Valentine’s Baking: “Pink” Cupcakes with Marshmallow Hearts

Yesterday I posted a selfie with these darling cupcakes that I made.  They were supposed to be pink but it didn’t really exactly look pink even though I used red fool coloring.  So now it just looks like plain cupcakes with marshmallow hearts on top.

Don’t you love the world of pinterest? I found the recipe there.

Here’s the link: http://blahnikbaker.com/2014/02/pink-velvet-cupcakes/

Fresh out of the oven

You see the color difference in that? Its because the batch on the left has not milk so it retained a more “pink” look. While the one on the right has black sesame soy milk so it looks more dark and neutral.  That replaces the buttermilk. I am lactose intolerant so that was the best alternative I could think so.  Either removing it completely or using milk and I’m in the phase of black sesame soy milk.  Plus, I’m still learning about how to get the right shades with food coloring and since I don’t use it all too often, its been hard.

Still, garnishing it with a little marshmallow heart that I formed with my hands after cutting a marshmallow in half was a nice little touch, no? I think it looks cute even if the cupcake doesn’t look too great. But, I can guarantee you that it tastes good 🙂 Of course, the ones without milk were a tad more dry but the ones with were nice and fluffy. It wasn’t too sweet and the marshmallow adds to the flavor. Everything worked out good in the end.

I’m going to try to do another Valentine’s baking session if I get inspired.  If you are looking for something else, I really like my last year’s bake, Valentine’s Shortbread Hearts 🙂 You can check it out HERE! Those were mega adorable and tasted so awesome because I love shortbread.

What do you like as sweets for Valentine’s? Do you know any alternative for buttermilk? 

 

Taking a *mini* Break from the Constant Busy (+ an early announcement)!

Its not a movie review! Aren’t you relieved? I’m enjoying this break, so much that I don’t even want to put in my next movie for the Valentine’s Marathon.

My next movie is the next on in Nicholas Sparks adaptation. I know a lot of you like The Notebook and all, but honestly, its great for the first viewing and then something stops from ever wanting to see it again and now, I’m really trying to stick it in but I just haven’t so maybe I’ll break the order just a little. Who knows? I’m going to watch it tomorrow morning, maybe its just a feeling and I’ll think differently.  I mean, it has been almost 10 years since I’ve seen it.

With that said, its like Target and Walmart was collectively reading my mind and put Safe Haven on special this week so I went to get it today, meaning I’m looking at this marathon again and I think that my marathon is going to be extended.  I’ll try to finish it but I really doubt I can go non-stop watching Nicholas Sparks movies.  Maybe I’ll get through a few tomorrow and get some double review days in.  Now that was a little update on that…

Lets move on!!!!

This week has been really busy.  If I haven’t mentioned it before, I work in the accounting field so I can’t wait for February to be over because we get a breather in March, kind of… before April’s rush comes in.  The fact that I’ve kept on track with working out with my first week of a new program which I will talk about in tomorrow’s post and doing some cooking today. I’m pretty happy! How about a little reveal on what I made tonight for dinner?

The first is pork chops and I’ll post up an individual post with the recipe on Monday probably. And the second one is Fried Egg with Zucchini.  I had wanted to make Zucchini cakes but they didn’t really work out so the presentation is not great but it was delicious 🙂 Its simple to make and I love zucchini. Do you?

Also, this morning before heading out for extra time at work, I took a few more shots of the flowers that have not withered.  I thought maybe it’d cheer up your day/evening/afternoon (wherever and whenever you see this).

Before we move on, I should stop and explain this one.  What happened was that when I was arranging the flowers last week, this lily bud snapped and I decided to just toss it into the vase and see if it would bloom.  Would you look at that? It did! 🙂

I just love flowers! I’m starting to think I should keep a little bouquet of flowers all the time 🙂

Moving on, last night I decided to get back on the Gossip Girl series.  Netflix finally had the whole thing and I stopped after Season 4 ended and never got back into it since I had other priorities like The Vampire Diaries and other ones.  I figured since it ended, I should wrap it up and I’m doing just that. Were you are fan of Gossip Girl?

I really don’t have much to offer this week but I wanted to at least get some casual writing in.  Maybe toss in a little reminder and announcement if you are new to here! I’m planning on launching in March recommendations month so please recommend me movies that you liked, that you think I’d like, any genre, anything? If its on Netflix (preferably available in Canada) that would be awesome.  If not, I’m going to be using movies you’ve mentioned before in previous posts in reply to reviews I’d done. If you have books that you’d like to recommend, I’m also down for that.  I prefer to review books by fellow bloggers and I have a few backlogged already so please, help me out 🙂 Its going to be fun.  I’ll give you a mention and we get to share some movie opinions! Comments, emails, tweets, anything! If you don’t really know what it is, just look up on the menu, I have a page for it now with how I did it last August.

Also, what do you make for Valentine’s Day desserts? I’m planning on baking tomorrow! Its been a while, right? Cupcakes? 😉

Let me ask you: How many of you are catching the Olympics? I probably should watch more of it but I’m just watching clips now.  Go Team Canada! 🙂 Did you guys see these Ritz Crackers? They even have them for Oreos too!

Pride and Joy Ritz Crackers

Oh yeah, talking about pride! Did I tell you about TESOL course that I completed a few weeks ago? I got the certificate last week and now its all official and awesome!

Next mission now is full force on Grade 10 Piano exam which I plan to do at the end of this year and work on my piano theory, Harmony! I’m a bit worried about it but I’m ready to put lots of work into that 🙂

I’m coming up empty on anything else to say and I don’t really have much to post about music so how about a lovely quote that I saw! So true, right? Being here has taught me so much about that 🙂 Thinking about that, I probably should start drafting posts for next week. I need to start getting on top of things instead of always being so last minute 😉

Hope you all are having a fabulous weekend! 🙂