Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Seven-Minute Frosting, Fun with Coconut and We have a Winner!

This has been a weird week. A lot of everything and whole lotta nothing going on all at the same time. Do you ever have days/weeks like that? Where you've got so much going on inside your head--things that need to be done, planning, plotting, CHARACTERS-- that it feels as though you've been going and going and going when you really haven't done much at all. That's the week I've had. And you know, I just don't like it. Yes, I ticked some administrative things off of my list, but it's still frustrating when you feel like you haven't accomplished a darn thing.

But enough about that. I'd rather talk about food.
So for Easter, I made these cute little cupcakes.

I love it when cute is easy.
I started with some strawberry cupcakes. Thought those would be nice and springy. Then I topped them with good old fashioned Seven-Minute Frosting.

What's that?

You've not had Seven-Minute Frosting?

It's this nice, fluffy, almost marshmallow-like frosting that takes, well, about seven minutes to make.

I don't have pix, but here it is in a nutshell.

You'll need:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine your sugar, water, egg whites, corn syrup and salt in the top of a double-boiler or do what I did and simply use a glass or metal bowl that will sit comfortably atop a pan of water. With a handheld electric mixer, beat for thirty seconds at low speed. Just enough to mix everything together.

Next, place the bowl atop the pan over boiling water and beat constantly on high for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Cooking egg whites has never been so delicious.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla and beat 2 more minutes or until frosting is thick enough to spread.

That's all there is to it.

Now, if you're like my seventeen year old son, you're wondering, "Where did you get the green coconut?"

No, I did not have to visit some specialty store. I simply put some flaked coconut in a jar, added two drops of green food coloring, put the lid on and shook it until all of the coconut had turned green.

Don't' you love it when you can actually impress your family?

Speaking of impressive, we have a winner.
And that winner is....
JUST COMMONLY!!!

Woo-hoo! Yay!

Just Commonly has won a copy of Jill Kemerer's latest release, Small-Town Romance.

Congratulations!


18 comments:

  1. I haven't made 7 minute frosting in forever, I must do it and surprise my family! And what a clever, fun idea for nests... I'm adding this to my Easter repertoire, Mindy! Thank you!

    And thanks again for the frosting reminder, this is so light and fluffy that I know folks will fall over, loving it!!!!

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    1. I know what you mean, Ruthy. I forget about it, too. So easy, though, and a nice change of pace. Like you said, it's light and fluffy.

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  2. Oh my goodness, Every week is like that for me. LOL. Hang in there. Love the cupcakes. So pretty and festive.

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    1. Every week, Sandra? Eesh. I'm glad I'm not alone.

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  3. And we're finally hovering on Easter weather so I feel like I should make these cupcakes even though Easter is over. I'll call them spring (at last) cupcakes. I never have corn syrup on hand though. Do you think it would work without corn syrup?

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    1. Good question, Kav. I don't know how big a roll it plays. Ruthy? Jan? Do y'all know?

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    2. I don't know, either. I'm sure it plays some role in the gooieness of the frosting (is that even a word?), but it's worth trying the recipe without it.

      I'd try increasing the sugar by a couple tablespoons and reducing the water by a tablespoon, and see what happens!

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    3. Okay -- I'll be the guinea pig cook and I'll let you know how it turns out. :-)

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  4. Mindy, this sounds so good! I don't know if I've ever eaten this frosting before. I can't wait to try it. And such cute cupcakes!

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    1. As Jan said, Missy, at one time, it was a staple. One that's obviously fallen by the wayside. I think it needs a resurgence. ;)

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  5. BTW, that's 9 minute frosting!!! hahahaha

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    1. Hey, I didn't name it. Guess they were referring to cooking time.

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  6. I'm like Ruthy - I haven't made seven minute frosting in FOREVER! Not since...well, since I had a handheld mixer.

    Actually, it wasn't a handheld mixer. It was a Sunbeam stand mixer. You could take the mixer off the stand and use it as a handheld, and I tried it once.

    Seven minutes is a l-o-n-g-g-g-g time when you're holding a heavy mixer at shoulder level.

    My future son-in-law has a handheld mixer, though. Hmmmm....do I see frosting in my future?

    Thanks for the recipe, Mindy!

    And congratulations to Just Commonly!!!

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    1. Jan, there are a few things I just can't use my stand mixer for, so a hand-held is a must. I hear you about holding it, though. Since I'm vertically challenged, and lately have a problem with my right shoulder, I stand on a small stool. Makes things much easier.

      So go ahead and ask your future SIL to bring his over. Tell him you'll reward him with cake. ;)

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  7. Mindy, I'm having one of those weeks where it would be really nice if someone baked them for me. :)

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