Addison's Easter
This weekend we celebrate the rising of our Lord from the dead. Not only does this weekend hold momentous spiritual significance (as well as a huge boost to the careers for those bunnies who just couldn't stop growing and the candy industry)
but the Easter weekend is a wonderful time to break out those white shoes for the first time, don your prettiest apparel and celebrate the fact that spring has sprung by daring to wear short sleeves for the first time (with perhaps a light button up sweater...remember, I live in Vermont)
As the mother of a 14 month old daughter, I took very seriously my job of making sure she was properly clothed for this Easter Sunday.
Grandma Smith (my absolutely wonderful mother-in-law) bought her those little shoes...aren't they fabulous?
The flower was made by my very talented friend
Kelly (check out her
Etsy shop), and the elastic headband was the result of my friend Lydia's last minute creativity when I realized that the black one I had just wasn't going to work with the color scheme.
The dress was the result of a blow out clearance sale at Sears....practically giving it away (in exchange for just a very little money)
The final result? My beautiful Easter princess:
with of course a matching coat...(remember, Vermont?)
Addison loves dressing up like a princess.
And going to church to hang out with those other cool babies in the nursery (anyone else feel that an Easter Sunday nursery could be a lineup from a children's clothing line magazine?)
And eating a delicious lunch at Gwampa and Grandma's house (which included so many of her favorite foods)
And her very first Easter Egg Hunt
The princess finally fell into a blissful Easter nap (a couple hours later than usual...Easter only happens once a year, right?)
It's really quite amazing how every holiday/special occasion is just that much better when children are added to the mix...
In conclusion, if you care in the slightest: Here are the creme filled cupcakes that I've been tantalizing you with lately (just to warn you, I'm still working on just the right amount of creme per cupcake...so I would suggest doubling the cupcake recipe so that you don't have a lot of creme left over)
Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 larges eggs
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk together flour, coca powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, with electric mixer on high, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating just until blended. Stir in vanilla.
Pour into muffin cup paper liners until each one is 2/3 full. Bake at 350F until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool
Filling:
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
5 oz evaporated milk
Beat together all ingredients for 12 minutes. Once a creme has formed, using a cake decorating bag and tip, pipe creme down into the middle of each cooled cupcake.
Frosting:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz melted semi sweet chocolate
aprox 4 cups powdered sugar (add more for desired stiffness)
2 tablespoons milk
A bit labor intensive, and definitely not the healthiest thing on the menu...but very, very yummy-guaranteed to be a huge hit at practically any party.