Category: orange essential oil

Valencia Orange Cupcakes Recipe

On By lisamaligaIn author, baking recipes dessert, books, cupcakes, diy, ebook, fall baking, fiction, free range eggs, heavy cream, kindle, lisa maliga, los angeles fiction, magical cakes of love, non-gmo butter, olive oil, orange essential oil, powdered sugar, sweet romance, the missing sea captain, Uncategorized, vanilla, white sugar, women's fiction, yolanda's yummery cozy mystery, yummery2 Comments

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2024

I’ve made chocolate cupcakes with orange frosting before, but never a vanilla-based cupcake infused with freshly-squeezed orange juice. The batch turned out well and I even substituted olive oil for sunflower or safflower oil to see if there was a taste difference. Yes, it was a bit stronger and it wasn’t as light and fluffy as it would’ve been if the usual vegetable oil had been used. I avoided using flavor oil but I added gel-based orange colorant for the cupcakes and frosting.

Cupcake ingredients:

  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon orange flavor oil [optional]
  • orange colorant [optional]

Oven temperature: 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius

Makes 9 cupcakes.

Baking time: approximately 20 minutes

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until dissolved.

Add the oil and salt and mix for about a minute.

Add orange juice, flour and baking powder and mix until combined.

Add vanilla extract, flavoring and coloring.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes on a wire rack for a few minutes, and then remove cupcakes from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Orange Buttercream Frosting ingredients:

  • 11/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 Tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest for topping
  • Orange flavor [optional]
  • Orange colorant [optional]

Directions: Beat softened butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, orange juice, cream, flavor, and colorant. Mix on high speed until well combined and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag with your favorite tip and pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

This recipe is from the new book The Missing Sea Captain (A Yolanda’s Yummery Cozy Mystery, Book 2). It’s available for pre-order in eBook and paperback formats. Click the above link to read more, including a new book review!

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An Excerpt from “Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair”

On By lisamaligaIn activated charcoal soap, african black soap, aromatherapy, B&N Nookbook, beauty, beauty recipes, crafts, crafts and hobbies, detergent free soap bases, diy sulfate free soap, ebook, ebooks, essential oils, fair trade, handcrafted soap, handcrafted soaps, handmade soap book, handmade soaps, how to make handmade shampoo bars, kids crafts, kindle, kobo, Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair, lisa maliga, natural beauty products, nilotica shea butter, nuts about shea butter, orange essential oil, soap bases, soap crafting, soap products, soapmaking, true soap, Uncategorized, whipped shea butter1 Comment

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2016

ABSliquidafricanblacksoaprecipes3DMy newest eBook, Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair has just been released this month and is free on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble NOOK, Kobo, iTunes, Scribd, Smashwords and on other online stores. 

For the record, I’d like to state why an author of books on soap crafting and shampoo bars is actually writing about liquefying soap!

Why Liquid African Black Soap?

As I’ve written about shampoo bars and soap, it may seem unusual for me to write about liquefying soap. However, African black soap isn’t your ordinary bar soap. It’s the softest soap I’ve ever used. In fact, I’ve formed it into soap balls. However, by liquefying it you’ll find that it’s simpler to use as either a shampoo and/or a facial/body soap. You can apply the soap with a washcloth, bath pouf, sponge, sock, soap bag or loofah, depending on how much of a scrubby surface you want. I’ve found that a simple $1 bath pouf increases the lather of the liquefied soap and doubles as an effective skin exfoliator. While solid African black soap can work in a bath pouf, it’s easier and more economical to use it in liquid form. In the following recipes, I give approximate amounts for each 2-ounce size. The more African black soap you add, the less water, the thicker the resulting liquid soap.

I also like to change my shampoo bars for liquid African black soap every few weeks.

Here’s the official blurb:

Make your own liquid African black soap in minutes! Includes five easy recipes using natural ingredients. You also receive information about essential oils and where to buy links for African black soap and other healthy additives. “Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair” makes a great companion book to “Nilotica [East African] Shea Body Butter Recipes [The Whipped Shea Butter Series], Book 1” and “How to Make Handmade Shampoo Bars.”

Available at the following online stores. This eBook is FREE.

