Showing posts with label Frozen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frozen. Show all posts

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Olaf's Carrot Cupcake



If you remember from the Princess Red Velvet Cupcakes, I used to be quite the cupcake baker.  And when I saw the Olaf carrot cake cupcake being featured at Disney, I knew it was something I was going to have to try my hand at.

The version I'm trying to replicate is from the 24 Hour Rock Your Disney Side event earlier this year (2014) and since then they've updated to a version with a piece of white chocolate for Olaf's head.  If you want to get fancy with the chocolate, you can always try that instead!



For 28 Carrot Cake Cupcakes, you will need:
  • 2 1/3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups pureed carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
  • 2/3 cup milk
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Begin by mixing the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, together in a small bowl and setting aside.  Next, cream together the sugar and butter, adding the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.  Before combining the wet and dry ingredients, puree the carrots until smooth.  I recommend adding the milk in order to smooth out the puree.  Alternate adding the dry ingredients and carrot puree into the wet ingredients, mixing between each addition.

Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 2/3 of the way full and bake for approximately 16-20 minutes.


For the cream cheese frosting and face designs, you will need:

  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4-6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-4 teaspoons milk
  • Dark food dye
  • Carrots
  • Chocolate bar
To begin, cream together the cream cheese and butter until the two are completely mixed.  Add the vanilla and mix.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.  If you add too much powdered sugar, add milk to thin the frosting out a bit, one teaspoon at a time.  I think that the Olaf structure of the icing would be easiest to attain with a stiffer icing, however mine was not and I thought it looked okay, so it's up to you!
Yum!
Allow the cupcakes to cool.  Get the largest round piping tip you have (or cut the corner out of a plastic bag) and create 3 tiers using the cream cheese icing.  Set some aside and color it with black or other dark colored food dye.  Use a very thin piping tip, or a toothpick (that's what I did) to draw on Olaf's mouth, eyes, and eyebrows.

Cut carrots into small points to use as Olaf's nose.  If you want, you could also use an orange taffy or fondant and design the nose using that.  Carefully cut shaving off of the chocolate bar to use for the hairs on his head.  Assemble the face of your Olaf and you're done!



So will you try to make the Olaf cupcake yourself?  Let me know in the comments how it turned out!












Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Olaf's In Summer Cocktail

Pin this to Pinterest to spread the YADisney word!

With the digital copy of Frozen officially being released today, I thought the perfect way to celebrate would be to have a Frozen-inspired drink!

The Olaf's "In Summer" is a fruity and tropical drink that depicts an unfortunately melted Olaf, with the sunshine overhead.  Or at least that's what I was trying to achieve with it.  Here's how to make it!

You will need the following ingredients, as pictured above:
  • 1 oz. Malibu, or other coconut rum
  • 1 oz. vanilla vodka
  • 1/4 oz. triple sec
  • 1 oz. cream of coconut and 1 oz. water OR 2 oz. cream of coconut and 2 oz. water*
  • Squeeze of lemon (about 1/8 of a lemon), plus some for garnish
  • Blueberries, for garnish
  • Sugar, for garnish
To start, add the Malibu, vanilla vodka, triple sec, cream of coconut, water, and lemon juice to a shaker full of ice.  Shake the mixture and set aside.

Rub some lemon on the edge of the glass (mine was a wine glass, because that's all I have, but it would look really cute in a martini glass) and use the lemon juice to dip the edge of the glass in sugar and create a pretty, sparkly rim.  It ends up looking like snow packed together.
Add your mixture from the shaker into your glass, and garnish with a slice of lemon on the edge to look like sunshine.  Then, carefully drop three blueberries (mine were frozen, which might have helped them float) into the glass to look like Olaf's coal buttons that are laying in the puddle of melted snow.

Your final product should look something like this!


