Author Archives: Sprinkles of Sweetness | Hira

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Posted in Cake & Frosting by

Oh, my. Let me tell you. These pineapple cakes are adorable, delicious, and so easy to make!

Summer is winding down, so I want to get all the fruity baking in before it's too late. I'm the type of person who thinks cinnamon, pumpkin, vanilla and cozy desserts are reserved for the fall and winter. While fruity, flowery, colorful desserts are for the spring and summer. However, chocolate is great for every season and anytime– morning, afternoon, night, midnight. 🙂

I made these. I ate them. I am now dreaming of them.

 

YIELD: 24 cakes PREP TIME: 15 minutes

BAKING TIME: 20-25 minutes TOTAL TIME: 35-40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1-1/2 20 ounce can of sliced pineapples; reserve pineapple juice
  • 1 yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 12 maraschino cherries cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pan with spray & flour.
  2. Cut pineapple slices into 4 pieces.
  3. Mix together cake mix, oil, eggs, and pineapple juice.
  4. In another bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Place 1-1/2 teaspoons of the mixture into each muffin pan cup, then place two pineapple pieces with a cherry in the center.
  5. Add 1/4 cup of batter into each cup.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes (or all the way to 25 minutes) until the toothpick comes out clean.
  7. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven allow to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around each cup and slowly remove cake (you can also invert).

NOTES:

  • Slightly adapted from here
  • Make sure to grease the pan thoroughly– these cakes love to stick.

 ❤️,

Hira

 

July Things

Posted in Monthly Recap by

July, oh how I love you. Your sunny days, afternoons filled with laughter, nights filled with movies; a month of memories.

August is officially here, and that means school is almost here. I am sorry for all the college worries lately; it's just that chapter of life.

July started with my dreaded wisdom teeth surgery. I hate the idea of not having control over my words, so I decided to go for a local anesthesia. Meaning: I was numb for the procedure and had nitrous oxide (laughing gas), but I was still completely conscious. I could hear, feel (pressure), and talk. The removal wasn't awful, but the recovery was. I love crunchy, hard, solid foods: cereal, granola, cookies, bread. Eating mush was hard. I just didn't eat a lot, but nourishing your body is important for recovery (and life, in general). Overall, it wasn't a fun time, but it's not meant to be!

I also went to Houston for a wedding! Here are some pictures because traditional clothes are fun, right?

I hope you had an awesome July, and may August treat you well!

❤️ ,

Hira

 

Funfetti Sandwich Cookies

Posted in Cookies by

July is almost over, and here in Texas, I am melting. I know summertime is not usually equivalent to baking time, but I have so much more time to make the most unconventional desserts in the summer!

This month so far, I have been pretty busy. I went to a wedding this past weekend, which was definitely interesting. South Asian weddings are pretty insane. There are so many people, lots of food, and timing is always off. For example, if the invitation says to come at eight o’clock, many people don’t show up until ten o’clock. I am very punctual, so tardiness annoys me– a lot. I will share some pictures soon! 🙂

Anyway, I wanted to make a fun and easy dessert. Easy to me is something that needs a couple of ingredients, but not lots of time. I love cheesecake and elaborate cakes, but summertime will slip by, so making easy desserts allows me to spend time with my family (and, well, have an amazing dessert close by 😉 )

I have also been writing on The Odyssey Online, so feel free to check out my non-baking writing: here.

On to the cookies– I mean, sandwiches– wait, I mean, sandwich cookies. 🙂

YIELD: 12-16 cookies (6-8 sandwiches) PREP TIME: 15 minutes

BAKING TIME: 12-15 minutes TOTAL TIME: 27-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • White cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 cup sprinkles
  • Pre-made vanilla frosting

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix eggs, oil, and cake mix. Add 1/2 cup of sprinkles (or desired amount).
  3. Scoop cookies onto cookie sheet, and allow to bake until the bottoms have cooked completely (note: they bake fast).
  4. Allow cookies to cool, while doing so, mix sprinkles vanilla frosting. Scoop frosting into a zip lock bag with desired tip (or no tip).
  5. Once cookies have cooled, create a sandwich with the two sprinkled cookies and frosting.

NOTES:

  • You may use your own frosting recipe, but I used a Betty Crocker can.
  • Use any sprinkles you want; you can even do a theme.
  • Recipe inspired from here.

 ❤ , 

Hira 

 

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

Posted in Cake & Frosting by

I have been wanting to post this recipe for 100 2 years.

