Have a Cupcake!

I spent the better part of the day yesterday baking and

decorating heart-shaped sugar cookies only to hear as I

crawled into bed, I thought you were going to make me cupcakes...

So this afternoon I made him cupcakes. And, I baked these few

NY Times chocolate chip cookies I forgot were in the freezer

from the last time the Ranger was home. I intended to bake them

just before he left and slip them into his bag. But again... Forgot!

Now that my cupcakes and cookies are out of the oven,

let's make some of the best Cream Cheese frosting... Ever!

Get a pen or e-mail this recipe to yourself... Believe me, you'll want to keep this

one. For. Ever! And, by the way, when you read six teaspoons of butter, it's not a

typo. When I read it I panicked a little because I had no idea how to measure

six teaspoons. I mean, really... Who uses only a teaspoon of butter? But just

as I began to wonder how to convert tablespoons into teaspoons, there it

was... Teaspoon measurements right there on the package. Who knew!?

10 oz. Cream Cheese (chilled), 6.5 tsp. unsalted butter at room

temperature, 3 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar and 3 tsp. clear

vanilla extract. Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of stand

mixer, (hand mixer works too!) and beat on medium/high until fluffy,

about 3 minutes. Add sifted confectioners sugar and mix on low speed

just until incorporated. Increase speed to medium/high again and beat

for 3 more minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat another minute. To

avoid sugar-cloud, cover the head of your mixer with a towel for

the first minute after you add the sifted confectioners sugar!

That way, all your sugar will stay in the bowl!

If you can stand one more hint, I'll tell you this... Double the recipe!

This batch barely covered 15 cupcakes. And no, I did not come up

short because I ate frosting from the bowl. However... It is that good!

I love mini cupcakes! I also love these cute Wilton pink mini cupcake

liners and heart stick decorations, also from Wilton. I have a friend and

former coworker at Hanes that now works for Wilton. We have a deal...

I keep buying Wilton and he keeps buying Hanes. I told him this evening

that I expect to see a healthy bounce in Hanes POS this week in exchange

for the fact that I bought out four stores of these hearts sticks and liners!

Are you mixing butter and cream cheese yet?

Why not?

I know you want a cupcake!

So have a cupcake!

With the best Cream Cheese Frosting. Ever!

There's nothing cuter than mini-cuppies under Martha's birdie glass!

 Or a regular-sized cupcake propped up by a sweet little bunny!

My cupcakes are staying home but my cookies are hitting the road!

Because there are a few people at

work that deserve a little sugar!

Have a Great week!