Ella's Snowflake Cupcakes

Baby Ella is one of the newer additions to our family. Her first birthday was approaching and her mom, Amy, she was planning a Winter Wonderland birthday party.  With all the snow we've had here in New England this winter, it was a perfect theme!

I was honored to make her birthday cupcakes in keeping with the theme and went with vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. For the vanilla, I used Billy's Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes again but reduced the cake flour and increased the all purpose flour. A definite improvement with the texture and the cake was more sponge-like and moister. 

For the chocolate cupcakes, I used Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes recipe.  It is super easy and so full of flavor. 

 The frosting was a simple buttercream but I added a little shortening to help stabilize it. I tinted it a light blue and although the hue was exactly what I envisioned, it worked.

Each cupcake was topped with a white chocolate snowflake covered in white sparkling sanding sugar.

I made the cupcakes the night before the party and was so thankful I completed them that night. The morning of the party I woke up with the worst headache and couldn't get out of bed until late morning. My wonderful husband delivered the 5 dozen cupcakes and was able to stay for the party. I was feeling better but stayed home with the kids to rest.  I was so sad to have missed Ella's big day but had great reviews on the cupcakes.

The birthday girl deserved her own special cupcake.