twist with the addition of brown sugar." - Martha

A few relatives were visiting this weekend and I thought since they were here and I wanted to make a treat they could take on the road with them, I decided on these Applesauce Cupcakes because they seemed easy and I thought I had all of the ingredients handy. As it turned out, I had everything but the flour. Can you believe that? Another bag of flour bit the dust and I didn't realize it until I was already underway with the recipe.

I had to really get creative this time, I thought, what could I use instead of flour? I really didn't want to have to get dressed to go to the store to finish these cupcakes. The day was already too full of "things to do." After reviewing the contents of my pantry, I chose to use my waffle mix. I had a half-gone box of Belgian Waffle Mix. The ingredients listed in it were flour, levening, sugar and salt, perhaps a bit of dried oils or such too. Those all seemed to be perfectly appropriate ingridients for the recipe I was making. So when it was time to add the dry ingredients, I simply used part flour (I had 1/2 cup of the needed 2 cups) and added the waffle mix to make up the rest. However, I also felt the need then to reduce the amount of baking soda by half because it already existed in the waffle mix; same with the salt. I had already added the sugar before I realized I was out of flour, so the sugar content in these cupcakes is higher than it would normally be. But who doesn't like sugar?

Seems they turned out pretty darn good! The texture is fluffy yet firm; the taste is superb. I made the suggested Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting too...very nice. I'll have to remember my little substitution for the next time...but hopefully I won't have that problem again. Off to the store I go!

Page 33 Rhubarb Cupcakes with Whipped cream

"A harbinger of spring, rhubarb flavors these deliciously sweet-tart cupcakes. Ruby-red stalks are diced, then mixed into the cupcake batter as well as a vanilla-flecked syrup that tops a puff of whipped cream. Save any extra rhubarb topping to serve with ice cream." - Martha

I have never purchased rhubarb nor have I ever used it or eaten it, but after seeing the photo of the cupcake in this book and reading the recipe, I thought that perhaps I wouldn't mind tasting it. However, when I went to the store to actually buy some rhubarb, there was none to be found. So instead I purchased a few of one of my favorite fruits in the world...the kiwifruit. I call the kiwi the New Zealand Strawberry. It seems if the bird by the same name is from there, so should the fruit be. However, the kiwifuit is actually native to China first, then when introduced to the New Zealanders, it took hold there. They actually thought it tasted like a gooseberry, so in New Zealand, it's called the Chinese Gooseberry! I think the kiwifruit tastes very similar to a strawberry and the fact the seeds do the same thing in my teeth as do a strawberry (and even poppy seeds for that matter) I always think of it that way. ha-ha.

Anyway, I followed the recipe just exactly except for that one change in fruit. I must say that if a rhubarb tastes so similar to strawberries (strawberry-rhubarb pie), and that fact that I think kiwi tastes like a tart strawberry, then I indeed made a great substitution! These are terrific! I hope you are having a relaxing day and if you have purchased Martha's Cupcake Cookbook by now, that you'll enjoy the recipes in it as I have.

Page 138 Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

"Capped with kisses of seven-minute frosting and dusted with cinnamon sugar, these cupcakes play on the cookie of the same name, also finished with cinnamon sugar. The cracked cookies are thought to be of German origin, and their whimsical name a mispronunciation of schneckennudeln (crinkly noodles.)" - Martha

Super easy to make and they absolutely smell, crackle and taste like the snickerdoodle cookie. When I made my today, I made half a recipe, and used my mini muffin tins instead of the big ones. Her recipe calls to make 28 regular sized muffins. A half of recipe yeilded 36 minis. There was a lot of billowy batter. I made the mistake of over-filling most of my mini cupcake liners with batter so much so that the cupcakes got flat across the top and began crisping around the edges. This is the part that truly tastes like a cookie! I kept thinking that if I had not put as much batter into the tins then a half of a recipe would have made about 48 minis. Wow!

