Good afternoon! Wowza, another afternoon post!  My earlier post about my doctor’s appointment seems so negative and sad, and I’m actually in a pretty great mood — it is FRIDAY, after all!  🙂

 

I’m leaving for a potluck at Meghann’s house in a few hours and I’m in charge of dessert, so around 3 PM, I made cupcakesmy favorite thing in the whole world to bake!

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I must admit that I cheated a little bit on these cupcakes — I used a Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix.  I just didn’t feel like making the cupcakes from scratch….

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But I did make homemade icing!  The key to homemade icing is you MUST use butter AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.  You have to plan ahead and let the butter sit out for 2 hours or so… melting in the microwave won’t work (trust me, I’ve tried).

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Homemade Vanilla Icing

 

Ingredients:

 

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons skim milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

Preparation:

 

  • Using an electric mixer, cream the butter.
  • Slowly add the sugar, beating thoroughly.
  • Add in the milk and vanilla.
  • Beat mix for at least 5 minutes (the longer, the better).  Add more powdered sugar if necessary!
  • Slather on cupcakes, cake, fingers, whatever– enjoy!

 

Health food, this is not. 🙂  But it is very delicious!  I taste tested 1/2 a cupcake after I iced them.

 

And, earlier… I had yogurt + granola while browsing my cupcake and brownie books.

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Why Not Box Mixes?

 

You may be wondering why I didn’t use a box mix or a pre-made icing.  First of all, all box mixes and icings in the non-organic aisle contain trans fat.  Secondly, they contain LOADS of food additives, preservatives, and other toxic stuff.  For example….

 

Pillsbury Moist Supreme Reduced Sugar Devil’s Food Cake Mix

 

Ingredients: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, MALTITOL, WHEAT STARCH, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, BAKING POWDER (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE) CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF PROPYLENE GLYCOL MONOESTERS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, CELLULOSE, MONO- AND DI-GLYCERIDES, CORN STARCH, CELLULOSE GUM, XANTHAN GUM, POLYSORBATE 60, SUCRALOSE (NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENER), COLORED WITH RED 40, TBHQ AND CITRIC ACID (ANTIOXIDENTS), SOY LECITHIN.

 

That’s a long list of food additives, and I only highlighted the trans fat, artificial sweeteners, and artificial colors! Eck! 

 

On the other hand, here’s the ingredients in the Bob’s Red Mill Chocolate Cake Mix:

 

Ingredients: evaporated cane juice sugar, unsweetened cocoa, garbanzo bean flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, whole grain white sorghum flour, fava bean flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, cream of tartar.

 

That I can live with!  Enjoy your afternoon and see you for dinner!

{ 18 comments }

 

  • VeggieGirl October 17, 2008, 1:56 pm

    YOU MADE GLUTEN-FREE TREATS?!?!?!?!?!?!! You DID save some for me, right??? :0)

    Have fun at Meghann’s potluck!!

  • Meg October 17, 2008, 2:21 pm

    I love all of Bob’s Red Mill products! The cupcakes look yummy! Have fun tonight!

  • Nicole (anotheronebitesthecrust.wordpress.com) October 17, 2008, 2:22 pm

    Nice! Those cupcakes look fantastic. Have fun at the potluck!!:)

  • magpie October 17, 2008, 2:55 pm

    Hahaha – I love how you used skim milk in the icing. It seems out of place next to the powdered sugar and butter 😉

  • Erica October 17, 2008, 2:59 pm

    Cupcakes look gorgeous! I am so sorry about your doctors appointment! My husbands dad is a doctor and he always talks about how doctors don’t take time to listen and really care for people any more.

  • whatiateyesterday October 17, 2008, 3:02 pm

    mmm..cupcakes! Have a great time tonight!

  • Jenna October 17, 2008, 3:36 pm

    cupcakes ALWAYS make everything better!!!!! I want one!!!!!!

  • just me October 17, 2008, 4:08 pm

    yay for cupcakes!!! mini cakes for one is the way i think of them!!! hehe!

  • teacherwoman October 17, 2008, 4:24 pm

    mmmm…cupcakes! and chocolate!

  • Simple and Divine October 17, 2008, 5:30 pm

    GET 20 OPINIONS… Literally… I had 3 fractures in my right foot (ball + heel) and was immobilized for + 3 months this summer in a cast! Thank g-d for yoga 🙂 I’ve never been in better shape!

    Anyways, F that Dr. Get at least two more opinions, Caitlin… His bedside treatment is BULLSH and just plain rushed + unprofessional… Be patient, lovebug! It’ll be okay!

    And have fun at your potluck! Those cupcakesters look SO prettty and PRO 🙂

  • Krista October 17, 2008, 5:34 pm

    Tasty looking cupcakes, Caitlin!

  • Balance, Joy and Delicias! October 17, 2008, 5:36 pm

    cupcakes, so yummy!!!!!

  • BOBBI McCORMICK October 17, 2008, 6:04 pm

    Yummy treats! I have that cup cake boo too:) I hope you have fun tonight, I am headed to an old lady Bunco party I am sure they will have no health food there for sure..lol

  • Meghann October 17, 2008, 6:30 pm

    The cupcakes were divine! Thanks for looking out with us with no trans fat in the mix! I can’t wait to have more tomorrow! 🙂

  • Caitlin (see bride run) October 17, 2008, 7:22 pm

    simple and divine – oh no! im glad you are getting better though!

    bobbi – bunco RULES!

  • sharon October 17, 2008, 7:29 pm

    Yummy- I just love cupcakes and yours look delicious! I haven’t baked in awhile…I think I’m going to make a pumpkin bread tomorrow. Tis the season :0)

    Hope you had fun at Meghann’s!

  • Erin of Care to Eat October 17, 2008, 7:32 pm

    I’m so sorry about this afternoon! I hope you do a little emotional eating. YOu sound like you’re taking things in stride though. Nice pun, right? STRIDE!
    Just so you know, I had a similar experience bc my knees are f’d and I went through 5 months of PT and feel pretty great now. You’re right, dr’s don’t take enough time to listen thoroughly or connect w/ patients.
    Have a blast with Meghann!

  • Bridget October 18, 2008, 5:37 am

    Those look soooo good!! I think when you use that type of cake mix its ok… but I’m totally with you on homemade icing…so easy and so much better, plus you (or at least I) can totally tell a homemade icing vs a bought one by the taste, homemade is sooo much better.

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