Giveaway! Martha Stewart's new "Cakes & Cupcakes" plus Merch




Martha Stewart's new Cakes & Cupcakes is out and it's excellent!

Cover shot.




 We're giving away one copy of the new publication, plus a Pastry Decorating Set
($12.99) and a Baking Silpat, 11.6" x 16.5" ($24.99), all from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy’s. The giveaway is open to any reader, worldwide!

Want to enter the contest? Leave a contact email in the comment section, below, on or before February 25 (Monday), 2013, and tell us your favorite Martha moment. In the meanwhile, you can explore this recipe, picture, video and how-to from the new publication:










Toadstool Cupcakes
Makes 10
Decorate these cupcakes with tiny caterpillars, snails, or acorns made with tinted fondant (see how-to's). They can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for tins
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for tins
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Butter Glaze (recipe follows)
Cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots, for decorating
Gel-paste food coloring in green
Fondant animals, for decorating (instructions below)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups (every other cup) plus the top of a 12-cup muffin tin and 4 cups plus the top of another 12-cup muffin tin. Dust cups and tops of tins with flour, tapping out excess.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat melted butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes more. Beat in vanilla.
3. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 batches of milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Divide batter among prepared cups, filling to the top edge. Add more batter to the center of each so that it mounds 1/2 inch above rim.
4. Bake, removing halfway through and gently tapping on counter, until cupcakes are slightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day before decorating.
5. With cupcakes still in tins, use a serrated knife (held with blade flat against the top of tin) to slice off the overflowed cap of each cupcake. Run a knife or offset spatula around edges of cupcake bases to loosen. Turn out onto a wire rack set over a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, leaving the bases inverted.
6. Spoon butter glaze over cupcake bases. Place caps on inverted bases. Spoon glaze over tops (reserve remaining glaze). Let stand 1 minute. Smooth any drips with a toothpick or knife. Decorate with cinnamon candies. Let stand at room temperature until glaze is firm, about 1 hour.
7. Using an offset spatula, transfer cupcakes to a serving platter. Tint leftover glaze with green gel-paste food coloring. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as #2). Pipe blades of grass around the bases of the cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored at room temperature up to 1 day; place fondant or marzipan figures on cupcakes just before serving.

Butter Glaze
Makes enough for 10 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
3 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in milk.
2. Whisk together butter mixture and the sugar in a large bowl until icing is opaque and thickened but still pourable, 4 to 5 minutes. Use immediately.

How to Make Fondant Caterpillars and Snails
1. Tint equal amounts fondant light green, black, yellow, beige, and brown.
2. For caterpillar, roll tiny pieces of light green fondant into 10 to 15 balls; press together in a curved line. Pinch off 2 tiny pieces of black fondant for eyes; press onto head. Repeat to make additional caterpillars.
3. For snail, roll yellow fondant into a 1/2-inch ball; flatten into a thick disk for the shell. Roll beige fondant into a rope, about 1/8 inch thick; cut rope crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Shape pieces with fingers into snail’s head and tail; press onto front and back of shell.
4. Roll brown fondant into a very thin rope; cut rope into 2-inch pieces. Coil rope on top of shell and press to flatten.
5. Pinch off 2 tiny pieces of black fondant for eyes, and use your fingers to roll a tiny rope of black fondant for antennae; press onto head. Repeat to make additional snails.


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 Too much detail for you? Need some help? (I know I would.)  Martha Stewart has put up some very well done accompanying video tutorials to assist, and you can find them here.

All merchandise available at select Macy's stores and macys.com.




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Comments

My favorite Martha moment is when She and Snoop Dog made brownies. Hilarious and awkward at the same time!BootleggerCupcakes@gmail.com
Jen said…
I just love my Martha Cupcakes cookbook. I am obsessed and I cannot wait to get this book and start baking. She has the best recipes and ideas!
Talina said…
I love Martha Cookbooks!
Thanks for the great giveaway!
talinab at live dot com
Stephanie said…
My favorite Martha moment(s) are when she's with Conan O'Brien - two of my favorite people!!

sm_kraemer@hotmail.com
Natalie J. said…
Favorite Martha moment is anything from her Halloween shows. Look forward to them every year!
Unknown said…
Favorite martha moments happen during the halloween shows! and pretty much anything from her wedding magazines. :)

thanks for the chance!

rlahardison at gmail dot com
AnnaZed said…
Martha and Conan O'Brien - priceless!

margueritecore [at] gmail [dot] com

Liene said…
I just loved her Saturday Night Live appearance! Thanks for the chance, Liene at LLucane at yahoo dot com
Marc Adams said…
My favorite Martha moment: I was listening to her radio show on Sirius and a caller asked her for a lemon bar vegan recipe. But before Martha said anything the caller went on and on about how bad sugar and eggs is for you, about all the processed food and why he is a vegan, yada yada yada. So he says: but every once in a while I crave something sweet, so do you have a vegan recipe for lemon bars? And Martha answers: if you want something sweet why don't you eat a piece of fruit? OMG I was laughing so hard because it's true. I love Martha Stewart.
dymphna said…
cant say i have a fav moment...deefna at gmail dot com
Allie said…
My favorite Martha moment was when she dressed her french bulldogs up for Halloween! So cute! I also loved her take on her grandson's 1st birthday.
amwhite [at] berkeley [dot] edu
Carol said…
I love Martha and her cookbooks! How fun to win her latest cupcake book. :-)
Unknown said…
I love Martha's cupcakes. They are the cutest cupcake ever.

