The Matchbaker (A Romantic Comedy) (29 page)

I beam at him, knowing that he means it, and realizing that, for the first time in my life, I’m not alone. I’m not the lone sales rep, scratching and clawing my way to the top of the corporate food chain anymore. I’m not the girl who has one-night stands because she’s afraid to commit and settle down. I’m not the fashionista brand-whore who wears six-inch heels in the most inappropriate settings. And I’m definitely not the girl who tries to steal her sister’s boyfriend.

I’m not perfect, but I’m me. I’m Candy Cooper: baker, daughter, sister, friend…
girlfriend
. And my life is nothing short of magical.

THE END

Recipes

(Presented in the order in which they appear in the book)

Hakuna Matata

A pina Colada Cocktail Cupcake

Created by Erin Knightley

Ingredients (yields 3 dozen cupcakes)

2 cups sugar

2 sticks butter - softened

4 eggs – room temperature

3 cups self rising flour

1 cup milk

1 heaping Tbsp sour cream  - room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. rum extract

1/3 of a cup coconut rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter and lavender sugar for 6 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Add 1 cup flour and mix until just combined. Add ½ of the milk and all the sour cream, mix, then 1 cup flour, the rest of the milk, then the final cup of flour. Do not over mix.

Add the vanilla and rum extracts and mix until blended.

Bake about 15-17 until toothpick comes out cleanly. 

While they are still warm in the pan, poke holes in each one using a toothpick. Pour about a 1/2 teaspoon of Malibu Coconut Rum evenly over each cupcake . Allow to cool completely before icing.

Icing

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

2/3 cup shortening

2 pound powdered sugar (1 box or about 4 cups)

1/2 cup Malibu Coconut Rum

2 Tbsp Pineapple juice

4 Tbsp finely shredded coconut

Combine butter and shortening, beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add a few tablespoons of the rum as the mixture gets dry. Add pineapple juice and coconut, mix thoroughly. Add the remaining rum until icing reaches desired consistency.

Sprinkle with coconut flakes, and garnish with a pineapple chunk and a cherry. Enjoy!!

Sweet Dreams

A Lavender Honey Cupcake

Created by Erin Knightley

Cake Ingredients (yields 3 dozen cupcakes)

2 cups sugar

3 Tbsp dried lavender, finely chopped 

2 sticks butter - softened

4 eggs – room temperature

3 cups self rising flour

1 cup milk

1 heaping Tbsp sour cream  - room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. butter flavor

1 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add lavender to sugar, and pulse in food processor until finely blended

Cream butter and lavender sugar for 6 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Add 1 cup flour and mix until just combined. Add ½ of the milk and all the sour cream, mix, then 1 cup flour, the rest of the milk, then the final cup of flour. Do not over mix.

Add the vanilla, butter flavor, and honey, mix until blended.

Fill cupcake liners NO MORE than half full. For easy control and optimal neatness, place the batter in a gallon-sized Ziplock bag and snip one corner with a small hole.

For 3 dozen regular size cupcakes, cook 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanly. For mini cupcakes, cook ~11 minutes. Cool on rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Frosting Ingredients

½ cup butter, softened

1/3 cup shortening

1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbsp honey

Splash of whole milk if needed for smoother consistency

Cream together butter and shortening. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, moistening with milk 1 Tbsp at a time as needed. Add salt, honey, and additional milk as needed for desired consistency. Spread onto cupcakes and ENJOY!

Bon Voyage

Brown Butter Cupcakes w/ Brown Butter Frosting,

Chocolate Drizzle & Fleur de Sel

Created by Kelly Cain of Sugarcain Cupcakes

Ingredients:  (Yields 2 Dozen Brown Butter Cupcakes)

2 Cups All- Purpose Flour

2 Cups Pure Sugarcane

1⁄4 Cup Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder 1⁄4 Teaspoon Salt

3 Eggs

1 1⁄2 Cups (3 sticks) Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter, room temperature 1 Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Fleur de Sel (available at specialty grocers)

Brown Butter Frosting:

3 1⁄2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter, room temperature 1⁄2 Cup Browned Sweet Cream Butter

1 Teaspoon Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Drizzle:

1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate morsels

1Tablespoon Coconut Oil

For Brown Butter Cupcakes
: Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Combine Flour, Sugar, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, and Salt in bowl. Mix ingredients and set aside.

Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pay careful attention to not burn the butter. Once the butter starts bubbling it will eventually darken with brown specks. Remove from heat immediately and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, beat eggs and pour in milk and vanilla. Beat egg mixture until well blended and pour into the dry mixture. Measure 1 cup of the browned butter and mix in with remaining ingredients. Blend with a mixer on low speed until batter is smooth. Pour batter into cupcake tins and Bake at 350°F for 20- 25 minutes. Once cupcakes are done, let cool completely.

For Brown Butter Frosting
: Combine powdered sugar, sweet cream butter, browned butter and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed. Frost cupcakes and set aside to prepare toppings.

For Chocolate Drizzle
: Place chocolate in a saucepan on low heat and continuously stir. Once chocolate has melted, remove from heat, stir in coconut oil and continue stirring until texture is smooth. Use a spoon to lightly drizzle chocolate over cupcakes. Garnish with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel.

Fall for Me

A Semi-Homemade Caramel Apple Spice Cupcake

w/ Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Created by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Ingredients:  (Yields 2 Dozen Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes)

1 Package Spice Cake Mix (Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker)

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

3 Eggs

1 Package Caramel Bits

1. Preheat oven to 350 (325 if using dark, non-stick pan)

2. Combine cake mix, applesauce, water, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix well.

3. Pour into greased cupcake pan.

4. Place 3 caramel bits in the center of each cupcake.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. (Add 3-5 minutes if using dark, non-stick pan)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 8-ounce Package Cream Cheese (softened)

1/2 Cup Butter (softened)

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Using a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together

2. Add powdered sugar gradually

3. Add cinnamon

4. Mix well, frost cupcakes and ENJOY!

Midnight Magic

A Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcake

Created by Polkadot Cupcake Shop

Ingredients: (Yields 1 dozen Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes)

1 1/3C AP Flour (or 1 1/2C Cake Flour)

1 1/2C Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon extract

2 Large Eggs

3 Tbsp Butter, room temp

3/4C Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1C buttermilk (or regular milk/hot water)

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa in bowl and set aside.

2. In mixer, cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time.

4. Add cinnamon extract.

5. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk/milk/water, alternating until all combined.

6. Beat until combined well.

7. Bake for 16-18min at 350 degrees.

Frosting:

1C butter, room temp

2 1/2C powdered sugar

3/4C cocoa

1/4C milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon extract

Ground cinnamon

Piping Bag or Ziploc Bag

1. Cream butter until smooth and fluffy.

2. Add 2C powdered sugar 1/2C at a time.

3. Add cocoa powder.

4. Add milk and beat until incorporated.

5. Add last 1/2C of powdered sugar.

6. Add cinnamon extract.

*Add more powdered sugar 1/4C at a time until you reach desired consistency.

7. Fill piping bag or iploc bag with frosting (if using Ziploc, cut a small hole in the corner to allow frosting to pass thru).

8. Frost cupcakes and dust with ground cinnamon.

9. Enjoy!

CandyLand

A Rainbow Cupcake

Created by Polkadot Cupcake Shop

Cake Ingredients
(makes 1 dozen cupcakes)

1 ½ C AP Flour (or 1 ¾ Cake Flour) plus a dusting

1 C Sugar

½ C Butter (1 Stick), room temperature

2 Large Eggs

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Paste

2 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

¾ C Buttermilk (can substitute Whole Milk)

¼ C Rainbow Sprinkles or Non-Pareils

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In stand mixer (or with hand mixer) cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes.

3. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.

4. Add vanilla extract/paste.

5. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

6. Add flour mixture to creaming bowl and mix well for 3-4 minutes or until smooth.

7. Lightly dust sprinkles/non-pareils with flour and add to the mixture, mixing gently by hand with spatula or spoon.

8. Spoon into the lined cupcake tins.

*Tip: Use an ice cream scooper to ensure consistent sizing for cupcakes.

9. Bake for 18 minutes or until top of cupcake springs back when pressed.

10. Let stand for 5 minutes in cupcake pan, then remove and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting/Topping Ingredients and Tools

¾ C Butter, room temperature

1 C Marshmallow crème (Fluff or other store-brand)

2 tsp Strawberry Extract

2 C powdered sugar (may use more if thicker consistency is desired)

Your favorite color food coloring

Rainbow tape candy

Ziploc Bag and Scissors OR Piping Bag

1. In your stand mixer or with your hand mixer, cream butter until smooth.

2. Add marshmallow crème and mix until combined.

3. Add Strawberry extract.

4. Add powdered sugar ½ C at a time.

5. Add 2-3 drops of your desired food coloring.

6. Mix until smooth and all color is incorporated.

7. Using the back side of a spoon or spatula, spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

8. Add remaining frosting into Piping bag or Ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner.

9. Gently squeeze the bag to release frosting in 2 small “clouds” on each cupcake.

10. Cut rainbow tape candy into 2 inch pieces and create upside down U shape to create a rainbow, using the 2 “clouds” to hold each end. 11. Enjoy your magical CandyLand creation!