WECLOME!!! – to capturing subtleties new & improved blog!!!  Not only are the photos bigger, but the content is changing quite a bit!

I am excited to launch this brand new blog – which will, like my old blog, cover all my photo sessions.  Yet, between my sessions, I found that I kept wanting to blog about every single thing that inspired me – such as food, nature, design and everything in between.  So get ready, because I’m inspired by a lot of odd things… which will in turn make it to this very blog :)

Today – it’s food.  I am due with our first child in about two days.  For some reason, my first week of maternity leave, I started getting the baking “bug.”  I’ve been baking cookies, candies and… cupcakes.  These were for a co-worker’s birthday, and I decided to try a brand new recipe from none other than Martha Stewart.  Maple-Walnut Cupcakes with Maple Butter Frosting.

I searched and searched (and googled “best cupcakes ever”) to find a recipe.  I searched for two days (really) and I decided on these.  “Not your traditional chocolate cupcake,” I thought!  Way to be a great baker!  Original and yummy sounding, how could I go wrong?  Okay, so I’m going to be honest. I guess I can’t make cupcakes… yet.  They weren’t that good (I say that but I’m still eating them out of my refrigerator a week later).  I just expected moist, gooey cupcakes… and got somewhat dry cupcakes. Maybe it’s my fault as I used fat free milk and fat free cream?  I’ve still got a long way to go to become professional, but I still think they were completely worth it.  Read on for the recipe if you want to give them a shot :).

Maple Walnut Cupcakes:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups (5 1/2 ounces) walnuts, chopped medium-fine

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (helllooo Martha Stewart Mixer! LOVE IT), beat butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in walnuts with a wooden spoon (maybe you should use 2% milk – I didn’t).
3. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through (also didn’t do this… think that was the mistake?), until cupcakes are golden and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool slightly. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; then reinvert and let them cool completely, top sides up. Frost tops with frosting and garnish with candied walnuts (I used pecans), if using. Cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Maple Butter Frosting:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons cream
1/2 teaspoon maple flavored extract

Directions:
Beat the butter or margarine, confectioners sugar, milk, and maple flavoring in a bowl until smooth. Add more milk or confectioners sugar as needed. (note: this was fantastic. bowl-lickable. and I still smell like maple.)