Happy New Year

I hope it is not too late to wish Happy New Year....May 2011 brings the best of the best to everyone and my family..

These cupcakes were made by daughter for our lovely neighbor, Michelle Serran for her new year party on 31December and for her uncle, Viknis - my brother for his birthday on 2nd Jan.  These cupcakes had little variation from the original - she subsituted milk to chocolate milk.

The recipe is from Martha Stewart and is simple to be made....

Polka-Dot Cupcakes

for the cupcakes
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup milk

for the icing
8 ounces cream cheese (not whipped)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1.  Preheat over to 350F (xx) with racks in top and bottom thirds.  Line twenty four muffin cups (1 cup capacity) with paper or foil liners and set aside.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.

2. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl; beat until pale and fluffy about 2minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add orange zest.  Beat in flour mixture and milk in 3 alternating batches, beginning and ending with flour.  After each addition, beat until just combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as necessary.

3.  Fill prepared muffin cups with about 1/4 cupbatter.  Bake, rotating pans once until cupcakes are just golden brown and spring back to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes.  Let cupckaes cool in tins about 5 minutes and then turn them into wire racks.  Repeat with any remaining batter.  Let cool completely.

4.  For the frosting - beat cream cheese, butter and sugar in a small bowl until just smooth. add milk and vanilla, beat frosting until combined.  Use immediately.