Howdy!!! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was busy yet happy: my daughter, Hannah, turned 8! Of course, she just had to have a birthday party — with FROZEN CUPCAKES and everything FROZEN related, of course! 🙂
I mean… I made CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES from scratch about 5 days ahead… A day or two before the party, I intended to thaw them out, frost them with homemade MARSHMALLOW FROSTING, and then beautifully decorate them — but I couldn’t. 🙁 This frustrated me a lot!!! If you have ever gone through a house-selling process, with showings while you are still occupying the home, you will know exactly what I am talking about…. One has to present the house like a model home. My house is huge and demands time to make it presentable. My schedule was already full, and then got even fuller with showings. It got to the point that I had to order a cake for my daughter from somewhere else. 🙁
She had a fun party at the place of her choice, with her friends and family present, eating all of the stuff that she really enjoys…
… But still, the chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow frosting (a.k.a. Frozen cupcakes) that I made from scratch with love for her were not there. Although she was very understanding — which I am grateful for, she made me promise that during the upcoming week I would frost and decorate some of her FROZEN CUPCAKES so that she could enjoy them…
I could not deny such a lovely wish… And not only this… I am sharing her FROZEN CUPCAKES with you, as well as some nice party ideas for a FROZEN themed party!!!
Have fun!
Frozen Cupcakes
Ingredients
- For the Chocolate Cupcake Batter:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder
- ¼ cup Nutella
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup water
- For the Marshmallow Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 jars of marshmallow creme 7- ounce
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
- Prepare the chocolate cupcake batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Beat in vanilla and Nutella. In a separate bowl, combine together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in flour mixture at low speed into the creamed butter-sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk and water, beating well after each addition.
- Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place pans on a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely.
- For the marshmallow frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Beat in both the vanilla and marshmallow creme. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sifted powdered sugar and then the salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cream and beat to combine. Then, on high speed, beat frosting until it is light and fluffy (approximately 3-5 minutes). Add more cream or powdered sugar if necessary to get the right piping consistency.
- Open a medium hole (starting from the top to the middle -- don't go all the way to the bottom) in the center of each cupcake and fill/pipe in a good amount of marshmallow frosting. Using a star tip or other of your preference, pipe marshmallow frosting on top and decorate FROZEN cupcakes as desired. I used edible sterling pearl blue bell dust on top of the snowflakes, as well as metallic dragees on top of the frosting. WATCH this SHORT VIDEO to learn how to mold the gumpaste/fondant snowflakes.
Recipe Notes
FROZEN CUPCAKES by From Brazil To You SNOWBALLS (or Coconut Kisses) by From Brazil To You SVEN POOP (or Brigadeiros) by From Brazil To You (Use cocoa powder instead of chocolate sprinkles) OLAF JELLO by Kara’s Party Ideas OLAF’S KIT-KAT CAKE (VIDEO) by Cakes by ChoppA SNOWBALL MARSHMALLOW POPS by Thrifty DIY Diva ROCKY CANDY LOLLIPOPS by Manu’s Menu OLAF DIY KIT by Manu’s Menu BLUE PARTY PUNCH WITH SNOWBALLS by Comfy in the Kitchen TROLL COOKIES by Manu’s Menu OLAF’S NOSES by Bubbly Nature Creations FROZEN HEARTS by eHow
Kate @ ¡Hola! Jalapeño says
We too had a Frozen birthday party this year (basically required if you have a little girl, right?!) Your daughter is beautiful and looks like she had a great party! Those cupcakes are keepers!!
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Kate!!! Yes… All girls are into Frozen nowadays. I cannot blame them because it is a beautiful movie. 🙂
SallyBR says
Lovely photos, what a sweet Birthday celebration!
You are so creative and talented, those look like worthy of a French bakery!
now, not to be to pushy or anything, but my Birthday is March 11…. 😉 😉 I will be a little over 8, but still ready to enjoy some cupcakes
Denise Browning says
Thanks a lot, Sally!
Hehe… Cupcakes are ageless. I wish you can make these, Sally! They are moist because of the buttermilk yet fluffy thanks to the baking soda. I am a fan of the homemade marshmallow frosting. My daughters and us, the adults, enjoyed them a lot. No worries, my dear. You will be fine!!!! 😉
Deb says
Such a lovely post! I’m not sure what I like more, the exceptional cupcakes or the enchanting birthday bash! A most scrumptious post Denise!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, my dear Deb. It was great to see the smile on her face. It was simple yet fun party.
John@Kitchen Riffs says
Love the idea of frozen cupcakes! And was a swell party that must have been — love the photos. Great post — thanks.
Denise Browning says
Hi, John! Yes, my daughter and her friends had a great time… Thanks for stopping by!
Manu says
Such beautiful cupcakes for a beautiful princess! 🙂 Hannah looks so pretty! Happy birthday to her and thanks a lot for the shout out Denise!
Denise Browning says
Thank you, Manuela!!! The pleasure is always mine. You did a great job with your FROZEN inspired treats. Your daughter b-day party was beautiful. My daughter also chose Frozen as the theme of her party as you can see (although I wish she had chosen RIO).
Liz says
It looks like the party was a great success, but I know a mama’s guilt about not getting everything done perfectly! It looks like your daughter was thrilled with her cupcakes when you finally had enough time to finish them off. I cannot imagine how hard it is to be selling a house while being a food blogger!! I think my kitchen is completely cleaned up for about 5 minutes per week…and then I start to cook and mess it up again. Fingers crossed that your house sells very quickly. xo
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Liz! It is not the ideal situation for sure. I did feel guilty and quite upset because I could not serve the cupcakes at the party but I had to go with the flow and learn how to be more flexible. I really hope this house sells as soon as possible.
Rekha says
Your daughter is very pretty 🙂
Such a fun party and the cupcakes looks delish. Selling a house and a party! I can imagine how difficult that must have been for you.
Denise Browning says
Rekha: Thanks, my dear. To do anything, such as catering and blogging, has been quite hard. I was very frustrated because I made the cupcakes from scratch for her party yet I could not frost them a day before. Instead, I had to clean and organize this huge house for a showing. But she had fun and enjoyed her other treats.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
It looks like your cute birthday girl had lots of fun judging from the big smiles. It sounds like you had a nice compromise with the cupcakes after the fact…I’m sure they were delicious.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Karen! She enjoyed the cupcakes a lot although I could not serve them at her party. She and her sister devoured almost them all! 🙂
Sugar et al. says
I want these frozen cupcakes for my upcoming birthday now. So pretty! Your daughters are little angels..lots of love from my side;-)
Denise Browning says
Sonali: Thank you! I will let them know… If you make them, you won’t regret…
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter! What a great idea for a party – frozen cupcakes. I bet all the kids were thrilled! Love your cupcake liners – they look frozen, too! 🙂
Denise Browning says
Hi, Julia! Thank you for the b-day wishes. It is great to have you visiting here again. Yes, they had a lot of fun…
Francesca says
Yay! Your little one must have been so so excited about these. They look awesome.
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Francesca! Yes, she had a lot of fun…
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
Your daughter is precious Denise and it look like she loved the party despite not having the cupcakes. It sounds like a win-win to me to have cake AND fabulous looking cupcakes like these!
Denise Browning says
Hey, Chris! Thank you, my dear… Yes, she did not complain although she was looking for to have the cupcakes that I made for her party. Well, she winded up eating both. Hehe.
Raymund says
Those are great ideas for a party! You have a really lovely daughter
Denise Browning says
Thanks, Raymund!
marcela says
Oh! What a lovely dessert! I’d love to have one or two! They look so adorable!
Denise Browning says
Thank you , Marcela! My children enjoyed them a lot (and my hubby and I too). 🙂
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
See what happens when your kids are grown and gone – you have no idea that frozen is a ‘thing’. What a lovely party. I do know what it’s like to offer a house for sale and it’s exhausting. You don’t feel like you can live in the house like normal human beings without someone saying, “don’t eat that there – I’ll have to clean it.” That someone was always me doing the saying. 🙂
Love those cupcakes!
Denise Browning says
Maureen:
Thank you!
These last months have been crazy. I am the one doing most of the talk as well. I am counting the days to this house be sold so my family and I can live a normal life. It has been quite exhausting!!!
We are downsizing… I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and less cleaning. 🙂 Traveling is also in my plans!! xx