Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Cupcakes

 

Do you have March 2nd marked on your calendar?

It's almost time to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss,

the beloved author of wonderful, wacky children's books.

I have made Green Eggs & Ham Cupcakes for his birthday,

 because my children adore that book and have it memorized.

This year, I decided to make an edible version of one of my favorite Seuss characters...

The Lorax Cupcakes!

He speaks for the trees, you know.

What You Will Need:

A batch of cupcakes

Orange frosting

Yellow candy melts

Piping bag fitted with small round tip (Wilton #3)

Candy eyes

Orange Sixlets, M&M's or Skittles

  
To download my Lorax mustache template below, click on the image to open it. 

Then right click on the image and select "Save Image As".
Print the template and tape it to the back of a cookie sheet.
Tape a piece of wax paper on top of the template.

Next, melt the yellow candy melts according to package directions.

Fill a piping bag with the candy melts.

  Trace over the eyebrow and mustache outlines, piping lines to look like hair.

When they have hardened, carefully peel them off the wax paper.

Arrange the eyebrows, candy eyes and mustache on a frosted cupcake.

Put a dot of frosting on the back of your orange candy and make a nose.

Enjoy!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

 Check out my "Dr. Seuss Treats" Pinterest board for more fun ideas!

And my Green Eggs & Ham Cupcakes...

 I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.
 

Hidden Heart Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

  
My husband made a very disturbing confession this week.

He doesn't like red velvet cake!!

*stunned silence*

I thought I knew this man!
You can imagine my distress at this revelation.

We may have to go to therapy to get past it.

In the meantime, the kids and I will enjoy these Hidden Heart Red Velvet Cupcakes.
The frosting heart inside the cupcake is a fun surprise
and they make a great Valentine's Day treat!

 What You Will Need:
 Red Velvet Cupcakes with tops cut off
small heart cookie cutter
cream cheese frosting
confectioners' sugar in a sifter

Center your heart cookie cutter on the cupcake and press down.
Use a spoon to scoop out the cake inside the heart.
Eat the cake scraps.

Fill the heart cavity with cream cheese frosting.
(You can fill a ziploc bag with frosting and snip off the corner.)

Trace your heart cookie cutter on a piece of paper.
Cut out the paper heart and center it on a cupcake top.
Use a sifter to sprinkle powdered sugar over the cupcake top.
Carefully remove the paper heart.

 Place the tops back on your cupcakes and enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!
 
 I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

Another fun Valentine treat idea...

Conversation Heart Cupcake Toppers

This post was featured!

Black Forest Cake with Chocolate Ganache

 

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte!

That's what this Black Forest Cake is called in Germany, where the recipe originated.

It is a delightful combination of chocolate, cherries and whipped cream.

For my version, I added cherry extract to my favorite chocolate cake recipe.

Then I layered it with fresh whipped cream and cherry pie filling,

and topped it all with thick chocolate ganache.

Scrumptious!

Isn't it simply gorgeous?
Is it fair for a cake to be so pretty AND taste so good? 

Black Forest Cake with Chocolate Ganache

by Bird On A Cake

6058473

Ingredients

Chocolate Cherry Cake

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (OR 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed with 1 cup milk)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cherry extract

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling

Instructions

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper and grease the sides. Bring a small pan of water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and cherry extract. Beat with mixer until combined.

Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Batter will be thin. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 20-24 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Chocolate Ganache

Place the chocolate chips in a small metal bowl. Heat the cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Wait for 2 minutes, then slowly stir the mixture until all the chips have completely melted and it is thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla. Let the ganache cool until it reaches a thicker, spreadable consistency.

Whipped Cream

Chill a large mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour heavy cream into the bowl and whip until peaks are just about to form. Add vanilla and sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

Assembling Your Cake

Level cake layers and place one layer on a cake plate. Spread 3/4 of the whipped cream on the cake layer, leaving one inch of space around the edge. Reserve 12 cherries and set aside; drop the remaining pie filling by spoonfuls on top of the whipped cream. Place second cake layer on top. Spread thickened ganache on top of the cake, just to the edges. Garnish with remaining whipped cream and reserved cherries.

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 Enjoy!

 I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

Another yummy recipe with cherries...

Mini Funnel Cake Hearts

Grinch Christmas Cupcake Toppers

I made these Grinch Christmas Cupcake Toppers simply because I love the Grinch!

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is my very favorite Christmas movie.

Seriously, Dr. Seuss was a creative genius.

 

"You're a monster, Mr. Grinch,

Your heart's an empty hole,

Your brain is full of spiders, you've got garlic in your soul,

Mr. Gri-inch...I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!"

My favorite part, of course, is when the Grinch's heart grows three sizes.

The despicable bad guy becomes a good guy!

I just love a happy ending.

