Page 270 Fresh Flower-Topped Pound Cakes

"There's no need to perfect your piping skills to create beautiful flower-topped cupcakes. Instead, adorn them with a few fresh, edible flowers. Some of the best-tasting varieties include masturtiums, pansies, hibiscus, snapdragons, violets and marigolds. Use only flowers grown without pesticieds, either from your own organice garden or from specialty suppliers. When making the little ppound cakes, remember to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly to produce the right texture." - Martha

How many of you have ever bought a particular item from the grocer to use in a special recipe, but by the time you actually got around to doing what you talked yourself into, that item was wilted, or molded, or dried up, or whatever? Well, I had purchased some pansies from a friend's son's fundraiser and I purposefully did not plant all of them because I didn't want the rabbits getting them or bugs eating them before I got a chance to use them. So here's my chance. I go to my laundry room window where I have decided they would get good sunlight so they'd be perfect by the time I needed to decorate with the flowers. A few days go by, then a week or two before I make these cupcakes (too many other non-necessities got in the way) and now the flowers are dried up. As ugly as sin itself! I went out into the yard where I had placed the other pansies; left to the submission of the elements and the critters, they are gone too. Bummer!

I made the pound cakes and they turned out great! But since my attempt at fresh-flowers went awry, I simply chose to decorate them with a buttery-rich cream frosting. But as an experiment I also took the time to make some almond paste, and I filled each cake with a dollup of the paste. These pound cakes remind me of buttery-rich croissants and almond croissants have continued to make the top of my patisserie list. It really melded as a perfect match.

Page 148 Chocolate Salted-Caramel Mini Cupcakes

"Salted caramels, including chocolate varieties, have become quite popular in recent years; a touch of salt draws out caramels buttery taste and highlights the sweetness. This cupcake, created with the candy's popularity in mind, serves as an excellent incentive to try your hand at making caramel at home. The soft caramel centers hide under a piped peak of satiny chocolate frosting. Fleur de sel, a type of sea salt prized for its distinctive flavor, is avaliable at specialty stores; if you can't find it, you may substitute another sea salt, such as maldon." - Martha

The recipe was easy enough to make for the cupcakes. At first the batter didn't look like it was going to make 56 mini cupcakes, but upon filling the paper liners, there was plenty. It actually made 64. I didn't have any buttermilk; you remember I only bought a bit for that one special recipe so I used a mix of heavy whipping cream and 1% milk. It was just fine. OK, so who has the time to go and search out Fleur de sel Sea Salt? I don't. I did have sea salt at home, but it wasn't that or Maldon. It was simple sea salt and did the job nicely.

I made the caramel suggested "Salted Caramel Filling" on page 322, but what a disaster! Even though I do make home-made caramel on a regular basis, this was a completely different way to make it. I paid extreme attention to the recipe and something went WAY wrong! When I boiled the mixture until it reached 360 degrees, then removed it from the heat and added the cream, the whole thing just globbed up on my spoon and left a bit of liquid-not-quite-caramel in the bowl that wouldn't have anything to do with becoming a good product. Certainly, it was not of the picture perfect quality that shows in Martha's photo. This recipe is very transluscent and the caramels I make are opaque. So I trashed that bowl's concoction and made my own successful caramel for the center of my cupcakes. As my photo shows, the caramel is very creamy and tasty indeed.

Page 228 Creepcakes

"For Halloween, create silly and scary-looking faces with buttercream, candy, marshmallows, and, of course, cupcakes. Decorating the cakes is a great activity for kids and parents to do together. Set out cupcakes and bowls of colored frostings and assorted candies and leet everyone create his or her own aliens, monsters, and beasts." - Martha

These treats were fun for everyone to make; I baked some Devil's Food Cupcakes for these funny friends. It seemed appropriate. I wish I would have found some string licorice in the grocery store but I guess I was shopping too fast and too late. I used some Mike and Ikes', Good 'n Plentys, Candy Corn, Red Hots, a Fruit Roll-up, mini marshamllows, and buttercream frosting and melted chocolate in decorating parchment triangles. It was easy to do and quite challenging too; once you made one monster, it wouldn't be right to make another with the same look! Happy halloweenie!

Page 152 One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Gumdrops

"Piped buttercream starbursts and chewy gumdrops make playful toppings for these ever-popular chocolate cupcakes. As the name of the recipe implies, all the ingredients come together in one bowl. Using vegetable oil instead of butter makes an exceptionally moist cake; good quality cocoa powder, such as Valrhona, produces a deep, dark color and the best flavor. White icing and clear gumdrops combine to make this elegant monochromatic motif; use multi-colored gumdrops for a more whimsical effect. You can customize the cake flavor by using a different extract in place of the vanilla; for example, anise would compliment the clear gumdrops used here (increase the amount of extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons.)" - Martha

The funny, possibly, ironic thing here is, that for the most part all along I have been making these recipes in one bowl. Normally, Martha's recipes go something like this: Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl together; in another bowl, cream together the butter (oil) and sugars then adding to it the eggs and vanilla while mixing; when fluffy, add the flour mixture to the butter and mix until combined. So there are always at least two bowls used in every recipe. Some recipes, however, there are many more bowls used...and pots...and pans. This recipe starts out with the flour sifting as usual, but then simply has the baker add the eggs and oil, etc. to the flour and mix. Easy-schmezy.

