G’day, ready for some Beach Cottage Cupcakes?!
I while ago I was invited by Kraft (those people who make Philadelphia among other things) to go on a baking Masterclass…where I would be in cupcake heaven with, Margaret Fulton and her daughter Suzanne Gibbs no less, you know, those Australian icons…. the ones with all the cooking skills…and not only would I get to meet them, the whole affair was to take place in Suzanne’s very own kitchen.
Hmm, I had to ponder this for a while, errrrm I would absolutely love to get to bake with Margaret, cupcakes or anything really, to share a cup of tea with her afterwards, to hear her tales and I would more than love to watch and learn and wonder as Suzanne did her thing…but ahem, had these people actually read my blog? If you have been with me for a while you will know that I am the ultimate non-baker…the girl who bakes with a handful of recipes and pretends she’s good…errrrm Masterclass…right.
I mean if you throw a chicken at me, a few basics and something to cook it on, I could, hand on heart, tell you that I could present you with a chicken that was pretty tasty…if I landed on a desert island with a couple of onions and some beef I could come up with something nice.
But bake, with the Masters…oh shiver me timbers
Anyway, there was no way I was letting this opportunity pass, because, not only was the baking/meeting side good, I was positively revelling in the idea of seeing the house …and the kitchen…and everything in it.
So, a few days before I started thinking. And panicking. A lot. I mean, to be honest I was more interested in my outfit than my baking…’cos they would all be looking at my Mavi’s 
And then I made a huge old mistake, I surfed on into one of the other bloggers pages and saw, to my absolute horror, that they had been practising, ALL WEEKEND, oh and not just cupcakes, oh no…super recipes for the Blogger Bake part of the day…which was like a bake-off with a few secret ingredients.
I got really worried, yikes, I am attending this event, with the Cooking Elite, Gods from on high of the Home Economics world and I am supposed to…bake with them!!
I considered getting sick…it’s amazing how quickly a migraine can come on you know, I considered cheating and slipping in a Betty Crocker, I even considered baking all weekend…then I remembered I have 3 kiddos and no time.
So, really, there was nothing to it for me, other than to come clean and do what I do…to bake as I bake, with the tried and tested recipes that have got me through being a Baking Mummy and have made my kiddos know that cakes and dessert don’t equal opening a packet, even when really I am the Frank Spencer of the baking department.
So I did go. And I had a ball.
Here’s me and the other bloggers, plus Suzanne & Margaret Fulton….Sandra from 120 Food Challenge (you’ll love her blog for budget-friendly recipes), the lovely Sara, from Belly Rumbles, who shares her Sydney food journey on her blog and who made the most divine dessert ever with her secret ingredients (yes Sara feel free to invite me on one of your food reviews) and Julie from Gourmet Getaways, who lives in Coffs Harbour and loves food and travel
So, rather than spend all weekend practising, I spent most of it at sport and down the beach, I threw all caution to the wind, I did not worry about cupcakes and looked forward to what Suzanne and Margaret could teach this girl from the Old Country about baking the Australian way.
The first thing I learnt is that proper cooks have proper equipment…even for cupcake baking…I am working up to this and spend a lot of my time slowly gathering vintage cooking utensils, but in Suzanne’s kitchen, I think if you had asked her for a slice of the moon to taste or any kind or utensil or ingredient, she coulda produced it.
And with her first class skills she just whipped up this…with ease
But for Dump and Go Too Easy Butterfly Cupcakes, actually, you don’t need too many special ingredients for this easy cupcake recipe, actually you don’t need any.
Which is my recipe philosophy all over.
However there is absolutely one thing that is essential to making cakes and cupcakes now in my life…one of these…
Well not really, you can about bake this with your eyes shut and a bowl and spoon, but the story around here, just in case Mr Beach Cottage asks you, is that since using Suzanne’s, obtaining one of these in this old cottage’s kitchen is 100% crucial to my career as a baker, to my life as a blogger, indeed just to my life, that I get my hands on one of these little white babies…
If you have been with me for a while, you will know that a KitchenAid was on my Christmas List last year, you will also know that that guy in the big red suit did not deliver, you will also know that I have dreamt, coveted and actually nigh-on begged for a KitchenAid.
I am still waiting.
I blame it on those Beach Cottage Kiddos, their school fees and teeth.
But last Wednesday I got to stroke one. Oh my.
I’m sorry, Margaret Fulton, Suzanne Gibbs, the girls from Kraft, the other bloggers….you were good, like really good, but I also experienced my first baking adventure with this little baby…the soft purring when it turned on, the utility feel of the bowl, the clunkiness of the attachment, the white of the body and oh the knobs.