My new-old favorite frosting is the Seven-minute frosting...tastes great like meringue but tons better! No sweating of the egg whites after time, can be refrigerated and it comes out the same look, but plan on patience. Getting the syrup to 230 degrees took about 12 minutes and then whipping the egg whites with the candy syrup was about another 7 or 8 minutes to get the frosting to cool. I also used my stainless mixing bowl so perhaps it would have cooled faster had I used a glass or ceramic bowl. I halved the icing recipe too and let me tell you...1/2 of this recipe is all you'd ever need. It makes about 3 cups of fluffy cloud-like goodness.

Page 133 Jumbo Cream-filled Chocolate Cupcakes

"Store bought snack cakes can't compare to these homemade versions: dark chocolate cupcakes are filled with fluffy marshmallow cream, which is also used to pipe decorations on the tops. Take care not to overfill the hollowed-out cupcakes, or the cream may seep out." - Martha

Oh, wouldn't that be terrible! I'd love an overstuffed cupcake. Anywway, the next time you buy the Hostess brand, think of these homemade versions. They are as easy as "pie" to make and in less time than it takes to get to the store and back to buy the hydrogenated-oil-filled creations, you have some delicious, natural-ingredient wonderments! The taste is supreme and the texture is so much more fluffy than the dense snack treats. Don't get me wrong...I've had my fair share of the popular cupcake from way back when I took my lunch to school all the way through last month! But now I know the secret to the snowy white treasure waiting to succomb to my eager tastebuds...marshmallow cream whipped with a bit of butter. Heaven!

I did take my cupcakes to the next level by icing the tops with some chocolate ganache, letting it harden before I decorated the tops with the ever-so-famous white curly q's. And by the way, the recipe says it makes 12 jumbo cupcakes...I used what I think is an over-sized cupcake sheet pan, but even after I halved the recipe, I still made 12 over-sized cupcakes. They are each about 4" across the top. I can't imagine how jumbo, jumbo is supposed to be...I'll have to look for that pan someday.

Page 41 Banana Pecan Cupcakes

"Baking a batch of these ultramoist cupcakes is a great way to use overripe bananas; keep a bunch in your freezer (unpeeled) and thaw when you're ready to use. Caramel Buttercream makes a satisfyingly sweet topping, cream cheese frosting or chocolate sour cream frosting are also good choices. Left unfrosted, the cupcakes can be enjoyed any time of day." - Martha

When I was young living in California my sisters and I would walk down to the neighborhood drug store and get an ice cream cone for a nickel. My favorite ice cream back then was Banana Walnut. I remember the clerk used a cylindrical type scoop and he would set the ice cream right on top of the cake cone like he was stacking blocks. These cupcakes remind me of those days and that ice cream. I substituted walnuts for the pecans in the recipe. I used the caramel buttercream for frosting on some and the others I left unfrosted for my memory's sake.

You know, by now I have the sequence down of how Martha likes her ingredients added after having made a number of the recipes. We always are told to cream the butter and sugars, add the vanilla, and alternate the dry sifted ingredients with the liquids to the egg/sugar batter. I have begun to choose not to have so many bowls in the process of making the cupcakes and they all seem to bake up just wonderfully. I hope that's OK with Martha; I know its OK with me. I do cream the sugars and butter, add the eggs and vanilla, but then I just put a sieve over my bowl and place in it the flour, baking soda and powder and salt and sift away directly into the batter. Mix it up, add the liquids (like milk or juices) and voila! The batter is complete with no extra bowls getting in the mix. Seems easier to me and so far, just as successful. I hope you have success this way too!

Page 100 Blondie Cupcakes

"For those who like their baked goods chunky and nutty, these cupcakes, inspired by the popular bar cookies, are nearly bursting with cashews, butterscotch chips, and toffee bits. If you can't find toffee bits, chop a small chocolate covered toffee bar, such as Skor or Heath, to use instead." - Martha

I actually like Blonde Brownies more than I do a Chocolate brownie! I love chocolate, but the richness of the toffee and/or caramel flavor is so good in a blonde brownie; it remains much longer on the pallette, hence I enjoy it more. These cupcakes don't dissappoint. They are rich and fulfilling when it comes to the candy crunchy tops and the fluffy cake surround.