I folowed the recipe as is, but I didn't have enough cocoa powder. (I haven't used this much cocoa powder as in the past three months as I have used my ENTIRE life!) So, to compensate, I added a more flour and after I had the batter in the baking tins, I added some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips ontop of each cupcake. Martha taught me that if you coat the chips in flour prior to adding them to batter, that the chips would not sink to the bottom of the cupcake. They would float on top or in the center. I chose not to add more flour to this cupcake (since I had already over-dosed the recipe with it) instead I used a portion of an opened box of a white cake mix a coated my chips in that instead. I knew it would add tastiness but would still "do the trick." The cupcake batter was very thin, which it doesn't say anything about that in the recipe book, a I was concerned about it. But they baked up just fine...moist and delicious.

I didn't have any gumdrops, but since Halloween is around the corner, I dressed these with jellybeans and chocolate icing instead. The licorice and chocolate compliment each other so nicely!

Page Martha's Meyer Lemon Cupcakes

"The mild and sweet flavor of Meyer lemon is one of Martha's favorites; these zest-flecked cupcakes are filled with Meyer lemon curd, which peeks out from the tops. The fruit, which is actually a lemon-orange hybrid, is generally available at specialty stores in winter and early spring. If you can't find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons instead. The recipe yields a lot of cupckes, so you may want to consider these for a bake sale or large gathering, such as a shower or specialty birthday celebration." - Martha

My picture doesn't do justice to these flavorful cupcakes. Although, even though there were Meyer lemons in my grocery store, I opted against using them. I have already made a couple of lemon cupcake recipes from this book and one of the things missing from this book is the taste of lime. Key Lime. To me, Key limes are the flavor-equivalent to Meyer lemons; so why not experiment for the sake of another cupcake that wouldn't be duplicated. (There is a recipe upcoming that is titled "Citrus Cupcakes", but it's not the same as a Key Lime cupcake by itself.

So what you see peeking out of the top of this cupcake is Key lime curd, and if you have ever had Key lime pie and have found it to be a pure green color; it most likely wasn't really Key lime. It was lime flavoring with some green color added. Key lime is actually less green than one would think, but more delicious than imaginable. Granted, my Key lime cupcakes aren't as deadly as the pie served in "Dexter, season 3", but it is what he was searching for without a doubt!

Page 118 Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

"An abundance of creamy peanut-butter filling renders these cupcakes extra-rich and irresistible. The batter and filling -- each whisked together by hand -- are layered, then swirled to create the marbelized pattern on top." - Martha

Holy cow! These were too much trouble too make! You needed two bowls, one for the chocolate batter and one for the peanut butter batter, a pan for simmering water and a pan for heating the butters and chocolate together, and then if you desire, a bowl into which you'd sift your flour mixture. After I began these cupcakes, I realized the mess was beginning. But I did everything right (sort of, we'll get to that later) and the batters both tasted pretty good, but OMG! These are horrible! I couldn't eat a whole one! I didn't mind the chocolate part so much, it tasted like a brownie...kind of. But the peanut butter filling/swirl was ransid tasting. Perhaps my peanut butter was ransid, but you couldn't tell by the taste of it plain nor when it was in the batter. Maybe, as it cooked, the terrible taste was accentuated, I don'tknow, but I had to throw them all out. (Except, before I got a chance to taste them, I gave some to my neighbor...I hope I didn't make anyone sick in their house.)

So my substitutions were as follows: I only had a 1/4 cup of smooth peanut butter in the pantry so I used that PLUS another peanut butter called PB2 which is a dry powder peanut butter that you add water to make it moist again. This is a fat free product. Also, I didn't have any unsweetened chocolate squares so I used the standard substitution of 3T of dutch cocoa powder with 1 T of shortening to make 1 oz. of unsweetened chocolate. I needed 2 ounces of it. Otherwise everything was great, and like I said, the batter was good, just not the finished product.

Page 72 Apricot-Glazed Black & White Cheesecakes

"With their cookie-crumb crust, creamy filling, and fruity topping, individual cheesecakes are a delightful spin on the full-sized dessert. Glossy apricot jam gives the desserts a golden glow, while store-bought chocolate wafers provide a crisp, quick-to-assemble base." - Martha

These cheesecakes were easy to make and they baked up nicely. I don't know if you have read my entire blog or not, but WAY BACK a couple of months ago, I made some raspberry swirled cheesecakes and they never baked right; they never ended up setting up even after days in the frig! These however, baked beautifully, set up nice and creamy but firm, and everyone that tasted them said they were heavenly.