I love you KitchenAid knobs.
and with that baby I got to make cupcakes tried and tested by the Queen of Australian Cooking herself…Margaret Fulton…could a day get any better?
…here she is with my cupcakes
So, let’s get to it..
lovely easy Beach Cottage cupcakes
Beach Cottage Too Easy Dump & Go Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes
I cup Self Raising flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
125g butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa or drinking chocolate
1. dump all in a bowl
2. whisk until smooth
3. spoon into cupcake liners
4. bake 12-15 mins 180C
5. cut the tops off your cupcakes
6. half the tops
7. plop whipped cream/frosting on
(I used Philadelphia Cream for Desserts)
8. stick on your cupcakes ‘wings’
And that is it….I hope you try it…you’ll love it…
….it’s super duper easy, looks great, tastes great and if I can do it….and Margaret Fulton tastes it and doesn’t choke, then anyone can!
So that’s my Good Life Wednesday this week, Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes
….see you soon Beach Cottagers
Over and out from your resident Domestic Cupcake Goddess
find more Beach Cottage Too Easy Recipes & more cupcakes here
p.s. thanks so much to the girls from Liquid Ideas PR Agency and Kraft Foods Australia for the cupcakes day…I had a lovely time xo
‘);
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These images are so lovely and inspiring. You make me think that even I, chef moron, could make these!
Thank you for hosting!
Kerry at housetalkn.blogspot.com
Kerry Rossow recently posted..A Magical Day At The Park…Wordless Wednesday.
Hello Sarah
Well look at you – you are now a super star chef. I mean if this blog hasn’t highlighted your fantastic cooking enough (you make me drool every-time). But, wow – with the goddess of cooking her in Australia herself.
Now all you need is a Nigella visit, then you’ve covered the Uk and Australia
I hope there is a kitchen aid fairy coming your way very soon. Perhaps a giveaway x 2
1 for us and 1 for you
have a wonderful day sarah and thank you for hosting your wednesday party
loulou, from hereiamloulou blog
x
HereIAmLoulou recently posted..Would You Lie With Me Just A Bit
Stunning shots and amazing post! Thanks for hosting again, Sarah!
G’day
Oh my ! I know you were sooooo excited. Your cupcakes look lovely. I love the little wings. Any flavor Philadelphia Cream cheese is the greatest. I use it in alot of recipes. My favorite is just the plain one slathered on some wheat thin crackers with a little cracked black pepper on the top. YUM !
Looks like a lovely experience, Sarah! I haven’t tried the cream for deserts, I’ll have to get it if it’s avail here in the States!
tami recently posted..Stocking Up
So awesome, glad to see you having fun and I’ll this on my to make list
Adventuresindinner recently posted..Let me eat cake!
OH WOW. How exciting. I’d have loved every minute of it. I have had a kitchenaid on my Christmas list for a few years now. Better start dropping some more hints.
Kylie
Kylie recently posted..French Lavender Pictures
Another beautiful post. What a wonderful opportunity you have had. I have seen KitchenAids in a shops but not used one, sounds amazing. Thankfully my 26 year old Sunbeam Mixmaster is still working fine.
Pieces of Sunshine recently posted..Snapshots From Home
oooh I’d love one of those too! I look in Vinnies all the time for an old Sunbeam…one day, trouble is they never break down!
Yes, a pleasant trouble to have….mine’s purring away right now as one of my daughters bakes.
Pieces of Sunshine recently posted..Snapshots From Home
My mum got an amazing mix master at our local op shop this year…I used it the other day to make chocolate cheesecake…amazing!
Sarah, what a fun adventure. I felt like I was standing in your shoes as you described your panic. I am so glad you had such a wonderful day. If you lived nearby you could come over & enjoy my KitchenAid any time. It is lovely, but so heavy to get out when I want to use it.
kalanicut recently posted..Four Framed Holiday Projects
These images are so lovely. Beautiful!
Thank you for hosting!
Jenny @ Simcoe Street recently posted..$11 Kitchen Gallery Wall
looks like a fun day! lovely clear photos.
x
beachcomber recently posted..peace
Wow, now that’s an experience worth writing home about! Thanks for the images and the recipe – amazing.
x
Beth recently posted..Floating to relax
This recipe sounds easy and delicious. I’ll be giving it a go. Leahx
What an amazing day that turned out to be! Was fantastic meeting you and the others. Loved your fairy cakes, they were delicious.