You can make these edible cupcake toppers with candy melts or chocolate.

 To download my Grinch template below, click on the image to open it.

Then right click on the image and select "Save Image As".
Print the template and tape it to the back of a cookie sheet.
Tape a piece of wax paper on top of the template.

 What You Will Need: 
Frosted cupcakes 
Black candy melts or chocolate chips
Green, red, white and yellow candy melts
Piping bags fitted with small round tip (Wilton #2)

First, fill a piping bag with melted chocolate chips or black candy melts.
Pipe the Grinch outline on the wax paper.

Next, use red candy melts to fill in the santa hat and pupils.

Continue to fill in the green, white and yellow parts.

I found "Vibrant Green" candy melts...a perfect Grinchy color!

If you can't find this color, just mix green and yellow to get the right shade. 
 

Helpful Hint: Use a toothpick to push the candy melts into the corners
and clean up the edges.

Don't worry if they look messy when you are done...this is the back side!

When the toppers have hardened, carefully peel them off the wax paper and turn them over.

 Place each Grinch topper on a frosted cupcake and enjoy!

"Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before...

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

Merry Chrismas!

 

 I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

Another Christmas cupcake idea...

Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes 

Give the Gift of Gingerbread - Blog Hop & Giveaway!

Today I am part of a fun blog hop and giveaway!
You can see 20 gingerbread themed recipes and all the fabulous prizes below.

 My recipe is this Chocolate Gingerbread Cake. 

I decided to put a tasty twist on classic gingerbread by mixing it with chocolate.

The two flavors together are a fantastic combination!

Top it with cream cheese frosting and decorate it with chocolate gingerbread men,
and you have one fantastic Christmas cake!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

by Bird On A Cake

6038745

Ingredients

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. package cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two 9 inch cake pans with wax paper; grease the sides of the pans. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. Mix in the oil and molasses. Add the eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. In another bowl, mix the boiling water with the cocoa powder. Alternate adding the dry mixture and wet mixture to the batter until well combined. Pour your batter in the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar. Spread over cooled cake.

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  To make the gingerbread men, I used a silicon mold and melted chocolate.
First, I filled in the eyes, mouth and buttons with white chocolate.

 Then, I filled in the whole cavity with chocolate.

 After these little guys set up, gently push on the other side of the mold until they pop out.
Then press them into the frosting around your cake.
 

 Give the Gift of Gingerbread
Blog Hop and Giveaway

Use the links below to hop from blog to blog
to see these wonderful gingerbread themed recipes:

1. No Gingerbread Boy and Girl Cookie Pops by Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons

2. Caramel Cocoa Egg Nog Custard Gingerbread Men by Hungry Happenings

3. Gingerbread Angel Ornament by Haniela's

4. Gingerbread Men Bubble Bath by Creative Kids Snacks

5. Peeps Gingerbread Men Cookie Pops by Pint Sized Baker

6. Gingerbread Decorating Ideas by Living Locurto

7. Peanuts Gang Gingerbread Men by Sugar Swings

8. Gingerbread House Cookie Bites by The Decorated Cookie

9. Gingerbread Cookie Christmas Trees by Munchkin' Munchies

10. Gingerbread Men Cookies by The Barefoot Baker

11. Gingerbread Sleigh Ride by the Partiologist

12. Mini Fudge Gingerbread Houses by Hoopla Palooza

13. Chocolate Gingerbread Cake by Bird on a Cake

14. Simple Gingerbread Christmas Trees by Sweet Sugar Belle

15. Gingerbread Cookie Cups by Creative Juice

16. Gingerbread Puppy Chow by Make Bake Celebrate

17. No Bake Gingerbread Heads by Party Pinching

18. Snowboarding Gingerbread Peeps by Sweet Simple Stuff

19. Gingerbread S'More Houses with Boozy Eggnog Marshmallow Filling by 1 Fine Cookie

20.Sugar Plum Gingerbread House by Miss CandiQUIK

Thanks to our amazing sponsors, you have a chance to win all of these prizes:

Shabby Apple - Choice of a Dress (from a list) $100 value

Wilton - Gingerbread Decorating Prize Pack $50 value

Cheap Cookie Cutters - $50 Gift Card

Sweet Works - Candy Prize Pack $25 value

Easy Lunchboxes - lunch box set $25 value

Karen's Cookies - $20 gift card

Sweet Simple Stuff - Cake Pop Prize Pack $20 value

CandiQUIK - CandiQUIK Prize Pack $25 value

The Give the Gift of Gingerbread Giveaway will run from December 11 through December 17, 2013. Entrants must be US residents, 18 years or older Void where prohibited by law. 

Enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below. 

One winner will be chosen to win the entire prize pack and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing information. If the winner does not respond in 48 hours, another winner will be chosen. 

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