A Good Mug and a Doughnut.

The mug that started it all. There is nothing like a favorite mug. Growing up at home my mom and dad always had coffee brewing in the morning. When I was old enough I started having a cup too. My dad and I started realizing that we were in slight competition for the same mug every morning. I'm not sure what is so special about this mug, or why we each gravitated to it... but whoever got to the coffee pot first, also got the mug.

When I was married and moved away, I made a comment to my sister that my mug selection was a sad sight. I didn't have a single mug with any character. A couple of weeks later I received a package in the mail from my dad... all of the best mugs from home, and most importantly, our Casa del Mar mug. The sweetest thing in the world!!!

Since then I've become a mug collecting fool! One from a friend's wedding in North Dakota, another from a favorite hotel,  another from a friend in Nebraska...

And Starbucks, they'll get me every time! The little submarine mug is brand new and I love it! The round ones are so impractical. The handle is really hard to hold, and drinking from a round rim is difficult... but they've got something and I use them all the time.

I love the idea of these... but you just can't drink hot coffee out of them. They're perfect for something, I'm just not sure what yet... Milk? Juice?

I think a good mug is half the pleasure of enjoying your coffee. Imagine deeply aromatic, freshly brewed coffee... and then imagine pouring it into a styrofoam cup... blahck!!!

And now back to the doughnuts! These are actually baked doughnuts, so much easier!

You mix the batter in a single bowl, and bake them for about 9 minutes. This is a doughnut pan from Wilton. They also make one for mini-doughnuts. Too cute. 

Then dip them in icing...

And add cute little touches!

Real doughnuts are awesome, but if you're not up for the frying challenge these are so fun!

She has an interesting method.  : )

It has been a year of blogging for Sugar 'N Flour!

Thank you to all of you who follow the blog and leave such nice comments, it makes it so much fun! I bought an extra little bird mug because I thought it was so sweet.

Just leave a funny joke in the "comments" at the bottom of the post, and I will pick one at random and happily send the little mug on it's way for your own collection!

I'll get it started...

What did the fish say when it hit the wall?

Dam.

Donut Recipe- Wilton's

Ingredients-

 2 cups cake flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs and butter. Beat until just combined. Fill each doughnut cup approximately 2/3 full.

Bake 7-9 minutes or until the top of the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4-5 minutes before removing. 

Doughnuts are best served fresh.

For the icing, I used powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. However, I didn't quite measure out the ingredients. It was probably about 2-3 cups of powdered sugar, a few tablespoons of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla, and about 2 tablespoons of butter. If it is too thick just add a little milk; if it is too thin add a little powdered sugar. I've attached a couple of recipes that look good, but I haven't tried yet. And you can always roll them is powdered sugar, or a cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Powdered Sugar Glaze-

2 cups powdered sugar
Whipping cream

Maple Glaze-

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
5 tablespoons (about) heavy whipping cream

How Sweet It Is.

Nothing says birthday like sprinkles on a cupcake!

26 is lookin' pretty good now.

To sprinkle or not to sprinkle, that was the question... so I did both : )

We had 4 birthdays in the span of a week and lots of cake! This is a layered yellow and devil's food cake with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream.

I love making birthday cakes. What's better than a sweet, edible, flaming symbol of your love and appreciation for them?!

And for my 31 year old husband... a giant cookie of course!

Have your cake and wear it too!

A very happy un-birthday to you all!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream-

Please refer to the Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Hi-Hats post from April :)

To make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, follow the recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream omitting the vanilla extract, decreasing the sugar to 1 cup, and adding 8 ounces melted best-quality bittersweet chocolate after the butter has incorporated (let chocolate cool slightly before mixing in).

I actually didn't omit the cup of sugar and just added melted chocolate to taste. Just make sure you wait until the chocolate has cooled so that it doesn't melt the butter in the buttercream. If you do see separation after you have made the buttercream, whip at medium-high speed until smooth.

For the swirls on the cupcakes I used a star tip, and made rosettes by making little circle swirls.

Apple Spice Cake!

This is a favorite of ours, from Cooking Light. It's a perfect afternoon snack with an iced coffee or cold glass of milk.

With cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg it makes the house smell really good!

So moist, and with chunks of apple... you'll love this one!

Apple Spice Cake- Cooking Light
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup chopped peeled Braeburn apple
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Preparation- (I use a 9" round pan with "bake-even" strips so that it is level at the end of the baking time.)


Preheat oven to 350°.

Place the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg), stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition. Stir in the apple and brandy, if desired.

Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

A Tribute to Kettle Corn and All Things Zoo!

Kettle Corn is the perfect solution to the life-long question, "sweet or salty?" !

It reminds me of summer fairs, fireworks on the 4th of July, and just being outside having a great time.

It's the perfect popcorn, no microwaves here!

That's one happy mouth!

I couldn't get enough of the giraffes, they were sooooo adorable!

I did get the sense they were looking down at us though :)

Here's another one...

And just one more!

It was one of those days at the zoo... the tiger  roared and bounded into the tree... the wild african dogs were playing in the water and chasing each other around... the bighorn sheep were scaling the mountain... we rode the camels... and the carousel...

And it was probably one of the last cool, breezy days we'll have before summer. To top it off, the zoo was totally empty!

We had too much fun!

Mmm, that's good stuff.

Look how happy this guy is... and no one even gave him any Kettle Corn!

It was a day for the books... we'll see ya later!

Strawberries!

Brown Sugar Strawberry Tart!

The tart crust is my favorite part about this recipe. It's crisp, and crumbly, and crunchy and sooo delicious!

To start, pick up some beautiful strawberries, which just happen to be in season now!

This recipe is from Sunset magazine. For the sweetest strawberries the article says to buy ripe because they don't mature after picking; eat quickly, they're only perfect for a couple of days; and only rinse just before eating.

The sweet creamy mixture is made with creme fraiche and heavy cream. Mmmmm.

Creme Fraiche is kind of "yogurty", and "sour creamy"... smooth as satin... and so creamy! It is whipped with heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. I also added just a bit of brandy.

Once the crust is baked and cooled just spread the cream mixture over it...

And lay the strawberries on top. It is such a quick and easy recipe, the perfect way to take advantage of strawberry season!

Slice into it and enjoy!!!

 

 

 

Brown Sugar Strawberry Tart- Sunset (April 2010)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup whipping cream
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a food processor, whirl flour, 2 tbsp. sugar, the cornstarch, and salt until combined. Add butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla and pulse until fine crumbs form and dough just begins to come together. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-in. round tart pan with a removable rim.
2. Bake until edges are golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a rack, then gently push tart crust from pan rim; set on a plate.
3. In a bowl with a mixer on high speed, beat crème fraîche, cream, remaining 2 tbsp. sugar, and remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla until thick. Spread in cooled crust. Arrange strawberries in circles on top, alternating cut sides down and up.

Make ahead: Chill, loosely covered, up to 4 hours.

It's a Baby Shower!

My cousin and her husband are having their first baby and we are so excited for them! This is a classic white cake with lemon swiss meringue buttercream covered in fondant.

I was in a bit of a time crunch when I made this cake and resorted to store bought lemon curd. It does not compare at all! It tasted like it was from a jar, it wasn't tart, or even yellow!   At least I know now, homemade lemon curd is worth it!!! The recipe for lemon curd is in the A Perfect Little Breakfast post from September 2009.

I rolled out plain white fondant and used a cookie cutter for the little baby carriages.

There are definitely perks to having a mom that loves to bake!

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream-

Follow the Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe from the Double Chocolate Hi-Hats post, omitting the peanut butter and adding lemon curd to taste.