The recipe calls for crumbled chocolate wafer cookies as a base for the crust, the cheesecake mixture and then heated and strained apricot jam for the topping. Sounded good and looked even better. But I was running out of time this particular day; I wanted to serve them for dessert to my family for our irregular "Everyone Come Back Home for Sunday Night Dinner" dinner. The recipe says to refrigerate them for 4 hours or overnight. I didn't have overnight and I didn't even have 4 hours! So my shortcut was to use Oreo cookies (whole) as the crust rather than crumbling cookies and mixing them with sugar and butter over the heat then to press some into each cupcake tin, etc. Way too much time involved when you are in a hurry! The cookies were a dream and a hit! I did use the jam though, but I know my family, and jam wouldn't have been enough to entice them to eat these dreamcakes. So I added a dollop of hot fudge to the top of the jam...how can you resist a chocolate-dipped apricot? 'Cause that's what these tasted like only with a cheeesecake attached.

I made the entire recipe of 18 cheesecakes; there aren't any left. I will be making these again someday soon. They would be cute for Halloween if you decorate them with mini chocolate chips on top of the jam in the design of a jack-o-lantern's face!

Page 68 Iced Pistachio Cupcakes

"These cupcakes are made with a triple dose of pistachio. Some nuts are ground to a paste and mixed into the batter, others are chopped and folded in at the end for added texture. Even more nuts are sprinkled on top as a colorful garnish. Slivered pistachios are available at specialty markets and baking-supply stores, if you can't find them, use chopped pistachios instead." - Martha

I really wasn't too sure about how this particular cupcake would taste. I like eating pistachios; I like eating them right out of the shell as well as roasted and salted. But neither of those translated to my brain as a good cupcake. I was sceptical, but how could I doubt Martha?

Let me tell you, these are so fresh and sweet and delicious! With or without the icing, they are so moist and tasty. I even used fat free cream cheese and margarine instead of butter during the course of making them. I was sort of trying to reduce the caloric value but mainly because it's what I had available.

Page 44 Zucchini-Spice Cupcakes

"Bake an unexpected alternative batch of treats using abundant seasonal zucchini from the farmstand or local market. Like their carrot counterparts, these are finished with cream cheese frosting. For a more wholesome snack, forgo the frosting and lightly dust cupcakes with confectioner's sugar instead." - Martha

I am to the point in the book where it isn't as easy to choose a cupcake that my family will enjoy by listening to the name of the treat. Picky eaters them all, the sound of things like "zucchini cupcakes" will certainly turn them off just thinking about trying it. But since I had some cousins driving in from Missouri this week, I thought at the very least they would help me polish off the cakes. But I must say, once I did my best convincing to my boys that zucchini in the muffins tastes so much like carrot cake or banana bread, they were willing to take a bite to taste-test these cupcakes. Moreover, they aactually liked them! Little pleasures in life, you know? As what seems to be habit now, I only made half a recipe thinking to myself, "Why would I need a few dozen cupcakes around the house if no one but me will eat them?" So a dozen plus I made. Naturally, the boys and my cousins managed to help out quite a bit in the chewandswallow dept.

My findings this week is surrounded about the zucchini itself. The full recipe calls for 3 cups of packed, grated zucchini or about 1 1/2 fruits. Since I was making a half recipe, I made 1 1/2 cups of finely grated squash, but to make that much I used 2 - 8" zucchini. So if my two zucchinis made 1 1/2 cups, how many zucchini would it take to make 3 cups for a full recipe? And how big are they supposed to be if 3 cups is equivalent to 1 1/2 zucchini? I was confused so when I was mixing in the zucchini to the batter, I wasn't sure if I was adding too much or not. The cupcakes are delicious and moist. So, if I included too much zucchini, you'd never know.

Page 37 Chocolate Malted Cupcakes

"Malted milk powder gives these chocolate cupcakes a nostalgic flavor reminiscent of a soda fountain favorite. So as not to overpower the taste of the malt, use a mild-tasting Dutch-process cocoa powder such as Droste." - Martha

This is one of those particular occassions where I did not have the malted milk powder in the house. As opposed to subbing a different ingredient in the recipe, I chose to go to the store and buy some malt powder so that the essence of the recipe was intact. I guess I could have used some powdered milk as a substitute just to see how the cupcakes would have turned out, but since the name is Chocolate Malted Cupcakes, it was OK by me this time to buy something special. When all of the ingredients are pretty standard for any pantry, it's hard to say you'll substitute something. This recipe is pretty standard and it tastes just like you'd think. Great cupcakes for those holiday parties upcoming at the end of the month.

I found the look of Martha's photographed cupcakes very intriguing, so I copied it, to a point. My favorite holiday in the world world is Halloween! So if you see many more postings depicting this theme, don't be surprised. By the way, the spider isn't real! Mwa-ha-ha!