This recipe calls for butterscotch chips and cashews. I didn't have either so I substituted white chips and pecans instead. The white chocolate chips rather than standing on their own, actually soak-up the flavor of the toffee chips and batter that it's very similar to what a butterscotch chip would have been in the cake. The pecans are the perfect nut...I'm fromTexas! The toffee chips give the cake it's candied-top texture and the flavor throughout the batter.

The best part of this cupcake is definitely the top! If I make them again, I'll make them in my muffin-top only pan insteaad of in a paper liner. Best tasting topper ever!

Page 97 Oatmeal Raisin Cupcakes

"Inspired by everyone's favorite cookies, these packable cupcakes were created with bake sales in mind. These Oatmeal Cupcakes made with oat bran are topped with crumbly oats and coconut. Try this recipe and bake a batch!" - Martha

There are three recipes in this series: the Chocolate Chip Cupcake, the Peanut Butter Cupcake and the one I chose, the Oatmeal Raisin Cupcake. (I omitted the raisins for the most part.) These taste just like eating a tender cookie; oh, so delicious! I halved the recipe...now this seems to be a habit...and I substituted margarine for the butter.

Since I didn't have any oat bran (I guess you get this in the cereal aisle by the oatmeal) so I instead I pulsed sone Raisin Bran cereal in the food processor. Seemed to work just fine and all I needed was a 1/3 of a cup anyway. So a few raisins DID get into the recipe because of that, however, not intentionally. I love raisins but my boys don't so much. Maybe I should have used golden raisins because then perhaps they wouldn't have seem them to pick the dried fruits out! I try to be sneaky when I can!

Page 22 Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

"Kids of all ages are bound to adfore white cupcakes studded with chocolate morsels. Whipped egg whites folded into the batter produce a light and airy crumb. Tossing the chocolate chips with a bit of flour helps ensure they will be distributed throughout, rather than sink to the bottoms as they bake." - Martha

Just by looking at the picture of these cupcakes I knew thay'd be a hit. They are simple and not too over-done. White cakes, chocolate frosting and non-pareils for the old-time or retro look to a cupcake is perefct for my family. However, that's how Martha displayed them, and I thought it'd be a good cupcake to add one of her decorating techniques in thebook. So instead of non-pareils I chose the goldleaf flakes to decorate them. What an switch from retro to elegant with one simple substitution. You could put these out for a grand party and make a grand statement!

The recipe was easy to follow but it did include a couple of extra bowls besides the one main mixing bowl. You know, I don't like to have too many bowls for one recipe, and I don't like to have to wash utensils after having used them for one part of the recipe before another, so I made my simple changes experimenting with the results.

When I went to whip the egg whites, I had cleaned off the beaters from mixing the butter and flour mixtures together, but I didn't wash the beaters, perse. I wiped them off. Knowing there was still minute particles of "fat" left on them, I didn't think the egg whites would fluff; they didn't. They frothed, but not to stiff peaks or anything. However, I still folded them into the batter and the cupcakes came out still very fluffy and moist!

Then, when making the Dark Chocolate Frosting I used the same bowl to melt my chips in for the frosting as I used to mix the Dutch cocoa and water. That was OK too. HOwever, I also used half cream cheese in the frosting that normally calls for all butter. I am wondering if I added the chocolate when it was still too warm or if the cream cheese moistens the icing a bit more than butter would because the frosting was slightly drippy; not as stiff and workable as I would have expected. I had to add more powdered sugar to stiffen it and then I also refrigerated it for about a half an hour to bring it to the consistentcy of which I like to frosting cakes. It then held it's shape when piped from the tube. Overall, another wonderful tasting cupcake ala Martha!

