sometimes there are no words…
and we are struck by the harsh contrast of all that is starkly splendid
and we seek solace in this place…
lost in our wonders and why pleading words
and if we’re quiet, in the stillness there is an answer
“be of love, a little more careful than of anything” ee cummings
♥
we may find a petal to quell our longing tears,
and hold steadfast the bleeding heart
“at the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet” plato
♥
we may find respite through poetic words
or move our hands through mute artful distraction
and still
we contemplate helpless circumstance..
and memories
♥
pause, deep inhale… and remember that
love
“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
1 corinthians 13
♥
“being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage” lao tzu
“for love is immortality”
judy garland
♥
Dedicated to the most loving couple I know..
married one year before and the day after our big day
Happy 22nd Anniversary
Phil and Jennifer
your love is an inspiration to us all…
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Strawberry Cream Cupcakes
2013-04-08 20:16:51
3 cups cake flour, (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
8 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line 24 muffin pan cups with paper liners and 24 mini-muffin pan.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes) scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla.
Turn the mixer down to a low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Then beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
Clean out your mixing bowl to reuse with the whisk attachment. Add the egg whites and beat on low until they begin to foam. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and then turn to high. Beat until eggs and sugar form stiff glossy peaks (about 3-4 minutes).
Gently fold 1/3 of the egg-white mixture into the butter and flour mixture until they are combined. Continue to fold in the remaining egg-white mixture.
Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each with approximately 1/4 cup batter for the larger cupcakes and 1/8 cup batter for the mini-cupcakes.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean about 20 to 25. Check earlier for the mini-cupcakes.
Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool. When able to handle, remove cupcakes from the pans and place on the wire rack to finishing cooling.
Frost cupcakes with Strawberry Angel Feather Icing. Cupcakes may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Just a Smidgen http://justasmidgen.com/
Strawberry Angel Feather Icing
2013-04-08 20:18:12
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons of water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used almond flavoring)
1/4 cup strawberry jam (or more to taste)
Put everything except the vanilla and strawberry jam into the top of a double boiler (or in a large metal wide-mouthed mixing bowl) with simmering water beneath. Start beating immediately with a hand-held electric mixer or hand-held egg-beater until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
Remove from heat, add flavoring, and keep on beating. Stir in jam. The mixture should be
quite soft. Allow the mixture to cool. *Note: my jam was homemade and quite runny. If your icing is too soft to “flow”, try adding little teaspoonfuls of milk/cream and stir until you get the desired texture.
Spread over the tops of cupcakes, pushing icing to the edges of the cupcake liner to fill
completely.
Just a Smidgen http://justasmidgen.com/
Like this:
Like Loading...
.png)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
by Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
An absolutely exquisite post, beautiful in every detail. Happy Anniversary, Smidge and many more years of growing together, in love!! xx
Happy anniversary to you and to your friends, Smidge! The cupcakes look lovely, and the quotes are beautiful.
Happy Anniversary my friend – celebration of friends and cupcakes is unbeatable
Cheers
CCU
Lovely photos, Smidge! And the little cupcakes are exquisite, too.
Everything is so beautiful…the words, the thoughts, the photos, the cakes. Congrats to your pals! And congrats to you too presumably!
What a beautiful and loving post. Happy anniversary to you, too.
The cupcakes look so pretty.
Happy Anniversary! Lovely pictures!
Happy anniversary! How beautiful.
What a lovely post, Smidge. Happy Anniversary to your lovely friends. The cupcakes are absolutely gorgeous. Glad to see your weather has warmed enough for your beautiful blooms.
I want to wrap this post up in a big warm hug! Just gorgeous Smidge.
Mandy
Happy anniversary to your friends and to you and your hubby.
What a wonderful way to commemorate your friends’ anniversary! I hope yours was a happy one, too, Barb. Your photos are really quite beautiful, too. This is just an exceptional post.
Your photos are beautiful! Happy Anniversary to you and your friends!
Wow. That second flower image and the first one of your beautiful cupcakes just about knocked me off my chair. The icing on the cupcakes perfectly mirrors the porcelain of the dish…or at least it looks like porcelain. What a lovely post and a lovely way to celebrate an anniversary. Happy, happy to you all.
How loving and lovely! Happy anniversaries to you and to your friends. Marriage and commitment done well should always be celebrated…and the cupcakes, as gorgeous as they are, would be a great way to begin!
Debra
The cupcakes look poetic and the flowers beautiful. Happy anniversaries! xo
What beautiful words – for lost words! Congrats to you all on your anniversaries!! (gorgeous cupcakes, too, m’dear!)
Happy anniversary… and what a brilliant feast!
What a wonderful tribute to your friends and celebration of your own love. Quite beautiful, Smidge. Belated anniversary wishes!
