What could be cuter than these adorable cupcake pops? They are an easy treat to make and will bring a little whimsy to any event. Use the cupcake mold to create these treats without fuss.

Cupcake Pops
Ingredients
9-by-13-inch Midnight Chocolate Cake (See below)
2 cups Chocolate Frosting (see below)
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
1 package pink candy melts
Sprinkles and/or colored sugars
Candy Red Hots or mini red M&M’s

Lollypop sticks

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from edges of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into a large bowl. Make sure the cake is fine, with no substantial pieces.

2. Add frosting until well combined.

3. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

4. When mixture is chilled throughout begin to form the cupcakes by placing a small amount of the mixture into the cupcake mold. Release the cupcake from the mold and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.

5. When you are finished place the cakes into the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

6. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

7. When the cupcakes are chilled dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; Place cupcakes, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet.

8. Place a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Before dipping the tops, let the chocolate set completely.

9. Melt white chocolate and/or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white chocolate or pink candy melts and place right-side up by sticking the lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square.

10. Decorate with the candy and sprinkles.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup milk
¾ cup shortening (Use the butter flavored Crisco.)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, with a fork, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, shortening, eggs and vanilla (still combining with a fork)
4. Then mix at high speed and blend all ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour into 9×13 cake prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. (While the cake is baking make the filling.)
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then slice each cake into 2 layers.

To make the frosting:

1. In a double boiler (or just stack saucepans, the one for the ingredients needs to be a good size), over hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate with the shortening.

2. Stir in the sugar and milk.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

5. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings if you are feeling creative.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Ruth Black
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/8
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1

What could be cuter than these adorable cupcake pops? They are an easy treat to make and will bring a little whimsy to any event. Use the cupcake mold to create these treats without fuss.

Cupcake Pops
Ingredients
9-by-13-inch Midnight Chocolate Cake (See below)
2 cups Chocolate Frosting (see below)
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
1 package pink candy melts
Sprinkles and/or colored sugars
Candy Red Hots or mini red M&M’s

Lollypop sticks

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from edges of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into a large bowl. Make sure the cake is fine, with no substantial pieces.

2. Add frosting until well combined.

3. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

4. When mixture is chilled throughout begin to form the cupcakes by placing a small amount of the mixture into the cupcake mold. Release the cupcake from the mold and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.

5. When you are finished place the cakes into the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

6. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

7. When the cupcakes are chilled dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; Place cupcakes, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet.

8. Place a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Before dipping the tops, let the chocolate set completely.

9. Melt white chocolate and/or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white chocolate or pink candy melts and place right-side up by sticking the lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square.

10. Decorate with the candy and sprinkles.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup milk
¾ cup shortening (Use the butter flavored Crisco.)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, with a fork, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, shortening, eggs and vanilla (still combining with a fork)
4. Then mix at high speed and blend all ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour into 9×13 cake prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. (While the cake is baking make the filling.)
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then slice each cake into 2 layers.

To make the frosting:

1. In a double boiler (or just stack saucepans, the one for the ingredients needs to be a good size), over hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate with the shortening.

2. Stir in the sugar and milk.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

5. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings if you are feeling creative.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Ruth Black
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/8
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1

When I home schooled my two, now young men, I was grateful to avoid the trappings of grade school birthdays and holidays. Once I received a panicked phone call, from a dear friend, at 10pm on the eve of Valentine’s Day: “I have to make 29 cupcakes for Valentine’s Day! What do I do?!” A big sigh on my part….”I’ll be right over.”

We went to the only market open at that hour, purchased the ingredients, baked and decorated 30 cupcakes. We did this while sipping wine and the late evening turned into a joyful time spent together. While admiring our finished product my friend moaned, “Great….now they are going to ask me to do this again!” The cupcakes looked marvelous and were fairly simple to make.