*About the mixture of water and cream of coconut.  The stuff that I had, Coco Real, was really thick and really sweet.  The first time I made the drink, without adding water, it was almost unbearably sweet as well as really syrupy.  I started again, using equal parts Coco Real to water, and it turned out much better.  I used 2 oz. of both, but if you prefer a stronger alcohol taste, just use 1 oz. of both!  Or, with a different brand this might not even be necessary.  Be aware of the product you are using.


This drink would also be really good as a slush.  If you do this, don't add the water with the cream of coconut, and just blend it up with some ice.  Olaf won't even appear quite as melted!




Check out my other Disney cocktail recipes: Aurora in the CloudsThe Enchanted RoseI Just Can't Wait to Be Lion King


What movie would you like to see me base my next drink on?  Let me know in the comments!





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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013 (and Frozen!)

Hey readers!

While I'm still in the process of getting this blog up and running, I've been trying to post what I feel is crucial information rather quickly.

BUT since I haven't posted in a over a week, I felt like I wanted to give you some updates about MY life.  (Now: everyone pretend to care!)

Last week was Thanksgiving here in the States, so I had a few days off from college which I used to go home and visit my family and boyfriend.

My vacation began with mom and I decorating the Christmas tree (trying to get some of the decorating out of the way before Thanksgiving passed and we became too busy to really enjoy it).  I never really noticed before how many of our ornaments are Disney, but mom and I laughed about the way that she raised me to be the Disney lover that I am, consciously or not.
Look reallllly closely and you can see my bee Mickey ear ornament I got this past spring on my latest Disney trip.

Naturally, being the Disney lover that I am, I had to go see Frozen that day, since it was the day it came out!  It was so fantastic!!  If you haven't seen it yet, please go.  The animation was magical, the songs are super catchy, and it has the perfect mixture of romance, adventure, and comedy.  As most Disney movies are, it really is perfect for anyone.  Even boyfriend enjoyed it (proof to follow).
The sad little frozen tree outside my house...if only Elsa was around to fix it.

The best part though, was that because Frozen is set in Norway, I was able to convince boyfriend to agree to go to Akershus during our coming Disney vacation this spring (Disney spring break, second year in a row? No shame).  I used the excuse that dining with the princesses would mean not waiting in line for them later, and thus more time doing other things.  Did he buy it or did he just want to make me happy?  Debatable, but I'm not complaining!

Thanksgiving came and went, I spent lots of time with family, ate lots of food, and went shopping (did not spend lots of money, though, thanks to scouting Black Friday deals!)  It was a great, mostly relaxing time, just what I needed during a hectic semester at school.

Saturday marked the 100 days until our trip to Disney this spring, which meant I could officially start a countdown!  I personalized our magic bands, and changed our reservations in Epcot in celebration.

Then Sunday, I had to return to school (finals approach rapidly).  Boyfriend drove me back, and we listened to the songs from Frozen 4 times over the 4 hour car trip.  At least twice HE turned them on, not me.  And he sang along, allowing us to duet "Love is an Open Door."  I was just impressed he knew most of the words!
Meet my chauffeur! (aka boyfriend).  Isn't he cute?

At college, I work at one of the libraries, and helped develop the theme for the poster/book display/etc. for this semesters finals.  We decided on a "Winter Wonderland" theme.  It wasn't my idea, but when it was suggested, did I think of Frozen?
Yes, yes I did.
So paper snowflake making quickly ensued!
Not a bad start!  Again, I think we need Elsa around to really spruce the place up, but we'll make our own magic the best we can!

So as I work on final papers and studying for tests, I will continue to surround myself with all things Disney as I always so.
  • "Frozen" decor at work? Check.
  • Soundtrack (with instrumentals) to listen to while I study? Check.
  • Mini Mickey snowglobe under my baby tree on my desk? Check.
  • This blog as well as planning my own vacation to distract me every 10 minutes (because what are finals without a little procrastination??) Check!

To those like me with finals ahead, best of luck!
To everyone, good luck preparing for the holidays!

And to those who celebrated them:
Happy (late) Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukkah!