Celebrating My 3rd Blogiversary with Joy the Baker & Simple Vanilla Cupcakes #Giveaway


It's never too late to celebrate.

Two weeks ago, this little blog of mine turned 3 years old.

When I started this blog, I had no idea what I was doing.  I just wanted a place where I could share with my "real-life" friends some of the delicious food we eat here in Mexico.  Never did I imagine that  people from around the globe would read my recipes, nor did I imagine that I'd make so many friends who share my love of food and Mexico.  And never in my wildest dreams did I think  I'd still be at it 3 years later.

 I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with cupcakes.  Simple Vanilla Cupcakes that are so sweet and delicious.


And as a way to say thank you to all of you that visit this blog daily, my faithful readers and followers on Facebook and TwitterI am hosting my very first giveaway.  I will be giving away a copy of Joy the Baker's cookbook!  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post about your favorite recipe here on La Cocina de Leslie.  That's it!

Giveaway open to residents of the USA & Mexico.

Contest ends Monday, May 7, 2012.  The winner will be announced on this post on Tuesday, May 8, 2012.  Contest Closed!




Simple Vanilla Cupcakes
(recipe from Joy the Baker cookbook)

Ingredients: 

  • 1-1/3 cups flour 
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cold milk
  • Your Favorite Frosting


Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper or foil liners.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.   In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.  With the electric mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture and continue to mix until well incorporated.  Stir in the milk.  Add the remaining flour mixture.  Pour equal amounts of the batter into the cupcake liners.  Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Top with your favorite frosting.  (I used store-bought!)   


Enjoy!!!



*This is NOT  a sponsored post or giveaway.  All expenses are coming out of Hubby's pocket. 


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*The winning comment generated by Random.org was #23: Judy.  Thank you all so much for participating.

29 comments

  1. Yay! Felicidades!! Happy Blogiversary :)

    I love Mexico and Mexican food very much. Lime and salsa and chili and mango and cheese and avocado...ayayay ;)

    My favourite recipe is Easy-as-Pie Creamy Mango Pie because I love all things mango and especially dessert :)

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  2. I actually love a lot of your recipes. They have save my life here in Mexico. If I had to choose it would be Mexican chocolate chunk cookies. They were great and I could find all of the ingredients. By the way where do you find cupcake liners in Mexico?

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  3. Leslie you are my go to food blogger whenever I run out of ideas for food. My favorites I learned from you are the agua de horchata and the pollo de naranja 1.0! I really want to make the mexican brownies next! Thank you please update with more recipes! Love em'!

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  4. Happy 3rd birthday/anniversary!

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  5. I have to say my favorite recipe from your blog is Flautas de pollo :D

    A year ago i found your recipe when i googled chicken taquitos. I had no idea what to make for my fiancee and it was in the first weeks we began living together...Well i followed your recipe and I Loved how easy it was..And my fiancee loved them, now he asks for them every week. :D

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  6. Hola Leslie. I found your page when I myself was looking to find a recipe for mexican chicken soup. Also, your website helps me out for choosing what to cook my 2 year old twins. You see I am a single dad and so far my boys have loved everything I've tried from your blog. But especially the red enchiladas and refried beans! Thank you so much for doing this blog and contest. Cornelioortega@live.com

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  7. Thanks...I have been inspired by your cooking and love the simplicity. One of my favorites has been you Conchas recipe. I love those y con un chocolatito...it always takes me back to Mexico enjoying time con mi abluelitos! Thanks. yellow_patricia at hotmail dot com

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  8. I have tried alot of your recipes here, everyone has been a hit with the family. But my fave is Enfrijoladas. I do want to try the tomato cobbler next, who knows I just might have a new fave! Thanks...ma.galindo@cox.net

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  9. I am such a horrible baker...maybe I need a better cookbook! Those cupcakes look yum! Thank you to the Hub's pocket for sponsoring the giveaway! Haha!

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  10. Congratulations!!!! Yo tengo serios problemas a la hora de hornear y estoy loca por este libro desde que salió! Por ser las última y como me encanta el dulce, diría que estos cupcakes son mis favoritos!

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  11. Congratulations on your 3 years, keep up the good work! I don't have a favorite, all of your food looks great,Here in Montana good Mexican food is hard to find.Yours makes me wish I were back in S.Ca.

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  12. Happy Happy Blogiversary!!!!! I am so glad I met you, you are fantastic:-) Cupcakes seem like a perfect way to celebrate:-) Hugs, Terra

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  13. This is a fantastic site - one of my favorites! I have tried many of your recipes and have loved all of them, but my favorite (and most used) is the Mexican rice. I have looked for YEARS for a decent recipe, but all the ones I found had "bits" in them, and I don't like "bits" in my rice! Then, I came across your site, and found the perfect recipe for Mexican rice and I never looked back! We have it regularly and it's always a hit. Congratulations on your 3 years! May you have many, many more!