Amazon: Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair
Amazon UK: Liquid African  Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair 
Barnes & Noble NOOK: Liquid African  Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair
iTunes: Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair
Kobo: Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair
Scribd: Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair
Smashwords: Liquid African Black Soap Recipes for Skin and Hair

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Tropical Paradise Melt & Pour Soap Recipe

On By lisamaligaIn 12 easy melt and pour soap recipes, ebooks, glycerin soap, kids crafts, kindle, melt and pour soap, natural beauty products, orange essential oil, soap crafting, soap packaging, soapmaking, the joy of melt and pour soap crafting, the soapmaker's guide to online marketingLeave a comment

By Lisa Maliga, © 2015

tropicalsoapgroupWhen I go to a party store and see the vibrant luau section, I always want to buy the tiki lamps, hula skirts, leis, colorful napkins and paper plates and throw a big party. Doesn’t matter what time of year, it represents that perpetual summer—which can be good if you like warm weather and tropical scenes.

I decided to create a fun recipe to share with you. When the soaping bug hits, it hits hard and this’s the result. Tropical Paradise is a little more involved than a basic single pour method, but not much. Plus, the results are more 3-D!

I chose white soap base as that’s what I had on hand and I wanted a pastel colored theme rather than neon colors. Of course, you can use clear soap base and have a more dramatic looking contrast between clear soap and bright green or whatever color you choose mini palm tree embeds.

Both molds came from the discount store and cost $1 each. One is a storage container; the other is a plastic ice cube tray. Pictured here are the ingredients including, from left to right: containers of mica, white soap base, ice cube tray, and storage containers. The colorful tropical themed napkin is sold in a package of 20. The napkin can be used for wrapping but only after the soap has first been wrapped in cling wrap–otherwise the colors will run.

Ingredients:

1 pound white or clear soap base

Green mica

Pink mica

1 teaspoon tropical type fragrance oil [mango, coconut, pineapple, orange, tropical blend, etc.]

Molds:

3 oval or rectangular molds [4 oz each]

8 cavity mini palm tree molds [approx. 2 oz total]

tropicalsoaptreesInstructions for Palm Tree Mold:

Slice the soap base into small cubes. Just before the soap is fully melted, add the colorant. Adding fragrance to them is optional. Stir well. Slowly pour into the molds. Spritz away bubbles with rubbing alcohol. Allow soap to harden in fridge, freezer, or remain at room temperature. Remove from molds. This soap will solidify within minutes. Remove and set aside.

NOTE: If you live in an area with low humidity, it’s best to allow this soap to freeze so that it’ll be even easier to keep the little soap inserts/embeds from melting when pouring the second layer.

Instructions for Oval/rectangular Mold:

Prepare your molds by placing one to three of the mini palm trees on the bottom.

Slice up soap base into small cubes and melt. Stir well and add colorant. Add fragrance. Don’t pour it when it’s too hot, make sure it’s cooled down so it won’t melt the mini palm tree embeds. Then pour a small amount into molds, about half the size of your intended soap bar [2 ounces or so]. Spritz away any bubbles with rubbing alcohol. Allow soap to harden slightly. Test this by touching it gently with your finger. The surface should be firm but you’ll feel a little give as it won’t be completely solid. Now add more of the mini palm trees. Pour the rest of the soap so that it covers them, although you can have it so the palm trees stick out! Allow to solidify. Once it’s hardened remove from the mold. Make sure soap is at room temperature before wrapping. Wrap in cling wrap and label.tropicalsoapbars

Learn more about soap crafting! Check out my book titles and articles here: soapmaking stuff

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Shea Butter Soap Recipe

On By lisamaligaIn beauty, books, crafts, crafts and hobbies, ebook, essential oils, glycerin soap, kids crafts, melt and pour soap, orange essential oil, shea butter, soap crafting, soap packaging, soapmaking, the joy of melt and pour soap crafting, Uncategorized3 Comments

By Lisa Maliga
Copyright 2011-2014

shea butter melt and pour soapShea butter is a popular additive to soaps, lotions, creams, lip balms, shampoos, conditioners, and lotion bars. Why? The healing qualities of this African nut fat abound, helping those with dry skin, sunburn, minor skin irritations, and in just plain softening and conditioning the skin and hair. You can use either refined or unrefined shea butter in your soaps. You can also purchase a soap base with shea butter already included.

 

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. opaque melt & pour soap base
1 teaspoon shea butter
1/2 teaspoon sweet orange essential oil

MOLD:
Two 4-oz. rectangle molds

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Slice up the opaque soap base into cubes.
2. Melt the shea butter and the soap in a double boiler OR crock pot.
3. Pour into molds.
4. Refrigerate or freeze until soap is hardened.
5. Unmold and allow to return to room temperature.
6. Wrap in cling wrap.
7. Label.

This recipe is from the eBook The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting.