Cupcake Monday - Pina Colada Cupcakes

 

While wasting a lot of time on facebook one day, I ran across a cupcake shop featuring their pina colada cupcakes.  They looked soooo good, so I figured, I best try making some myself since I don't live anywhere close to this cupcake shop.  I asked on facebook for some recipe recommendations and got a few good ideas.  I still have one more recipe I want to try, which is from scratch, but I went with this one which is a box mix jazzed up a bit.  They turned out really good and moist!  I think next time I'll be adding a little more rum, since I went with the real stuff and not the extract.  I topped them with a coconut rum buttercream and it was de-lish!  These were definitely a hit and you should give them a try!!!

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Recipe via Betty Crocker - with some alterations

 Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1

  box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix - I used a Pillsbury white cake mix

1/3 

cup vegetable oil

1/4 

cup water - I used 2 C. coconut milk at room temperature

1

  teaspoon rum extract- I used 1 T. coconut rum

1 

can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

3

  eggs - I used 3 room temperature egg whites

1 

teaspoon coconut extract 

Then I added a box of coconut instant pudding

Frosting:

1/2 C Butter - I used unsalted

4 C powdered sugar

3 T. coconut rum - I wish I had used more, but I ran out!

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the wet ingredients and then add the cake mix and pudding, beat just until combined.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Fill muffin cups and bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Directions:

Beat butter and rum until creamy, gradually add in powdered sugar 1/2 C at a time until you get the right consistency.  Top with shredded coconut and garnish with a cherry. 

Back to School Segment

 Yesterday I had the pleasure of going on the Morning Show on WCFN to share some cute back to school ideas and cupcakes.  In case you missed it, click HERE to watch the clip.

 I found the idea for the pencil vase over on Shindig Parties TO GO.

It was super EASY and turned out really cute.

To see a tutorial, you can get all the details over on Shindig's blog HERE.

 Can you really go wrong with oreos and melted chocolate?

I found this idea via Shindig's blog, too!  

To see a tutorial on how to make these you can find it HERE.

She also has some FREE back to school printables you can download, too!

 I found these cute cupcake liners and toppers at Williams-Sonoma.

 These "I'm So Lucky to Have You" tags are so cute! 

I found them via The Girls at Eighteen25.  

You can download your FREE set HERE.

 My grandma passed two chalkboards down to me when she was doing some cleaning awhile back, and as soon as I got them I KNEW what I was going to do with them.  I'd seen back on Living Locurto last year that you can put what grade your child is going into and the year, and have them pose with the chalkboard on the first day of school each year for a picture.  It would be a fun tradition each year and would make for some cute photos to display at the high school graduation party!  I've had a few people ask me where to find these chalkboards, and I actually saw some today at Hobby Lobby so look there!  :)
For the high lighters, I found this cute tag that says, You are the Hi-Lite of my day!  Super cute and what teacher can't use some new high lighters?  To get your FREE printable, head over to One Charming Party's blog HERE.

I love these cupcakes!

They turned out so cute.

I had seen the idea in my Martha Stewart cupcake cookbook and have also seen them on pinterest, where they linked back to Betty Crocker.  They are super easy to make and very kid friendly.  To get a demo on how to make them, go watch the clip!  :)

Willow Designs WINNER!

Congratulations to Dorie!!!

You are the $15 Willow Designs winner!!!

I will be sending your contact info on to Kasey.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Don't forget, you can still check out Kasey's cute hair bows and clips HERE!

Friday Party Feature - Pink & Purple Birthday Party

I'm finally back to featuring your all's wonderful parties and today we are showcasing Kristin from Homespun With Love

and a birthday party she helped style for her sweet niece!

It was a mixture of pink, purple, and flowers to make the birthday girl happy.

 Yummy vanilla cupcakes with vanilla cream cream cheese frosting topped with a monogrammed cupcake topper.

How clever... use an upside down martini glass as the perfect cupcake pedestal! 

 

 Soooo many yummy looking pink treats!

Super cute party, Kristin!

Congrats on being today's featured party!

If you want to see more of this party, be sure to check out Kristin's blog HERE!

If you have a party you'd like featured on Pirates-n-Princesses, be sure to contact me!  I'd love to share your hard work with everyone!

And... you have entered the Willow Designs $15 credit towards some super adorable hair bows, right????  

In case you missed it... Click HERE!

Guest Post from Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box

Have I got a TREAT for y'all today!!!
The super sweet Elizabeth of Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box is here to share a yummy cookie recipe that looks super de-lish! 
I'm so excited that she agreed to guest post today, I know you're going to LOVE her!


Hi! I am Elizabeth Ann of Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box!