Page 29 Coconut Cupcakes

"Calling all coconut lovers: These cupcakes get intense flavor from ground sweetened coconut and coconut milk in the batter, billowy seven-minute frosting sppiked with coconut extract, and a garnish of unsweetened coconut flakes (available at natural food stores.) Be sure to buy only unsweetened coconut milk, not the sweeter varieties (such as Coco Lopez) used to make mixed drinks." -- Martha

Easy, schmeezy, breezy coconut cupcakes! The flavor is dreamy and the taste is heavenly. Coconut lovers will definitely fall for this one, and I didn't even use all I should have of the flavor possibilities!

In preparation for this treat I didn't have any sweetened coconut in the house nor did I have the coconut extract for the frosting. I did have the unsweetened coconut, in shreds not flakes. Isn't that weird? Most cooks probably keep the sweetened coconut on hand because most recipes designate it or no particular kind so most folks use the pre-sweetened. I ran out of it when I made the hummingbird cakes and hadn't yet gone to buy more before now. So, even though I love the flavor in the cupcakes I made here, I am sure the real deal would have been even more tasty!

Also, whenever I have made coconut cream pie, I always toasted the coconut before applying it as a garnish; I decided to do that tonight as well. Although Martha's photo of the all-white cupcake is divine, I really like how the toasted coconut makes a stand on the piled high fluffy frosting. I could eat that frosting all night as is...Mm-mm good!

Page 30 Red Velvet Cupcakes

"Food historians may differ about the origin of red velvet cake, but one thing is certain: The cupcakes have gained widespread popularity in recent years. Many believe the name comes from the naturally reddish hue of cocoa powder, which is enhanced by a chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda. Today, most versions rely on food color (although some bakers use beet juice) to achieve a vivid shade. Gel-paste food color is more concentrated than the supermarket liquid variety; if you substitute the liquid, you may need to add an entire bottle (1.5 ounces) to achieve the desired shade. Cream-cheese frosting is the classic choice." - Martha

I can't remember the last time I made a Red Velvet cake or cupcakes. Time flies so fast, memories fade, and children grow up. I do remember that one of my aunts used to make Red Velvet cake all of the time for birthdays or other occassions when we would gather as an extended family. There is no better choice for a frosting than the cream-cheese icing. When I asked my husband which cupcake I should make from the book, he popped up with Red Velvet almost immediately. I couldn't believe that he said that because like I said, I don't even know when the last time was that I made it, so how could it have been on his mind?

Anyway, this time around I sort of followed Martha's recipe and then.....I used regular all-purpose flour instead of cake flour and I didn't have any buttermilk, again. Funny thing though, the batter which is usually the best didn't taste half as good as the cupcakes do! I think that's attributed to the baking soda/vinegar reaction that happens in the batter. And speaking of forgetting things, I had to run out of the house to go to church just as I put the cupcakes in the oven. I asked my husband to keep an eye on them while I was gone. I set the timer on the oven, set the portable timer and placed it in front of my husband as he lie on the couch watching football, and I told him how to test for doneness. When I arrived home, 1 1/2 hours later, I found my husband on the couch asleep, the cupcakes in the oven, oven turned off, and a crisp cupcake tops. Too bad that he actually got off the couch to turn off the oven timer and the oven temperature but neglected to take the cupcakes from the hot oven. Forgetfulness is haunting!

Page 114 Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

"Boston Cream Pie - which, of course, is not a pie at all - originated at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in the 1850's. When home cooks replicated the dessert, they baked the soft yellow sponge cake in pie tins (hence the name), which were more readily available than cake pans. This petite variation is at once familiar and novel." - Martha

Interestingly, when looking at the photo in the cookbook I noticed that the cake seemed to be crisp and hard-looking. The cut that halves the cupcake is pristine, no crumbs, pricise edges, and I wondered...sponge cake looks like that? I remember making jelly rolls with my mom and our sponge cake always looked rather "spongy." I was worried that the cake was going to be flavorless, and frankly, it was. I followed the recipe to the tee this time...can you believe it?...and these cupcakes were tough and unforgiving. The only thing I did diferently is that according to the recipe, Martha wanted these baked directly into the muffin tin and I chose to use silicone baking cups instead. At least that gave me a softer outside crust, because if had I baked them in the tins, I would have had a crustier crust and I think that would have made them even more tough to eat. The pastry cream just sat on the cake never introducing itself to the baked batter. It began to drip off as you can see by my photo so that by the time one would eat a cake, it had all but schmooshed out already just from the weight of the topper.

Now don't get me wrong, the pastry cream is the best thing since sliced bread! So creamy, so comforting, and the ganache is to die for! But combining them with this sponge cake just didn't work for me. The look is lovely and it seems as though it would be heaven-on-earth to eat, but the cupcake is dry and not very sponge-like. These were too hard to eat as cupcakes; definitely needed a fork to accomplish the task.

