A Bold Pillsbury Giveaway! (CLOSED)

At the first of the month, I shared with you some fun and pretty flower cupcakes I made for Mother's Day using Pillsbury® bold Funfetti cake mixes and frosting. You're going to get the chance to make these at home because today I'm having a giveaway for a Pillsbury Celebration Starter Kit valued at over $100!

Included in the prize pack from Pillsbury® is: 

• Funfetti® Aqua Blue Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Orange All Star™ Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Neon Yellow Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Vibrant Green Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Orange All Star™ Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• Funfetti® Neon Yellow Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• $100 Visa Gift Card

Learn more about the bold product line by visiting Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest.

To enter this fabulous giveaway, simply leave me a comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite kind of cake is. That's it! There are no right or wrong answers, lets just talk cake and maybe even drool a little bit in the process :-)

One entry per person. Open to U.S. residents only. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Spring Bouquet For Mother's Day

I bought these tulip cupcake liners about 3 years ago with the thought that I would make some really pretty Mother's Day cupcakes and that just never happened. Life got in the way, there were other recipes requested and then I misplaced the liners until recently when Hayden was pulling my baking supplies out of a cabinet and playing with them in the living room :-). When Pillsbury® sent me some samples of their new bold Funfetti cake and cupcake mixes, I knew the yellow would be perfect for Spring cupcakes. Sometimes, life just works itself out and things fall into place.

My second mom, Olivia, gave me this Pillsbury Poppin' Fresh doll when she came to visit for Easter. He was the perfect little helper and inspiration in the kitchen and he's just so cute, don't you think? I think he'd approve of my use of  bold Pillsbury flower cupcakes. I'm kind of funny about colored mixes and drinks- I want the flavor to reflect the color so I added some bright lemon zest and juice to the batter along with buttermilk for some extra tang and to provide maximum moisture. So not only do they look like Spring, they taste like it too! The neon pink Funfetti icing was the perfect compliment to the pop of yellow underneath. 

These cupcakes are fun and worthy of a celebration, but they're easy enough that you don't have to stress about making them. They can be decorated any way you want, these flowers are just an idea but you can get more inspiration by visiting Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. Any decorative tips, colors or sprinkles will work. Have fun with it and let everyone help and decorate their own for a truly unique experience. 

Lemon Buttermilk Flower Cupcakes

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• 1- 8.25 oz. package Pillsbury Funfetti Neon Yellow Cake Mix
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4  cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. 

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until batter is smooth and creamy and no traces of cake mix remain. 

Evenly divide the cake mix between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. 

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Makes 10-12 cupcakes, depending on size. 

Once cupcakes are baked, allow them to cool in pan for five minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

For the Frosting: 

Transfer your favorite colors of Pillsbury Funfetti frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite icing tips and decorate the tops of the cooled cupcakes to resemble flowers. Use the sprinkles and colored sugar that come with the frosting to bring your cupcake flowers to life!

I used these Wilton tips for decorating: 

• leaf tip- #67
• round dot tip- #12
• small flower tip- #224
• swirl tip- #21

Store cupcakes at room temperature, in an airtight container. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Giveaway Winners- Happy 2014!

Happy New Year!

I gave everyone a couple extra days to enter the giveaways and now here are the winners. The winners were selected by random.org and both giveaways are now closed. 

The winner of Lick The Bowl Good cookbook and other goodies is commenter #15 Felice Geoghegan 

and

The winner of the Pillsbury prize pack and $100 gift card is commenter #23 Sharonjo

Congratulations ladies! Please email me with your address so your winnings can be sent to you. Thank you all for entering!

Pillsbury Holiday Giveaway (CLOSED)

Remember those ooey gooey dark chocolate caramel pecan brownies I shared with you a couple weeks ago? They were made with a Pillsbury® Dark Chocolate Cake Mix. So easy! Today, Pillsbury® is giving one lucky reader a chance to win a Celebration Starter Kit including all of their new holiday baking mixes and frostings, plus a $100 gift card.

Included in the Celebration Starter Kit is:

• Pillsbury Chocolate Peppermint Premium Cookie Mix
• Pillsbury Traditional Sugar Premium Cookie Mix
• Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Premium Cake Mix 
• Pillsbury Peppermint Frosting 
• Pillsbury Funfetti Frostings in Rudolph Red and Garland Green
• $100 Visa or American Express Gift Card

Visit Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest to learn more ideas about how you can Celebrate More with Pillsbury® and their new Holiday line. 

To enter this fabulous giveaway, simply leave me a comment on this blog post telling me what new Pillsbury® product you're most excited to try. That's it! 

One entry per person. Open to U.S. residents only. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Brownie Points!

When we were kids, my step mom, Olivia, used to make my brother and me caramel brownies. She didn't make them very often and I remember them being really good (they were my brother's favorite) but I thought maybe it was a difficult recipe so they were only made for special occasions. I was wrong! She shared the recipe with me and they could not be simpler to make. I took the liberty to tweak things here and there (that's what I do) because the amounts were a little vague and I like to be specific when it comes to baking. Specific amounts in baking lead to consistent results, am I right? Here we go!

Pillsbury® recently sent me their new seasonal line of cake and cookie mixes just in time for holiday baking. I received Chocolate Peppermint Premium Cookie Mix, Traditional Sugar Premium Cookie Mix, Dark Chocolate Premium Cake Mix as well as Peppermint Frosting and Funfetti Frostings in Rudolph Red and Garland Green. My step mom's recipe for caramel brownies called for German Chocolate cake mix, but I opted for the Dark Chocolate Cake mix for these rich and gooey brownies. To learn more about these products, visit Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. 

Dark Chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, gooey caramel, crunchy pecans. You know these were good...and decadent! These brownies are for sharing. After making these and being left with an entire pan of brownies, I now understand why my step mom only made these about 1-2 times a year. They are dangerous and so much better than I remembered. I'm typically a "plain jane" brownie person and don't like anything but cocoa in my brownies but these are excellent. Thanks for the recipe and the trip down memory lane Olivia :-) I hope you'll seek out these new Pillsbury® products and make these brownies!

Dark Chocolate Caramel Nut Brownies 

adapted from my step mom, Olivia Luna

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• 14-16 oz. package caramels (50-60 caramels)
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1- 15.25 oz. box Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Premium Cake Mix
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and line it with a sheet of parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges. Spray the paper once again with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. Stir occasionally over medium heat until the caramels melt and the mixture becomes smooth. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the brownie batter. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, melted butter, vanilla extract and the remaining evaporated milk. Mix until well combined. 

Press half of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the oven and gently and evenly drizzle the caramel mixture over brownie base. Evenly distribute the chocolate chips and the chopped pecans over the caramel. Crumble the remaining brownie batter evenly over the nuts and chocolate and return back to the oven. 

Bake for an additional 20-22 minutes. It will be hard to tell when it's done because the brownies will be really gooey in the center and don't firm up until they have cooled completely, but don't bake any longer than the recommended time. 

Cool completely until the brownies have reached room temperature. Using the handles of the overlapping parchment paper, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut the brownies into squares. Store in an airtight container. 

I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury, though the opinions I express here are my own.

©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license.

Coffee, Donuts and an Awesome Pillsbury Giveaway! (CLOSED)

So...I made donuts! For the first time ever. I made these just the other day, and I still haven't gotten over how good they were. Just ask my mom and sister and Hayden how good they were. We ate one, then two and found ourselves reaching for a third, but stopped ourselves. Will power be darned. I've always wanted to make donuts but I'm not a fan of deep frying. Baked donuts are the perfect option and they're somewhat healthier, but I didn't have a donut pan. That's when my mom stepped in and saved the day. She surprised me with an electric Sunbeam donut maker on clearance from Target for $15. Yay! Thanks Momma!

Holy drippy glaze.....drool!

In my last post about Caramel Apple Fritter Cake, I mentioned that Pillsbury® sent me a few of their new Fall cake and cookie mixes. I couldn't wait to use the pumpkin mix but wasn't sure what to make, then it hit me- Pumpkin Donuts with Brown Butter Spice Glaze. I absolutely adore that combination of flavors, so much so that I shared a recipe for Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze in my cookbook. Have you ordered your copy of Lick The Bowl Good yet? If you've never tried it before, make this glaze and pour it on something...anything, it is that good! Brown butter makes the world go round. mmm!

Stinky boy couldn't keep his fingers out of that glaze!

