No recipes in particular, but can you use some seasonal ingredients? Raspberries, strawberries, peaches, etc. are around -- can you incorporate those? Maybe add puree to the batter?
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"I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch." - G. Radner
I would do a traditional vanilla buttercream cupcake (I have a great recipe from the Buttershop Bake Shop cookbook) with your vanilla icing and some fresh fruit on top, like raspberries or blueberries for some color
Sprinkles, Sprinkles, Sprinkles! They are the best! you can buy the stuff to make them with at a Williams Sonoma. Don't know how close they come to the real stuff from the shops.....
I love dark chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. You could dress them up by fanning a sliced strawberry on top of each (or even placing a single raspberry on top instead.)
Oooo so many good ideas! The fruit suggestions made me think of maybe running with the theme of the day and doing red, white, and blue - blueberry cupcakes (http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2009/06/ironcupcake011-not-so-blue-berry.html), vanilla frosting, and a raspberry on top!
Thanks!!
-- Edited by Kelly on Wednesday 1st of July 2009 04:42:44 PM
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
OK, I just have to say that if anyone is trying to come up with a dessert for the weekend, these cupcakes were delicious! I used the cupcake recipe above, bought some regular vanilla icing and beat it in my mixer on high for a couple minutes (to make it super light and fluffy) and finished my cupcakes with a red raspberry on top. I added about 1/4 cup more blueberries than it called for and I think that was a mistake because they are pretty delicate/crumbly now, but they are Sooooo YUMMY!
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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123