Blackberry Pecan Streusel Muffins with Peach Glaze

Its that time of year again! Fair time, family time, fun and excitement! This is my blue ribbon winning entry in the King Arthur Flour "Berry Good" contest at our local fair. A very special, "Thank you!" to Teresa of Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen, blog, for generously giving me her permission to use her wonderful recipe for my entry in this years fair! Her recipe can be found here...Blackberry Pecan Streusel Muffins. The only change I made to her recipe was to add a peach glaze in place of her vanilla glaze!

Congratulations to my sister look-alike for her second place winning King Arthur flour, "Berry Good" entry, Mini Berry Lemon Tarts, baked in canning jar lids and her first place winning entry in the Red Star Yeast, "I'm Stuffed" contest, chicken salad stuffed bundles! Congratulation's also to my daughter Alisha for her second place entry in the, Red Star Yeast, "I'm Stuffed" contest, for her peanut butter and jelly sweet rolls! And last but not least, congratulations to my daughter Ashley! For her first place winning entry, banana butter pecan cupcakes with maple buttercream, in the Wilton's, "Creepy Crawlies" cupcake contest,  Here is a link to all special contest winners with photos of each winning recipe...2016 Salem Fair Special Contest Winners 

Congratulations to each and every ribbon winner! See ya next year at the fair!

Dana's blackberry pecan streusel muffins

Denise's mini berry lemon tarts

Denise's chicken salad bundles

My daughter Alisha's peanut butter and jelly sweet rolls

My daughter Ashley's cupcakes

Wilton's Christmas in July Cupcake Contest ~ Blue Ribbon and Best in Show Winner!

This is my daughter Ashley's entry in the Wilton's Christmas in July cupcake contest at the fair. She made two rose and berry cupcakes, two snowflake cupcakes, a Santa cupcake and a wreath cupcake. She won first place and best in show. 

Cupcakes

1 box triple chocolate fudge cake mix

1 small box instant Hershey's milk chocolate pudding mix (dry)

4 packets Duncan Hines  mocha flavor creations flavoring packets

1/2 cup milk

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix with dry pudding mix,  and mocha flavor creation packets. Add wet ingredients as directed on cake mix package, then add 1/2 cup milk.

Bake as directed on package.

Pepperming Frosting

1 cup Crisco                           

1/2 cup butter, room temperature                         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon almond extract                          

1 teaspoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached                           

pinch of salt                           

1 teaspoon meringue powder                            

2 (lb) bag confectioners' sugar                            

Gel food coloring , if desired                              

~ Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a large bowl blend together the Crisco and butter until well blended.

~ Add extracts and milk, as needed, mixing until well blended.

~ Add salt, meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.

~ Use to frost cake or cupcakes

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

1 cup Crisco                           

1/2 cup butter, room temperature                         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract                          

1 teaspoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached                           

pinch of salt                           

1 teaspoon meringue powder                            

2 (lb) bag confectioners' sugar                            

Gel food coloring , as desired                              

~ Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a large bowl blend together the Crisco and butter until well blended.

~ Add extracts and milk, as needed, mixing until well blended.

~ Add salt, meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.

~ Using desired gel food colorings, decorate cupcakes as desired.

~ Recipe Source: My daughter Ashley ~

Happy Birthday Cake

My daughter Ashley made this cake for 3 members of her husband's family, who celebrate their birthdays in June. Ann, her husband's aunt, celebrates her birthday on June 2nd, Christy, her husband's mom, celebrates her birthday on June 4th, and Kayla, her husband's sister celebrates her birthday on June 5th.

Happy Birthday Ann, Christy and Kayla! Enjoy your beautiful and delicious birthday cake!

Ashley's Cake Recipe

1 ( 16.25 oz. ) box yellow cake mix (without pudding added) + water, oil and eggs

1 ( 16.25 oz. ) box chocolate cake mix (without pudding added) + water, oil and eggs

1 ( 3.4 oz.) box instant chocolate pudding mix

1 ( 3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup milk, divided

~ Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. for dark or nonstick pans and 350 degrees F. for shiny metal or glass pans.
~ Spray desired pan(s) size with nonstick and flour baking spray. Set aside.
~ Prepare both cake mixes according to package directions adding chocolate pudding to dry chocolate cake mix and 1/2 milk with wet ingredients. Add vanilla pudding mix to dry yellow cake mix and remaining 1/2 cup milk along with wet ingredients.
~ Pour yellow cake mix evenly into prepared cake pan(s).
~ Add large dollops of the chocolate cake mix on top of the yellow cake mix, and using a butter knife or cake frosting spatula, swirl chocolate cake batter from top to bottom, throughout the yellow cake batter.
~ Bake and cool according to cake package directions.
~ Frost and decorate with Ashley's Almond Buttercream Frosting.

Ashley's Almond Buttercream Frosting

1 cup Crisco                           

1/2 cup butter, room temperature                         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon almond extract                          

1 teaspoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached                           

pinch of salt                           

1 teaspoon meringue powder                            

2 (lb) bag confectioners' sugar                            

Gel food coloring, of desired colors, if desired                              

~ Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a large bowl blend together the Crisco and butter until well blended.

~ Add extracts and milk, as needed, mixing until well blended.

~ Add salt, meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.

~ Use to frost cake or cupcakes     

                   This picture shows the true colors of the icing and a close-up of the flowers. The lighting was not good in the above picture. I'm still learning. Thank you Ashley for the cake decorating lesson, your time and talent! You did a fantastic job!

                                                                 Recipe Source: Ashley

Valentines Day Cupcakes

Here are the cupcakes that my daughter Ashley made for us for Valentines Day. She has worked at a bakery and a cupcake shop. She enjoys making and decorating cakes and cupcakes. She used a cake mix and added a box of dry pudding mix to the cake batter. It makes the cupcakes moist and delicious!

She made a delicious almond butter cream to top them off with. Everyone loves it!

It is wonderful, give it a try and let me know what you think.

 Ashley's Almond Buttercream Frosting

1 cup Crisco                           

1/2 cup butter, room temperature                         

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon almond extract                          

1 teaspoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached                           

pinch of salt                           

1 teaspoon meringue powder                            

2 (lb) bag confectioners' sugar                            

Gel food coloring , if desired                              

~ Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, in a large bowl blend together the Crisco and butter until well blended.

~ Add extracts and milk, as needed, mixing until well blended.

~ Add salt, meringue powder and confectioners sugar. Mix until well blended and smooth.

~ Use to frost cake or cupcakes

 * Recipe Source: My Daughter Ashley *