I can finally eat real food (carefully) after my wisdom teeth procedure. To celebrate I made my favorite flavor cake: chocolate. A dense chocolate cake and luxurious icing. Delightful.

I like to think that I’m a simple girl (my mom, on the other hand, would disagree 😉 ). I love chocolate. I love movies. Chocolate and movies together = the perfect night. I decided to devour this cake while watching The Office (for the thousandth time).

I don’t know if many people know this, but I am a complete homebody. I love staying home. I love sitting in my pajamas and cruising around my house. On Saturday nights, instead of meeting up with people, I’d rather stay home with my parents and blast ABBA  or bake a cake (or both).

I haven’t been able to just come home and bake, so over the weekend I wrote: “BAKE” (in all capital letters) in my planner as something I HAD to complete. Something else you may not know: I live by my planner. I can’t function without my planner. I am extremely dependent on my planner. It’s a problem (the first step is acceptance, right? 😉).

Side note: I love photographing chocolate!

On to the cake!

YIELD: 8-10 PREP TIME: 25 minutes

BAKING TIME: 40-55 TOTAL TIME: 65-80 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE

  • 1 cup brewed coffee*
  • 16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder (Dutch cocoa)*
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  •  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup regular full-fat yogurt*

ICING

  • 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees– do not grease your bundt pan yet.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine coffee, butter, and cocoa powder. Once butter has melted, whisk everything together until a silky chocolate batter has formed.
  3. Allow the coffee-butter mixture to cool for ten minutes. Mix together sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour in a large bowl.
  4. Once the coffee-butter mixture has cooled add it to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  5. Add vanilla, eggs, and yogurt to the forming batter; mix until a luxurious chocolate batter has formed.
  6. Now take bundt pan and grease generously with melted butter; this is vital to ensure that the cake won’t stick.
  7. Pour batter into the pan, and bake for 40-55 minutes– keep a watchful eye, as this batter bakes quickly.
  8. Once the cake is out of the oven, use a butter knife to go around the edges, and then after 5 minutes transfer cake + pan to a wire rack (do not remove pan yet).
  9. After another 5 minutes, remove bundt pan gently (tap the pan to ensure all cake falls through).
  10. Let the cake cool completely before you make the icing.
  11. Make a double boiler (a pot filled with water with a heat proof bowl on top) and add the chocolate and heavy cream. Mix until chocolate and cream have been incorporated.
  12. Spoon chocolate over the cake and enjoy!

NOTES:

  • I used Italian roast coffee, but you can use any kind. If you don’t like/want to use coffee, feel free to substitute with milk; however, coffee does enhance the chocolate flavor.
  • I used Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder.
  • You may use yogurt (Greek or regular) or sour-cream.
  • Recipe adapted from here.

❤ , 

Hira

 

June Things 

Posted in Monthly Recap by

Hello July, and goodbye, June! Yes, it is that time. Another month gone, and less of 2017 to live. I feel like I say this every month, but wow 2017 is almost over.

June has been incredibly busy.

I started the month with heading to college orientation, which was kind of intimidating. I signed up for classes, walked (a lot) through the UT campus, and learned a lot about university life. I feel like I’m not prepared at all, which, I guess, is normal. But, wow. I’m just not ready– and that’s coming from the girl who has wanted to go to college since kindergarten. I know it’s the nerves, but as a type A, intense, anxious person, I’m not the most excited. I’ll let you guys know how it goes once I begin!

I also completed the month of Ramadan and celebrated Eid! Here are some pictures:

I also got my wisdom teeth out yesterday, which was terrifying for me. The overall procedure was pretty painless, but the recovery is killing me. I love eating bread, and I can’t. I know, first world problems– I am just thankful I could afford the procedure. 🙂

I hope your June was incredible! I will be posting more soon, I promise.

❤ ,

Hira

Carrot Cake II

Posted in Cake & Frosting by

Hello!

Yes– I’ve posted a carrot cake recipe before. A recipe that I absolutely adore, but this carrot cake recipe is also something special.

This recipe is different from the previous one because it includes brown and white sugar, a creamier frosting base, and a softer texture. If you’re between the two recipes, I’d look at the ingredients to see which recipe accommodates the ingredients that you have on hand.

Anyway, now let’s talk. June has flown by. It’s almost over, and I’m sad. Sad because as the summer goes, so does this unwavering freedom. I’m being dramatic, but the future scares me. There are so many “what ifs” and uncertainties in my life. I don’t know exactly what I want to be, where I want to go, and what will happen; this is incredibly frustrating because I’m a planner. I like to know exactly what’s going on.