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  14. Yay happy 3rd boggy birthday!! your blog is amazing I know if I ever want authentic Mexican cooking recipes this is the place to come find the how to make it. Wishing you many more years of blogging and food making, Amiga!!! Abrazos

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  15. Happy 3rd year!
    Well I came across your blog while searching for a chocoflan recipe. This was the first thing I tried from your blog. The chocoflan turned out amazing & is one my favorite recipes from your blog, everyone loved it. Then about 3 months ago I got married, and I didnt really know how to cook, so I continued to come back to to your blog, I made enchiladas suizas, pollo naranga 1.0, tinga, arroz rojo, y arroz poblano, chillaquiles verdes, spicy chicken sandwhiches and agua de horchata, all of which are my favorite and I love making them, especially since how easy you explain all of these things, my hubby has loved all of the reciepes as well. Your recipes have just made me fall in love with cooking and just being in the kitchen. Thank you for sharing all of this with us. :D

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  16. Sign me up for that cookbook! Three years! Congrats!

    I think my favorite recipe has been that pudding pie. Not sure what you officially named it. But, it is good! I might need to make it soon!

    Those cupcakes do look good. And, everytime I have tried making cake from scratch, it ends up with a funny taste. I should give these a try. Plus, I love the idea of making something from scratch so you can control how many you make. Those box mixes are straight from the devil when they make 24! They just sit there tempting me!

    Anyway, I'm crossing my fingers that I win! :) Thanks to Hubby that he is so generous! :)

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  17. Congrats! I just stumbled upon your blog about a month ago. Since then I have spent many hours studying your recipes and comparing them to the dishes I grew up with. . . Let me tell you, I love all your recipes! I have been cooking 3-4 of your recipes a week because they're so good! It's hard to pick one out of the bunch (especially since I haven't had the chance to try all of them yet, but I will eventually). I made the red chile pork tamales two weeks ago, and everyone loved them esp. the hubs! I regret not stumbling across your blog 3 years ago! Although this is my formal request for a napolitano recipe and a tejuino recipe, I'll be looking forward to finding these on your blog someday (hopefully soon)!

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  18. Those cupcakes look soooo yummy! I have such a sweet tooth. My favorite recipes is the tamales dulces de membrillo y queso!

    Congrats on your 3rd blogiversary! :-D

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  19. Three years! Happy Blogiversary! Hmmm... I think I love the chilaquiles and the tostadas best. What is YOUR favorite?

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  20. What a fun way to celebrate 3 years! I know what it's like! :) Congrats. And those cupcakes look like a good dinner to me! And I love how your hubby sponsors ur work! :) Classic.

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  21. Congrats on 3 marvelous years! I can take you enough for sharing your recipes that I can replicate here in Mexico, but having a haven for me. Ever since I moved down here I thought I was nuts and alone. But through you, I even found that we're called ex-pats! And that there are more of us, Americans, living in Mexico than I thought. So thank you! I even learned to cook Mexican meals, but my favorite is homemade chorizo! Oh yeah because finding a good chorizo is like finding a needle in a hay stack!

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  22. Congratulations on your blogaversary! Definitely a great way to celebrate with some sweet cupcakes. I used to bake way back when. Maybe I will get back into it;)

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  23. Congratulation Leslie! There isn't 'one' favorite recipe. I use your blog as a reference source when I want to make some good tasting Mexican. Every recipe I have tried has been a success. Last night I used your Tomatillo Salsa Verde recipe to make some fabulous pork enchiladas. Thank-you!

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    Replies
    1. Congratulations, Judy! You won the Joy the Baker cookbook! Email your mailing address to me at leslielimon@lacocinadeleslie.com in the next 48 hours. :)

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    2. Thank-you! Can't wait to thumb through the Joy the Baker cookbook and try to decide what to bake first! Thank-you and thank Hubby for being a great guy for sponsoring the shipping. LOL

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  24. Congratulations on your blog anniversary! I love your Coditos con Queso (Macaroni and Cheese)Recipe! and I would be absolutely thrilled to win the Joy the Baker cookbook! Oh, and the cupcakes look scrumptious!

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  25. Happy blog anniversary! Congrats to you and I agree, great way to celebrate and never too late!

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  26. Felicitaciones por tu blog!!! I love it!! My favorite recipe is the chocoflan. It is easy and soooo good!!! Thank you so much. I am a cancer survivor who is semi-retired and just picked-up my old hobby: baking!

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  27. My husband and I are going with the Bacon Wrapped Hotdogs....

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