cupcakes, for the past 10 years or so, have experienced the most annoying (to me) wave of popularity. NOT THAT I DIDN’T JOIN IN AT ALL… and not that i still don’t dream of the day where i can get a huge cupcake tattoo and it actually be considered cool, but everyone seemed to be into cupcakes only because they’re cute and girly and adorable. professionals have been riding this wave and selling them for waaaay too much and making them far to tiny! trust me, there’s nothing i love more than putting on a cute dress and baking all day, but when there are jerks out there selling cupcakes the size of a quarter for $10, i start to question their legitimacy.

with that being said, i made these daisy cupcakes that cost me very little and, if i do say so myself, are just the right size. 

1 stick of butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/2 c.  2% or whole milk (whole milk works best)
1 tsp. real vanilla

frosting: 

2 sticks of butter

1/2 c. shortening

powered sugar to taste (usually about 2-4 cups depending!)

1 package of fondant (you’ll only use a little bit of it)

yellow and green food dye

1/2 c. shredded coconut 

oook. preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Sift together your flour, cocoa, baking soda, powder and salt. with an electric mixer, beat together your eggs, butter, sugar and milk until smooth, then slowly add the dry ingredients until all is combined. don’t forget to scrape your edges! lastly, add the vanilla and mix until smooth. 

line a cupcake/muffin tin with black liners, then pour about 1/4 c. of mixture in each. bake until raised and cooked through, about 12 minutes. 

while cooling, mix all ingredients for the buttercream frosting. add in just a dab of green food coloring, enough to get a pastel (not kelly!). roll the edges in green dyed coconut. 

flowers: 

find a great flower cookie cutter. i used one by wilton that’s 2” and fits right on top of my cupcakes (the idea is not to drown them with a huge fondant flower). roll out your fondant with lots of powered sugar to no thicker than 1/4”, then cut out your flowers.

using some yellow food paint/dye, make little yellow dots in the center. place on top of your ‘cakes!

ok!: this recipe makes suuuuuuper dense cakes, so they’re a lot like brownies. still pretty ok! they weren’t my favorite, but they’re cute and (i must admit) a bit impressive so who even cares! helpful: lightly spray the cupcake pan with cooking oil, even if you’re using a liner.