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Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting: I have been getting quite a few requests for these cupcakes so I decided to make them as homemade Valentines day gifts. I have been baking since my mom started to teach me at the age of three. I love baking during the holidays and what better for Valentines day then chocolate?  I have a few recipes for chocolate cake to make from scratch that can be used for cupcakes, or ice cream cake, or any other party cake. But, the most delicious chocolate cake - the one I get the most requests for - comes from a box. Duncan Hines is hands down the best of the box mixes, (unless we are talking brownies, then I prefer Ghirardelli). Betty Crocker is not as good. Seriously, I tried it again recently and my hubby even noticed the difference. It was still good but just didn’t have that wow factor. When I make these I don’t make them straight from the recipe on the box. Instead I make a few tweaks and adjustments.  Here are my secrets: What you will need: Duncan Hines Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix Chocolate instant pudding mix 1/2 cup, or one stick, of Salted Butter 8oz container of sour cream 8oz of dark or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped into pieces. (Bar chocolate is a higher quality than chips) For the Cream Cheese Frosting (if you like to pile high the frosting double this recipe): 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp 1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temp 3 cups of powdered sugar (or more or less to taste), sifted 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice 1 tsp of vanilla extract To Begin: Start by reading the baking directions on the box and preheat the oven. Prep your cupcake tins with papers or grease and flour your cake pan or form. Follow the directions on the side of the box to make the recipe for pound cake. Instead of using oil use salted butter. Brown the salted butter in a pan. Browning the butter gives a richer taste. You don’t want to burn the butter, just cook it until it is browned and set aside to cool down a bit. Beat the eggs together, then add the water and the cooled butter. Add the cake mix and instant pudding and mix well. Add 8oz of sour cream for a cake, or 6oz for cup cakes (just leave a spoon full or two in the 8oz container so you don’t quite use it all to keep the cupcakes from being too heavy.) Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and delicious. Once that is mixed well add the chopped chocolate Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins. Put the cupcakes in the oven to bake turning them half way through to help them bake evenly. Make sure you don’t over cook your cupcakes. Burnt chocolate is not good. My mom taught me that once you start to smell them then they are almost done. The tops should slightly spring back when you touch them but still be a bit wobbly - but not liquidy. To make the cream cheese frosting: Beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Little by little add the powdered sugar until the desired sweetness Add the lemon and vanilla and combine well. Tint and color the frosting if you want, though cream cheese frosting is usually kept white. I couldn’t resist adding some color this time to make them festive. I also found some large heart sprinkles at Micheal’s that worked to make these look extra “Valentiney”. I like to Frost the cupcakes with the back side of a small table spoon. Once these were done I boxed them up into cupcake boxes I found in the cupcake isle at Micheal’s and tied simple twine around the boxes as a bow. I love the rustic and simple look of the twine. It adds texture and has a simple appeal that I love. Hope you try these and love them as much as I do. Be happy and Think Periwinkle! Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting: I have been getting quite a few requests for these cupcakes so I decided to make them as homemade Valentines day gifts. I have been baking since my mom started to teach me at the age of three. I love baking during the holidays and what better for Valentines day then chocolate?  I have a few recipes for chocolate cake to make from scratch that can be used for cupcakes, or ice cream cake, or any other party cake. But, the most delicious chocolate cake - the one I get the most requests for - comes from a box. Duncan Hines is hands down the best of the box mixes, (unless we are talking brownies, then I prefer Ghirardelli). Betty Crocker is not as good. Seriously, I tried it again recently and my hubby even noticed the difference. It was still good but just didn’t have that wow factor. When I make these I don’t make them straight from the recipe on the box. Instead I make a few tweaks and adjustments.  Here are my secrets: What you will need: Duncan Hines Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix Chocolate instant pudding mix 1/2 cup, or one stick, of Salted Butter 8oz container of sour cream 8oz of dark or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped into pieces. (Bar chocolate is a higher quality than chips) For the Cream Cheese Frosting (if you like to pile high the frosting double this recipe): 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp 1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temp 3 cups of powdered sugar (or more or less to taste), sifted 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice 1 tsp of vanilla extract To Begin: Start by reading the baking directions on the box and preheat the oven. Prep your cupcake tins with papers or grease and flour your cake pan or form. Follow the directions on the side of the box to make the recipe for pound cake. Instead of using oil use salted butter. Brown the salted butter in a pan. Browning the butter gives a richer taste. You don’t want to burn the butter, just cook it until it is browned and set aside to cool down a bit. Beat the eggs together, then add the water and the cooled butter. Add the cake mix and instant pudding and mix well. Add 8oz of sour cream for a cake, or 6oz for cup cakes (just leave a spoon full or two in the 8oz container so you don’t quite use it all to keep the cupcakes from being too heavy.) Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and delicious. Once that is mixed well add the chopped chocolate Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins. Put the cupcakes in the oven to bake turning them half way through to help them bake evenly. Make sure you don’t over cook your cupcakes. Burnt chocolate is not good. My mom taught me that once you start to smell them then they are almost done. The tops should slightly spring back when you touch them but still be a bit wobbly - but not liquidy. To make the cream cheese frosting: Beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Little by little add the powdered sugar until the desired sweetness Add the lemon and vanilla and combine well. Tint and color the frosting if you want, though cream cheese frosting is usually kept white. I couldn’t resist adding some color this time to make them festive. I also found some large heart sprinkles at Micheal’s that worked to make these look extra “Valentiney”. I like to Frost the cupcakes with the back side of a small table spoon. Once these were done I boxed them up into cupcake boxes I found in the cupcake isle at Micheal’s and tied simple twine around the boxes as a bow. I love the rustic and simple look of the twine. It adds texture and has a simple appeal that I love. Hope you try these and love them as much as I do. Be happy and Think Periwinkle! Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting: I have been getting quite a few requests for these cupcakes so I decided to make them as homemade Valentines day gifts. I have been baking since my mom started to teach me at the age of three. I love baking during the holidays and what better for Valentines day then chocolate?  