marketing of business

Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Celebrate Easter with these festive Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes that are super moist, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce, all topped with a cream cheese frosting, toasted coconut and chocolate candies!

Easter is right around the corner and these carrot cake cupcakes make the perfect festive treat! The cutest little desserts that are not only delicious, but make such a great addition to your holiday table. These carrot cake cupcakes are made healthier with whole wheat pastry flour, shredded carrots, coconut oil in place of butter and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce. The cupcakes are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut making adorable “bird’s nests” with egg-shaped chocolate candies.

For these bird’s nest cupcakes, I wanted to go with a carrot cake to stay with the fun Easter theme, but you could of course make any type of cupcakes or frosting you’d like! However I highly recommend making these deliciously moist carrot cake cupcakes as I KNOW you won’t be disappointed! My 2 year old kept calling them “baby bird treats” and absolutely loved them.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Whole wheat pastry flour – I love baking with whole wheat pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of whole grain flour while giving these cupcakes a light and fluffy texture. I highly recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand you could use white whole wheat flour or regular all-purpose flour
  • Baking soda + baking powder – these act as leavening agents to help the cupcakes rise
  • Carrots – you’ll need to grate about 2 medium carrots to get a healthy cup for this recipe, the grated carrot also helps keep these cupcakes moist
  • Applesauce – just a little bit of unsweetened applesauce in these cupcakes helps to reduce the amount of oil we need to use and also adds a little extra sweetness. You could also use a mashed banana as well
  • Coconut oil – this takes the place of butter in these cupcakes and helps make them moist and fluffy!
  • eggs – gives these muffins their structure and height
  • Sweeteners – I used a combination of coconut sugar along with some maple syrup to naturally sweeten these cupcakes without using refined sugar
  • Spices – a delicious combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt
  • vanilla – enhances the flavor in these cupcakes and tastes so good with the warm spices
  • Shredded coconut – this is what we’ll use to create the little “nests” on top of the cupcakes and make sure to use unsweetened shredded coconut that has longer strands, not coconut flakes that look more like chips
  • Cream cheese – this is needed to make the frosting! I like to set mine out about an hour before using so that it softens and is easier to whip

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes OR you could make 24 mini carrot cake muffins! You will make the batter the exact same way, you’ll just need to adjust the cooking time for the smaller muffins. Here’s how to make them!

  1. Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut sugar, salt and spices, then set aside.
  2. Mix wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together grated carrot, eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla until all combined. Then mix in the coconut oil, just make sure you melt the coconut oil first and let it cool before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Make the batter. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups lined with cupcake liners (or you could spray them with non-stick spray), making sure to fill each cup about 2/3rds full. You could also make 24 mini muffins!
  4. BAKE! Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted clean then let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. If baking mini-size muffins, bake at 350 for about 10 to 13 minutes. Next I’ll show you how to make the cream cheese frosting and assemble your bird’s nests!

How to Make the Bird’s Nests

While the cupcakes are cool, you can toast the coconut and make the cream cheese frosting!

  1. Toast the coconut. Toasting coconut adds such a robust, nutty flavor to otherwise plain coconut and gives these cupcakes a great texture! Start by adding the shredded coconut to a large dry skillet (no need for oil!) and cook over medium heat, making sure the coconut is in an even layer in the pan. Continuously stir the coconut in the skillet until golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to let the coconut burn.
  2. Make the frosting. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or you could use a hand mixer), combine softened cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla and whip on high until smooth.
  3. Assemble the bird’s nests! Once your cupcakes are completely cool, frost each cupcake using a knife or spatula (no need to use a pastry bag to make them look pretty since we’re going to be coating them in coconut!) then sprinkle toasted coconut over each cupcake, pressing down slightly so that the coconut sticks to the frosting. Then place a little bit of frosting onto the bottom of each egg-shaped candy and press it into the center of each cupcake. You’ll need 3 candies per cupcake.

How to Store Bird’s Nest Cupcakes

The great thing about these cupcakes is that they taste even better the next day! Just make sure to store them in a sealed, airtight container and they will last for about a day on the counter then transfer them to your fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. If you’re making these for an Easter or Mother’s Day event, you can absolutely make them ahead of time!

