Last Saturday was my friend Alexis’ daughter’s 1st birthday, and I was in charge of the treats! I was super jazzed for this project, and I loved it because Alexis provided very specific guidance on what she wanted. (Sometimes it can be frustrating when people say – just make whatever you want. If a baker ever asks you, narrow it down or tell them exactly what you want – it will always work out in your favour!)

The colour scheme was pink & orange, and Alexis wanted the following: a smash cake for Mila, lots of cupcakes, and cookies on a stick like I made for Amy’s birthday last year (except for flowers instead of stars). Challenge accepted! Let’s break it down.

• Smash Cake – this is a new thing (to me anyway) where the baby gets a little cake just for themselves, where they can tear it apart and make a mess. I used a Funfetti cake mix and canned frosting, mostly because I knew no one was actually going to eat it.
• Cupcakes – to match the colour scheme I made two dozen little strawberry cupcakes and two dozen orange cupcakes (more on those below). I had the pink polka dot liners already, and got Kristine to pick up the orange ones at the kitchen supply store near her work. I used my most favourite vanilla buttercream to top it off, with matching sprinkles.
• Cookies on a Stick – I made a half batch of Annie’s sugar cookie dough, but I didn’t have time for royal icing, so I just piped on leftover buttercream from the cupcakes. I ended up with about 10 cookies.
• My additions were the Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars (for my Baked Sunday Morning) and some Sprinkle Bark that was just melted layers of dark and white chocolate with hella sprinkles on top.

The treat table was a big success, except that the cookies on a stick were gone very quickly and there were a couple of disappointed little tots that missed out. So I would definitely make more of those next time. The key to pulling this off is to make as much as you can in advance. The smash cake layers and cupcakes were all made one or two weekends before the party, wrapped and tucked into the freezer. But you know I just love projects like this, so it’s no big deal for me to go on a baking bender the night before. You just need to make sure you’re organized and have everything you need before you start!

Okay, so these orange cupcakes. I am not a fan of citrus desserts, but even I have to say these were great! The cupcake was so soft and fluffy, so much more so than the strawberry ones. With the vanilla buttercream on top it was like a yummy combo of tart and creamy, which I normally hate, but oddly loved here.

Overall a success! Here’s the guest of honour, enjoying her cake! Too cute!

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Source: Food 52

Yield: 12 regular size cupcakes or 24 little ones

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups cake & pastry flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature, cut into cubes

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (I actually used buttermilk because that’s what I had in the fridge)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tbsp orange zest

Icing

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla (I used clear vanilla extract I got at Bulk Barn because I wanted my icing to be very white)

1. Preheat oven to 325, and line your cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
3. Add the butter, mixing with electric mixer (watch out because the flour will fly around) until it’s broken up into smaller pieces.
4. Mix in the eggs until well combined, then add the milk and vanilla and mix again until smooth.
5. Stir in the orange juice and zest. At this point I added some orange food colouring to make them brighter, but that’s up to you!
6. Spoon into cupcake liners. One scoop will give you small cupcakes like might, where they barely come up to the top of the liner. Two scoops will probably give you a more regular size cupcake where it bakes up over the top of the liner.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. For icing: beat butter until light and fluffy, then alternately beat in sugar and cream, making two additions of sugar. Beat in vanilla and food colouring (if you’re using it).