Page 71 Pumpkin-Brown Butter Cupcakes

"These cupcakes are made with a combination of ingredients, commonly found in a beloved autumn pie - pumpkiin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves - and enhanced with brown butter and fresh sage. To cut sage into chiffonade, or very fine strips, stack the leaves, then roll up tightly before slicing thinly crosswise with a sharp knife." - Martha

Here it is the first week of Fall and there couldn't be anything better to remind me of the fantastic comfort food that goes hand in hand with this season than to smell cinnamon and spices baking into a delicious pumpkin pie. These cupcakes, while baking, emit the same flavorful scents which deliver the same mouth-watering sensation as pumpkin pie itself. We have been inundated with rain for the past couple of weeks, after a droughtful spring and summer, and so the hint of Autumn creeping into our lives has settled.

These cakes were a breeze to make. The ingredients are standard (albeit, the fresh sage) and the process not too bad considering you must brown the butter first. I was sceptical about performing this task...why is brown butter so much different than simply creaming butter in to the batter as many of the recipes call out? But it's true. The flavor of the butter did change hence the flavor of the cupcakes is pronounced. Martha says you don't have to add the sage to the butter browning process; since I didn't have any fresh sage, I didn't. I thought about adding dried sage, but chose not to do that either. Funny thing though, I had just returned from a home improvement store earlier in the day and almost bought a sage plant for my garden. When I got home my middle son suggested I make the pumpkin cupcakes, and I regretted not having the sage in hand.

I also chose not to make the Brown-butter Icing that the recipe suggests because I had previously made it on another cupcake early on. So instead I made a pumpkin buttercream frosting, which I placed in the microwave for 30 seconds before applying to the cake. I like to do this with some buttercreams because it makes a glaze rather than an opaque frosting. FYI...The color in the photo is true-to-life. These are very bright pumpkin-colored cupcakes and the glaze is just as bright too! A perfect treat for the months ahead.

Page 151 S'mores Cupcakes

"The old campfire classic takes on a new identity as a charming cupcake. Graham flour, available at health-food stores and specialty markets, flavors the cupcake base, which is topped with chocolate glaze and piled high with piped sticky marshmallow frosting, browned to mimic the effects of toasting over a fire." - Martha

For everyone who knows me, they know that over the past weekend I won a recipe contest for making s'mores! Guess what I used for the inspiration of today's cupcakes? That's right, my winning recipe. My winning recipe was titled German Chocolate S'mores; I changed up this cupcake recipe by adding some ingredients not found in the original. Just like the coconut-pecan frosting most bakers would make for topping their German Chocolate cakes, I smeared this frosting on my grahams and coupled it with the standard Hershey bar and toasted marshmallow. (Of course, getting the toasting perfect is an art. Caramel colored mallow, not too dark, certainly no charring at all and rotating the skewer as if it's a rotisserie for marshmallows is the best technique.)

In this cupcake recipe, I added about 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips, a 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut and a 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Otherwise the recipe could have stayed the same. However, it falls back to not having all of the ingredients in the house to complete Martha's recipe, specifically, no graham flour. One might say that with no graham flour you'd be defeating the purpose of the s'mores flavor. But, I subbed a cup for cup of graham cracker crumbs (very finely pulsed in the food processor) and reduced the baking powder by a tad. The cupcakes baked a little quicker than the 25 minutes stated but they look and taste just fine.

I made the recommended marshmallow frosting to go with the cupcakes (Would they be s'mores without the marshamllows?) but right after I completed the mixing, my husband called, long distance, and so I took the phone call. The recipe directions say that you must use the frosting immediately because it hardens. I bet you can guess what happened when I returned to frost my cupcakes. So, when viewing my photo, keep in mind the frosting turned out perfect, at first, then it became exactly like the texture of a store-bought marshmallow...unrelenting in its mobility.

Page 117 Jam Tea Cakes

"You can use any variety of jam to fill these versatile little cakes, as well as, vary the type of citrus used in the batter and in the glaze. You could also substitute milk glaze for the citrus glaze used here." - Martha

I was having a ladies luncheon at my home today and I needed a treat to serve that would be appropriate to such an event. OK, super easy recipe; great tasting cupcakes. There isn't much to be said for these because they are so simple and sweet. I chose to use orange zest as my citrus flavor in both the cupcake batter and in the glaze to frost them. I also chose to use peach jam as the filling. Peach is one of those flavors that to me is just flavor-ful enough to give you the taste and scent of its existence, but it is also just plain enough to be able to add other flavors with it to enhance a new taste.

For instance, you can use peach jam in stir fry just as easily as you can use honey, or orange marmalade and pair it with crushed red pepper flakes or teriyake. By itself, it's delicious; but always with an additive, it's better. So in this case, the peach jam didn't hinder the experience of the citrus (orange) glaze or muffin; it only made it better.

As a side note, I have really enjoyed taking the photos of my cupcakes just as much as baking them. In this photo, I hoped to achieve the look of a full-sized cupcake, but indeed these are minis. I have a very tiny spoon in the picture with which I drizzled my glaze. The drip pan is toaster-oven sized.

Page 95 Cookie Cupcakes

"Inspired by everyone's favorite cookies, these (packable) cupcakes were created with bake sales in mind. Chocolate Chunk cookies are transformed into golden brown cupcakes..." - Martha

Right off the bat, I took this recipe and gave it a twist because I had aleady made her chocolate chip cupcakes and I thought this would be similar to that recipe. As I found out it was a different texture of a cake, though. Packable, indeed. These are dense and the fact that you shouldn't fill them as high in the cup, helps with the travel aspect.

I call these my "Heath Bar Cupcakes." In lieu of the chocolate chunks, I added Heath bar chips to the batter and then I also sprinkled the tops with Heath bar chips. I chose to add a swirl of deep chocolate ganache to frost so that true 'chocolate-toffee' taste would reign. They looked so good that I couldn't resist before I took the picture!

Page 38 Tiramisu Cupcakes

"Ethereal mascarpone frosting blankets sponge cake in this adaptation of a famous Italian dessert. Extra yolks in the batter make the cake sturdy enough to hold a generous dose of coffee-liqueur syrup without becoming too soggy. Freshly brewed coffee or espresso would be a natural accompaniment, as would little glasses of marsala, a fortified Italian wine used in the soaking syrup." - Martha

My plan was to make these cupcakes on Friday night to serve on Saturday morning as I was having some ladies over to perform an audit on one of the charitable groups in which I am involved. I could bake them and soak them on Friday PM and then frost them in the AM very quickly; since I don't drink coffee I had asked them to bring their own as they usually are holding a Starbucks cup at each meeting. What an appropriate treat to go with their cappaccinos or their lattes...a tiramisu cupcake.

This began as a another recipe with multiple bowls and pots to simmer and mix and fluff and fold this and that. I didn't want another disaster like the previous one so I held my ground and followed this recipe. The only thing I did differently was to cut the recipe in half. I didn't need any extra cupcakes lying around after the meeting so instead of the 18 it mentions; I made a dozen. Just enough.

My problem ensued when it was midnight and I hadn't yet begun to make them. So, at that late hour I proceeded with the sifting and mixing and heating and beating. Oh my, they looked so light and airy as I filled each muffin cup. The extra yolks fluffed up so silky smooth and the vanilla scented my entire kitchen. However, while waiting for the cupcakes to bake, the whole 20 minutes, I decided to lay down on the couch and watch a little late night TV. I set the timer on the stove, laid down, snuggled with my couch blanket...and fell asleep! Why did I use that blanket? I know what it does to me. It calls my name so discreetly that I don't even realize the trap I am falling into!

Needless to say, I slept right through the beeper and the cupcakes baked for an extra hour and a half. Now the sweet smell of vanilla bean had turned to the putrid scent of burnt batter. No wonder I finally woke up! I had to do something and I wanted to make it quick because I was definitely tired but wanted to have a treat to serve the next morning. I got up and made a doctored box mix, white cake, added whole eggs not just whites, added other ingredients to make it taste a bit better than a box then completed the tiramisu cupcakes as if they were original. They turned out fine. But that's it, fine. An easy replacement for a botched job; no one knew but me...and now you.

Page 26 Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

"You will likely make these cupakes again and again, varying the frosting and sprinkles to suit your whim or fancy. Two types of flour contribute to the cupcakes' singular texture: Cake flour makes for a delicate crumb, while all-purpose flour keeps them from being too tender." - Martha

I can't say much about these cupcakes...either I really did something wrong or this isn't the best recipe! I have been wondering how things would turn out with this recipe, since it called for so much buttermilk (hence the name) and I had hoped not to do any subbing on that issue as well. I had everything I needed for these golden treasures. But something definitely went wrong!

The batter was tasty; I always eat leftover batter from the bowl as a test...right! But the finished product was dense, thick, dry and all-around uneventful. I made the chocolate buttercream frosting and added jimmies as a garnish, so they looked so perfect. But one bite said, "Put me down!" And I have never said that about many cupcakes! I went over all of my work and couldn't find my mistake. I guess someday I will make them again to see if it was Martha or Marie!

Page 222 Hummingbird Cupcakes

"Some say the hummingbird cake, a Southern specialty replete with pineapple chunks, bananas, coconut, and walnuts, earned its name because each otherworldly bite makes you hum with delight. Others hold that the cake is as sweet as the sugared water used to attract the tiny birds. Adorned with dried pineapple 'flowers,' the cupcake variation makes a beautiful presentation for Mother's Day. To give the flowers a cupped shape, cool them in muffin tins." - Martha

So, I was attracted to this recipe because of the gorgeous photo that is in the book. I tried my best to duplicate the photo for your pleasure, but you'll see by reading below, the pitfalls I had. Also, a point to be noted, I was baking these cupcakes specifically for a ladies luncheon, not Mother's Day, as Martha would suggest. I thought they definitely made a great presentation though.