cupcakesthataremusical@gmail.com
harrisolivia said…
I just love her decorating ideas! Especially with themes!

shepherdh10@students.ecu.edu
eclairre said…
I love Martha Stewart Baking ideas!
blessnel said…
I should say my favorite moment of Martha is when she collaborated with Staples to make really nice office products! Never knew she had that side too!
blessienelson(at)gmail(dot)com
Unknown said…
Love watching Martha on my local station WNBC Channel 4 on the Today Show. Always helpful ideas for baking and decorating :)
plume said…
I used to watch Martha Stewart, but when we switched to u-verse unfortunately they don't have her show :(
I keep following her news on FB. By the way I Looooooooove her punches. Good luck for everyone, great giveaway.
Pamanda said…
I love when she does segments on The Today Show with the hosts who don't know how to cook at all and she just sails along, showing them how it should be, unperturbed by their cluelessness.
back2ack123 said…
My fav moment was being in her audience with my family!
Cynthia said…
Favorite Martha Moment: When I get a compliment on a cool Christmas decorating idea that I've taken from Martha. Most often, I get comments on what a great idea it is to attach my Christmas cards to red ribbons that I hang down my French doors....an idea from her mag about a dozen years ago. LOVE her decorating tips!
Unknown said…
My favorite Martha moment was when my husband and I went to her show and they announce her and she walks out. It was so exciting to see Martha Stewart!
kristin d said…
I love everything about Martha! I especially love her Christmas holiday shows :)
Anonymous said…
We don't have to much Martha's shows here, but I have her cupcakes and cookies books, and both are my favorites. I found her a wonderful woman, how she knows everything for home?
Unknown said…
My favorite Martha moment was when she was on a talk show after she got out of prison and told the viewers how she made baked apples in prison for the inmates!
Her decorating santa cookies
Unknown said…
My fav Martha Moment is… well there are probably a lot of them because she always does a wicked Halloween! Thanks!
United Cakedom said…
My Martha moment was when I spent the money I was suppose to up use for driving lessons on Martha's Cupcakes book! Oops! :0)
Daenite said…
I was home sick from work one day and had left PBS on the TV during the kids' nap time. Martha's cooking school show came on. She made chicken in parchment paper. I was so excited to try the recipe, that I did just as soon as I felt better. It has now become a household regular for dinners. I have this love/hate relationship with Martha. Love her ideas; hate that I spend too much money trying them out!
Suzknows said…
My favorite Martha moment was when she had on the girl who made a rainbow cake, it was so pretty and Katie was so polite.
GwenSA said…
My favorite Martha moment is her ability to make anything look good. I like her food packaging products for gifting, too. gsaldrich at gmail dot com
Unknown said…
My favorite Martha moment is from years ago on her show where she showed how to make stained glass potato chips. They looked beautiful and such a perfect Martha recipe!

brown.lauren.a [at] gmail [dot] com
windycindy said…
I especially enjoyed Martha Stewart's episode with Conan
O'Brien!
Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Jan said…
I always liked it when Martha's mother was on it.
Kara D said…
I guess I am not very familiar with Martha moments, but I do love her cupcake and cookie cookbooks! When I do catch her on TV I am always amazed at how easy she makes everything appear!
I love everything Martha, she has been through it all and she comes back on top and her cupcakes, decorating, and tv show is amazing.
Donna said…
My favorite Martha moment is when Candace Nelson was her guest and they made Sprinkles' strawberry cupcakes!

burntcaramel@yahoo.com
Molly said…
I have many, but I always remember her folding fitted sheets perfectly on an Oprah show. I use her method each time I wash the bedding and think of Oprah giggling away and Martha not thinking it was at all strange to put so much effort into a sheet!
Vanessa S. said…
I love Martha's Halloween costumes, crafts and recipes! Lilsnax369@aol.com
Chelle said…
lionheartdressage@gmail.com My fave Martha moment is when she highlights her horses on the show. I am a horsewoman & it is always a good time when she shows hers off!
Unknown said…
My favorite show was the one with the Brookie recipe :)
Katie Leigh said…
So, I'm not original, but I'd have to say Martha and Snoop together was the best!

katienleigh@hotmail.com
Vivaalajuicy said…
I love everything about her- be it the creative and imaginative recipes or the awesome and healthy choices, she's the best!!
nicoleu1391@gmail.com
Lace said…
My favorite Martha moments is when she teaches me how to impress my rather picky family with her food and decorations!

laswan@mail.usf.edu