More Recipes You’ll Love

Hope you all enjoy these adorable Bird’s Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me a five-star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15mins
  • Total Time: 35mins

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch of ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Toppings:

  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 36 egg-shaped chocolate candies

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, coconut sugar, salt and spices; set aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together grated carrot, eggs, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla until all combined. Then mix in the coconut oil, making sure it’s melted and cooled before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups lined with cupcake liners (or you could spray them with non-stick spray), making sure to fill each cup about 2/3rds full.
  4. Pop the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, then let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
  5. Toast the coconut. While the cupcakes are baking, add the shredded coconut to a large dry skillet (no need for oil!) and cook over medium heat, making sure the coconut is in an even layer in the pan. Continuously stir the coconut in the skillet until golden brown and fragrant, being careful not to let the coconut burn.
  6. Make the frosting. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or you could use a hand mixer), combine softened cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla and whip on high until smooth.
  7. Once your cupcakes are completely cool, frost each cupcake using a knife or spatula (no need to use a pastry bag to make them look pretty since we’re going to be coating them in coconut!), then sprinkle toasted coconut over each cupcake ( about 2 Tbsp each), pressing down slightly so that the coconut sticks to the frosting.
  8. Place a little bit of frosting onto the bottom of each egg-shaped candy and press it into the center of each cupcake. You’ll need 3 candies per cupcake. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Please note the nutritional information does not include the chocolate candies as there are so many different types of candy you can use with varying calorie amounts.

Nutrition Facts:

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake + frosting
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 8.1g
  • Sodium: 218.2 mg
  • Fats: 17.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 13.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23.1 g
  • Fibers: 3 g
  • Proteins: 3.5 g

* Please note that all nutrition information is just estimates. Values ​​will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for the most accurate results.

Skims Campaign Features ‘White Lotus’ Breakout Stars

  • Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, Skims, launched a campaign with stars of “The White Lotus.”
  • Engagement on the post has outpaced the typical response from fans.
  • A marketing professor outlines why the campaign works and what entrepreneurs can learn from it.

About six weeks after season two of “The White Lotus” concluded, the fan-favorite actors Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò were featured in a lingerie campaign for Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, Skims.

On Monday, Kardashian shared images and a video on Instagram of the women, who played Lucia and Mia on the show, for her company’s Valentine’s Day collection. The duo, who starred alongside powerhouse actors like Jennifer Coolidge and Aubrey Plaza in the Emmy-winning series, quickly became beloved characters among viewers, including Kardashian.

“I watched The White Lotus and had to have my girls!” Kardashian wrote in the caption of the Instagram post kicking off the campaign.

Kim Kardashian Instagram posts

Kim Kardashian posted the campaign to her Instagram account.

screenshot, Instagram.com/kimkardashian/



Skims’ inaugural Instagram post for the campaign garnered more than 45,000 likes, while other posts on Skims’ Instagram profile have typically gotten 2,000 to 6,000 likes. The TikTok video campaign has more than 1.1 million views, compared to the brand’s usual range of 30,000 to 70,000 views.

“Part of what the Skims brand represents is real, everyday women use this product to uplift themselves,” said Jared Watson, an assistant professor of marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. “Now more than ever, what’s aspirational to many is not necessarily perfection.”

Watson added that with this campaign, Skims is leveraging characters who are both relatable and aspirational to evoke that perception of the product.

Here’s why the latest Skims campaign works and what other business owners can learn for their brand marketing, according to Watson.

Relatability and emotion contributed to the campaign’s virality

@skims This Valentine’s Day, everybody’s wearing SKIMS. Introducing breakout stars and real life best friends Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò together for #SKIMS ♬ original sound – SKIMS

Watson said the relationships we build with onscreen talent are what makes campaigns like Kardashian’s so effective.

“Parasocial relationships are one-way relationships we form with people on television or on the internet where it feels like we know them,” he said. “That’s what Skims is doing fantastically here. For fans of ‘The White Lotus,’ we feel this source of pride, like ‘here’s our friend getting a platform.'”

Watson speculated that most of the campaign’s value would be in the form of a new or strengthened affinity for the Skims brand from customers. He added that while it’s too early to tell whether the campaign is a financial success for Skims, it’s likely to increase traffic to the brand.

Fans of “The White Lotus” are likely checking in on their favorite stars on social media, which could lead them to engage with the Skims campaign to feel even more connected, he said.

Joining cultural conversations can help businesses of all sizes

To be sure, Kardashian, who has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion, has the social and financial capital to convince major players to join her ad campaigns; for example, the former Victoria’s Secret supermodels Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Candice Swanepoel modeled for Skims last year.