Sara (Belly Rumbles) recently posted..District Dining
omg. you are nuts, sarah. and these photos are out of control. sooooooo engaging and gorgeous and making it tough to step away from the laptop. and can i just say I REALLY REALLY LOVE CREAM CHEESE AND ALL THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. i do. so as far as i am concerned, you can blog about it everyday with your fancy pics and cute stripey tees.
michele
michele@hellolovelyinc recently posted..say hello to RACHEL ASHWELL’S inspiration
These look delicious! You are so lucky!
Wow, wow, wow!! How fun! Your cupcakes are too cute. And yes, I would LOVE a Kitchen Aid too. It’s my dream present. Maybe someday. *sigh* Thanks soo much for hosting, Sarah. Enjoy the rest of the week. Hope your kiddo is doing ok after the dog bite. Yikes!
~ Catie
Catie recently posted..Candy Corn Sugar Cookies
Wow this looks like a very exciting day! Baking with the stars. And your recipe looks yummy and easy, just the way I like it. I grew up in Philadelphia, so I gotta try this one Sarah! I love that they are now making all kinds of cooking and baking sauces, instead of just cream cheese. I like to use the Philly cream cheese in my potatoes when I mash them and then throw them in the oven to bake a little. that’s yummy.
)
You certainly deserve the recognition, you always have great and simple cooking inspirations for us. I’m so glad to see you are getting your just desserts!
Eileen
Eileen @ CottageBeachHouse recently posted..Halloween 2011 for Our Gang
Sarah all that stress for nothing. It goes to show if oyu remain true to your self there it always somehow works out for the best and it did for you. Thanks for the recepie another one to ry. They really look good.
Yes I have been begging for a kitchen aid for the past year too and it looks like it will never come… Sigh I will keep dreaming though, then again I have finally got my Dyson (after 4 years) so perhaps it may still happen in the not too distant future – lol! The cup is always half full.
I am so glad you enjoyed yourself – Isn’t Margaret Fulton adorable? I just feel like giving her a big cuddle every time I see her picture. If only I had a drop of her talent in the kitchen….
I wonder if it’s the $700 price tag that actually stops us from buying our own Kitchen Aid. I just salivate looking at them too. Why don’t we start our own little KitchenAid savings fund? We could just put away a little each week and we could make our own kitchen dream come true. (Might take a while…lol) Btw, I would have been in absolute heaven experiencing such a wonderful day.
hmmm yeah or actually why don’t Australians pay the same price as everywhere else in the world…under $200 in the States!!!
imagine how many sales in Australia they would get if only the price were even half realistic????
The Beach Cottage Campaign For Australian KitchenAid Lovers
x
No kidding…we are being ripped off. Hmm what are the options? Buying one from the States and getting the plug changed?? I wonder.
Forget it…lol. Too much hassle.
yeah already looked into that…apparently you need a transformer…
Is Australia on 240v electric? If so Kitchenaids from the UK are for 240v. You’d just need a plug adapter from US to Australian (Mine has a US/UK adapter). My shiny red Kitchenaid cost around £250 ($385).
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience. A day to always remember, how special. I put the word out last year to family about my dream of having a Kitchenaid and so combining Christmas, my birthday and Mother’s Day money i had been given i was able to purchase an Almond Cream Kitchenaid and even priced matched it to get a better deal. It has to be the best investment i have ever spent, even my husband says, if he knew that i would cook like i do using it, he would have bought me one years ago. I had never made pavlova before in my life and now i whip one up just cause i can. I am so proud of what i am making in the kitchen. Just having the Kitchenaid looking at me makes me want to create. I hope you can have one someday soon too.
Felicity recently posted..Simple Statement
Might have to start saving after reading this
Mmmmm, Almond Cream…sounds delightful. I think it would be my choice too.
You are gorgeous and those cupcakes were sensational. Hold your head up Lovely. It was a highlight meeting and working with you. Much love, Sandra xx
Sandra ($120 Food Challenge) recently posted..Day 5 – Moroccan-Style Pork Kebabs
Wow, such a wonderful experience! Your cupcakes look delicious and your photography is beautiful as always. Thanks so much for sharing your day!
brandi recently posted..Pottery Barn Pillow Knockoff
That is my kind of recipe!
I harbour mahoosive kitchen aid envy, but i’m so distractable, if i had one, i think i’d switch it on and wander off…i’m telling myself that at least with a hand-held i’m not going to over-mix. It’s only slightly helping!
Gorgeous pics as ever.