I have a few recipes for chocolate cake to make from scratch that can be used for cupcakes, or ice cream cake, or any other party cake. But, the most delicious chocolate cake - the one I get the most requests for - comes from a box. Duncan Hines is hands down the best of the box mixes, (unless we are talking brownies, then I prefer Ghirardelli). Betty Crocker is not as good. Seriously, I tried it again recently and my hubby even noticed the difference. It was still good but just didn’t have that wow factor. When I make these I don’t make them straight from the recipe on the box. Instead I make a few tweaks and adjustments.  Here are my secrets: What you will need: Duncan Hines Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix Chocolate instant pudding mix 1/2 cup, or one stick, of Salted Butter 8oz container of sour cream 8oz of dark or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped into pieces. (Bar chocolate is a higher quality than chips) For the Cream Cheese Frosting (if you like to pile high the frosting double this recipe): 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp 1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temp 3 cups of powdered sugar (or more or less to taste), sifted 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice 1 tsp of vanilla extract To Begin: Start by reading the baking directions on the box and preheat the oven. Prep your cupcake tins with papers or grease and flour your cake pan or form. Follow the directions on the side of the box to make the recipe for pound cake. Instead of using oil use salted butter. Brown the salted butter in a pan. Browning the butter gives a richer taste. You don’t want to burn the butter, just cook it until it is browned and set aside to cool down a bit. Beat the eggs together, then add the water and the cooled butter. Add the cake mix and instant pudding and mix well. Add 8oz of sour cream for a cake, or 6oz for cup cakes (just leave a spoon full or two in the 8oz container so you don’t quite use it all to keep the cupcakes from being too heavy.) Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and delicious. Once that is mixed well add the chopped chocolate Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins. Put the cupcakes in the oven to bake turning them half way through to help them bake evenly. Make sure you don’t over cook your cupcakes. Burnt chocolate is not good. My mom taught me that once you start to smell them then they are almost done. The tops should slightly spring back when you touch them but still be a bit wobbly - but not liquidy. To make the cream cheese frosting: Beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Little by little add the powdered sugar until the desired sweetness Add the lemon and vanilla and combine well. Tint and color the frosting if you want, though cream cheese frosting is usually kept white. I couldn’t resist adding some color this time to make them festive. I also found some large heart sprinkles at Micheal’s that worked to make these look extra “Valentiney”. I like to Frost the cupcakes with the back side of a small table spoon. Once these were done I boxed them up into cupcake boxes I found in the cupcake isle at Micheal’s and tied simple twine around the boxes as a bow. I love the rustic and simple look of the twine. It adds texture and has a simple appeal that I love. Hope you try these and love them as much as I do. Be happy and Think Periwinkle! Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting: I have been getting quite a few requests for these cupcakes so I decided to make them as homemade Valentines day gifts. I have been baking since my mom started to teach me at the age of three. I love baking during the holidays and what better for Valentines day then chocolate?  I have a few recipes for chocolate cake to make from scratch that can be used for cupcakes, or ice cream cake, or any other party cake. But, the most delicious chocolate cake - the one I get the most requests for - comes from a box. Duncan Hines is hands down the best of the box mixes, (unless we are talking brownies, then I prefer Ghirardelli). Betty Crocker is not as good. Seriously, I tried it again recently and my hubby even noticed the difference. It was still good but just didn’t have that wow factor. When I make these I don’t make them straight from the recipe on the box. Instead I make a few tweaks and adjustments.  Here are my secrets: What you will need: Duncan Hines Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix Chocolate instant pudding mix 1/2 cup, or one stick, of Salted Butter 8oz container of sour cream 8oz of dark or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped into pieces. (Bar chocolate is a higher quality than chips) For the Cream Cheese Frosting (if you like to pile high the frosting double this recipe): 1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp 1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temp 3 cups of powdered sugar (or more or less to taste), sifted 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice 1 tsp of vanilla extract To Begin: Start by reading the baking directions on the box and preheat the oven. Prep your cupcake tins with papers or grease and flour your cake pan or form. Follow the directions on the side of the box to make the recipe for pound cake. Instead of using oil use salted butter. Brown the salted butter in a pan. Browning the butter gives a richer taste. You don’t want to burn the butter, just cook it until it is browned and set aside to cool down a bit. Beat the eggs together, then add the water and the cooled butter. Add the cake mix and instant pudding and mix well. Add 8oz of sour cream for a cake, or 6oz for cup cakes (just leave a spoon full or two in the 8oz container so you don’t quite use it all to keep the cupcakes from being too heavy.) Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and delicious. Once that is mixed well add the chopped chocolate Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins. Put the cupcakes in the oven to bake turning them half way through to help them bake evenly. Make sure you don’t over cook your cupcakes. Burnt chocolate is not good. My mom taught me that once you start to smell them then they are almost done. The tops should slightly spring back when you touch them but still be a bit wobbly - but not liquidy. To make the cream cheese frosting: Beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Little by little add the powdered sugar until the desired sweetness Add the lemon and vanilla and combine well. Tint and color the frosting if you want, though cream cheese frosting is usually kept white. I couldn’t resist adding some color this time to make them festive. I also found some large heart sprinkles at Micheal’s that worked to make these look extra “Valentiney”. I like to Frost the cupcakes with the back side of a small table spoon. Once these were done I boxed them up into cupcake boxes I found in the cupcake isle at Micheal’s and tied simple twine around the boxes as a bow. I love the rustic and simple look of the twine. It adds texture and has a simple appeal that I love. Hope you try these and love them as much as I do. Be happy and Think Periwinkle!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting: I have been getting quite a few requests for these cupcakes so I decided to make them as homemade Valentines day gifts. I have been baking since my mom started to teach me at the age of three. I love baking during the holidays and what better for Valentines day then chocolate?  I have a few recipes for chocolate cake to make from scratch that can be used for cupcakes, or ice cream cake, or any other party cake. But, the most delicious chocolate cake - the one I get the most requests for - comes from a box. Duncan Hines is hands down the best of the box mixes, (unless we are talking brownies, then I prefer Ghirardelli). Betty Crocker is not as good. Seriously, I tried it again recently and my hubby even noticed the difference. It was still good but just didn’t have that wow factor. When I make these I don’t make them straight from the recipe on the box. Instead I make a few tweaks and adjustments. 

