Jello Fruit Cups and Banana Snowmen

Given my inadequacy in perfecting baked goods, my first "projects" were more focused on the look of things rather than their complexity. Here are some of those "projects":

Jello Cups

Okay, first off I recommend sticking with an orange rather than a lime because you're left with a bitter lime taste....
Simple Directions: Cut an orange in half and empty out its content with a spoon (and scissors if needed to cut some peelings). These are now your cups! Make jello mix and pour into the empty orange halves. Add orange pieces or any other ingredients. Refrigerate then serve. Easy Peasy.

 

Banana Snowmen

You will need sticks from the grocery store, bananas, chocolate chips, chocolate pocky or pretzels, and mini carrots.

All I did here was cut banana slices, put three on a stick, add chocolate chips for the eyes and buttons, cut off a small piece of carrot, and stick in some chocolate pocky sticks for arms. Easy Peasy!

The rest of the banana's I dipped in melted Cadburry chocolate and covered with sprinkles. 

The Perfect Cupcake Recipe: CHOCOLATE CHIP COCOA

Alright so I am a sugar-HOLIC and I'm not really bake saavy- as a result I've thrown out mountains of cupcake mixes, deflated cupcakes, deformed cupcakes, and every other form of cupcake UNTIL....I finally perfected a cupcake recipe that is fool proof (and I would know). You really can't go wrong with these and they are SO delicious, I have gotten compliments from everyone- they are now my specialty!




Chocolate Chip Cocoa Cupcakes!

Ingredients (24 mini cupcakes)

• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not just hot chocolate powder!)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup and 3 full tablespoons white sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 full teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons milk 

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.  and let butter hit room temperature (meaning very easy to stir)
1- Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt
2- Beat butter in a separate bowl for 30 seconds then add eggs, sugar and continue beating till smooth
3- To the butter mix, Add vanilla, milk, and then the rest of the dry ingredients on low speed. Beat on higher speed after until smooth
4- Fill the cups around half way and then add around 3 chocolate chips to each 
5- Lick the bowl
6- These taste so delicious on their own i don't use frosting :)

Each oven is different so watch your cupcakes! also note that they will keep baking after you take them out so don't wait until the toothpick is fully dry to take them out. This way they will stay moist. I would say to wait around 12-15 minutes and then poke a toothpick in to see if it comes out dry.