IC:E Winter Warm Up: Tropical Getaway or ...

January's Iron Cupcake challenge is: Winter Warm up!

So naturally, living in Ontario, Canada the first thing that came to my mind was a winter getaway because the best way to get out of the cold is well, to literally get out of the cold and travel to a hot tropical desination.

I played with this theme in the flavour of my cupcakes and the design.  I call the recipe Tropical Island Cupcakes.  I revised a recipe that I found in Julie Hasson's book to suit my idea.

Tropical Island Cupcakes
Makes about 9 cupcakes

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup diced dried pineapple
- 1/4 cup diced dried papaya
- 1/8 cup banana liqueur
- 3/4 cup Gluten-Free four
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened, roasted coconut

Directions
1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine pineapple, papaya and banana liqueur. Microwave, uncovered on high for 30-45 seconds or until fruit is hot and soft. Cover and let stand until cool. The fruit should absorb most of the liqueur but not all.

2. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.

3. In a larger bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat brown sugar and butter together until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and coconut milk, making two additions of each, beating all together until smooth. Stir in soaked fruit and roasted coconut.

4. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

To Decorate:
- white buttercream icing
- blue food coloring (water)
- graham cracker crumbs (Sand)
- vanilla flavoured pretzel sticks (palm tree trunk)
- dried kiwi fruit (for palm tree top)
- black sugar (to add to sand effect)
- coral pink coloured fondant (for star fish)

But if these don't rock your boat ...

Cuddle up with a Warm Heart!

When I gave January's theme more thought many more winter warming ideas came to mind ... because sometimes we just can't always make it to those sunny destinations be it our busy schedules, work issues or budgets that hold us back, there are plenty of ways to warm up at home.

One of the best ways to warm up this year ... have a big heart and the warmth will surround you!  Fortunately a warm heart comes in handy when you're cuddling up with that special someone on a cold winter's day, that feeling that all you need is each other to feel warm ... can't beat that!

So I created a recipe to show this theme, which by the way, blows my tropical cupcakes WAY out of the water! These babies would be amazing for Valentines (*wink, wink*):

Heart Warming Cupcakes
(I don't mind sharing the love but please credit my blog if using this recipe on your website or anywhere else.  Copyright i Bake Cupcakes)
Makes about 12-14 cupcakes

Ingredients
- 1 cup Gluten-free Flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup loose brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 egg white
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1/2 cup crashed cinnamon heart candies
 
Directions
1. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.

2. In a larger bowl using an electric mixer mix the sugar and butter together until well blended.  Add the egg white, one at a time, mixing well before each addition.

3. Using a medium sized zip lock bag pour the cinnamon hearts in the bag and seal it shut.  Using either a hammer or whatever's handy (I used a a glass cup) smash the cinnamon hearts to pieces (wow, side note, that sounds kinda awful lol).  They don't all have to be crushed just most of them.

4. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to your butter/sugar mixture, making about two additions each.  Blend everything until it is mixed well.  Fold in the cinnamon hearts.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.

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