Cupcake Cherry

Keep Dyes, Preservatives & Sugars at Bay - A Yummy Recipe to Show You the Way

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in ready made frostings? Many of the ingredients that are found include dyes to formulate the pretty colors, artificial ingredients and preservatives to enhance the taste. Oh – and let's not forget lots and lots of sugar. Ah – a dream food for those with a sweet tooth and kids who go bonkers from the sugar high. Even in many homemade recipes - the average amount of sugar for a frosting recipe can range anywhere from one to two cups. For those who don't have time to bake cakes from scratch, there are some great boxed options for preservative free, low sugar cakes. Frosting on the other hand, presents a bit of a challenge.

There has been an ongoing debate for decades regarding the use of dyes to improve food, and singled out in many of these arguments is red food coloring. Despite the controversy, red dyes are still seen in the ingredients lists of many boxed and canned frostings. Particularly in decorative frostings that are pink and purple. Red Dye Number 2 is a tar-based product known to cause constriction of the bronchial tubes, angioedema (swelling) and hives.

As we are all becoming more aware of the harmful effects of dyes, preservatives and high sugar, many families are trying to find healthier desserts. On a quest to research what was in our stores for a "healthier frosting", I was disappointed to find just one. The frosting was made by Cherry Brook Kitchen and did not have any preservatives, artificial colors or dyes. However, I was on a quest to find or create the perfect pink frosting for my four little girls. My healthy frosting quest become even more complicated, since red dye is used to create pink. Of course the frosting had to be PINK, PINK, PINK. So what was a chef to do with four demanding customers at her feet? I did what any chef would do even in the most stressful situations – EXPERIMENT. So the five of us put on our princess aprons, our thinking caps and rhinestone crowns. After many experiments in the kitchen, we found a quick, easy way to make pink frosting without the preservatives or dyes. Here is our super healthy semi- homemade recipe for Spring Tulip Cupcakes! A scrumptious recipe for a spring birthday party or a "girls day in".

The recipe from start to finish takes about 30 minutes. Unless you have four little assistants who never stop chattering, get side tracked by using spatulas as microphones and lose the cupcake wrappers because they are now Barbie's new hat!

INGREDIENTS

Cake Mix

Cheerybrook Kitchen Yellow Cake Mix. My favorite boxed cake mix because it is nut free, dairy free, preservative free, gluten free, and very simple to make.

TulipCupcakeTower & Tulip Toppers (craft stores, ,thesugardiva.com, kitchencrafts.com)

Pink Frosting

One package of Philadelphia cream cheese

Frozen Organic Cherries

Powdered Sugar

Horizon Organic Milk

Mix one 8 oz package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, one tablespoon of powdered sugar & one tablespoon of organic milk. Mix on medium setting until creamy. Heat ½ cup of organic frozen cherries on stove or in microwave until liquid base. Heat on a very low setting. Pour ½ tablespoon of cherry juice into cream cheese base and start mixing again on medium speed. This is a bit experimental because you may need more if you want a darker pink color, so start with no more than ½ tablespoon. You may also add another tablespoon of sugar if you desire a sweeter frosting. Most recipes require one to two cups of sugar, so this amount is relatively low. The icing picks up the natural sweetness from the cherries with a mild tart kick and compliments the natural sweet tones of the cake.

Once cool, frost the cupcakes and top each one with a tulip topper and stack on the tower.. Voila - it looks just like something Martha would do!! Check out leisanaples.com for more healthy recipes your family will love.

About the Author

About Leisa.

Leisa Naples is a mom of two sets of identical twin girls one year apart. Leisa's older twins just turned five years old and her younger twins just turned four, making her four dancing princesses what they call "Irish Quadruplets." Leisa is a mom on a mission to help other mothers around the world teach their young children all about healthy living. Together the Fab Five give quick tips to other busy moms about nutrition, fitness, living green and much more.

Leisa is the star, host and producer of over 100 short episodes of Living Well with Leisa™, which aired during news programs locally and nationally. She also stars in ESPN's Flex Appeal, which has been airing for over 10 years, reaching over 80 million homes worldwide. With over 15 years of experience as a Lifestyle Correspondent, Leisa has been featured endorsing fitness products and giving wellness tips in USA Today, Shape, Muscle & Fitness, Cosmopolitan and many more. She has also hosted and produced several commercials, infomercials and fitness videos as well as reported on health and wellness for some of the ABC affiliates on the East Coast.

Now Leisa is working on her most challenging—and definitely most rewarding—project ever: raising two sets of identical twins one year apart. With the older twins being 5 years old and the younger twins 4 years old, there is not much time to incorporate lengthy workouts, complicated nutrition plans, or hours of glamorizing. This is why Leisa has produced new episodes of Living Well with Leisa™. Whether you are a supermom, superdad, or an on-the-go professional, you still want to look good, eat healthy, and feel fit and energized. With one out of every three children being overweight, we all need to expose our children at an early age to an active, healthy lifestyle.

Our society is becoming busier and busier, leaving people with little time to feed their bodies and souls. Who has the time to research what foods boost your metabolism, or how you can involve small children safely in your workout? Leisa's lifestyle reports can help you make healthier choices and incorporate wellness as a part of your busy lifestyle. Not only will Leisa and her family provide you with useful information and tips, but they will also keep you entertained, intrigued, and living well. You may also catch her "Living Well with Leisa" articles and video reports on the Huffington Post.

Reporting on lifestyle issues is not her only passion as Leisa crosses from fitness to fashion. Inspired by her four little girls who love to dance, she started her own line of children's fashionable dancewear, appropriately named Twins Twice Tutus. She offers a full line of leotards and practice tutus for jazz, tap, ballet and hip hop for toddlers through teens. Her line also includes trendy skirts and tops for little girls who love looking "fancy."

If I put a large cherry cupcake wrap on my car...?

and just a number. No name or what type of business it is..do you think people will still call me and give me their business?

I am in the sinful cherry cupcake business.

whats the number? ill call it and order a couple dozen for bill!!