Succulent Cupcakes

It's difficult not to pass any neighborhood flower shop or overlook the multitude of Pinterest boards showcasing the adorably trendy succulent plant. I get it... They're small, extremely easy to maintain and crafty terrariums have just about replaced all mini zen gardens. These water saving plants (did you know cacti are succulents!) are so popular right now, I had to scour four different plant shops to find some to model these cupcakes after. The cupcakes might get eaten, but the plants are here to stay. Say hello to spring and swap these cupcakes for a cake at your next event.

To make the "terra-cotta flower pots" and the actual plants, you'll need fondant. Fear not—you can buy it at any craft store—it's just like working with clay, so have fun with it! Before we start rolling out any fondant, we need cupcakes to work with. I rarely do this, but for today's post I decided to cut corners and use a cake mix. I know its taboo in the pastry world to use a "box" cake, but no one can deny the convenience of it! (I won't tell, if you don't.) To elevate the cake mix, I added a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne. Voilà! Mexican Chocolate cake:)

I also kept things simple with frosting. Domino Sugar has the simplest buttercream recipe around. It's pretty sweet, but this buttercream is the perfect base for the "dirt." I dyed the buttercream to match the graham cracker crumbs, but then I realized the color resembled a peanut butter frosting. Next time, Ill skip the food coloring and just use peanut butter in my frosting.

Is there anything graham cracker crumbs can't solve!? Once you've frosted and covered your cupcakes with "dirt" you're ready to work with the fondant. Use gel food coloring (also available at craft stores) to match the terra-cotta and the succulent green leaves. For the terra-cotta, you'll need a few drops of orange and brown. For the succulent green, use a few drops of electric green and a small drop of black. Knead the color into the fondant until you have the right shade. It helps to have a real succulent plant nearby to compare it to. 

Dust your work surface with a little confectioners sugar to prevent the fondant from sticking and roll the fondant out to make your terra-cotta pot. Use buttercream to stick the fondant to the cake. Remember to wrap any unused fondant immediately or it will dry out.

Build your succulent from the inside out. Use a dab of water to stick the leaves to each other.

Roll out the green fondant to 1/8-inch thick to make the succulent leaves. I've found that Petunia cutters work best to mimic the succulent shape. Look for 3 cutters, ranging in size from 1 1/2 to 2 3/4. 

Mini muffin tins help to mold the leaves. They will harden as they sit, then you can nest the smaller leaves into the larger ones, using a dab of water or buttercream as glue.

I had purple edible petal dust to highlight the tips of the succulent leaves, but you could easily use cocoa powder instead. I used powdered sugar to add the "frosted" effect.

Can you tell which one is the plant and which one's the cupcake?

Chefs Like Cookies Too!

Sorry for the tardy post, friends! Last week flew by as we were gearing up to announce the 2012 FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs. Held at Times Square's hidden gem, The Liberty Theater, the event didn't disappoint. In addition to the incredible fare served by Best New Chef alums, my personal highlights included the 2012 BNC announcement, custom Belvedere Vodka cocktails, and of course, the dance party. With a little help from DJ Questlove (of The Roots, for those of you who live under a rock) we danced under the glow of custom made FOOD & WINE marquee lights until our feet couldn't dance anymore. Here's a glimpse of the event. Photos courtesy of my super talented friend and photographer Allan Zepeda. (Keep scrolling for the cookies:)

Oh yes, that's me on the right... I'm either dancing or screaming in pain from my heels. 

Aside from assisting the art department with signage and set-up, I was lucky enough to score a spot for my favorite cookies in the BNC gift bags. These "Kitchen Sink" cookies are simply delicious, nothing fancy. They're actually a spin off of my original Hurricane Cookies, with a couple new ingredients:) The chefs I made them for, however, are supreme culinary royalty: Daniel Boulud, Michael Anthony, Gavin Kaysen and Top Chef alum Richard Blais to name a few. For a complete list of the new 2012 Best New Chef class, click here. Check out the Kitchen Sink cookie recipe below. I made and packaged over 100 of them, eating a few dozen along the way. Make them this weekend with whatever fixings you've got in your pantry. Whether it's coconut, walnuts, raisins or even leftover Easter candy, this cookie's a keeper. 

You can buy the gift bags and ribbon at any craft store

Kitchen Sink Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 

3/4 granulated sugar 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 

2 eggs 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup peanut butter chips 

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats 

1 cup Corn Flakes 

1 cup pretzels, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or baking liners and set aside.

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Add in vanilla extract.

3. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, oats, corn flakes and chopped pretzels. Use a small ice cream scoop to make even sized dough balls. Place onto baking sheets, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each ball.
4. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and just set in the middle. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.

Get the recipe card HERE