baking – 3rdculturechildren

More about “getting high on cupcakes”!

Taking up on another cooking challenge: our middle daughter’s Valentine’s birthday… and nothing could go better than… cupcakes! ♥ Scrumptious, rich, vanilla-based, topped with chocolate frosting or a simple butter cream… Both my oldest kids (7 and 5) had a blast ‘helping me’ decorate the mini cakes! They came up with interesting choices for toppings – scroll down to check the pics out! I guess, at the end, it all worked well…

That said, for this Friday, I’m getting back into baking. High altitude [and attitude!] baking.

My ‘transcontinental’ margarita cupcakes: approved by Brazilians, Mexicans & Americans!

Taking up on another cooking challenge: our middle daughter’s Valentine’s birthday… and nothing could go better than… cupcakes! ♥

Scrumptious, rich, yellow cake, strawberry and vanilla-based, topped with chocolate frosting or a simple butter cream…

Both my oldest kids (7 and 5) had a blast ‘helping me’ decorate the mini cakes! They came up with interesting choices for toppings – scroll down to check the pics out! I guess, at the end, it all worked well…

That said, for this Friday, I’m getting back into baking. High altitude [and attitude!] baking.

cupcake tower keeps getting higher and higher! 😮

Moving on to the preparations. Simply followed regular yellow cake and vanilla recipes [oh, you, Martha Stewart!], as well as, a simple lemon pound cake recipe, and a fantastic recipe for strawberry cupcakes, from Yummy Cakes from Lynn, discovering [through extensive online research] a few tips/adjustments for baking at high altitudes.

La Paz, Bolivia, can be a great example of how frustrating it might be for a rookie baker! In order to remain in good terms with my kitchen oven, my ‘~~overactive kids~~ assistants and I’ decided to go for a ‘new & improved first-timer’ cake (batter) step-by-step: 😮

Flour: Increased by 2 Tbs per cup of batter

Baking Powder/Soda: Decreased by 1/4 tsp per tsp of mix

Sugar: Decreased by 2 Tbs per cup of mix [we’re always advised to go light on the sugar here, it’s healthier and better for the body’s blood pressure…]

Milk: Increased by 2 Tbs per cup of mix

Extra egg: added one more to the usual 3

Oven Temperature: Increased by 25 degrees

Baking Time: Decreased by five minutes per 30 minutes of baking time.

It looks like a lot of math, right? Adding this, subtracting that…. raising the oven temperature, decreasing the baking time… But it all makes sense – you’re looking for a less ‘runny’ cake mix/batter, and with hotter oven, it’s logical (!!) to leave your ‘lovies’ in there for less time. At the end, it’s all about a great deal of TLC! ♥

Curious about the results?

Take a look, and let me know how you think this Valentine’s Birthday Bash went with another batch of the ‘highest cupcakes I’ve ever baked’! 😮

In the mood for still more? Take a look at these unique recipes for high altitude baking: from my kitchen to yours! ♥

Cupcakes filled with ‘dulce de leche’ (very popular in Latinamerica, similar to caramel)

Below, strawberry cupcakes, filled with fruit (jam) and topped with ‘bubble gum’ frosting [just came up with this recipe today… let me know if you’re curious about it!]

cupcakes topped with caramel

How to…Bake the Perfect Cupcake! (thepartypost.co.uk)

Everyone loves a Fall Bake Sale!

Well, I already shared here my very first attempt to make Apple & Cinnamon Muffins for my kids school – a humble contribution to a great initiative to have a Fall Bake Sale, even though it feels like Fall, here in La Paz, Bolivia, we’re officially in the middle of Spring… Here is what I spotted during my time there, giving a hand to the other moms and enjoying a fantastic Pumpkin Latte (gotta get that recipe!) 😮

Getting ‘high’ on cupcakes! (3rdculturechildren.com)
Travel Theme: Foliage – Is it Spring or Fall over here? (3rdculturechildren.com)
Hogar San Ramon Greening Project, La Paz – Bolivia. (3rdculturechildren.com)

Getting ‘high’ on [apple & cinnamon] muffins!

