April Fools!

Don't you feel like a hot plate of spaghetti and meatballs . . . on cupcakes! April fools! What may seem like a beautiful plate of marinara with meatballs is actually a plate of my vanilla brown sugar cupcakes, fabulous cream cheese frosting (piped on helter skelter with a very small tip), strawberry jam, and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. This is my tribute to some fun cupcakes you can find in Hello Cupcake, an amazing cupcake cookbook full of decorating ideas for cupcakes - a must have for you cookbook collectors out there. Here's another view from the side with grated white chocolate simulating Parmesan cheese.



It's the strawberry jam, it makes such a nice fake marinara sauce I am totally psyching myself out! My tummy is growling for some paste goodness, but what are you gonna do? What are some of your April Fools day gags?

Cup of tea, Cupcake origins

There are two arguments that exist to explain the origin of our fine little cake friends. The first supposes cupcakes received their name because they were traditionally baked in tea cups or small cups. The second speculates that practicality is the root of their title as a mnemonic for their recipe: one cup of butter,sugar, flour, and eggs. I favor the the first theory, doesn't it seem more romantic? Can't you picture yourself in an 'Anne of Green Gables,' book or something? Though if I'd lived a couple of decades ago the only way I could remember Mrs. Stacy's amazing "cup," cake recipe would be the mnemonic.

Happy 4th Birthday Son!

I know it's been awhile, one of those crazy months+ that never ends, we moved, everyone took turns being sick (wouldn't want someone to feel left out :), then we celebrated Gunner's (our oldest son) 4th Birthday. And I wanted to share some of those pictures - not us moving or being sick . . . the cute birthday ones :)
Gunner wanted to do a Super Hero Birthday party, so we did. My husband and I designed a Super-G symbol - my son tells me it means "Super Gunner-Man!"- then whatever we could put it on we did! Water bottles, cupcake toppers (of course), drinking cups, and my AMAZINGLY talented friend, Kathleen Tribble, couldn't make it to the party so she dropped off some personalized sugar cookies of Gunner's name and the Super-G!





Once all of our Superheros arrived at Headquarters, saving the world from evil commenced! Each child got to design their own Super-G, K, O, etc . . . and affix it to their cape. I bought the cheapest red and blue shiny fabric I could find and cute out a cape shape. I also had some sticky velcrow tabs parents could help apply, just in case superheros wanted to switch to citizen more than once :)



Our superheros used their super strength to run races, play follow the Superhero leader, and pass a glowing stick of kryptonite - I totally made such a rooky mistake and bought a blue glow stick from the dollar store instead of the green one.





When I asked what kind of cupcakes Gunner wanted for his birthday he said "Colors!" so that's what we did; blue, red, and yellow Super-G cupcakes.



Here's Gunner and little brother Jack consuming cupcakes frosting first, of course!



Anatomy of a Super-G cupcake!



Truth, Justice, and The American Way!

Will you be my Valentine?

Lemon Resolution

Introducing my new Lemon Resolution cupcake. For Details bursting with flavor see below . . .



Lemon Resolution

A Lemon cupcake with white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts (optional, though I highly recommend), and lemon and vanilla swirled butter cream. You can also choose a Raspberry and vanilla swirled butter cream as well.

Winter Market, Come one, Come all!

Happy New Year, 2010!

xoxo The Cupcake Company