I love spending time in the kitchen, cooking and baking for others, and I ADORE home-cooked meals with lots of friends and family around the table!

I am thrilled that Heather asked me to guest post on Pirates and Princesses! She is my 'go to' in the world of cupcakes and I have loved getting to know her sweet heart through 'blog land!' I am lucky to call her friend!

Today, I want to share a new favorite recipe of mine. Whether it be a church bake sale, a child's class party, or just a pot luck, throughout life we are constantly offering to bring goodies to an event. I have a wonderful cookie recipe that makes you 'look' like you have lived in the kitchen the past few days. . . (but, in truth, you just made one batch of cookies!)

 Let's start with our cookie dough. . .

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 stick Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks OR 3/4 cup Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (6 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.

TIP * If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Crisco

Now here is the fun part. 

If you want to make multiple different types of cookies, don't add the chocolate chips or the nuts to the batter. 

Instead, in each "ball of cookie dough" add 3 or 4 chocolate chips 

ORRR M&Ms!

Two different types of cookies, one bowl of cookie dough! 

Want more? 

Take a ball of cookie dough 

and. . . 

press a mini reeses into the middle

and cover it with dough. . .

Oh. My. Word. 

  

Reeses aren't your thing??

What about Rolos?

Or mini oreos?

Still one batch of cookie dough!

Have fun experimenting with the joys of cookie making!

Ideas from Pinterest, With Style and Kappa Prep


Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway from Willow Designs!
Click HERE! 

Willow Designs GIVEAWAY! ***CLOSED***

Have I got a treat for you today!!!?!?

The lovely Kasey of Willow Designs is giving one lucky Pirates-n-Princesses fan a $15 credit to her shop!  

Kasey designs and creates some amazing hair bows and clips for sweet little girls!  Check these out...

 You know me and owls....

 I love the use of the Scrabble tiles to personalize your hairbow!

Besides being super cute, Kasey's bows are super reasonable with no bows costing over $10!  

One lucky fan will win $15 to use towards a bow and clip or towards 3 clips, however you want to split it up!  

How to win...

(You know I like to keep it simple!)

Head over to Willow Designs and FOLLOW her blog HERE.

Come back and leave a comment letting me know you did and you are entered!

For additional *BONUS* entries...

*Leave me a comment letting me know who you'd be picking out bows for if you were to win.

*Be a Pirates-n-Princesses blog follower, leave a comment letting me know you are a follower.

*LIKE me on Facebook, leave a comment letting me know you do.

FOUR possible entries!

Giveaway ends July 25th at NOON and winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen!  (It helps if you leave your e-mail address in your comment so I'll have a for sure way of contacting you!)

GOOD LUCK!!! 

Cupcake Monday - BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Soooo.... I realize these are NOT cupcakes, but aren't muffins just healthier versions of cupcakes?

This past weekend we went into town to the Farmer's Market.  We went for sweet corn, but it was all gone by the time us non-early risers got there, so we ended up bringing home some green beans, orange tomatoes, yellow squash, peaches, and blueberries.  When I got the blueberries I figured they'd either get gobbled up before we could bake with them, or I'd put them in some blueberry pancakes or waffles.  Then my mom and sister raved about some blueberry muffins my grandma had made so I figured, hmmm... let's do muffins!  And boy was that the right choice!  These are delicious!!!

And bonus... not going to crash your diet!  Well, unless you eat a whole bunch, which is entirely possible.

I think if you're doing Weight Watchers, these may add up to be 2 points, but I used unsalted butter instead of margarine, so that may alter the points value a bit.  If you do WW and find it to be different PLEASE let me know!

Grandma's Blueberry Muffins

(Even though she got the recipe from her Health Alliance mailer!  Hee! Hee!)

Ingredients:

2 C all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 C light softened margarine (I used softened unsalted butter)

1 C Splenda (I had about 3/4 C and used regular granulated sugar for the rest)

1/4 C honey

2 eggs (room temp)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C 1% low-fat milk (room temp)

1 C fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed (My blueberries were pretty big, so I think next time I may use more, if when I'm folding them in it looks like it could hold more.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.

Beat butter at med. speed until creamy.  Gradually add Splenda and honey, beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.  Add in vanilla.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk.  Beat on low until all ingredients are combined.  DO NOT OVERBEAT!  Toss your blueberries in flour before folding into mixture.  I was able to get 21 muffins out of this, but probably could have gotten 22 if the remaining batter had any blueberries left in it!

Bake 15-16 minutes or until golden.  Do not overbake, watch them carefully!   

And yes... those are blueberry muffins in watermelon cupcake liners....  They were the first ones I grabbed!  :)