As I was leaving I told my dear friend that she must plan ahead a bit. She, jokingly said, “You should open a baking emergency 911 business.” In the words of Linguini from Ratatouille, “Nopety, Nopety, No.” I am fond of my friend so I shared her dilemma, but home schooling had its perks and one of them was that I never had to stress about baking cupcakes again.

With a little planning you can create these beautiful cupcakes without the last minute stress. Bake them for your child’s class, your office or for your family. You will find much love returned to you.

Bloggers We Adore: MyFudo’s Editors Choice Award goes to…

My Sweet Saucy offers a plenitude of amazing cupcakes for your viewing pleasure. We are in love with her Valentine’s Day cupcakes and once you take a look you’ll understand. The blog is very well put together and a visual feast. Melody Brandon, the incredible talent behind My Sweet Saucy is an accomplished pastry chef who shares her creations through her blog and at her shop, Sweet and Saucy Shop. Your jaw will drop when you view her stunning confections. It was fun to learn that Melody is expecting a little girl due on March 8th, which also happens to be Camille’s birthday. Our best wishes to Melody!

Alicia, from Bakeaholic is a true lover of baking. We know this because she states, “I would rather buy baking and cooking utensils or supplies than clothes. Seriously.” We love Alicia’s enthusiasm for food. Her blog is clean and crisp. And, her baked goods are homemade deliciousness. OK, so we haven’t actually had a taste test, but they certainly look quite delicious! Take a look at Alicia’s beautiful Queen of Hearts cupcakes. You’ll want to sink your teeth into the devil’s food cake and vanilla frosting.

52 Kitchen Adventure is a blog worth visiting for its culinary spirit of …well…adventure! During the year 2010 Stephanie, the explorer behind the blog, researched one unusual ingredient each week. She shared her adventures in her blog. When 2010 ended the project ended. But Stephanie’s passion for food continues as she explores the use of “seasonal ingredients, cooking from scratch and eating as healthy as possible while having a big sweet tooth.” We were looking for an alternative recipe for Valentine’s Day cup cakes and found a flourless chocolate cake recipe at 52 Kitchen Adventures. Stephanie includes a fantastic photo tutorial with the recipe.

How to set up the Shot:

1. White Cake Stand: Bought at Rosanna’s
2. Background Paper for Food Props: Savage Background Paper
3. Under Paper/Cloth (Floral Fabrics) From Fashion Fabrics Club

Raspberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Pink Chocolate Hearts (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 containers (6 ounces each) raspberries, 1 container pureed, 1 container coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups.

2. Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar in a slow, steady stream, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat until smooth.

3. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in pureed and chopped raspberries and a small drop of food coloring.

4. Divide batter among baking cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes, and let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

24 ounces Nestle semisweet chocolate morsels
4 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Directions

1. Place chocolate morsels and cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until combined and thickened, between 20 and 25 minutes. Increase the heat to medium low; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.

2. Stir in corn syrup. Transfer frosting to a large metal bowl. Chill until cool enough to spread, about 2 hours, checking and stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Use immediately

Pink Chocolate Hearts

1. Trace the inside of a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter onto parchment 30 times using a pencil. Flip parchment, and transfer to a baking sheet.

2. Melt 4 ounces chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool slightly. Color with pink food coloring (we prefer the gel form available at craft stores) Transfer a piping bag and snip a tip to make a small hole.

3. Pipe chocolate into hearts, following outlines and filling in with squiggles (be sure squiggles are at least 1/4 inch thick so hearts won’t break when removed).

4. Freeze hearts until set, about 15 minutes. Remove hearts using an offset spatula. Makes 30

How to get this Food Photography Shot:

ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Guest Blogger/Photographer: Ruth Black
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/15
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1

When I home schooled my two, now young men, I was grateful to avoid the trappings of grade school birthdays and holidays. Once I received a panicked phone call, from a dear friend, at 10pm on the eve of Valentine’s Day: “I have to make 29 cupcakes for Valentine’s Day! What do I do?!” A big sigh on my part….”I’ll be right over.”

