Don't they just make you smile?! I had originally planned to make a cake this week, and then these little gems popped in my head. It all happened last week while I was shoe shopping. Somewhere between picking which pair of heels would be coming home with me, I thought wouldn't it be so cute if I made hatching chick cupcakes. Once this happens, everything else I'm doing goes out the window, even the shoes... Normally when I tell people things like this, they just give me a very strange look. What can I tell you, this is how my mind works. ...
Cadbury Mini Egg Cheesecake Bars
Spring has officially sprung! The weather is gorgeous, iced coffee is in full effect, and all of a sudden we can't go out to dinner anywhere that doesn't offer outdoor seating! I feel like this all happened really quickly, I didn't even start Spring cleaning yet. By Spring cleaning, you should know I mean cleaning out the shoe collection to make room for new ones ;) Anyway, this burst of summer weather is definitely welcome. I may not be getting much done, but I sure am enjoying it. One thing I did get done this week are these Cadbury ...
Persimmon and Champagne Granita
I'm so excited to share this recipe with all of you today due to my new found love of persimmons! Have you tried them? They're fantastic and definitely my new "it" fruit of the season! Earlier this week I already had it in my head that I was going to make champagne granita for NYE. It's the perfect dessert for the occasion, light, quick to put together, and boozy! Originally I planned to use blood oranges, but after striking out on a mission to find them, I was introduced to the lovely persimmon. After sampling the persimmon, I was ...
Christmas Tree Cake
Well I finally put my Christmas tree up, and there's no doubt that it's totally me! I make a Christmas tree cake every year for my family, and I just wanted to do it up a little different this time. I knew I'd be making walnut kiss cookies and peppermint milanos so I thought it would be sweet if I tied everything together. There's also the my whole world is pink thing that might have been a factor in this project as well! The tree is layers upon layers of red velvet cake. I filled it with cookies and cream filling, and frosted it with my ...
Penguin Cupcakes
To say I love penguins would be an understatement, so I had to put some on my blog. I decided cupcakes would be the best way to go, and I'm delighted with how they turned out. I can't help but smile when I look at them! Of course I had to give them sparkly hats, because thats what all penguins wear, right?! They're perfect for holiday parties, and were pretty simple to put together too. For the cupcakes I used my vanilla cupcake recipe that I used in the Holiday cupcake tree. At first I thought they might be difficult to decorate, but ...
White Chocolate Peppermint Milanos
Mint milanos have become one of my most requested cookies of the holiday season. I started making them a few years back as a component of a chocolate dessert on one of my restaurant menus. I found they were a playful twist to add to a plated dessert, and right away they were a hit. I quickly learned that as soon as anyone hears the word milano, they smile, and are eager to try. Like me, the recipe has evolved over the years. I now use my melt in your mouth butter cookies and white chocolate peppermint ganache which work ...
Holiday Cupcake Tree with How-to Video
I'm so excited to share this cupcake tree with all of you! I love cupcakes and I really love Christmas, so creating a Christmas tree out of cupcakes is almost too much for me to handle! Mini cupcakes decorated with buttercream, gumdrops, and of course a bit of sparkle, give the tree a really fun look. It is a great project for all skill levels, and also makes a fabulous centerpiece for holiday parties. When I first thought of this, I couldn't wait to make it! I started out making my vanilla cupcakes and attached them to a styrofoam tree ...