Carrie, Cupcakes and Chinese New Year

The weekend revolved around the long-awaited Sex and the City party, a little get-together I organised to thank Jo and co. for the wonderful birthday present of the deluxe SATC overnight set. Starting with proper themed evites, I wondered what else could Sex up the evening. Cosmos of course, and Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, so Dani came over early to help me bake away. Decorating wasn't the success I hoped it would be, but the recipe was divine and we went for the rustic frosting look, pink topped with sprinkles and white topped with a glace cherry. And oh! the deliciousness. The cupcake themselves not too light, not too dense, just sweet and moist and delightful. The frosting was thick and sweet but not instant-headache-inducing (recipe below). Wally/Stanford catered with a nod to New York's Italian and Asian flavours - gorgeous canapes of BBQ pork, bruschetta, marinated mushrooms, mini quiches - and the colourful cocktails flowed. We adorned ourselves in cheap sparkly necklaces and Dani won the quiz I'd prepared during the week: the prize being as SATC as I could think - hot pink OPI, necklace, YSL mirror, novelty tissues, and a lottery ticket to hopefully go and live the SATC lifestyle. We watched the entire Season 1 and it's funny how everyone views it differently - IMO Big is still an arrogant prick but Carrie is the arsehole. Then we all go to bed and it's like primary school, giggling for hours. Girly fun par excellence.

And the rest of the weekend? Friday night babysitted the gorgeous children/caught up on episodes of The F Word. And on Sunday Kath and I had a get-rid-of-everything-and-put-it-on-eBay session, taking a break to walk into town with a bubble tea and bumping into a Chinese New Year procession, noisy and colourful and vibrant.

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes, makes 24
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
250g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 175C/350F.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Go and find some cute ones!
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 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 and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. 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 then on a rack.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3-4 cups icing/confectioners’ sugar [NB: we used 2.5 cups and it was plenty sweet]
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 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, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Eat

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Girls!

Drink!

Kung Hei Fat Choy!