
Today’s post is filled to the brim with many good things!
Mother’s day is not far away, so I’ve teamed up with my friends at Fair Trade USA (along with some other talented bloggers) to bring you a virtual Mother’s Day brunch. Who says you can’t have cupcakes for brunch? These breakfast-inspired cakes have a little bit of everything: crunchy toasted corn flakes, smooth vanilla buttercream, soft yellow cake and a shot of cereal milk that gets injected right in the middle. It’s not just a cupcake, it’s an experience!
(The bubble pipettes can be found here. Aren’t they just the cutest?)

In addition to cupcakes for brunch, there’s also a great giveaway involving some of the best products around. I buy Fair Trade whenever possible, not only because the products add quality to my baking, but also because it positively impacts the lives of Fair Trade workers. There are a great number of women who work for Fair Trade companies, including moms who are working to provide better lives for their families. This virtual brunch is our way of honoring them.

All of these products will go to one lucky reader!
To enter, just leave a comment telling me which of the edible goodies you’d use in your baking. I loved using the Fair Trade Ceylon cinnamon (known as “true cinnamon”) in the toasted cornflake cupcakes. Here’s a list of all the goodies, edible and otherwise.
BarkThins snacking chocolates
Lake Champlain drinking chocolate
Numi gold turmeric tea
Whole Food Market ceylon cinnamon
Traditional Medicinals green tea
Nutriva coconut oil
Wholesome! agave syrup
Just Love coffee
Unreal coconut candy
Cascadian Farm soft baked squares
Vosges Haut-Chocolat chocolate bars
Simple Truth green tea
Arrowhead Mills coconut flour
Near East quinoa
Eco Lips lip balm
prAna tote bag
I’d like you to meet just one mom whose life has been improved by her relationship with Fair Trade. This is Elvia Almachi, an inspirational flower worker and member of Agrogana in Ecuador. Her story follows.

Elvia has been working at Agrogana for 12 years and is currently a production line field supervisor. She has been part of the Fair Trade committee in the past and has two daughters, aged 9 and 12. Elvia and her husband Luis Alberto Villegas, also an Agrogana employee, are two of only five employees to participate on the weekend adult school program paid by the Fair Trade prize. They are both currently studying an equivalent to high school degrees. “Before I worked in a different local flower company and they exploited us. Even while I was pregnant! Once I came here, I could tell the difference was huge. We would like for everyone in Ecuador who works in the flower industry to have the same great benefits we do here. Please continue to believe in us. There are many of us who need to continue improving our quality of life through the Fair Trade prize. It is through these Fair Trade flowers that hundreds of families, like mine, continually improve our lives.”

I certainly hope you’ll give the cupcakes a try – if not for brunch, then whenever you have a craving for a crunchy sweet treat. The corn flakes are coated in bubbling brown sugar, butter and cinnamon and then toasted to crispy perfection. It’s one of the most crave-worthy cupcake toppings I’ve ever had!
One more thing – the participating Fair Trade Month bloggers are having a friendly Recipe Rally pinning competition. Check out our Pinterest Board to find new delicious recipes, and pin your favorites!

Toasted Corn Flakes Cupcakes with Cereal Milk Pipettes
Ingredients
Cereal milk
- 1 1/3 cup whole milk or skim, or 2%, whatever you prefer
- 1 cup corn flakes cereal
- 22 cupcake pipettes
Yellow cupcakes
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
Toasted corn flakes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 cups corn flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla buttercream
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cereal milk: Combine the two ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and let stand while you prepare the cupcakes.
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin tins with 22 paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Sift together in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.
- Fill the cups 3/4 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool 5 minutes in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the toasted corn flakes: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir; raise heat to medium-high. Stir occasionally. When mixture begins to bubble add the corn flakes salt and cinnamon. Mix ingredients together using a spatula. Fry topping for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from heat and spread mixture on a large baking sheet to cool completely, 30 minutes.
- Make the vanilla buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream softened butter and powdered sugar together. Add the vanilla extract; beat again until the frosting is thick and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again briefly. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star decorator tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Top each freshly frosted cupcake with a handful of toasted corn flakes.
- Sieve the cereal milk into a medium bowl, pressing the corn flakes with the back of a spoon to remove all of the cereal milk. You should have about 1 cup of cereal milk after sieving. Fill the cupcake pipettes with cereal milk. Store them on a small tray in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve the cupcakes. Insert the pipettes upright into the cupcakes before serving. Squeeze the cereal milk in the pipette into the cupcake before eating.

what a crazy beautiful cupcake!
i'd use the coconut oil most often probably, as i'm vegan but love to bake!
coconut desserts are the best!
I would love to use the coconut flour to bake up yummy muffins!
I'd use them all, but I would especially like to try baking with agave syrup for the first time.
What creative, delicious, beautiful cupcakes, Heather! And a wonderful post. I enjoyed reading about Elvia. As for all the fabulous goodies, I'd take some of that amazing Vosgues chocolate and make some knock-out chocolate chip cookies. : )
I would definitely use the cinnamon, but I've always wanted to try coconut oil or coffee. Your cupcakes look delicious – I love the bubble pipettes!
I would be interesting in trying out the coconut flour. I would definitely use that cinnamon though.
I'd love to try the Just Love Coffee (for baking and drinking)!
I only use fair trade chocolate, so it's always nice to have a little around in case I get the urge to make some cookies! I'm also a huge tea fan, so that turmeric tea looks very interesting!
Coconut oil! In fact, I have some sitting on my counter right now from when I made my youngest's birthday cake the other day! (:
These are crazy cute! I love the idea. Does this mean I can have cake for breakfast..?
I would use the coffee in my dark chocolate cake.
I would love to try the coconut flour!
I'd use the agave in a peach yogurt smoothie I just saw today.. the coconut oil in a granola I've seen–and the flakes–oh yum. The cinnamon also looks incredible. This would catapult my baking experience into the stratosphere! <3 heatherguzha(at)gmail(dot)com
The coconut flour of course!
I've always been interested in trying coconut flour!
Cereal? Well…that's my breakfast sorter! 😉
I would use the coconut flour, agave syrup and chocolates to make a gluten free treat for my finals week for my daughter at college!
I'll use the Vosges Haut-Chocolat to make cookies.
The nutrive coconut oil for sure
The coconut oil for me, I've never tried it before.
I want to try making tea infused shortbread (earl grey is my first challenge), and I bet the turmeric tea would make amazing shortbread.
Probably the coconut flour!
Looks amazing!
I'm feeling a coconut-banana bread made with coconut flour and coconut oil 🙂
I would use it all but especially the Blue Agave Syrup, the Coconut flower, coconut oil, coffee and (not baking related) but I would love that chapstick!
I'd use the Agave Syrup
I'd use the Agave syrup.
Gorgeous cupcakes!
I would use the Just Love coffee to infuse a chocolate cake. Thanks for the opportunity!
I would definitely use the agave! I love the flavor and find it goes well a ton of recipes…yum!
So creative! I would die for that coconut flour and coconut candy! I'm imagining all the things I could make yuuuum
The coconut flour and candy sound so delicious!! Creative cupcakes!!
Beautiful cupcakes! I had never seen the pipettes before, so cute….I would love to make goodies with the Ceylon Cinnamon and the Coconut Flour! Thanks!
I not only love the idea of using toasted corn flakes but also cereal milk! I'm excited to give this a try, they sound amazing.
The fair trade item bake with first would be the ceylon cinnamon. I go through a lot cinnamon. I haven't tried coconut oil yet and I think it would be fun to experiment with.
I can't wait until your second book comes out!
Thanks.
I would use the coconut oil
You are way too cute!
The cupcakes look stunning! I love that corn flakes were used. Very unique. I'd use the Organic Blue Agave and Coconut Flour the most.
I would use the coconut oil when making cherry coconut granola
I'd use the Agave to replace sugar in my recipes. Love how simple and elegant the cupcakes turned out.
Coconut oil!!
how can i choose!! the coconut oil and coconut flour for sure…the chocolate i'd just want to eat!!
Coconut oil over here!
Ceil
I would definitely use the ceylon cinnamon in toffee and banana bread!
I love the Bark Thins Snacking Chocolates!
These cupcakes look fantastic!
I'm going to try these cupcakes tomorrow. I'dalso love to bake with the coconut flour
I would bake something with the cinnamon and coffee! I don't like coffee unless it tastes like coffee candy! 🙂
I would use the Golden Tumeric Tea in my baking. Really, I would use most of the items in my baking somehow.
I would use all of them tbh (except the non-edible products ofc), but I'd bake the most with coconut oil and coconut flour. I'd probably just eat all the bark thins (;
I would use all of them tbh (except the non-edible products ofc), but I'd bake the most with coconut oil and coconut flour. I'd probably just eat all the bark thins (;
Yum! I love cereal milk anything! I think baking with the turmeric tea would be an interesting ingredient.
Id love it all! but I'd definitely want to try using the avgave syrup!