Here are my secrets:

What you will need:

Duncan Hines Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix

Chocolate instant pudding mix

1/2 cup, or one stick, of Salted Butter

8oz container of sour cream

8oz of dark or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped into pieces. (Bar chocolate is a higher quality than chips)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting (if you like to pile high the frosting double this recipe):

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temp

1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temp

3 cups of powdered sugar (or more or less to taste), sifted

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tsp of vanilla extract

To Begin:

Start by reading the baking directions on the box and preheat the oven.

Prep your cupcake tins with papers or grease and flour your cake pan or form.

Follow the directions on the side of the box to make the recipe for pound cake.

Instead of using oil use salted butter. Brown the salted butter in a pan. Browning the butter gives a richer taste. You don’t want to burn the butter, just cook it until it is browned and set aside to cool down a bit.

Beat the eggs together, then add the water and the cooled butter.

Add the cake mix and instant pudding and mix well.

Add 8oz of sour cream for a cake, or 6oz for cup cakes (just leave a spoon full or two in the 8oz container so you don’t quite use it all to keep the cupcakes from being too heavy.) Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and delicious.

Once that is mixed well add the chopped chocolate

Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins.

Put the cupcakes in the oven to bake turning them half way through to help them bake evenly.

Make sure you don’t over cook your cupcakes. Burnt chocolate is not good. My mom taught me that once you start to smell them then they are almost done. The tops should slightly spring back when you touch them but still be a bit wobbly - but not liquidy.

To make the cream cheese frosting:

Beat together the butter and the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Little by little add the powdered sugar until the desired sweetness

Add the lemon and vanilla and combine well.

Tint and color the frosting if you want, though cream cheese frosting is usually kept white. I couldn’t resist adding some color this time to make them festive. I also found some large heart sprinkles at Micheal’s that worked to make these look extra “Valentiney”.

I like to Frost the cupcakes with the back side of a small table spoon.

