I'm 5 years old today! 5th Blogoversary Cupcakes!

That's right! My blog turns 5 years old today!
I remember 5½ years ago, I started baking from scratch for the first time by watching Nigella Lawson's shows on tv. You can see some of my very first photographs here and here. I came across several great baking blogs while surfing for recipes such as How To Eat A Cupcake and Cupcakes Take The Cake, and six months later... I started my very own food blog. Paris Pastry it was called, due to my love for Paris and its iconic pastries.

Next to pastries and macarons, I found myself realy enjoying classic American cakes and desserts. A true homage to my dual background (European and American) this blog has been become and I'm so pleased and proud you've followed me over the years. Whether it's just to look up a recipe or to post an encouraging comment - THANK YOU! So these cupcakes are for you, my reader, I'm sending them to you virtually (while enjoying a few myself!).



I used these Silikomart cut-out molds which were so fun to use!
My favorite were the two flower and butterfly cutters, the heart ejector cutter is more suitable to use with cookie dough than fondant.




The sweet shapes in yellow fondant.
You can find these products in online shops such as Kookwinkel.nl and Silikomart.com.





Vanilla Cupcakes: recipe from 'The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook'

Ingredients: makes 24 cupcakes, but you can halve if you want to
- 1 ½ cup self-rising flour
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar (I always use less sugar with this recipe, as I find them too sweet otherwise)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually to the butter and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk mixed together with the vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.




Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: Magnolia Bakery - More From Magnolia

Ingredients: for one 2-layer 9-inch cake, or 24 cupcakes
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
- If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.



Check out this motion shot, which was - I'm sure - quite funny to see me blowing and taking a picture at the same time...