We went to the only market open at that hour, purchased the ingredients, baked and decorated 30 cupcakes. We did this while sipping wine and the late evening turned into a joyful time spent together. While admiring our finished product my friend moaned, “Great….now they are going to ask me to do this again!” The cupcakes looked marvelous and were fairly simple to make.

As I was leaving I told my dear friend that she must plan ahead a bit. She, jokingly said, “You should open a baking emergency 911 business.” In the words of Linguini from Ratatouille, “Nopety, Nopety, No.” I am fond of my friend so I shared her dilemma, but home schooling had its perks and one of them was that I never had to stress about baking cupcakes again.

With a little planning you can create these beautiful cupcakes without the last minute stress. Bake them for your child’s class, your office or for your family. You will find much love returned to you.

Bloggers We Adore: MyFudo’s Editors Choice Award goes to…

My Sweet Saucy offers a plenitude of amazing cupcakes for your viewing pleasure. We are in love with her Valentine’s Day cupcakes and once you take a look you’ll understand. The blog is very well put together and a visual feast. Melody Brandon, the incredible talent behind My Sweet Saucy is an accomplished pastry chef who shares her creations through her blog and at her shop, Sweet and Saucy Shop. Your jaw will drop when you view her stunning confections. It was fun to learn that Melody is expecting a little girl due on March 8th, which also happens to be Camille’s birthday. Our best wishes to Melody!

Alicia, from Bakeaholic is a true lover of baking. We know this because she states, “I would rather buy baking and cooking utensils or supplies than clothes. Seriously.” We love Alicia’s enthusiasm for food. Her blog is clean and crisp. And, her baked goods are homemade deliciousness. OK, so we haven’t actually had a taste test, but they certainly look quite delicious! Take a look at Alicia’s beautiful Queen of Hearts cupcakes. You’ll want to sink your teeth into the devil’s food cake and vanilla frosting.

52 Kitchen Adventure is a blog worth visiting for its culinary spirit of …well…adventure! During the year 2010 Stephanie, the explorer behind the blog, researched one unusual ingredient each week. She shared her adventures in her blog. When 2010 ended the project ended. But Stephanie’s passion for food continues as she explores the use of “seasonal ingredients, cooking from scratch and eating as healthy as possible while having a big sweet tooth.” We were looking for an alternative recipe for Valentine’s Day cup cakes and found a flourless chocolate cake recipe at 52 Kitchen Adventures. Stephanie includes a fantastic photo tutorial with the recipe.

How to set up the Shot:

1. White Cake Stand: Bought at Rosanna’s
2. Background Paper for Food Props: Savage Background Paper
3. Under Paper/Cloth (Floral Fabrics) From Fashion Fabrics Club

Raspberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting and Pink Chocolate Hearts (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 containers (6 ounces each) raspberries, 1 container pureed, 1 container coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups.

2. Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar in a slow, steady stream, and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat until smooth.

3. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in pureed and chopped raspberries and a small drop of food coloring.

4. Divide batter among baking cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes, and let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

24 ounces Nestle semisweet chocolate morsels
4 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Directions

1. Place chocolate morsels and cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until combined and thickened, between 20 and 25 minutes. Increase the heat to medium low; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.

2. Stir in corn syrup. Transfer frosting to a large metal bowl. Chill until cool enough to spread, about 2 hours, checking and stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Use immediately

Pink Chocolate Hearts

1. Trace the inside of a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter onto parchment 30 times using a pencil. Flip parchment, and transfer to a baking sheet.

2. Melt 4 ounces chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool slightly. Color with pink food coloring (we prefer the gel form available at craft stores) Transfer a piping bag and snip a tip to make a small hole.

3. Pipe chocolate into hearts, following outlines and filling in with squiggles (be sure squiggles are at least 1/4 inch thick so hearts won’t break when removed).

4. Freeze hearts until set, about 15 minutes. Remove hearts using an offset spatula. Makes 30

How to get this Food Photography Shot:

ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Guest Blogger/Photographer: Ruth Black
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/15
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1