My sister is learning to bake and cook so she helped me whip these up. They were so simple and she did a great job. She also served as my hand model and helped me dip some of these bad boys in glaze. Thanks Sammy :-) As a thank you, I sent her and my mom home with some donuts and a few of the cake and cookie mixes that Pillsbury® sent me. My hope is that my sister will create something equally fantastic all on her own. How would you like to win all of these new Pillsbury® mixes for yourself? Scroll down to see how. 

Perfectly Pumpkin Donuts from Lick The Bowl Good

Printer Friendly Version

Pumpkin Donuts: 

• 1- 15.25 oz. box Pillsbury Perfectly Pumpkin cake mix
• 1- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Brown Butter Glaze: 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

NOTE: I used an electric donut maker to make these. If you have one, preheat iron til hot. If baking them in an oven, follow the manufacturers instructions for baking. 

In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin puree, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until fully incorporated. Spray your donut pan with non-stick spray. Spoon batter into mold or transfer the batter into a pastry bag and pipe the batter into the mold, being careful not to let the plastic piping bag touch the hot iron. Bake until cooked throughout. 

Allow donuts to cool on a wire rack. Once all the donuts are baked and cooled, make the glaze. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan until the butter becomes golden and fragrant. The butter solids will get dark, continue swirling being careful not to let it burn, about 5 minutes. 

Immediately pour the brown butter and all the brown bits into a small bowl. Add the cinnamon, and powdered sugar and whisk until it's smooth and lump free. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk until well incorporated.

Work quickly because this glaze sets up fast. Dip one half of the donut into the glaze, place on a rack and allow to set. 

Makes 24 donuts. 

Visit Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest to learn more ideas about how you can "Celebrate More" with Pillsbury and their new Fall line. 

• Caramel Apple Premium Cake Mix
• Caramel Apple Premium Cookie Mix
• Creamy Supreme Caramel Apple Frosting
• Perfectly Pumpkin Premium Cake Mix
• Perfectly Pumpkin Premium Cookie Mix
• Pumpkin Creme Cake Mix with Vanilla Filling

To win this "Celebrate More" Fall Celebration Starter Kit (a.k.a. All of these fabulous mixes!) and a $100 Visa or American Express gift card courtesy of Pillsbury®, simply leave me a comment on this post telling me what you love most about Fall. 

One entry per person. Open to U.S. residents only. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Fall, I Welcome You

A few months ago I was asked by Pillsbury® if I'd like to sample and review their new Spring/Summer flavors of Orange Creamsicle, Key Lime and Funfetti products. I wrote about them here and here, if you're interested. Well today, I'm enthusiastically sharing with you Pillsbury's new Fall line of Caramel Apple and Pumpkin cake and cookie mixes...and they are quite tasty! 

Vintage bakeware is the best!

Living in central Texas means that it feels like Summer for at least 8 months out of the year. It will more than likely be around 80 degrees until November and while it may not look or feel like Autumn outside, Fall is happening in my kitchen. When the season arrives, I like to start baking with apples and spices then I later progress to one of my favorite flavors, pumpkin!

My friend Ingrid from 3B's has made a cake with yellow cake mix called Cinnamon Roll Cake. This is a twist on that recipe using Pillsbury's Caramel Apple Premium Cake mix and frosting. I upped the apple flavor by adding cinnamon applesauce in place of some of the oil and used the caramel apple frosting to make the glaze. If Ingrid's cake tastes like a cinnamon roll, this tastes like a cinnamon apple fritter. The cake itself was very moist and apple-y (is that a word?) with a slightly crunchy caramelly sugar topping. The glaze is completely unnecessary, but it's so tasty you won't want to skip it. 

To learn more about these products, visit Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. 

• Caramel Apple Premium Cake Mix
• Caramel Apple Premium Cookie Mix
• Creamy Supreme Caramel Apple Frosting
• Perfectly Pumpkin Premium Cake Mix
• Perfectly Pumpkin Premium Cookie Mix
• Pumpkin Creme Cake Mix with Vanilla Filling

Thank you Pillsbury® for all these great new products and for having me be a Pillsbury blog Ambassador :-)

Caramel Apple Fritter Cake from Lick The Bowl Good 

loosely adapted from 3B's and Jolts &Jollies

Printer Friendly Version

Cake: 

• 1- 15.25 oz. box Pillsbury Caramel Apple Premium Cake Mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce

Topping: 

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze: 

• 1/2 cup Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Caramel Apple Frosting
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch OR two 8x8-inch pans with non-stick baking spray with flour and set aside. 