Belinda @ Wild Acre recently posted..Trying to be spooky and failing
What a great day and a great story! I loved your images, goodluck getting a kitchen aid
GourmetGetaways recently posted..Black & White Wednesday – Empty Bottles
Awesome as always Sarah!
Iloved the smiles and the beautifull faces.I loved the recipy and the cup cakes and I love the wonderfull photos of yours!!
OMG Sarah,how exciting. What a wonderful thing to happen to you!, so jealous. The kitchen aid is worth every cent. I posted about mine recently saying how much I Love it. Worth every cent! As well as making cakes I also make bread, pasta, and pizza dough regularly (at least weekly) and also use it to make ice-cream and gelato!
Cheers Fiona (lilyfieldlife)
Fiona Gaven recently posted..White Tall Boy and Some Purchases
Oh my goodness, I must eat some of those cupcakes! Looks like you had fun!
Barefoot Liz recently posted..Barefoot Books Global Giveaway
I haven’t done a side by side comparison yet but we just purchased Wolfgang Puck’s version of the KitchenAid. Why did we go that route instead of the KitchenAid? Because of the 700 watt motor in Wolfgang’s model. It’s a commercial grade mixer. So far? That baby can mix and it purrs and it’s a white beauty, too. It’s about the same price as a KitchenAid…might be worth looking at. My husband has the many more reasons we went this route (he’s the researcher in our family) and if you’re interested, let me know. I’ll see what I can find out for you. In the meantime? I might have to try your cupcakes pretty soon… and what an awesome way to spend a weekend!!!!!
Bonnie recently posted..It occurs to me…
I hope the guy in the red suit brings your a Kitchen Aid this Christmas. I keep telling myself that I want one, but when dear Mr R. tells me he will get me one (he works for a company that offers them at a substantial discount), I always tell him there are other things we could be spending the money on…
More than the pictures of the cakes, I just love your photographs in general – the effort you take in staging etc. is glorious!
Sarah, David Jones interst free over $500.00!! Works well!! Very afforable repayments!!NO INTEREST!!
thanks Suzanne, I just don’t want to pay that much for a mixer, when the rest of the world doesn’t lol!
xx
Like someone said above..these are some inspiring photos! And I’m so hungry right now too! Oh and thanks for hosting as always.
Milla recently posted..Double Take: White Mid-Century Desk and Yellow Chair (Before & After)
Sarah, you lucky duck! What a great experience to cook with Susan and Margaret. I love the photos …… yummo.
Deb recently posted..Oh so pretty….
I know, it was a great day Deb
x
Very cool! You always seem to do the most awesome adventures!
Jeanni
Roses and Gargoyles recently posted..Gibbs at Lake Monroe
Wow, wow, wow! What a way to spend the day and in such high esteemed company
I love your dump and bake recipes…they certainly do it for me and my kiddos. Also had to chuckle at your reference to Frank Spencer….I adored him as a youngster!
x
How lucky were you! I have a similar recipe for plain cupcakes and just add stuff to it to make different, I recently learnt how to pipe icing so my cupcakes look really fancy now!
Deanne recently posted..flying boxes
oh I was a lucky duck that day Deane! x
Sarah
This day must have been truly special and a little surreal. These kind of events make life simply great.
alison
Oh Sarah the post is so beautiful, I bet you were thanking your lucky stars what a day! As usual your post came at just the right time my nearly 9 year old was busy baking her birthday cupcakes to take to school when our hand held mixer died. And although I too would love love love a kitchen aid it is not to be… but as I read through your post and found that we only needed a whisk! Yes! Well we doubled the quanity and whisked away and the cakes turned out beautifully – yet again you have saved the day. What a quick, beautiful recipe thankyou so very much!
lovely pictures! looks delicious!
sibylle recently posted..Christmas is Coming- Time to Decorate your Blog!
I’ll be trying these out!
My Mum used to make those little wings..I forgot about it till I read your post.
x Marnie
Marnie recently posted..MOVING
I do know what you are talking about with the Kitchen Aid Mixer. I received a seasoned on from my Mother-in-Law, She never used it and I cooked all of the holiday meals for the family so she asked if I would like to have it….are you kidding me, I dreamed of one of these, as I did alot of baking for my 4 Children and now 6 Grandchildren. Making cookies with a 6 year old is a breeze…dough is done in half the time. So worth getting, you will use it the rest of your life and pass it down….Tell Mr. Beach Cottage That tidbit….lol I look forward to trying the cupcake, maybe with my Lovely one and only so far Granddaughter….Have a Peach of a day!
XO
B. Meredith – From the middle of the USA