Again: my path towards learning how to bake goods in high altitude settings…

Another fundraising bake sale, and, this time, the theme is “FALL BAKE” [even though it’s Spring here!].

La Paz, Bolivia, can be a great example of how frustrating it might be for a rookie baker! In order to remain in good terms with my kitchen oven, ‘we’ decided to go for this ‘new & improved first-timer’ apple muffin mix, step-by-step: 😮

It yields between 12 and 15 muffins. The recipe has already been adapted to the altitude so I should have no problems with it, right? 😮

Again: my path towards learning how to bake goods in high altitude settings…

Another fundraising bake sale, and, this time, the theme is “FALL BAKE” [even though it’s Spring here!]. This week is all dedicated to my ‘adventures in the kitchen’… all the wonders of a mom of 3 little ones! 😮

La Paz, Bolivia, can be a great example of how frustrating it might be for a rookie baker! In order to remain in good terms with my kitchen oven, ‘we‘ decided to go for this ‘new & improved first-timer’ apple muffin mix, step-by-step: 😮 Following this post, I’ll share images from the actual bake sale, with all their goodies: caramel apple, pumpkin pies, pumpkin brownies, honey bread… hummm!

It yields between 12 and 15 muffins. The recipe has already been adapted to the altitude so I should have no problems with it, right? 😮

APPLE MUFFINS

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups chopped apples

For the topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare muffin tins.

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl beat butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract and milk.

Stir in the chopped apples and gradually mix in the flour mixture. Spoon into prepared muffins tins.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over muffin batter in tins.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing muffins from tins and letting cool completely on wire racks. At the end, it’s all about a great deal of TLC! ♥

Curious about the results?

How to…Bake the Perfect Cupcake! (thepartypost.co.uk)
Pumpkin Muffins (alidoesit.wordpress.com)
Pumpkin Cornbread or Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins (nancycreative.com)

Getting ‘high’ on cupcakes!

Taking up on a new cooking challenge: in order to help a fundraising bake sale, I’m getting back into baking. High altitude baking. That said, after having a long conversation with my [American] stove/oven, we came to the agreement that we’d become friends, not rivals.

If I’m able to get my mini cakes out, not deflated, nice looking, and attractive to someone else’s mouth, both of us would win: I’d promised to throughly clean it after I was done.

strawberry & dulce de leche — Strawberry cupcakes filled with ‘dulce de leche’ (caramel)

Taking up on a new cooking challenge: in order to help a fundraising bake sale, I’m getting back into baking. High altitude baking. That said, after having a long conversation with my [American] stove/oven, we came to the agreement that we’d become friends, not rivals.

If I’m able to get my mini cakes out, not deflated, nice looking, and attractive to someone else’s mouth, both of us would win: I’d promised to throughly clean it after I was done.

Both of us [the oven and myself] smiled at the agreement [or at least I did, and maybe, in my crazy mind, my oven’s alter-ego did the same].

Moving on to the preparations. Simply followed a regular yellow cake recipe [oh, you, Martha Stewart!], as well as, a simple lemon pound cake recipe, and a fantastic recipe for strawberry cupcakes, from Yummy Cakes from Lynn, discovering [through extensive online research] a few tips/adjustments for baking at high altitudes [that’s why I’m calling this post ‘getting high (altitude) on cupcakes!].

Flour: Increased by 2 Tbs per cup of batter

Baking Powder/Soda: Decreased by 1/4 tsp per tsp of mix

Sugar: Decreased by 2 Tbs per cup of mix [we’re always advised to go light on the sugar here, it’s healthier and better for the body’s blood pressure…]

Milk: Increased by 2 Tbs per cup of mix

Extra egg: added one more to the usual 3

Oven Temperature: Increased by 25 degrees

Baking Time: Decreased by five minutes per 30 minutes of baking time.

Curious about the results?

