Frosting!

It never fails that I end up with little tubs of leftover frosting scattered throughout my fridge. I've pondered time and again what exactly to do with the tubs and I think I've finally found an acceptable solution. Cookies on Crack! At least that's what it feels like to me. I have a confession....even though I'm a cupcake baker, I am addicted to cookies. Which is why I limit how often I bake them. It just so happens that my need to find a use for extra frosting coincided with a charge to bake cookies for a Christmas Caroling party! So, Here you go Christmas Cookies on Crack! Peppermint Chocolate Ganache sandwiched between two peppermint butter cookies and Eggnog Cream sandwiched between Molasses cookies....more to come on Cookie Crack flavors in the future!

Nousins...

Nousins= Nephew/Niece Cousins, this is what I call my 1st cousins kids. They are the closest thing to a Nephew and a Niece I have in my life. They call me Tickle and I like that. So for each of their birthdays I put the mixer into high gear and try to give them something they would love. Now, I have to say for the little ladies 1st birthday I was so excited to get to do something so girly and fun! And I learned a few things in the process:
1. The Giant Cupcake pan takes forever to bake and the cake comes out pretty dense.
2. Covering the bottom in Candy clay instead of Fondant (I hate Fondant) was perfect.
3. Simple often turns out cuter than elaborate.
4. Ms. little lady is much better at cake demolition than her older brother was on his 1st birthday!
5. It doesn't matter how much sleep I lose trying to make their cakes perfect, I love my Nousins!

Stay tuned, Big brother is turning 3 in January and I'm determined to make the coolest cake/cupcakes ever!

Get the Campfire Burnin!

For the past few years a group of our dear friends have gotten together to go camping. We sing songs, talk about life and eat way too many S'mores! This weekend is camping weekend! So in honor of the festivities I thought I would leave you with a treat: S'more Cupcakes. Graham cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache and Toasted Marshmallow fluff. Best if eaten warm! I hope you have a great weekend...Soon I'm thinking about posting a few recipes, maybe even some non-cupcake related. Much Love!

Peanutbutter Engagement

This Fall one of my dearest friends, got engaged and her sneaky Fiance let us help surprise her! My sisters and I got to keep her busy while he decorated her house and prepared to ask her to be his wifey. I haven't been this excited for a couple to wed in a long time, they bring out the best in each other and cause each other to want to know Jesus more. Ms. C is a so full of life and fun, you can't help but be in a good mood around her. And Mr. P is charming, laid back and willing to have a good time where ever he is. Both of these people are dear to my heart because they have purposed themselves to seek the Lord above all else and are intending for their marriage to image Christ's love for his people. I am Blessed get to see a tiny bit of this!
On to the cake! Ms. C is in love with rich desserts, and would eat PB Cup Cupcakes if I made them every day (i Think). So in the excitement of Mr. P's request for Ms. C's hand in marriage a Peanutbutter Chocolate cake was in order. Chocolate cake filled with Peanutbutter Fudge and covered in Rich Chocolate Ganache. After the engagement we (the Meeker Gals) arrived at the door with cake in hand, singing, "Going to the Chapel." It was so fun! Can't wait till the Bridal Showers, oh the cupcakes we will have!

California Cupcake!

I have never been to Cali. but I hope to remedy this in the near future. My friend Sarah and her husband Matt just moved out to Pasadena and I miss them a lot. However, it's given me a good excuse to find out what Pasadena has to offer in the way of cupcakes, so I know where to spend my time when I arrive for my visit! I sent Sarah and Matt on a mission to find out about Dots Cupcakes and here is Sarah's review:

"Checked out that cupcake place you sent me to. I love that you sent me on a “mission.”

Anyway, it was small and cute and a little oriental woman took Matt and my order. We asked her which ones were the best and she said the red velvet is a favorite and then some others. I got a red velvet and Matt got something like a chocolate peanut butter cup thing. They were both very good! Moist and very tasteful. I’d go back.

Also, as we were leaving several different types of people went into the store.

4 out of 5 stars. (5 if it had been your store)

-Sarah"

So there you go, Good Cupcakes in Pasadena, spread the word. And thanks Sarah for the review!

Cupcakes and a movie

Don't you wish they served cupcakes at the movies? I know I do! Next time you have friends over to host a movie night serve up some of these Salty Popcorn Cupcakes! My oldest sister loves salty and sweet. Every time we go to the movies she gets a bag of popcorn and dumps a bag of M&M's on top. And I have to admit, it tastes so good! So this cupcake is inspired by her for her. Sweet caramel cake with milk chocolate ganache frosting then topped with salty popcorn. Try adding some popcorn to your favorite cupcakes for a nice surprise. Just make sure you serve them pretty quick so the popcorn doesn't get stale.

Flavors! Flavors!

One of my favorite pies is from Furr's Cafeteria: Millionaire Pie! When I was younger I couldn't even begin to tell you what was actually in it, all I knew is that the custard was so sweet it crunched in your teeth and the crust was buttery delicious and to top it all off the whipped cream had a secret concoction of pineapples, nuts and we sometimes thought coconut. So in honor of this great desert, I finally got around to making a Millionaire Cupcake: Butter cake filled with custard and topped with pineapple nut cream. Folks around here are hesitant to try it but love it once they do!
Also on the menu today: Strawberry Margarita, it's got real Margarita in the cake and the frosting and of course rimmed in pink sugar. These were for a Bridal shower, I'm sure they had one great fiesta!

2fer

Today you get two creations to think on. The connecting factors are that they both were taken to church activities and made out of whatever I happened to have in my kitchen. A little of this, a little of that, you know how it goes. The first is a Banana Choffee (yes I think I just made that word up) Cupcake. It's a soft Banana cake with mini, semi-sweet chocolate chips and toffee bits, topped off with smooth cream cheese, a drizzle of chocolate and sprinkle of toffee. If you want a rich banana cake this one is for you! Next up, Pumpkin Roll Crunch....All the rain over the weekend made us Texans seek the great indoors and gave me a chance to do some clean out the pantry baking. There are two things you should know about me and Pumpkin rolls:
1. This was my first attempt! I've been too scared to make them, but I had nowhere I had to be and pumpkin and eggs that needed to be used.
2. I love them so much, that I was once given one for Christmas.
A traditional Pumpkin Roll is laid out on powdered sugar right after it's baked so it doesn't stick to your towel when you roll it, but I wanted to try something with a little texture so I baked up some pecan streusel topping to replace the sugar. It turned out pretty good for my first attempt. I only had 4oz of cream cheese and 1 stick of butter so to make enough filling I also added about 1/2 cup of whipped cream. It gave the filling a light airy taste. I wish I would've taken a picture of it sliced, it looked so pretty! I think it went over pretty well with the church folk. Now that I've figure out how to roll cake, watch out My head is spinnin' with ideas!

Resolution

I resolve to post at least every time I have a new flavor or special decoration order. My full-time job is super busy during the summer so I feel like I'm finally where I have time to blog again. In honor of my job, I'd like to introduce you to my boss: Lance, I call him Shu, he calls me Pistol. He is a father to 4 hilarious kiddos, a visionary leader and knows almost every mascot for every High School in Texas. Shu likes yellow cake with chocolate frosting and I admit it's hard to beat, but for me it's too boring to name after my boss. [Side note: I refuse to make "yellow cake" Yellow is not a flavor it's a color. If you want yellow cake from my kitchen you better be ok with asking for butter cake.] For a guy as interesting as Shu, "yellow cake" just won't cut it. But you know what will? Whopper Cake! Moist Chocolate cake with chocolate malted whipped frosting and topped with the delicious Whopper. Shu says this is his favorite cupcake, I guess I know exactly what he'll want for his birthday.

My dad's birthday

My dad is the best father on earth. Really, I'm not just saying that because I'm biased. He is disciplined, loving and more than anything has led my mother and sisters in such a Godly manner all these years that I just appreciate how he has pointed us back to Jesus over and over again. And he turned 60 this year. We have never thrown him a birthday party where we invited other people outside the family, so we decided it was high time. I really wanted to do something special for the 70 party people we were having so I decided to go against my rule of not doing stacked cakes and make one just for him. The biggest element was the handmade belt buckle out of white chocolate candy clay, hand stamped and painted with edible sliver. I wish you could see it in person, I surprised myself with it. The cake is my dad's favorite: Chocolate with pecans and fudge frosting. Really it should just be called chocolate death, but I'd rather name it after my dad than death. So just ask for The Dad.

I love little ones.

My good friend has the cutest little girl and let me do her 1st year birthday which had a pink poodle theme, how cool is that! They had her party at a park on the windiest day ever, but the cupcakes survived. They are pink strawberry with very vanilla frosting. Some have dots and some have poodles. I think they turned out pretty cute!

Finally...

Finally, I have a second to update some cupcakes. Some are forever old. This first one I wanted to show you is a super easy way to put cute, tasty decorations on. I just melt down some white chocolate and line a cookie sheet with wax paper, spread out the melted chocolate on the sheet and let it just barely set up. Next take your favorite mini cookie cutter and stamp out as many as you want. Decorate and then top your cupcake. So fast, so cute.

Old stuff

I have been so cupcake and iGo busy that posting updates has taken forever. These cupcakes are from months ago. Made for all the boys and staff out at Miracle Farm. The first one is The Turtle: Chocolate cake with marshmallow butter cream frosting, caramel center with pecans and chocolate drizzle. Second up is Banana Puddin': Banana cake with Banana Cream Frosting and a Vanilla wafer. One of the new favorites.

Happy Birthday! Secrects Revealed

Well, it has been weeks since I have posted anything....seems like I go through stages like that. BUT, I have been working on a lot of things. Today I have a very special treat for you! One of my favorite people had her 18th birthday, and I was asked and given freedom to create a custom flavor and cupcake tower for her. Tex is a very unique girl and I wanted her cake to reflect that. So the super secret flavor I was testing at Valentines can now be revealed: Tex's Chocolate Passion. It's chocolate cake with passion tea ganache and marshmallow butter cream frosting. I had to take the pictures with my phone so they aren't the best, but hopefully you can get a glimpse of what the cakes looked like. The decorations are handmade out of candy clay (my new favorite alternative to fondant!)

New Cupcake Flavors

First up, possibly a new fav. Chocolate Pie. My 2nd favorite dessert, but not just any 'ole chocolate pie will do. My Grandmother's is the only pie for me, or DeeDee as everyone calls her. This cupcake is in her honor. Butter Cake stuffed with DeeDee's chocolate pie and topped with toasted meringue. The test group called them excellent.

Next, Maple Bacon. My sister LOVES sweet and salty and loves syrup on her sausage or bacon. It literally tastes like pancakes and bacon. It's maple, brown sugar and chopped bacon in the cake and then it's topped with Brown sugar and maple butter cream and a piece of crispy bacon. They are rich and can be eaten any time of the day. Not for your average cupcake eater.

Valentine 2009 is fine!

This is my favorite of the whole holiday.....given from someone far far away to someone they love very much. Next up, Easter? Father's Day? Birthdays? Happy Friday? Who knows....holla at me if you have a unique flavor you would like to eat in cupcake form!

Shh.....it's a secret

I'm working on a new cupcake flavor for a VERY special person. I can't tell you who yet. But, I thought I would give it a test drive for valentine's day. I can't even tell you what's in it because that would give it away who it was for. But it's got chocolate, exotic flavors and ooey, gooey goodness. And I'm still working out the kinks. The frosting completely migrated off the top...

Another Valentine

Very berry cake with Vanilla-Vanilla Buttercream....and of course some girly pink zig zags.

With a Cherry On Top

My cousin/best friend Britt is very fond of no bake cheesecake, and I like it pretty well myself. In her honor we have created cherry cheesecake cupcakes, and they might be my new fav. It's butter cake topped with cheesecake frosting and cherry pie...I'm gonna need another one right now!

Peanutbutter Valentine

I don't know if I've told many stories lately, but every one of my cupcakes is based on someone either I know and love or someone that someone else knows and loves. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my all time favorite combos. Much like our friend Sarah: the perfect combination of sweet and sassy.... AND just so happens to L-O-V-E peanut butter cups. So, for her valentine that's just what she got: Peanut butter cup-cupcakes! They have moist chocolate cake with salty peanut butter frosting, then are dipped in chocolate and topped with a PB cup.

Hot Pink Valentine!

These are going to a very special friend of mine. They are also the Vanilla-Berry cupcakes but with crazy pink and turquoise frosting. Forgive me for getting a little crazy. And I needed to be a little creative?

2009 Valentine (So Far)

Yay! the first ones of Valentines....have I mentioned lately that I love Valentines Day? These first ones were for a special order that were shipped. My very first shipment of Cupcakes, hopefully they will arrive in one piece and taste just as lovely as they did at home. (Even though I couldn't find fresh raspberries anywhere and had to settle for raspberry yogurt and extract.)

These were made specifically to match the special someone's favorite things, so I give you Vanilla-Berry. Here are the Raspberry Cupcakes getting their tummies full of Raspberry jam.

Then they were topped with Very Vanilla cream cheese frosting and rolled in purple sparkly sugar.

Next the special message was added.

Then the very important stabilizing lollypops and box to keep them from shifting around in the shipping.

And this pic, just because I like it.

A view of the insides....

Baking GALS

This week I joined a group called Baking GALS (Give A Little Support). They put together packages of homemade baked goods to send to our troops. I have been looking for something like this for awhile now and I'm so excited to be a part of it! This morning I got up and baked dozens of cookies, packaged them up and shipped them out. I just hope that they get there in one piece. Since it's so close to Valentines Day, I decided to make the cookies valentine-y. Get ready because next week is my favorite baking week of the whole year!!