BAKING WITH BELLE!

On Monday I heard the familiar sound of a text coming into my iPhone.  I picked it up and my nine year old grand-daughter, Belle (Isabelle Grace) had borrowed her mom's phone and here is the text string:

Belle: Hi it's Belle can I bake with you tomorrow, emoticon,  emoticon, emoticon

Belle: Hello?

Grammie: Tmmrw not good, how about Wednesday morning? What do you want to bake?

Belle: Sure and vanilla bean cupcake topped with marshmallow frosting and a strawberry! emoticon, emoticon

Grammie: Be here @10:00.

This eight year old knows what she wants and I think she thinks her Grammie can bake anything, lol.  We baked her request!

 Of course the cupcake papers needed to be PINK!

And even though we all know we are NOT supposed to eat raw eggs, it is a time honored part of baking with Grammie to lick the paddle!
The strawberries have been so beautiful lately.....

24 lovely vanilla bean cupcakes with marshmallow frosting, just as ordered!

It's not all fun and games, somebody has to do the clean up - here is Belle with the little stick vacuum getting rid of some errant flour that hit the floor.

Belle and her Poppa sat down to some milk and a cupcake....

We tucked one in the fridge for Poppa's dessert tonight and the other 21 went home with Belle.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes:

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Ingredients

2 fresh vanilla beans, cut in half length-wise
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups AP flour, preferably King Arthur
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, room temperature

Directions

Scrape vanilla bean seeds and place in a bowl, add the bean, then cover with 3/4 cup milk and place in the microwave and cook for 1-2 minutes on high temp, until boiling.  Remove the bean and let the liquid cool for about 15 minutes. Add remaining milk to warm milk mixture.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/2t salt. In your mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds.  Gradually add the sugar, beating after each addition.  Then beat for two more minutes, till nice and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture until all blended. Fill your 24 cupcake cups and bake for approximately 18 minutes. Cook the cupcakes before frosting.

Strawberry Marshmallow Frosting:

Ingredients

2 jars of marshmallow creme
3 sticks of softened butter
1/2 cup of powdered sugar (sifted)
1/2 tsp of pure strawberry extract
1-3 drops of red food coloring

Fresh strawberries for garnish, if desired.

Directions

In your mixer whip the marshmallow cream until nice and fluffy and then gradually (about 1/4 cube at a time) add the butter until all incorporated.  Whip to combine, then slowly add the powdered sugar and whip until fluffy, then add the strawberry extract and the food coloring - whip until completely combined and fluffy.

Frost your cupcakes and place 1/2 a strawberry in the top of each cupcake.

Resource

Small ruffled dessert stand, Pier One
Pure strawberry extract, Link

Thank you for stopping by.