Page 126 German Chocolate Cupcakes

"Although you might think these cakes have a German pedigree, they're actually named for German's chocolate, a sweet baking chocolate developed in the nineteenth century for an American company called Baker's Chocolate.  Modern versions call for semi-sweet chocolate instead, which gives the cupcakes a well-rounded flavor, perfectly complemented by the traditional sticky-sweet coconut-pecan filling and frosting." - Martha

For the double celebration of my husband's birthday and for my mother's side St. Ivany Family Reunion this weekend, I chose to make an all-time favorite cupcake.  There may be nothing better than the gooey coconut-pecan frosting that tops these cakes.  And if you are a member of the St. Ivany family, you'd know that there is a family gene that requires you to digest an indescribable amount of sweets daily.  So these cupcakes are really the perfect potluck dish!

Martha's recipe says it makes 24 cupcakes but I didn't have that result.  My recipe only made 21.  It's close, and perhaps if I put a bit less batter in each tin cup then I could have stretched it to a full 24, however, I like the full tops on the ones I made rather than a smaller cake.  Also, this was the first recipe that I followed the entire ingredient list to the tee.  I am in St. Louis this weekend staying at my cousin's home so I purposefully shopped for the specific ingredients needed.  I guess it's weird that this was the first recipe that didn't produce a total like the others.  I placed toothpicks in each cupcake too because I learned my lesson with the filled cupcakes earlier that I know these would be top-heavy also.  She doesn't suggest it, but I know...

Page 90 Marble Cupcakes

"Bakers have long swirled dark and light batters together to make marbleized cakes. This version, baked in cupcake tins, relies on equal parts milk and cream for richness. Creating the two-tone appearance is as easy as a few strokes with a knife or skewer. There's no need to be precise; each cupcake's unique pattern is part of it's charm. They're pretty enough to leave unadorned, but if you prefer, drizzle the cupcakes with milk glaze or top with dark chocolate frosting." - Martha

Let me tell you what attracted me about these cupcakes...the simplicity! Tomorrow, my family leaves on a road trip to St. Louis and I wanted to make a cupcake that i could take in the car with no mess to keep me worried while driving. These marbleized cakes with only sifted powdered sugar on them was a perfect choice!

I really wanted to make the recipe just right this time, so what did I do to not follow the recipe exactly? Well, the recipe calls for heavy cream and milk, a stick of butter, and 2 teaspoons of baking powder (plus all the other ingredients.) I didn't have any cream, or butter or believe itor not...I had run out of baking powder! So I substituted Smart Balance (it's half butter/ half margarine) for the butter. Then I had heard befoe that you could sub cream of tartar and baking soda mix for the baking powder (1 t BP = 1/2t CT + 1/4t BS.) And finally, I can't believe this worked, I subbed a ChickfilA vanilla shake for the amount of heavy cream I needed! You know ChickfilA makes the all-natural shakes with real ice cream, so I was hoping it'd be rich enough to work...and it did!

These cupcakes are so adorable; just the right mix of chocolate and creamy cakes swirled together like a piece of art! Almost too good to eat, but fogetaboutit! We're eating these!

Page 142 Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

"Tender lemon buttermilk cake, tart lemon curd, and a lightly browned peak of seven-minute frosting combine in cupcakes inspired by Martha's mile-high lemon meringue pie -- one of her signature desserts." - Martha

These are so precious looking and they taste divine! If you have never made Martha's mile-high pie, you NEED to make these cupcakes. The lemon curd is best recipe ever...it's hard to resist not putting it on the cupcakes and just eating the whole pot of curd! Not too sweet, not too tart, just right! Goldilocks would love it!

Two things: ran out of buttermilk (so many of her recipes call for it) I used regular 1% milk...no difference; and I don't know why the recipe is titled lemon "meringue" when she uses the seven minute frosting...albeit it is similar to meringue, but not the same. I made meringue for my cupcakes and baked them under the broiler for the toasting on top of the peaks. I do not own a small kitchen torch and chose not to get one. Although this would have been a perfect excuse to go ahead and indulge in a frivolous purchase of one, but I held myself back from Williams Sonoma today.

I saw Martha make these on her show not too long ago; it was funny because it was the first time I saw her almost re-do her guests attempt at the same cupcakes she was working on decorating. You could see it in her eyes..."she's not doing a very good job, uh, I can fix it, it looks sloppy, no, I'll let it be, but I really want to make it perfect, perhaps I'll make the suggestion to..." Oh well, all that counts is that Martha is still the queen of daytime cooking and craft shows! She is perfection. It's a Good Thing!

Page 56 Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

"Inspiration for new cupcakes can come from anywhere, even a popular childhood sandwich. The creamy peanut butter frosting may be crowned with any jelly or jam flavor, strawberry, grape or raspberry wouldbe delicious. For the best flavor, use natural-style peanut butter in the cupcake batter." - Martha

If you love peanut butter cookies, you will treasure these cupcakes. They not only awaken all of your senses: they look so precious, the texture is just the right amount of fluffiness, the scent is so tantalizing it brings wonderful childhood memories to the forefront of your mind and these cupcakes taste like the real thing too; but they are so easy to make!

If you are not a baker on a regular basis and think that baking anything from scratch is hard, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that this recipe is easy as, well, making a PB&J! The ingredients are probably already in your pantry and frig. What a great treat for your kiddos when they come home from school.

I know that when I read this recipe, I really thought it sounded good; I figured my kiddos would too since they grew up on the sandwich. Alas, only one child remarked good things about them, but that's all it took in my mind to get the job done! This recipe by direction makes 22 cupcakes, but I halved the totals and made 12 full-sized cupcakes. So, I'm thinking that a full recipe would have made 24. I made the creamy peanut butter frosting Martha recommends but I also adapted my own twist too. I know there are those who only like cake and those who die for frosting! These cupcakes taste so good that adding frosting to them could be considered too sweet! So in lieu of the icing, I simply added a dollup of jelly to the top of the cupcake before baking. Much like a thumbprint cookie with the jelly baked right on top, the jelly in the cake was perfect. So you can make these with or without the frosting and they still have the flavor and tradition of a PB&J.

Page 93 Tiny Cherry and Almond Tea Cakes

"Make the most of fresh cherry season by baking the little stone fruits right into charming tea cakes. The cakes made with ground almonds, brown butter, and egg whites, are similar to financiers, which are small, springy brick-shaped cakes named for their resemblance to gold bullion. These cakes are baked with the pits left inside the cherries (be sure to warn guests before serving). Or, if you prefer, remove the pits before baking, leaving the stems intact." - Martha

Aren't these just the cutest little treats? I liked this recipe alot for many reasons. 1 - It only made a small amount of mini cupcakes, 30, and you can half this recipe like I did so just to make enough for breakfast, no left-overs. 2- The recipe has liquor in it...how haute cuisine! I love anything with liqour in it; it's an excuse that I don't partake very often, so why not? 3 - I love dark, sweet cherries during the summer. When I was young we used to pick cherries in my grandfather's backyard and I have such grand memories of good times with my sisters and parents there.

I definitely pitted my cherries before I baked up these delightful cakes. After having cracked a tooth earlier in life, I did not want to take the chance on doing it again or heaven-forbid having one of my children crack their teeth on a pit because of me. (Also, it gave me the opportunity to use my cherry-pitter!) I really can't believe the original recipe calls for leaving them in! For my substitutions, I used walnuts instead of almonds; I didn't think I could do without any nutmeat because the batter would end up too runny but I didn't have any almonds in the house. So I added 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to make up for the absence of the nut. And then since I didn't have any Kirsch brandy, I used my fall-back Amaretto instead. Seemed to make as much sence as the Kirsch in my opinion. Also, since I cut the recipe in half, I didn't think that splitting 5 egg whites would be fitting so I simply used 2 full eggs in the batter.

I had no problem with the way things mixed up; the batter looked good and tasted great. And I also had no problems with the baking of the teacakes so I guess it all worked out just right. These are so tasty; I love the flavor of the cherries and almonds together, always have. However, they turned out a bit darker than I would have wanted. I baked them in a timed oven and didn't return to take them out until a hour later. They are very tender inside, but the extra time in a warm oven got them caramel colored instead of a light golden tone. Next time, I'll stay home while they bake...it's only for 12 minutes!