Once these were done I boxed them up into cupcake boxes I found in the cupcake isle at Micheal’s and tied simple twine around the boxes as a bow. I love the rustic and simple look of the twine. It adds texture and has a simple appeal that I love.

Hope you try these and love them as much as I do.

Be happy and Think Periwinkle!

Chocolate cupcakes
chocolatecupcakes
ValentinesDay
ValentinesDayCupcakes
DuncanHines
Michael's
Twine
ribbon
best cup cake recipe
cream cheese frosting
chocolatecupcakewithcreamcheesefrostingrecipe
chocolatecupcakewithcreamcheesefrosting
heartsprinkles
hearts
Periwinkle
ThinkPeriwinkle
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Yesterday my husband and I filmed a music video for our YouTube channel, SteamyintheCity. (Tomorrow and Saturday we film Justine! Hurray!) So this morning my hubby was hungry and ready to get to editing. Since I knew we would both be busy and working today I wanted to make a breakfast that was both quick and festive. Earlier in the month I saw in Martha Stewart Living Magazine this creative suggestion and decided to try it out. I used a heart shape cookie cutter to cut the center out, placed the bread in the frying pan with a little all-natural butter, then carefully cracked an organic free range egg into the center and let it cook to a perfect sunny side up  and… Walla! A yummy and festive breakfast. He loved it.

Yesterday my husband and I filmed a music video for our YouTube channel, SteamyintheCity. (Tomorrow and Saturday we film Justine! Hurray!) So this morning my hubby was hungry and ready to get to editing. Since I knew we would both be busy and working today I wanted to make a breakfast that was both quick and festive. Earlier in the month I saw in Martha Stewart Living Magazine this creative suggestion and decided to try it out. I used a heart shape cookie cutter to cut the center out, placed the bread in the frying pan with a little all-natural butter, then carefully cracked an organic free range egg into the center and let it cook to a perfect sunny side up  and… Walla! A yummy and festive breakfast. He loved it.

breakfastideas
MarthaStewartLiving
valentines day
Valentines day ideas
Food
foodporn
Periwinkle
ThinkPeriwinkle
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Valentines day was a busy day this year. So much going on. But not too much that there wasn’t time to tell a few important people in my life that I love them. With flowers. I love these multicolored tulips (and I love Trader Joe’s for always having such a pretty assortment to choose from). Perfect for a friendly Valentine. I gave these to my mom…She loves to get flowers, and what girl doesn’t?

Valentines day was a busy day this year. So much going on. But not too much that there wasn’t time to tell a few important people in my life that I love them. With flowers. I love these multicolored tulips (and I love Trader Joe’s for always having such a pretty assortment to choose from). Perfect for a friendly Valentine. I gave these to my mom…She loves to get flowers, and what girl doesn’t?

tulips
multicolored tulips
flowers
valentines day
pink flowers
ThinkPeriwinkle
Think Periwinkle
Periwinkle
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Hi. We are Periwinkle

Hello there! We are Justine and Kristina, and thought we’d tell you a little about our blog, Periwinkle.

Justine: I’m a singer/songwriter, seventeen, and have had multiple failed attempts at style blogs in the past. I’ve always loved beautiful things and am obsessed with blogs that share them, but when it came to keeping up one of my own, I could never hold myself accountable! I met Kristina through our mutual friend, Tommy, and when we came up with the idea of starting a blog together, I had a feeling it would have much more longevity and be even more fun! I’m so ready for this new Internet journey. I will now turn over the metaphorical mic to the lovely Kristina…

Kristina: I am a photographer, stylist, people lover, cake eater, and, like Justine, admirer of all things beautiful in life. Inspiration is everywhere and joy can come from the smallest of things. This blog is a way to capture those small moments, share beauty, ideas and the things that interest Justine and I. Justine has a style and eye that is beautiful and I am excited to photograph her expression of these things and her personal style. I, along with the talented collective of SteamyintheCity YouTube channel are so happy to know Justine and to be working with her to make new videos of her beautiful voice and talent. Hopefully we will be sharing the videos here as a part of our lifestyle blog, since music is a big part of our life.


With our shared love of delicious dishes both savory and sweet (but mostly sweet!) and our penchant for styling clothes and makeup (plus Kristina’s kick-butt photography skillz), it was kind of a no-brainer to start a lifestyle blog together! When we sat down to discuss the idea, we were both drawn toward a single word:

periwinkle.

For us, periwinkle was not just the color of an underrated Crayola crayon- it was a state of mind. Periwinkle suggested magic and dreaminess and adventure. The very word itself seemed to, well, twinkle!

This blog is documenting our mission to lead periwinkle lives, and hopefully it’ll put some periwinkle into your life too!

Stay tuned for more…

Be happy. Think Periwinkle.

-Kristina and Justine