This cake, however, is the answer in times of uncertainty. It inundates even the most lost soul with some serenity. I love being overly-dramatic with my writing. All of this translated: make this cake, you won’t regret it.






YIELD: 8-10 PREP TIME: 15 minutes

BAKING TIME: 30-35 TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups AP flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1-1/4 cup oil
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs (5 small eggs)
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup nuts (or any other desired decorations/topping)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and apply parchment paper and grease cake pans.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
  3. In another bowl, combine oil, sugars, and vanilla.
  4. Then, add eggs one at a time to the oil-sugar mixture.
  5. Add dry ingredients in three parts to the wet ingredients until batter forms.
  6. Fold in carrots and place batter equally in both cake pans.
  7. Allow cake to bake until center springs, which should take about 30 to 45 minutes
  8. Once done baking, allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes then remove cakes and parchment paper and allow to cool some more.
  9. To make frosting: beat cream cheese until fluffy batter forms, add in powdered sugar until fluffy, and then add whipped cream on medium speed for one minute.
  10. Frost cake (once cool), decorate, and enjoy!

NOTES:

  • If you don’t have both sugars– substitute the one you have for the other.
  • You can cover the whole cake with frosting. I didn’t, however, because I made this for some who likes naked cakes.
  • Slightly Adapted From: here

I hope you guys are having a wonderful June– that isn’t too hot! I know the oven isn’t everyone’s go to in the summer, but I’m insane and use the oven year round.

❤️,

Hira

8 Things I Learned About College Applications & Senior Year 

Posted in Reflections by

Hello, friends! I recently tackled the dreaded college application process and finished my senior year, which means I learned a lot. Here are 8 things that I wish I could tell myself if I could start over:

  1. Don’t underestimate yourself. Throughout the process, you might feel incredibly overwhelmed. You might think that your GPA, standardized test scores, or resume are insufficient for a school/scholarship to accept you. Don’t let that doubt stop you from applying for something. You might surprise yourself!
  2. Choose a major that you love. Growing up I always thought I would pick a lucrative major. My initial plan was to major in environmental engineering or something in the realm of STEM; however, I love history and writing. I am truly passionate about current events and the world that we live in. Because of this, constant internal conflict I was torn on between stability and passion. After months of thinking, I finally chose political science/IR. I believe that this major will give me the most fulfillment and allow me to truly appreciate the world that we live in.
  3. Learn to love essay writing. I love to write, but some of my friends found writing to be the most stressful part of the whole process. I understand that writing is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but when you are writing it is important to sound genuine an passionate– so write about something you truly care about. Once you have a solid idea the essay will start to write itself.
  4. Don’t got to a certain college because of your friend. This “thing” didn’t impact be, but I noticed that some of my friends had great difficulty choosing a college because they were stuck on whether they should attend one with their friend. I love my friends to pieces, but I know that at the end of the day, they will still be a part of my life if they are true friends.
  5. Ask your English teacher to edit your essays. This one is the most important, in my opinion, because an English teacher has experience with essay writing. They understand that essays must sound cohesive and fluid. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Also, once you finish your college hunt, give teacher that helped you a “thank you” to express your gratitude.
  6. Don’t be overconfident. I know I said don’t underestimate yourself, but it is also important to be leveled. One of my friends decided to apply to schools that were more of a reach– she got rejected 5/6 of the schools, and was then forced to go to her least favorite option because that was the only one she could attend. Don’t give yourself unnecessary stress. Apply anywhere and everywhere, but also make sure you have a few safe schools in your back pocket.
  7. Spend lots of time with your family. I think when senior year rolls around many students think about how that the days they spend with their family are numbered, which creates excitement for many students. However, it’s important to spend time with your mom, dad, and siblings because even though college doesn’t mean complete immersion into the real world, it does limit the amount of time you will see your family. (Love you guys! ❤️)
  8. Let go of disappointment. At the end of the day, you will attend a university that is the best fit for you. Even if you didn’t get into your first, second, or even third choice university you will still be accepted somewhere and get a quality education. Let go of any feeling from rejection, and be excited for the new chapter in your life.

If you are currently or will soon be attacking the college application process good luck!

Also: those of you who have completed the college application process or senior year, what is your biggest tip? 🙂 

❤ ,

Hira