Gimme S'more!

With the nicer weather upon us, it's getting to be camping season for a lot of people... and when I think about camping, I think about campfires, and when I think about campfires, I think about roasting marshmallows, and when I think about roasted marshmallows, I think about S'mores!  So, I decided to try a S'mores cupcake-- it has a graham cracker bottom (kinda like a jello no-bake cheesecake would have) and then chocolate cake, then sprinkled with the left over graham cracker crust for topping...then iced with a gooey marshmallow icing, sprinkled with more graham crackers and then a piece of chocolate....I need to get me a kitchen torch so that the next batches can have the fire, burnt topped goodness.... I suppose I can use the broiler, but I would prefer to have a sweeeet new kitchen gadget to play with!  These give you the taste of a s'more without the bother of smelling like smoke for days from a campfire...BONUS! They are quite tasty...problem is, eating only one.

Da Bomb!!!!

So, what would make a cupcake better? What makes most things better?  Booze, of course!  The Irish Carbomb cupcakes--named for the drinks have plenty...making them the most expensive cupcakes I have ever made in my life--not to mention, the most time consuming, the most requested, etc.... Anyhow-- they start with a Guinness stout chocolate cupcake, with a chocolate ganache center with a sneaky peek of Jameson Irish Whiskey stirred in, topped off with a Bailey's Irish Creme frosting.  Sounds odd, I know, but they smell and taste amazing! If you aren't Irish, you want to be Irish and if you sample enough of the drinks while baking them, you just might believe that you are!

Life Under the Big Top....

 

My latest creations for an upcoming Carnival graduation party... the Cotton Candy Cupcake. My first attempt at the Cotton Candy Buttercreme was not as successful,as I didn't feel that it had a strong enough "cotton candy" flavor to it, using just pieces of cotton candy... sure, it LOOKED the part, but I wanted it to TASTE like it, too.  I finally found some cotton candy flavoring--and it did the trick! I dyed the vanilla cake pink and swirled blue cake batter into it as well, giving it a tie-dyed effect. 

Last but certainly not least were the Salted Carmel Corn Cupcakes.  OMG.  One of the best frostings I have had... EVER.  Sweet and salty...I even ate the cupcake with the popcorn on it! I won't lie. I will be making a cupcake tower for these little beauties for the party and I will also be tackling a carousel tiered cake... stay tuned for that!

Fun with Fondant

Just some cupcakes I did with some fondant cutout toppers.  Chocolate fondant....delish. Reminds me of tootsie rolls!  Get your own Pettinice Rolled Chocolate Fondant here!

Welcome to the Coutured Cupcake!!

When I finished my Master's degree, I found myself with a little extra time on my hands...so I decided to do something that I always wanted to do--decorate cakes. Although I enjoyed the classes and decorating cakes, I find myself overwhelmed by their size at times...Sad, I know, to be defeated by a pile of flour and eggs, but I have been--many, many times. I am, however, a marketer's dream. If they can make a product and then shrink it down into miniature size, I will want it--guaranteed. Why? Who knows?  Maybe because it's more portable? More practical?  Nope... just cuter.   If it's good full sized, it's going to be even better as a mini.  Hamburgers are better as sliders, and so obviously cakes are best as cupcakes. 

My cupcake philosophy is simple-- I like making different flavors of cupcakes and frosting combinations, but I am not scared of the old traditionals, either. Sometimes only a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting will do!!  Luckily, I have an office full of people who are willing to be my guinea pigs when it comes to my latest confections!