Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Cooking up a book trailer and some Moonlight Madness!



Okay, so I caught the book trailer bug.
Mostly, because my friend Cathy posted a picture
on facebook of her stint as the white witch from the
play version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
and every time I saw it, it made me laugh -- out
loud! She must have done a good job, because a
little girl saw her after the play and came up
and kicked her. Okay, I'm laughing again!


Anyhoo, when I was kicking around the idea of a book trailer
for SPRINKLE WITH MURDER, I knew I had to use that
photo of Cathy as my bridezilla. For those of you who
have already read SPRINKLE, you know who I'm talking
about. For those of you who haven't, check out the
trailer, if Cathy doesn't sell you on this character,
nothing will!


So without further ado, sit back and enjoy the first You Tube posting
by cpcksrmrdr (cupcakes are murder). That's my You Tube handle, dig it?






Is she perfect or what? Now you probably noticed the opening shot of the cupcake
in the
video. This is one of my favorites. It is Mel's Moonlight Madness Cupcake
and it's mentioned in SPRINKLE WITH MURDER, but I didn't include
a recipe in that book. It will be in the upcoming BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF
(January 2011), but for those of
you who can't wait, I'm giving a sneak preview here.




Moonlight Madness Cupcakes:
A chocolate cupcake with vanilla
buttercream frosting rolled in shredded
coconut and topped with an unwrapped
Hersey’s Kiss.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup water, warm
1 bag shredded coconut, sweetened
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar,
baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, extract and water.
Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, scraping the sides of
the bowl as needed. Scoop into paper lined cupcake pans and bake for 20 minutes,
until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes 18.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 tspn vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 tbspns milk, or whipping cream

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides of bowl often. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. For best results, keep icing in refrigerator when not in use. This icing can be stored up to 2 weeks. Rewhip before using. Makes 3 cups of icing.
To finish the Moonlight Madness Cupcakes, spread a generous amount of the vanilla
buttercream frosting on top of the cupcake with a rubber spatula, then roll the top of
the cupcake in a bowl of shredded coconut before the frosting dries so the coconut
will adhere to the frosting. Top with an unwrapped Hersey’s Kiss.


Jenn McKinlay ~
Sprinkle With Murder ~
Buttercream Bump Off
also writing as:
Lucy Lawrence ~ Stuck on Murder ~ Cut to the Corpse



18 comments:

  1. I loved the video too cute. I like watching it. Thank you for sharing the recipe for the cupcakes will have to make these this weekend for everyone if I can wait that long. They look so good.
    The World of Book Reviews

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  2. OK, of course, loved the video... BUT

    what did you use to make the blood come out of the cupcake???

    I want to make these (with the knife sticking out) for an upcoming poker party. I am thinking a raspberry sauce, instead of colored thin icing. Any thoughts?

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  4. I loved the trailer!! And I am going to be making these cupcakes very soon. I don't know anyone who wouldn't love them. Thanks!!

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  5. Love the trailer, Jenn! Absolutely great! And now I have a huge craving for chocolate cupcakes. Thanks a lot!! *grin*

    Julie

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  6. Jenn! You hit a double header today. LOVE the trailer and the cupcakes are going to be very popular - they're adorable.

    MJ

    Charlotte Adams mysteries

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  7. The trailer was fun! Bridezilla outrageous. And the cupcakes sound delish! ~Avery

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  8. Thanks, all. Probably had more fun (read spent too much writing time) on it than I should have, but what the heck?

    Dave, I love the raspberry sauce idea, but I decided to actually sacrifice this cupcake (sad but true) and used honey and red food coloring.

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  9. What a fun trailer! and the cupcakes are definitely to die for!

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  10. I've had these cupcakes and they are FABULOUS! Like the cupcake version of my favorite Mounds candy bar.Love the trailer!

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  11. Loved the trailer and the cupcakes looks delicious and easy to make.

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  12. Jenn, I love your trailer - *especially* the bridezilla, lol! Your Moonlight Madness Cupcakes look amazing, too. I really get a kick out of the names that you give to your cupcakes. The SPRINKLE WITH MURDER selection was so much fun. Can't wait to see what Mel and Angie bake up in BUTTERCREAM BUMPOFF -- and how they solve the bumping off! :)

    Have a great day,
    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  13. The trailer was great. The book was terrific! How Tate could have even fallen for that witch, I'll never know. I can't wait for Buttercream Bumpoff.

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  14. Pass the cupcakes, please! Oh, yum!

    Jenn, I can't get the video to work. Do you think you could give us the link?

    ~ Krista

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  15. Okay, so I just noticed that I wrote "Reader's"
    in the end quotes instead of "Readers" -- this is evidence as to why the world (okay, my world) needs editors!!!

    Krista, here's the link:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2glPfJxicM

    OIY!

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  16. Thanks, Jenn! Love the trailer. Boy, that honey and food coloring is very realistic!

    Dave, have you considered using raspberry or cherry jam?

    ~ Krista

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  17. That video is amazing! Love it! And she makes the perfect Bridezilla. :) And I think I could handle some Moonlight Madness cupcakes...mmm.

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