strawberry lemonade cupcakes

Ingredients:

cake
1/2 packet Jell-O vanilla pudding mix
2 tsp strawberry Kool-Aid drink mix

frosting
12oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened (1 1/2 packages)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 packet lemonade Kool-Aid drink mix (you won't be using the whole packet, start with about 1/2 tsp and adjust from there after tasting)
Yellow food coloring, optional
16 oz. Cool Whip frozen topping, thawed
Fresh strawberries, sliced, for decoration
Lemon rind, for decoration
Strawberry licorice twist, cut into 3" sections, for decoration
Yellow decorating sugar, optional, for decoration


Directions:

Look at your cake mix box and preheat to suggested temperature written in the directions.

Add the dry mix to the bowl of a stand mixer, then follow instructions on the cake mix box (remembering to substitute milk or buttermilk for the water, and adding an extra egg). Pour in the vanilla pudding mix and strawberry Kool-Aid mix. Beat until combined.

Prepare muffin tin by lining with cupcake liners. Fill liners about 2/3 of the way full and bake, according to package directions, or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean.


for frosting
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat until well combined. Add in a bit of the lemonade Kool-Aid mix and beat to combine.


Spoon in the cool whip and mix until light and fluffy. Taste, and add more lemonade Kool-Aid mix if desired.


Add frosting to a large piping bag (or large zip top bag with a corner snipped off) and use any decorating tip you desire. I used a large closed star tip.

Box of strawberry cake mix (plus milk, eggs and oil, as indicated on the box)

apple blossom || 2016

This year wasn't my first Apple Blossom festival, but it was the first time we lived downtown in the middle of it all, and it was CRAZY. We did a lot of front porch sitting and people watching throughout the weekend and although the weather wasn't perfect I still had a great time. 

The festival itself is a week long celebration filled with luncheons, parties, and activities around town, but the big excitement comes from the two parades, fireworks, and carnival games/rides. The Fireman's Parade happens on Friday night followed by a firework show on the other side of town, and the Apple Blossom parade is on Saturday afternoon. 

In the Apple Blossom parade this year the Grand Marshall was Wayne Brady, and the Sports Marshall was Cal Ripken Jr. If you don't know who these people are go ahead and Google them. The parade is filled with local companies that design floats, tractors, firetrucks, police cars, and marching bands. My favorite part of the whole weekend is the food though.

At the Midway you can find all sorts of fair and carnival food like funnel cakes, corn-dogs, elephant ears, kettle corn, and chicken on a stick. There are also carnival games and activities for people of all ages. There is also a live band playing in the middle of it all.

I can't wait to see what next year's celebrations bring!!

currently || may

eating || ALL THE FRUIT. I love that all the fruit is starting to come in season now. I have strawberries in the refrigerator and I will probably be buying more at the grocery store this week. Another favorite are peaches this time of year, even though they are some of the messiest things on the planet. Our farmer's market should be opening soon, so Saturday morning trips there will be a must this month!

watching || More playoff hockey!!! The Capitals have made it to round two where they will face the Penguins. They have already won game one, so it won't be a complete shut out. This rivalry is intense and I imagine through this month that will show. Hope to be typing about this in the next currently series!

traveling || to St. Thomas!! A friend is getting married later this month and I am making the trip down to St. Thomas to celebrate with them. I am excited to spend a week on a tropical island without any worries of work or home, but I am terrified to come back and see what the house looks like after a week of me being gone. I'm sure there will be a post with lots of pictures in the next coming weeks.

reading || I just finished two books and you can check out that review. I have quite a few books on hold at the library, so I'm not sure which one will come available first. I want to keep reading but I don't want to actual buy the book-first world problems. If I haven't gotten a book off my holds list in the next week or so I will have to pull the trigger and buy a book from Amazon. The current holds I have are The Nightingale, All the Light we Cannot See, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, and What Alice Forgot.

planning || I need to start making plans for a weekend trip to Hershey Amusement Park in the next few weeks. We want to go in early June before school is out for the summer, and it's also not as hot. I need to get my butt in gear and get to calling hotels to get a room for a few nights. To be continued...