a weekend update... and cupcakes

My beloved camera took the weekend off from me. Just when I needed him most. I created some neat little ice cream cone earrings and veggie magnets for my etsy store, went to grab Mr. Pentax and he went on strike. I tried to coax him with a nice lithium battery change... nothing. nada. no power. So, I looked into the issue... apparently a circuit problem perhaps. So, I was a bit blue over all this, and trying to think of what I can sell to get a new camera,or get him fixed. It dampened the weekend, as did the rain. Finally, I was at Walgreens on Sunday and saw these fancy shiny new CR-V3 batteries, that Mr. Pentax has been known to associate with. I decided to treat him... heck, if he still misbehaved I could always return them, right? He didn't. He was good. Powered right up and smiled in his own camera way. He better not pull another stunt like that again though!

and now.... cupcakes!

These were the fluffiest critters I have ever made! Check out the pics!

This recipe came from a OLD Fannie Farmer cookbook:

1 1/4 c cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

combine the above ingredients.. i blended them w/ a pastry blender cause I couldn't find my shifter.(I don't think I have one)

1 cup sugar

10 tbs softened butter

combine these in a separate bowl (I used my mixer with this part)

add 2 tsp vanilla

and add 3 egg whites

Here's what makes it fluffy... Mix very well w/ an electric mixer...till it looks fairly fluffy. Now, add a little of the flour mixture (have mixer at low speed now) and alternate adding the flour with 1/2 cup COLD water... keep doing flour/water until they're all mixed. Fluffy, huh?

put into prepared pans (greased and floured) or I used those silicone baking cups. (work great)

Bake at 325 for 20-25 min. Start checking them at 20 min and adjust time depending upon your oven's temperament. haha another pun.

I frosted mine with a made up recipe... it was 1/2 stick of salted softenned butter 1/4 c of shortening 1/2 teaspoon salt 1tbs cream 1 tsp clear vanilla and hmmm about 4cups or so of powdered sugar mix well, taste may need more salt/sugar. Add more powdered sugar if it's too thin more cream if it's too thick. mmmm Buttercream.