Happy Birthday, Aunt Arlene!

A birthday cake for my "Summer Mom."

I spent many summers during my high school and college years living with my Aunt Arlene at the beach in Long Beach Island.  She has been affectionately known as my "Summer Mom" ever since.  We had dinner at her house to celebrate, and my uncle asked me to bring a chocolate cake.  I decided to to pull out the Magnolia cookbook again, and I used the Devil's Food Cake recipe and the Chocolate Buttercream recipe.  I think it turned out pretty decent.  There wasn't much left of it at the end of the night, so I'll take that as a good sign.  I wanted to keep the cake simple but pretty...

I want to use this picture as proof that the cake was straight at one point.  I slipped on some ice in my driveway and the cake slid a little bit.  By the time I got to my aunt and uncle's house, the cake was a little bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

I am going to be helping my friend with desserts for her daughter's birthday in March, and i wanted to try out some flowers with fondant.  I like the way this one turned out.  I think I might try my hand at gumpaste over the next month...

Happy Birthday, Aunt Arlene, and thanks for a great dinner, Uncle Walt!  Love you both.



Magnolia Bakery

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

Matt had a meeting in New York City last week, and I tug along to hang out in Central Park and catch a play.  One of my goals for the trip was to check out a few bakeries and some delicious cupcakes.  I visited Crumbs and Magnolia...both mouthwatering but very different.  Crumbs' cupcakes were over-the-top, super decadent, and sort of like a party in your mouth.  Magnolia, on the other hand, had much more simple treats.  I tasted a simple lemon cupcake with lemon buttercream icing....absolutely fantastic.  The cake was like velvet and the frosting was so light and creamy.  I just had to buy their newest cookbook, More from Magnolia. 

 I couldn't wait to try a recipe, so my first day home, I already made the Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Icing.  I'm taking them with me to a friend's house.   She gave birth to a stunningly gorgeous baby girl a week ago, and Matt and I thought they could use a meal and some dessert.  Maureen was one of my college roommates, and one of my favorite memories is her buying me a fabulous birthday cake during Senior Week, which we ate for breakfast and lunch for almost a week.  Vanilla cake is her favorite, so I tinted the icing pink in honor of the lovely Everly Grace and baked up a batch.  My goal is to distract our friends with food, while I sit quietly cuddling their baby girl.

I used up some of the flowers I used for my Mother-in-Law's Cake a few weeks ago.

Peanut Butter Cherry Blossom Cake

Happy Birthday, Mother-in-Law!

My mother-in-law's birthday is on Tuesday, but we are celebrating this weekend.   She is a big chocolate & peanut butter fan, and I ususally make her a chocolate cake with chocolate peanut butter icing, but this year, I thought I'd try to mix it up.  I decided to make a peanut butter cake with chocolate icing.  After googling lots of recipes, I decided to go with Paula Deen's...you can't go wrong with her recipes.  I'm not sure how the cake turned out yet, but if the batter is any indication, it should be scrumptious!   I didn't use her icing recipe, as I have one that I find delicious already.  I wasn't sure how to decorate the cake, but I decided that after a long winter, I wanted something spring-like.  What represents spring more than Cherry Blossoms?

Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures.  Some day, I will learn to take beautiful ones that show off the cakes better.

Butterfly cupcakes

Happy 5th Birthday, Kate!

My girl, Kate, turns 5 on Sunday.  I cannot believe she was born five years ago!  Insane.   Unlike last year, where she refused to be four, she is quite excited at turning another year.  She was very specific about what type of cupcakes she wanted...chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing,  pink sprinkles and butterflies.  I hope this satisfies her requirements.  I'm not super thrilled with the way they turned out.  I tried to be cute with the roses, and I'm not convinced that it wouldn't have looked better with just piping the icing on in a swirl.  One thing I can be sure about...they are delicious!  I used Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcake recipe.  YUM!!!  Matt, who is feeling slightly better by the way, went back for seconds...and thirds.  I guess that's a good sign!

Green Flower Cupcakes

Happy Birthday, Chrissy!

So, my very fashionable and awesome work friend, Chrissy, has a birthday on Saturday, and I thought I'd make some cupcakes to bring to work to celebrate another awesome year of Chrissy!  Since Chrissy is one of the most stylish girls I know, I thought the cupcakes should match.   I'm hoping they taste ok, as my usual taste tester is currently in bed sleeping and shivering with what I think may be the flu.  My poor husband.  He hardly ever gets sick, but when he does, it gets REALLY sick. 

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting. 

After lots of searching, I have decided that the chocolate icing recipe off of the back of Hershey's Cocoa is the best.  Hands down.

Side note:  My coworker and bestest work buddy just sent me a g-chat saying, "Your blog is false advertising.  You work until 9 in the evening.  It should say 'Therapist by night, amateur baker by later that night.'"  So true.

1st Attempt at Rose Cupcakes

Book Club Meeting #2

For our second book club meeting, we decided to read Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald.  To try to stick with the theme, I decided it was the perfect time to attempt to make Rose Cupcakes.  I had a helper today...my amazing mom!  She's been here all week as I've been recovering from minor surgery, and she's the best.  She did the baking, and I did the decorating.  Not too shabby for my first attempt.

Pound Cake Cupcakes with Rose Flavored Icing

Brownie Cupcakes with Rose Tinted Icing

Girls' Night

Over the summer, I was lucky to be able to spend so much time with some of my favorite women in my family, and since fall began, three of them are in different states for school.  I  have been going through withdrawal!  Therefore, I invited my three cousins, my two aunts, and my mom over for Girls' Night.  I can't wait to see them, and I thought I'd make pretty girl cupcakes.  Inspiration for these came from the Martha Stewart Cupcake Cookbook; however, Martha had lavender infused icing with edible flowers.  I am certainly no Martha and have NO idea where to find edible flowers and lavender.  I stumbled upon rose extract and made the flowers out of fondant.

Milk Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Rose Infused Royal Icing

I want one now.