So beautiful… So romantic too…
My best wishes too, Thank you dear Barbara, love, nia
A touching post, and the cupcakes look divine. A lively way to celebrate your friends’ anniversary, and your own. Happy wishes!
What lovely anniversary cupcakes! Here’s to the next 22 years!
Gorgeous images.
I love that strawberry feather icing – it’s so glossy and perfectly smooth. I must try it! And what a beautiful congrats message to your friends on their anniversary! They would be so thrilled at your lovely words. xx
Beautiful Flowers and Delicious Cupcakes too – love it:) Have a Great Day!
What a beautiful post Smidge. Happy Anniversary to your friends – and to you! Our anniversary was the 24th.
June weddings. Loved the quotes especially. So touching.
I need to get a lickable screen! that frosting looks amazing
Love the peonies and the iris. The quotes were so insightful + touching. You brought me peace this morning, and made my heart tender towards my own husband. Thank you.
a gorgeous dedication to love Smidge. Reading the words and enjoying the photos makes me feel all Angel and Feathery just like the icing on the cake!
Beautiful post, Smidge…thank you! x
Happy anniversary to you and your friends Smidge !
I think you are so right ‘if we are quite in the stillness there is an answer’ – thanks for reminding me. xo
Stunning flowers, stunning cupcakes. I can see where you get your inspiration from!
Gorgeous, all of it!
Thank you so much, spree:) xoxo
Thanks Sam, they’ll appreciate your wishes:)
Phil always joked that having ours the day before was a handy reminder;)
We had a lovely weekend, the sun keeps struggling to stay out.. whenever it does we all run outside to bask:)
What a great metaphor:) xx
The flowers were sooo soggy… that they ended up being very pretty when photographed. I love when something accidental like this happens:D
Woah! Now don’t go hurting yourself, lol! I hadn’t noticed, but they did have the same shine, thank you for pointing that out:)
It’s hard to believe it’s been so many years.. Dave and I were dating when our friends got married.. and *flash* here we are so much later…
Thanks, Kammie!
Thank you Courtney, I really enjoyed writing this one..
Thanks so much! I’ve been rushing about so much this June, I can’t wait now that summer’s officially started.. I get to read everyone’s blogs and write at leisure!
Thank you.. it is meant to convey a message of love and support for my friends… xoxo
Yes… many more anniversaries we hope xoxo
I hope they are, Charlie.. it is difficult to write in a more directly personal style.. you do it so naturally!
Awwww.. How many years for you? Happy Anniversary!! xoxo
Hahahaha.. Tandy, you’re onto something.. at least “scratch and sniff” would help us bloggers, wouldn’t it? Btw, I like your new “gravatar” photo!!
Isn’t it amazing how powerful it is to read each others’ words? I’m often shifted in perspective and feel so fortunate to be a part of this group… xoxo You’re welcome:)
Claire.. I suspect you’re always Angel and Feathery:)
It’s seems so for me, when I stop trying to rationalize and resolve and “fix”.. the answer just pops into my mind..
Thanks for visiting and your sweet words:D
Thank you, Korena:)
You’re so welcome, celia xxx
Thanks, Carolyn xoxo
xoxo Glad you loved it! xoxo I hope you’ve had an awesome day!
You’re so sweet, nia, thank you for visiting and always writing such positive notes for me to read, I always look forward to your words… xoxo Smidge
Thanks!
I’m sure they’ll read your comment:) Thanks!
The cake portion was quite lovely and the icing was a nice texture.. just a little sticky.. xoxo Smidge
Well… the addition of chocolate might have been nice as well;)
So glad you’ve stopped by and enjoyed!!
Thanks so much! xxxooo
It was such a sopping wet, drizzly day.. I’m glad they worked!
Gorgeous! Happy Anniversary. Rx
Beautiful, all of it!
What a sweet, sweet post. Pun intended of course. The strawberry cupcake looks so ethereal and are simply romantic. Your friends are lucky.
Thanks for a timely reminder and a sumptuous recipe, Smidge…
I love the strawberry icing, it looks yummy! Beautiful pictures.
I’m definitely lost in words!
“…and if we’re quiet, in the stillness there is an answer”
beautiful Smidge, just beautiful.
Exquisite. An extraordinary love letter, with the delicious addition of those enticing cupcakes! I think the combination of strawberry and almond would be almost too perfect to take in these treats. *Almost*.
xo
Beautiful post.
Truly beautiful, those flowers are heavenly and your cupcakes and the giddy icing, always a weakness of mine.
Beautiful floral photos. I’m into the gardening thing so I like those. As for the cupcakes, your cooking always makes me hungry – looks so good. Wish you live nearby! Jack
This is so beautiful … love the combination with cakes and flowers – you should work as food stylist.