Cupcakes!

Cupcakes have always been and always will be one of my favorite desserts...I think it stems from getting to decorate them as a kid. There are so many different varieties and frostings and yet they are relatively easy to make from scratch. If you make them for a dinner party, tea or even breakfast (yes, I'm a strong believer in cupcakes at any time of day), consider making two kinds of cupcakes and vary the frostings.  Here are the recipes my sister and I used to make these cupcakes.











Devils Food Cupcakes

1 Cup Flour

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 c Granulated Sugar

1/2 c Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature

1 Large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Luke Warm Water

1/4 Cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter together until light and fluffy 2-3 min. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the water and buttermilk and beat on low until just combined.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups filling about three quarters full.  Bake 18-20 minutes, allow them to cool, then frost the cupcakes.

Caramel Cupcakes

1 1/4 Cup Flour

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1 Cup Firmly Packed Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature

2 Large Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Whole Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour,  baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter together until light and fluffy 2-3 min. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add the flour mixture in 2 additions alternating with the milk and beat on low until just combined.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups filling about three quarters full.  Bake 20-22 minutes, allow them to cool, then frost the cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Frosting 

6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

3/4 Cup Confectioners Sugar

3/4 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

Whip all the ingredients together with an electric mixer.  Keep refrigerated if not for immediate use.

For the chocolate frosting, we used Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc milk chocolate frosting and decorated the cupcakes with fresh strawberries and mini peanut butter cups.

Black On Black

Every time I start a new semester I use it as an excuse to do some back to school shopping before classes begin. I know that it's a bit of a stretch to call a Marc by Marc Jacobs purse 'back to school' but I'm going with it anyway. I am always cautious of wearing all black, yet I think that as long as you mix up the textures and details (like the gold zippers, chain and laces) it makes for a clean and classy look.

John Eshaya shirt, Topshop leather shorts, F21 cuff, Marc by Marc Jacobs purse and Beau Coops wedges.

Spring Bags

In the spring, I think that bags are a key accessory to complete any look. Designers tend to come out with great bags in eye-catching colors which can add a great pop of color to an outfit.  I used to shy away from brightly colored bags thinking they wouldn't be very versatile in my wardrobe, however I recently purchased this bag in 'tomato' and am finding that I can wear it with anything from a t-shirt and jeans to a floral dress.

Warm Welcome

I hadn't checked the weather report before arriving in LA, so its warm welcome was a pleasant surprise. It's been in the mid-seventies all week, which made moving into my dorm room that much less bearable as all I wanted to do was lay out by the pool. I did manage to find some time to spend outside so my sister and I took her two puppies for a walk around Claremont, my college town, and grab lunch at a local café.

H&M top, Topshop jeans, Pour La Victoire boots, Juicy Couture bag.

Goodbye, Hawaii

Leaving home is always a bittersweet feeling, however this break has been amazing. I spent the holidays with my family, had many lazy days at the beach and ate all the comfort food that my heart desired. I am now back at school in Los Angeles, however I can't help but reminisce about my winter break in pictures.

So-Called Winter

Red and leopard are one of my go-to combinations* when I'm going for a look which is classic but still fun.  With the tradewinds lately it has been a bit cold here (yes, 65 degrees is frigid for Honolulu) so I opted for a 3/4 sleeved dress and put on a pair of tights.  A perfect outfit for a cool Hawaiian night.

Zara dress, Uniqlo tights, F21 bag, earrings and platforms, House of Harlow ring



*See another red + leopard post here

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Gluten Free Granola

I love to cook, however my culinary skills are still a work in progress and thus I have yet to share too many of my recipes here on my blog to focus on my main passion: fashion. My sister, on the other hand, is a great cook who has recently taken on the challenge of gluten-free cooking after discovering her husband's allergy to gluten. I have tried a few of her dishes, and if she hadn't told me they were gluten free I probably would never have known. Here is her recipe for gluten-free granola which I thought I would pass along to you all.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups certified gluten-free oats
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dates
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup organic natural crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons coconut oil
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, honey, butter (coconut oil), and vanilla. Once the peanut butter mixture is combined, mix it with the dry ingredients until the oat mixture is moistened. Press the granola in a shallow pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. *The granola will get crispier and crunchier as it cools.
Cool for at least 20 minutes and store in a sealed container.

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It's a Wrap

It's been a crazy past few weeks with my sister's wedding, Christmas and New Year's, so I'm taking the time to relax and enjoy my last week here in Hawaii before I go back to L.A. for college on Saturday. After several days of rain I couldn't resist going out with friends for lunch at my favorite spot. I put together a casual and easy look by throwing on my wrap over a tank top and jeans for my day on the town.


Whitley Kros wrap, Velvet tank top, Topshop skinny jeans and clutch, Elizabeth and James booties, F21 bracelet.

Chanel

There is something about Chanel which is so classic and so chic. Each season without fail I look forward to seeing their collection and their ad campaign, so I couldn't contain my excitement and thought I would share these photos with you.

What do you think of Chanel's new campaign?

Wedding Bells

Three weeks ago today my sister's wedding took place here in Honolulu and I finally have some photos to show for it. Time seems to fly by during the holiday season, but I've finally had a chance to go through the hundreds of pictures and give you glimpse of my night, or at least what I wore.

My mom is wearing a Naeem Khan gown, my sister Liza's dress is by Anna Maier Ulla-Maija and I, along with my sister Marisa, wore a bridesmaids dress by Priscilla of Boston.