This cupcake was, par for the course, a super delicious treat! I decided against the walnuts this time because of the allergy factor since I was supplying them for a luncheon. I imagine they would have only gotten better had they contained the nuts. It is a very easy, albeit many ingredients on the list, recipe. But again, with that many ingredients, there are just as many bowls mentioned to use. I didn't use that many. I beat the butter and sugars, added the eggs, then instead of mixing separately the coconut, bananas, pineapple etc,.; I simply added each to the egg/sugar mix and whipped it. Alternately, instead of sifting my flour mix into a bowl then adding it to the batter, I sifted my flour, soda, salt & cinnamon directly into the fruit/eggs. Very easy; I didn't see what could have posed a problem doing it that way or the other.

But when it came around to making the pineapple "flowers," it took WAY MORE TIME than the book says it would. The recipe states to layout and dry in the oven the thinly sliced pineapple pieces on parchment for 30 minutes and then flip for another 30 or possibly more. I did that, and then did it again and again before I thought the rounds were dry enough to use. Luckily, I had begun that process first, but it turned out to be finsished last.

Page 67 Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

"The batter for these candy-bar-like cupcakes is laden with ground sweetened coconut and pecans; to further enhance their appeal, the cupcakes are dipped in a bittersweet chocolate glaze, then sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes. Creamed coconut, usually sold in jars at natural food stores or online, differs from "cream of coconut," which has added sugar and is typically used in cocktails. If you can not locate creamed coconut, you can use another quarter cup of butter in its place." - Martha

I loved making these cupakes best so far! They are a very rich treat and should be devourved...slowly! As much as I love ganache, the cake itself was so appealing to my pallette, I did feel as though I had invented a candy bar. The cupcakes is a creamy colored cake with ground pecans and coconut in it. The coconut milk definitely makes the cake's texture fluffy and moist. I didn't have the coconut butter so I did what she suggests and I added an extra bit of butter. Rich, rich ,rich! Save these for a special occassion.

Page 111 Allergen-free Chocolate Cupcakes

"Anyone allergic to nuts, eggs or dairy shouldn't miss out on all the fun. Whether someone in your family has dietary restrictions or you're making treats for a whole classroom of kids, these chocolate cupcakes should suit most needs. Divvies Bakery, which specializes in allergen-free sweets, kindly shared this recipe on The Martha Stewart Show." - Martha

Amazingly the cupcakes were very tasty and moist! There is no eggs or dairy in them and yet the chocolate treat is just that...a treat to eat! Distilled white vinegar, or the rice vinegar which I used, is the trick to making the moist content. The rest of the recipe is pretty straight forward, all of the usual suspects of ingredients. As usual, though I did not have cake flour so I naturally used all-purpose flour and they seemed to have turned out OK.

A super simple recipe for a super simple snack. I used some non-dairy whipped cream for the garnish on top trying to stay away from the dairy and egg content. Unless you have an allergy to gluten or wheat, these are the perfect cupcakes for whatever circumstances you may need.

Page 134 Black Forest Cupcakes

"Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven - or, in this case - the Black Forest region of Germany, where the original layer cake was created (and cherries are abundant.) These miniature versions of the classic German dessert are saturated with cherry liqueur, layered with sweet pastry cream and preserved cherrries, and drizzled with rich chocolate ganache." - Martha

Today was Labor Day and I was entertaining for the afternoon. My planned dessert, Black Forest Cupcakes, an attempt at an elegant dessert to "Wow!" my friends. I made the chocolate cakes according to directions with minor changes, no buttermilk, and I used light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar. I also chose to bake six in my mini-bundt pans but the rest I made in a standard cupcake tin. I thought it was a great choice because the designs are so pretty and again, I was thinking to "Wow!" my guests. I think it worked; everybody enjoyed the cherries and chocolate treat so much there was no conversation for about 5 minutes!

The recipe calls for pastry cream and chocolate ganache of which I made the ganache just like recipe says: heavy cream, corn syrup and semi-sweet chocolate pieces, but the pastry cream I copped out and used some instant vanilla pudding with a little leftover buttercream frosting mixed in. I've made pastry cream a ton before and I knew what it takes to do so. I had guests in the house and wanted to serve the dessert before it got too late. Pastry cream requires cooking and cooling; didn't have the time. As you can see by my picture, the look came out the same and the taste was sufficient. Pastry cream when made correctly is so smooth and rich, you can hardly taste it; that's the difference between my fake version and the real thing...mine was tasty, but not smooth or rich.

