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Funfetti Cake Batter Pies are a cookie pie with a crust – the cookie tastes like cake batter!
Thursday is a big day for Crazy for Crust.
It’s her birthday! Tomorrow my little piece of the internet turns 2.
So I made her some cupcake pies to celebrate.
I really cannot believe I’ve been doing this for 2 years. {Really, I count it at about a year and a half…because for the first 6 months I had no clue what I was doing.} So much has happened and changed in the past two years, I can’t even wrap my mind around it.
This little blog of mine started as something to keep me busy while Jordan was in Kindergarten. I read exactly one blog before starting mine: Bakerella. And I thought, hey, I can do this too.
Sometimes I want to hide the evidence of my earlier work. I’ve thought about deleting the horrible photos and non-existent content.
But then I realize…it’s all part of the childhood of this blog. I did a lot of things in my youth I’d rather forget *cough* but I know it’s made me who I am today.
So I’m leaving all the ugly, to remind me of how far I’ve come.
I’ve learned a loooooot over the past two years. What’s funny? I still feel like I have So. Much. To. Learn.
But, in honor of my girls’ 2nd birthday, I thought I’d share a few things with you. Aren’t you excited?
1. Linky parties, while sometimes tedious, are a blog’s best friend. They are, first and foremost, the way I’ve grown my blog.
2. Photos. Now, believe me, I’m not going to say “you’ll never make it without a DSLR!” because I don’t use one. Now, in full disclosure, I plan to get one in the next 6 months. {And, according to what I’ve read, I’ll instantly become an awesome photographer and make it BIG in the blogging world, so watch out.}
<Insert sarcasm HERE.>
But seriously, you have to take time with your photos. Plan never to serve a full set of cupcakes – one will be missing because you had to take a bite of it to get a good shot. Cakes will be served already cut. I resisted this for a long time – until I realized the best time of day for photos in my kitchen is 11am-2pm. That’s when everything gets photographed. No exceptions.
Oh, and editing. Thank God for that!
3. Think outside the chocolate chip cookie. Basic recipes are great, don’t get me wrong, I love them. But I have found that (for me) the random crazy ideas get the most hits. Or, the mundane, redone ideas made in a new way skyrocket (peanut butter football, anyone?).
4. Find a community, because they are some of the best friends you’ll ever make. Seriously.
When I first started blogging I kept reading about “community” and how great it was. I was all “pffft. What community?” And then I realized I had to make one. I had to reach out and make friends – something I’m obviously not good at in real life or in internet life.
Once I did, oh my god, my world opened up and it rained glitter and rainbows and Skittles.
I have made some of the best friends I’ve ever had through this blog. No joke. Some are close to me and we actually get to hang out. Some are far away and we correspond via comments, emails, and texts. Most of these gals? I’ve never even met. But I know they’ve got my back.
They are friends for life, and that is the singular best thing about this blogging thing. Hands down.
Because seriously, would I be here right now without all of you? Nowhere. YOU are the reason I cannot wait to turn on my computer each morning. YOU are the reason I look forward to my job. So thank you. I heart you all!
So, what, you came here for the Funfetti Cake Batter Pies? Silly me.
These pies have a flaky crust and are filled with a cake batter cookie and topped with a cake batter whipped cream buttercream.
There is no cake mix in these at all. All the cake batter flavor comes from that butter emulsion, and some vanilla. It’s to die for, really. (I found mine at Ross. They sell butter extract at Walmart.)
This is the first time I’ve used vinegar in a crust and O.M.G. I am so doing it again. It made it unbelievably flaky!
Paired with the cookie and the whipped cream, well. Another OMG. These were truly addicting. The perfect way to celebrate a birthday! Check out all my funfetti recipes!
Funfetti Cake Batter Pies
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter diced and chilled
- 1 tablespoon very cold water
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Or use a refrigerated crust from the store
- For the cookie filling:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon butter emulsion or extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup colorful sprinkles I used rainbow jimmies
- For the whipped cream buttercream:
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon butter emulsion or extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- Additional sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Make the crust: Pulse flour and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add water and vinegar and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from food processor and lay dough on a sheet of wax paper. Press to a flatten slightly. Top with another sheet of waxed paper and roll until about 1/4” thick. While you are rolling, occasionally remove top wax paper sheet and flip the dough over to remove the bottom waxed paper sheet so that it doesn’t stick. (Alternately, you can chill the dough for 1-2 hours until firm, then roll it out with a little flour. I don’t like the mess.)
- Chill the rolled crust for at least 30 minutes while you make the cookie dough.
- Make the cookie dough: cream the butter and sugar together using a stand or a hand mixer. Beat in egg, butter and vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Stir in sprinkles.
- Remove chilled crust from refrigerator. Use a large circle cookie cutter to cut circles of dough. Gently press each circle into the bottom of a muffin pan that has been lined with cupcake liners. Add two tablespoons of cookie dough to each pie crust, pressing to level.
- Chill pies for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake for about 22 minutes, until tops are just turning golden brown. Let cool completely before frosting.
Happy 2nd Birthday Crazy For Crust! Your Funfetti Cupcakes looks so good that I want one – and I don’t even like sprinkles! 🙂
Oh, I’ve learned that I have a lot of learning to do! 🙂
Oh, so do I! 🙂 Thanks Liz!
You don’t like sprinkles? What??? We can still be friends though. 😉 Thank you so much!
I love your advice! I am a newer blogger and I am soaking up all of the advice I can get! Your blog is a favorite; Happy Birthday to You!
Thank you Sara!
I’ve learned that there is no ‘right’ way to blog. Perfectionist that I am, this has been a hard lesson to learn, but makes me have more fun when writing about whatever I want, when I don’t have to worry about whether it’s the right way to do it!
One thing I’ve learned about blogging is you only get out of it what you put into it. This year has proved that- I finally got a schedule set and am consistent in posting and my numbers this year are more than the previous three combined.
Even better than that I love blogging and all the great friends I have made in other bloggers and my readers.
That is so true! The more you do, the better the reward! Thanks for coming Micha!
Congrats to you!
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