But business owners with smaller budgets can find other ways to engage in cultural conversations to support their marketing, Watson said.

For example, pizza chain & pizza sends out marketing text messages pegged to pop-culture headlines that also correspond to sales promotions, he added. Small-business owners can mirror this strategy for events like the Super Bowl or a highly anticipated episode of television to attract customers.

What’s more, sharing timely posts on social media that are related to these moments is another way to organically draw more social engagement to your brand’s page.

“You’re not going to be able to emulate the reach of Kim Kardashian overnight,” he said. “But you are able to contribute to these pop-culture conversations.”

The endurance behind Inexperienced Valley Market’s blooming enterprise

On a sunny Tuesday night, Inexperienced Valley Market is as full of life as ever. The doorways of the enterprise are vast open to let in contemporary October air. The cabinets are tall and full of the whole lot from stuffed vine leaves to small jars of honey and fantastically packaged baklavas.

The shop is a staple to the rising Muslim neighborhood in Clayton Park and past, offering delicacies, produce and groceries which can be harking back to dwelling and are, most significantly, Halal.

HALAL MEATS AND PRODUCE

Initially from Syria, Mahmoud Abo Alkas got here to Canada six years in the past, understanding no English. Upon arrival, he seen the provision of Halal meats was not as accessible as he’s used to in his dwelling nation. After he moved right into a home that already had a giant barn, a buddy requested him if he knew learn how to elevate animals, which impressed him to create Inexperienced Valley Market.

The shop is owned by Alkas and his brother, who has a farm within the valley the place they elevate their very own cattle, goats, lamb, and so on. All their produce is native, contemporary, and everybody of their household contributes to the enterprise.

By the week, Alkas splits his time between the grocery retailer and the farm, generally working as much as 12 hours to make sure the sleek operation of the enterprise.

“I want working on the farm, my house is there,” he says. “It’s extremely peaceable there and I can ensure that the whole lot is finished correctly.”

Green Valley Market provides Halal meats and produce for the surrounding Muslim communities in Halifax. PHOTO CREDIT: Contributed.
Inexperienced Valley Market supplies Halal meats and produce for the encompassing Muslim communities in Halifax. PHOTO CREDIT: Contributed.

Alkas could be very dedicated to his enterprise and makes certain the animals are slaughtered in accordance with the Muslim rules of Halal.

A slaughterhouse near the farm is rented as soon as every week for this function, and Alkas carries out the slaughter of the animals by himself, overlooking all essential particulars. After the meat is processed and packaged, it’s carried in a truck to the shop twice every week. The drive from the farm to the shop normally takes as much as one and a half hour.

Quickly, Alkas is aiming to increase his enterprise by opening his personal slaughterhouse. This is able to permit his enterprise to course of meat with extra frequency and in bigger portions. He estimates that such mission would require over $200,000.

“We’re additionally hoping to offer door-to-door supply for our prospects,” says Alkas. “That will make issues simpler for households that aren’t utterly comfy with public areas.”

He additionally caters to Center Jap eating places in downtown Halifax, and repeatedly ships containers from Turkey, bringing tasty Center Jap snacks that may ordinarily not be present in grocery shops.

A COMMUNITY SPACE

The shop is in style with households within the space with kids working via the shop to select sweets and drinks, and fogeys make pleasant chat with the cashiers. The market is slowly turning into a neighborhood area.

Though the enterprise has but to succeed in its third-year anniversary at Dutch Village Highway, Alkas estimates they’ve between 200-300 prospects who frequent the enterprise.

“75% of my prospects converse to me in Arabic,” says Alkas. He spoke about his enterprise being very carefully linked to non secular, Center Jap households in Halifax. “The Muslim neighborhood has a necessity for the meat to truly be Halal and I’m joyful to offer that to them.”

Green Valley Market ships some of their inventory from Turkey to provide products you cannot normally find in grocery stores. PHOTO CREDIT: Contributed.
Inexperienced Valley Market ships a few of their stock from Turkey to offer merchandise you can’t usually discover in grocery shops. PHOTO CREDIT: Contributed.

Alkas says his expertise working the market has been good and the neighborhood has been extremely welcoming.

“I’m very grateful to everybody,” he says. “To my household, to my prospects and to the those that go to my retailer with curiosity. All are welcome right here.”

To be taught extra about Inexperienced Valley Market and its weekly presents, go to their Fb web page: https://www.fb.com/profile.php?id=100063558670329