Pink Lady

Yes, it really was that pink. This is a mixed berry buttercream crowning a vanilla butter cupcake. To get this level of bright berry goodness see the recipe below.

1/2 cup frozen mixed berry wild cherry blend (Trader Joe's brand, but I'm sure other unsweetened frozen berry blends would work just fine), thawed with juices.
1 cup cool room temp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond flavoring
3-4 cups of powder sugar
1-3 TBS cream or milk as needed

Add frozen berries with juices to mixer and beat until broken down. Purists may want to push the berry mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds; I happen to like the contrast of texture and evidence of real fruit. Add butter and salt then mix until fruit is incorporated into the butter, about 3 minutes. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of sugar. Mix on low until incorporated, then add extracts and another cup of sugar, then another. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes until frosting lightens up.

This is when you have to step away from the recipe and go on instinct. Is it too thin? then add another cup of sugar. Is it too thick, add a TBS of milk. Cream in mixer for another 3-5 minutes  until light and fluffy. Spoon into decorating bag and decorate cupcakes, or fingers as desired. I think a fresh berry on top would be a perfect decoration to complete the cake.

Show Me Your Cuppies!

I had the pleasure of providing the dessert for my son's annual preschool fundraising auction. This year's theme was Mardi Gras, but instead of Bourbon Street debauchery we got our kicks at the silent auction tables.

Approximately 180 cupcakes were made for the evening along with a centerpiece cake, which was a last minute entry into the live auction.  The cupcakes were decorated with gold and silver sanding sugar and fondant curly ribbons. Flavors were:

White Almond Sour Cream with Raspberry filling and All-American Buttercream
Classic Red Velvet filled and frosted with Cream Cheese Buttercream
Devil's Food with Dark Chocolate Ganache filling and Whipped Chocolate Ganache Buttercream
Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake with Vegan All-American Buttercream
Gluten Free Chocolate finished with a dollop of Dark Chocolate Ganache

I had forgotten my original flavor flags at home and had to improvise in the banquet hall. Guests really appreciated having a key to find the flavor they most wanted, though many weren't shy about coming back for a second taste. 

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberries

A big Costco box of strawberries and a new cookbook were the inspiration behind these sassy strawberry treats.

Whenever I get a new cookbook for cakes I like to start with the first recipe that the author kicks off with. I think of it as a first date: I'm getting a feel for her recipes and seeing if we have a future together. My newest cookbook is Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World in an ongoing search to bake sans eggs and nuts so that my youngest can enjoy my work free of allergens. I'm not sure how the rest of my relationship will go, but I am definitely looking forward to our second date, er, recipe.

These are the Golden Vanilla Cupcakes, listed as a basic, go-to cake. Unlike me, I played by the book and didn't include dairy in the recipe (like I am ought to do because milk and butter aren't a problem for us and it just seems wrong not to). Soy milk, vinegar, oil, sugar, flour...pretty much everything but the eggs. The cakes were fragrant and had a moist although a bit corse crumb. I decided to take them a step beyond basic and fill them with fresh chopped strawberries macerated in maple syrup and honey. 

To do this, I cored out a cone with a small knife and pressed in about a tablespoon of the syrupy strawberries, then pressed the lid back on.  I finished the cakes off with a modest swirl of cream cheese buttercream frosting. This was not a vegan version, rather a batch I had in the deep freeze that seemed perfect for this 'on a whim' project. I don't know if it would be as delicious, but with vegan cream cheese and shortening I think a similar frosting could be made. A sliced strawberry and a sprinkle of gold sanding sugar finished the decor and hinted at the golden fruit hidden inside. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Mini chocolate cupcakes for my little sweethearts. My favorite eggless (vegan) chocolate recipe with a small swirl of buttercream. All topped with a small piped heart. Little love bites, all of them.

My Heart on a Swirl

A quick batch of cupcakes for the preschool bake sale today. The cupcake is a golden vanilla that I dressed up with a bit of almond, butter, and vanilla extract. A silky, salted caramel buttercream swirl topped off each cake, with a sprinkle of red sugar and a disco dusted fondant heart. Pretty parchment baking cups help make each cupcake a perfect little valentine.

Let's Get Ready To RUMBLE!

Start your engines and get ready for some fun! What's better than a big red monster truck to rip through the action at 5th birthday party?

This cake is a white almond sour cream with salted caramel buttercream. A thin layer of dark chocolate ganache topped it off before the fondant was applied. The tires are made from rice krispy treats formed and covered in fondant, making the whole cake edible. Silver luster dust is painted on for a shiny metallic finish.

The truck is elevated on a piece of cut florist foam covered in chocolate fondant. The cake board is coated with chocolate ganache and dusted with graham cracker 'sand' and decorated with jelly bean rocks.

The birthday boy's name on the tailgate and fancy candles in the bed make this cake ready for some big time party action.  The birthday boy loved his monster truck birthday cake--but not so much that he wasn't first in line when it got cut into big yummy pieces!




How do you get a cake to look like a truck? This is how I did it.

First 1/4 sheet cakes were baked, then cut to size based on proportions from my 'model'.

After doing some more detailed carving, a layer of buttercream and ganache is applied then the cake is chilled to create a firm base on which to apply the fondant. 

Instead of one big sheet of fondant over the entire cake, I applied layer and panels to create natural seams. The fondant on the windows was slightly marbled to give the impression of glass. 

Once the base was finished, I applied details such as bumpers, lights, trim and the most necessary hot flames. Tires were hung on a sharpened skewer pushed through the cake board and foam. The entire cake was staked onto the foam for security (and yes, it did almost slide off the base when I turned my back!)

A Birthday on Monday Cake

When your birthday is on a Monday, and after a holiday weekend, a simple cake to celebrate with family is the perfect choice. This was an egg-free Royal Vanilla Cake with All-American buttercream frosting in off white, brilliant aqua, and vibrant red.