In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the cake and mix until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set aside. 

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife swirl the brown sugar mixture gently into the batter. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Once the cake is fully baked, place on a cooling rack and make the glaze. 

In a small bowl, whisk the frosting, milk and vanilla together until thin, free of lumps and is drizzle consistency. Using a spoon, drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. 

I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury, though the opinions I express here are my own. 

©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Pillsbury Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Pillsbury Orangesicle and Key Lime Giveaway and a $50 gift card is commenter #120 Gina Wild Orchid. Congrats Gina! Please email me with your address and Pillsbury will get your prize shipped out to you. 

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway!

Pillsbury Orangesicle and Key Lime! (Giveaway)

The winner of the Pillsbury Funfetti Giveaway who will be receiving an array of Funfetti cake mix and colorful frostings and a $50 gift card is commenter #14  Katie H. Congratulations Katie! Please email me with your mailing address.  

For everyone else, you have another chance to win below. Keep reading to see how!

Pillsbury has introduced new seasonal flavors just in time for warmer weather- Orangesicle and Key Lime! I was so excited to see these fresh and bright new flavors on the grocery store shelves because I am a citrus lover and so is my mom. She would put orange flavoring in everything if she could :-). Pillsbury kindly sent me a package consisting of Orangesicle and Key Lime cake mix, cookie mix and creamy frostings. I wanted to make a special cake for my mom, so I chose to bake the Orangesicle cake mix first. 

My mom is not a huge fan of frosting so I wanted to make a recipe that was simple and fuss-free, but bursting with orange flavor. And because chocolate and orange compliment each other so well, I added in a healthy handful of mini chips in the batter and on top. This cake smelled so good baking in the oven! When I tasted it, I was expecting it to taste like I was biting into a fresh orange, but it didn't. It tasted just like an Orangesicle, just like the box promised! It had a mellow orange and creamy vanilla taste and was so moist. Delicious. I still need to whip up a batch of key lime cupcakes and I'm so looking forward to it. 

Pillsbury is celebrating Spring with these new flavors in order to make your everyday occasions even more special. I started thinking about ways I could do the same with my family. I've been so busy in the kitchen baking and trying to wrap up this cookbook venture that once I'm done we're heading out on a picnic! I'm going to get Hayden to help me whip up a batch of Pillsbury cookie sandwiches (he's becoming a pro at working the KitchenAid!) then we're going to enjoy some fresh air and play at the park. I can already hear his giggles as he goes down the slide. The whole idea behind this celebration is to spend time together, relish in everyday moments and enjoy premium baked goodies. Thank you Pillsbury for helping us make lasting memories!

Orangesicle Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Printer Friendly Version

• 1 box (15.25 oz) Pillsbury Orangesicle Premium Cake Mix
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, sour cream, eggs, oil and juice. Beat til all the ingredients are well mixed; about 2 minutes. 

Using a rubber spatula, stir in the mini chocolate chips. 

Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan before serving. 

Pillsbury wants you to join in on all the citrusy fun. They are generously offering one lucky reader a Summer Seasonal Celebration Kit including: Pillsbury Moist Supreme Orangesicle and Key Lime Premium Cake Mix, Pillsbury Orangesicle and Key Lime Premium Cookie Mix, Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Orangesicle and Key Lime Frosting as well as a $50 Visa or American Express Gift Card (total value ($60). 

To enter the giveaway: 

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me which flavor you're most excited to try. Please be sure to leave an email for me to contact you if you win.

2. For a second entry "Like" Pillsbury Baking on Facebook

3. For a third entry "Like" Lick The Bowl Good on Facebook. Leave a separate comment for each entry. 

A winner will be selected at random and announced by May 15, 2013. 

To learn more about Pillsbury's new fresh flavors please visit Pillsbury on Facebook. Also visit PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. 

**The J.M. Smucker Company sent me free product samples and other compensation and asked me to promote it's new Orangesicle and Key Lime products.