It’s been a crazy 2 weeks here at SDED, and I haven’t blogged for you all in a day or two, so I hope today’s wonderful interview and cupcake recipe makes up for that. We continue our Summer Series, Behind The Spoon. Marian of  Sweetopia is one of the most darling women I’ve met in the blogging world and her blog, Sweetopia, is one of the “sweet” blogs I often return to when I want to make something special or a dessert that is wickedly awesome! So here we go with a wonderful Q & A …

What made you decide to become a food blogger?

My fascination with making sweets began eight years ago, when I decided to try my hand at a gingerbread house. The first house I made wasn’t the prettiest, but I was hooked! The  more I made them, the more I found there was to learn. Eventually, I began delving into decorated cookies, cupcakes and am now starting to learn about making cakes. It’s a hobby in which the learning and possibilities are endless; I have so many projects that I’d like to try, I know I’ll be busy for many years to come.

Have you always enjoyed cooking/baking or did you grow into your passion?

A bit of both. I grew up in a household where healthy cooking, especially, was a priority. Dad was a chef and later, college culinary arts teacher, so I think I picked up a thing or two from him. The passion for baking came a little later, after I dabbled in my first gingerbread house.

Lipstick or Lipgloss? Lipgloss.

Tote or Clutch? Tote.

Heels or Flats? Flats, most of the time.

What inspires you the most?

I find inspiration everywhere; stickers, art, textiles… I see the world in decorated cookies.

Tell us one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

One of my brother’s thinks this is weird; maybe others do too – I love the combination of cheddar cheese and strawberry jam.

Reality TV or Reading? I prefer reading, but find that a lot of my free time the last few years has been taken up with family, friends and the blog. I don’t watch much TV in general, but my lately my husband and I have been watching American Pickers and MasterChef together.

What small piece of advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business/blog?

Write about what you are passionate about. If you do, it isn’t really like work and you’ll always be inspired to learn and do more.

Recipe for Hedgehog Cupcakes

Not a lot in common besides the H, but together they make a sweet combination in these chocolate hazelnut cupcakes.

The hedgehogs may be cute, but as far as I’m concerned the recipe is the star of the show.

If you’d like to make them, here is the recipe:

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

{Recipe by Sweetopia}

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup freshly ground hazelnuts
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder, best quality you can find (I used Ghiradelli)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup whole milk (35%)
• Nutella, ¾ cup (optional)

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift together the sugar, flour, freshly ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, briefly whisk together the sour cream and vanilla extract; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, and milk, until smooth.
5. Add the sour cream mixture and stir until well incorporated.
6. Add the flour mixture and stir on low speed until just incorporated. (The batter is fairly thin, don’t worry, you’ve done it correctly).
7. Using an ice cream scoop, pour the batter into the cupcake liners (in muffin cupcake pan). Fill each liner no more than 2/3’s full.
8. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Ovens vary). Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove from the pan, and allow to cool once again.
9. Optional – Nutella center: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #10 circle piping tip, with Nutella. Insert the tip into the center of the cupcake, and squeeze for a few seconds.
10. Top cupcake with icing of your choice. I suggest a vanilla buttercream as you’ll need to color the icing green. Making the ‘grass-like’ icing requires that your icing be quite thick. To figure out how thick it needs to be, just dip a spoon into the icing and pull upwards; the icing should form a peak, and stay standing. Using a #233 tip to is what I used to get the ‘grass shapes’.
11. For royal icing toppers, please see my how-to here.

Enjoy!

Thank you Sandra, for having me here on your Behind the Spoon, Summer Series! It’s an honour.