Take a look, and let me know how you think the bake sale went with the ‘highest cupcakes I’ve ever baked’!

baking the strawberry cupcakes

Cupcakes filled with ‘dulce de leche’ (very popular in Latinamerica, similar to caramel)

decorating the cupcakes

Below, strawberry cupcakes, filled with fruit (jam) and topped with ‘bubble gum’ frosting [just came up with this recipe today… let me know if you’re curious about it!]

cupcakes topped with caramel

and lastly, a new version of the ‘margarita cupcakes’: lemon cake recipe, with light lemon frosting and of course, the mini-straws for the final touch! [again, another ‘creation from my kitchen’… happy to share the tips along!] 😮

How to…Bake the Perfect Cupcake! (thepartypost.co.uk)

How sweet! The Super Sweet Blogging Award!

I simply love cupcakes – even shared before a personal recipe for “Margarita Cupcakes”, with and without alcohol, for little ones… 😮
Although I love baking them, especially for my kids birthday parties, this year, I’ll take a break – beginining this October, I’ll be BUYING ALL SWEET TREATS for my little ones special day… And why? Just because I’m realizing that, between the sweetness of all the planning, and the crude execution, assembling, decoration, there’s pretty STRESSED PERSON – somebody who ends up changing from a sweet mom into a CRANKY, TIRED bossy baker… And from this point on, I’ve decided: I want the ‘sweet, kind mommy’ back into my kitchen!

I simply love cupcakes – even shared before a personal recipe for “Margarita Cupcakes“, with and without alcohol, for little ones… 😮

Although I love baking them, especially for my kids’ birthday parties, this year, I’ll take a break – beginning this October, I’ll be BUYING ALL SWEET TREATS for my ones special’ special day… And why? Just because I’m realizing that, between the sweetness of all the planning, and the crude execution, assembling, decorating, there’s pretty STRESSED PERSON – somebody who ends up changing from a sweet mom into a CRANKY, TIRED, bossy, baker…

And from this point on, I’ve decided: I want the ‘sweet, kind mommy’ back into my kitchen! My kids deserve better than a stormy mother running around the kitchen, before breakfast time! And their dad deserves a caring partner, instead of a screaming wife, telling him to get the decorations ready, while she’s finishing up with the toppings! 😮

That said, I’m retiring from my “home-baking goods mommy business” – at least, until one of my girls, now aged 4 and almost 2, are able to jump in and help mom in the kitchen. Until then, dear ‘commercial bakers out there’, I’m all yours! 😮

Coincidently, right after I had this ‘realization’, I found out my blog had been nominated for a SUPER SWEET BLOG AWARD!

Maybe, it’s the sign I was looking for: I can still write, share experiences and images, discuss with other parents about the challenges of raising TCKs all over the map, and enjoy celebrating my kids special days… with ZERO STRESS!

Loved it!

So, here is the award, its rules and next steps: Enjoy! ♥

Thanks to Catherine, from Mezzaphonically Speaking for being super sweet and nominating me for the Super Sweet Blogging Award! I appreciate this special honor and opportunity!

Rules for this award include:
– Thank the super sweet blogger who made the nomination.
– Nominate a baker’s dozen of other bloggers:

They are bloggers talking about life, food, kids, adventures… All in all, a ‘treat’ to read! Go check them out – they’re some of the examples of readings that keep me going!

And answer five questions:

Cookie or cake? Cookie
Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla
What is your favorite sweet treat? Brazilian Dark Chocolate (the tiny ones with caramel!)
When do you crave sweet things the most? Night
If you had a sweet nickname, what would it be? Cupcake!

Help others enjoy what you found here!!

Like this:

Related articles

Help others enjoy what you found here!!

Like this:

Help others enjoy what you found here!!

Like this:

Related articles

Help others enjoy what you found here!!

Like this:

They are bloggers talking about life, food, kids, adventures… All in all, a ‘treat’ to read! Go check them out – they’re some of the examples of readings that keep me going!

Help others enjoy what you found here!!

Like this: