Baking Filled Weekend!

This past weekend was filled with baking, probably one of the busiest baking weekends I have had in a long time!  The church youth group that I run held our first bake sale on Sunday!  Knowing that it was Palm Sunday, and a lot of families have big family dinners and would need to bring dessert - we were the solution!


All in all I baked 3 different bundt cakes, 42 cupcakes (2 different flavors), and 3 batches of cookies!  You can see all of my baked goods below!  I think my favorite was these Lemon-Blueberry Cupcakes with a Lemon cream cheese frosting!  YUM :)  I even put them in a very spring-like box, because presentation is very important!  I found the recipe and pinned it on Pinterest - check my pinterest out for a bunch of awesome new recipes!  What do you think of everything below -  stay tuned for more of the recipes, and more of what I baked this past weekend!  BAKE ON!

Happy St.Patrick's Day!!!

I may only be a "wee" bit Irish -but this year I went all out for St. Patrick's Day (my boyfriend is really Irish!).  I went all out and bought green necklaces, shamrock glasses, Leprechaun hat headbands, and of course, cupcake tins! I searched online for some Irish themed cupcakes, and Irish Car Bomb cupcakes and I knew I had to make them!

 It was a Guinness chocolate cupcake, a Jameson ganache, and a Bailey's Irish Cream buttercream icing!  It was the first time I incorporated beer into a cupcake, and it was quite the experience - I paid close attention as to not burn the beer, and the cupcakes came out perfectly!  It was also the first time I made a ganache, and I was a little afraid about getting the chocolate chopped properly and getting the right consistency.  I probably could have let it sit and cool a bit longer, but it was also delicious!

I finished the cupcakes - and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the cupcakes, and I have to make them again this weekend for my sister in law's birthday...so more adventures to come!  Bake on!

Yummmmmy Cupcakes!

I will usually taste my cupcakes before handing them out (USUALLY)... but I also kind of like the surprise and the feedback of other people.  Especially when I try a new flavor - I like the criticism, because it's always positive because it can only make me a better baker!

It was my best friend in the entire world's birthday last week, and sadly - we couldn't spend it together.  So I went to visit her this past weekend for a birthday re-celebration with her family.  She had asked me the month prior to her birthday to make her some special cupcakes (last year, I made her Princess Aurora).  I started to brainstorm of something cool to do - but I knew what would make her happiest.  We bonded over a few inside jokes in middle school, and one of them was Milkyways!

So I made  her Milkyway flavored cupcakes - I melted down Milkyway bars, folded them into the cupcake batter, and made a chocolate butter cream.  As you bit into the full cupcake, it was as if a Milkyway exploded!  I was quite proud of them... I am looking forward to making some other candy bar cupcakes in the future, so stay tuned and bake on!

Go Army!

I work with a pretty awesome sales team as my regular 9-6, mon-fri job...and one of the benefits of sales is the fact that they can wine and dine clients!  And sometimes it's nice to send a little something to thank our clients for their time and consideration.

Well...when I heard one of our sales guys was meeting with the marketing team for Army -- I HAD to make something!  Whether or not we work them or not, I wanted the opportunity to make some custom Army cupcakes.  (Especially since my best friend is going to marry someone in the Army).  The cupcakes were pretty simple, nothing too difficult, but fun to make!  What do you think of them?

BAKE ON!

We're Late for a Very Important Date!

It's been a while since I have posted - but I have continued to bake over the past few weeks, despite a hectic work schedule and getting back into the swing of things after some travelling!  My first adventure back into baking was quite the adventure down a massive rabbit hole!  Alice in Wonderland themed cupcakes for a baby shower!

The task wasn't easy, I wanted something fun, colorful and yet somewhat relevant for a baby shower.  I came across some sample cupcakes and I worked to replicate them with my very own twist on them!  It took me about five hours from start to finish -- creating every piece from scratch (the mushrooms, flowers, and hats!).  My back may have been a little sore from hunching over the details, but it was all worth it when I put the cupcakes together and saw how Alice in Wonderland just popped from the cupcakes!  What do you think?!

Bake on!

Christmas Spirit!

I don't know what it is about this year...maybe it's the weather, or just being super busy...but it does not feel like CHRISTMAS TIME!  It makes me quite sad that I can't get into the Christmas spirit - I love buying gifts, wrapping them, decorating and of course making Christmas sweets!

It's been tough with my hours at work, then training for a half marathon (I'm crazy..I know)!  I just haven't had that much time to make super special Christmas/holiday treats.  I did have a request for Red Velvet Cupcakes for the beginning of December, so I decided to make them somewhat festive!  I made everything from scratch, including the cream cheese icing, then added some white sprinkles (to look like snow) and a candy cane as the North Pole!  What do you think?

Stay tuned... Christmas cookies are coming up this weekend and next, any suggestions on some new recipes I should try?!  Bake ON!!

A Very Sporty Birthday!

Growing up, I was quite the tomboy and into every sport imaginable.  I tried being a cheerleader, I even did ballet and loved it.  But, my true love was sports - softball, basketball, soccer, and even football.  I received a cake order by a little girl after my own heart...she didn't want a princess or a butterfly cake - she wanted a basketball and soccer themed cake!

I checked out a few designs, but I knew in my heart what I wanted to create for her.  A true fusion of soccer and basketball, mixing her two worlds into one cake!  I did a large sheet cake (vanilla) with home-made butter cream.  I made half the cake a soccer field, and the other half a basketball court and the two fields met in the center of the cake, where there was a half basketball/half soccer ball layered on top!  She was super excited for her cake and I was quite proud of how the two came together into one.  What do you think?!

Bake on!