Page 103 Blackberry-Cornmeal Cupcakes

"Succulent blackberries, picked fresh from a farm or bought at a local market, are baked into golden cornmeal cupcakes for a delicious taste of summer. Serve the cakes warm from the oven or at room temperature, and pair with ice cream, if desired. Oven temperature is crucial here: If it is any cooler than 375 degrees, the berries will sink to the bottom." - Martha

I didn't have any blackberries, fresh or otherwise. I did have frozen cherries in the freezer so, of course that's the road I took...not the one to the market or farm. I also didn't have yellow cornmeal (is that something most people have at home?), but I did have white cornmeal. Don't ask me why, but I found it in my pantry towards the back. I suppose at one point I had planned to make "Fry Bread" or something similar and just never did.

Also, about 3 out of every 5 recipes call for buttermilk. I still haven't broken down to buy any of that either. I usually replace it with 1% or 2% milk, this time I used a mix of heavy whipping cream and 1% milk. Each time I've substituted out the buttermilk, my cupcakes seem to turn out OK so I don't really know what I'm missing. However, there is a recipe in the book called "Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes" for which I will have to "suck it up" and buy the buttermilk. I mean, you shouldn't really sub-out the main ingredient of a recipe, right?

Whenever I think about serving cornbread or muffins, I always remember the best meal I ever had at school. At St. Elizabeth's School in Granite City, Illinois, one of the Friday meal choices was usually Navy Bean Soup with Cornbread and Applesauce. Ever since then, I have always chosen to serve applesauce with my cornbread. Talk about comfort food! What a great contrast of tastes to my young pallette; the applesauce placed on top of the cornbread and the steaming hot pasty soup was heavenly!

These cupcakes help bring back sound memories. I placed cherries in a few, made some plain, but I also placed a tablespoon of apricot jam in a few knowing that the sweet taste and grainy texture would surely compliment each other. And it does.

Page 141 Roasted Banana Cupcakes

"Roasting the fruit before folding it into the batter gives these cupcakes a pronounced banana flavor and keeps them very moist. Honey, paired with bananas, is added to the frosting." -Martha

I had never heard of roasting bananas before; I was anxious to give it a try. I placed the bananas on a small cookie sheet and placed them in the 400 degree oven for the 20 minutes Martha suggests. I was surprised to see the fruit seeping with a syrupy liquid that was beginning to fill the pan. The recipe says to fold in the bananas at the end of the mixing process and that's where my confusion began. I had this wonderfully fragrant syrup that I was not sure what to do with it. Was this flavorful liquid something that was going to enhance the batter? Should I add it or leave it in the pan? Surely, Martha would know that the bananas weep when roasted? She doesn't say what to do.

I made the decision to not add the syrup to the batter but I did save the banana syrup to put into the frosting. Why not, right? I added an extra banana to the batter hoping to get a flavor boost, and in retrospect it may have been too much: not flavor, but pulp. The cupcakes, albeit very tasty, were not as fluffy as I thought they should be. The texture was almost chewy and I attribute that to the extra banana. (When I have made banana bread in the past, I always add an extra piece of fruit for flavor and it has always been a great decision. This time, not so much!)

I also decided against the choice of cinnamon buttercream frosting suggested by Martha, because I chose to go with a "Banana Pie" idea so I made a meringue top flavored with that syrup that weeped from my roasted bananas. It was pretty darn good! I also placed a banana slice on top of the cupcake before AND after I iced it then I toasted the meringue...can't get enough banana!

Page 157 Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

"Mint-infused milk, along with mint extract, adds flavor (but no color) to pale buttercream, the dark chocolate cupcakes are also flavored with mint. A cluster of (chocolate) mint leaves on top suggests the primary flavor component of the finished treat. The leaves may admittedly not be an 'anyday' endeavor, but they can be prepared a day or so in advance. You can, of course, serve the cupcakes without any topping other than the frosting, or garnish them with a few chocolate curls shaved from a mint bar." - Martha

If you read her words closely, you may have noticed that I didn't use the "chocolate" mint leaves as my garnish. I simply washed and dried a few small fresh mint leaves from my garden for the garnish along with a raspberry (frozen). These happen to have the look of something one might expect to serve during the holiday season, but the color scheme aside, they are perfect for a summer afternoon treat.

I used my rosette cupcake pan for these and was hoping to have the buttercream "glaze" them a bit more to show off the design of the rosettes. However, once I started to frost them, I really liked the thickness of the drip and left them alone. The cupcake was still warm...just enough to allow a bit of the design on top to peak through. I am totally satisfied with the end result. I also embellished the recipe by adding one of my favorite cookies to the cupcke...a Girl Scout Thin Mint. So after I filled the cupcake pan, I placed a cookie on top and pushed it into the batter...not too far. That way, when you turn out the cupcakes after baking the thin mint is actually toward the bottom of the cupcake and it's a surprise when you bite. I think it's a great addition!

Martha has a wonderful recipe for true buttercream frosting: separating eggs, heating each with sugar and whipping the whites to fluff and then add the yolk base. Totally worth it, but so many steps and pots and bowls! I have a simple recipe for buttercream frosting that next time I will go back to using. Those in the know would appreciate the difference in taste, but for the most part, not many are in that category. Sorry folks!

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!