Cupcake Heaven

So, I'm an avid Food Network fan and I especially love watching competitions of all sorts...so when "Cupcake Wars" started, naturally I blocked out that time of day to curl up infront of my tv. So much so, I even got my 7 year old daughter and my 2 year old son watching it with me. The whole concept of cupcakes as opposed to cakes and/or other desserts is sooo modern and chic. Not to mention, it's also a fad these days....everywhere you turn, small cupcake bakeries (and even cupcake vans) can be found.

So, I headed out on a quest (ok, a trip to downtown) to taste these cupcakes (it was a business trip but I had cupcakes on my mind) to see what all the hype is about (yes, I thought I'd take one for the team). I had joined Flirty Cupcakes on facebook and was rather impressed by their ability to run a cupcake business out of a van with facebook and twitter being the only marketing tools. Their flavor names are as catchy as their logo is funky. "McDreamy", "Devil in Disguise", "The Curious George", and "CBFF" to name a few...They park their cute little van on an intersection, update their twitter and facebook with their location and voila!!!! You've got cupcakes! Heaven on Wheels right?!?!...

....well...even thought the cupcakes were moist and the frosting  was just the right amount of sweet, I must say, I wasn't truly impressed. It tasted alot like cupcakes that can be made at home minus the $3.25 pricetag...It definitely filled up my sugar void, don't get be wrong...but it didn't meet expectations...

Next stop was going to be the famous Sprinkles Cupcakes (the founder of which is one of the judges on Cupcake Wars)..After finally finding the location between Rush and Michigan amidst all the construction and traffic, I held my breath, crossed my fingers and walked into a chic, stylish, and modern cupcake boutique (no, I can't call it a bakery and you'll see why in a moment).

....does this look like the outside of a bakery?!?!...I don't think so... :)

The aroma of the freshly baked cupcakes, along with the endless rows of everything that's good and pure (yea, I get carried away ;) was waiting for me...

...see, told ya :o)

They dont have fancy names for their cupcakes and doesnt look like they spend alot of time decorating their cupcakes but I have to admit..I've had my share of fine desserts all around the world but when I tried their "Vanilla Hazelnut" , "Red Velvet", "Milk Chocolate" cupcakes, I was in heaven!!! They truly hit the spot...

The moistness of the cupcake and the sweetness (but not too sweet) of the frosting neatly covering the top of the cupcake is an experience that can be described in words but it SHOULD be felt by cupcake lovers all around the world...I promise you it won't be your last time going to Sprinkles. Now I know why the founder of Sprinkles and the judge of Cupcake Wars, Candace Nelson, is so critical of the cupcakes on the show..she REALLY knows what she is talking about..

Go try it for yourselves :o)

So, here's

My Very First Wedding Cake

So, despite my minimal caking experience a very kind-hearted client came to my door and asked me to make her special day sweet with one of my cakes. Imagine my excitement, until I realized what I got myself into ;). She was a super easy going bride. The only requirements she gave me were 1) she wanted the base to be tiffany blue; 2) She wanted the cake to be 4 tier and square shaped; 3) She wanted a white ribbon to go around the edge of each tier; and 4) She wanted cala lillies on the cake. The display cake was going to be fake except for the tier they were going to cut.

So, I dove in (head first) and started with the cala lillies.

 

 Next, I rolled out my fondant to match the tiffany blue color so I could start covering the tiers. After doing alot of research and playing with a lot of color combinations, I finally decided to use Wilton's sky blue food coloring to achieve the correct tiffany blue color.

My Handy Helper (my 2 1/2 year old son)

 Moving on.....I started stacking the display cake and covering it in fondant. I must say that this was the hardest part of the entire decorating process (atleast for me!!). Rolling fondant in large quantities was definitely tough and to get it to be JUST the right size was even tougher..Oh, I decided to top off the 1st tier with a bow!

Before I show you the final version of the cake, I must tell you that the flowers I made were used to hide the "not-so-glamorous" parts of the cake but it turned out to be a symmetrical and artistic design. The pictures are also hiding the flaws really well...

Now, for the final moment...drum roll please..................................................

And, now, the cake at the venue..yes! it really did make it to the wedding :o)

I learned alot from this experience. There are many things I would do differently, or not do at all, next time around but the hard work definitely paid off coz the bride loved it!!!!

Hollywood All the Way

I know, it's been a while since i've blogged or put up my creations. Summer is generally a crazy busy month but that hasn't stopped me from baking. Rest assured, I have plenty of new cakes and ideas to share.

Let's start with a bridal shower that I, along with my sister and mom, threw for our cousin. The theme was hollywood so obviously we had to make a cake to reflect that. So, what better cake to make than a "Red Carpet" Cakescape.

Everything on this cake is edible except the candles. To go with the cake, I also made, what I call, my "Red Carpet" Cake Balls. They are leftover cake mixed with caramel frosting covered in butterscoth and drizzled with Red Melted candy.

Next up, is a, not so glamorous, tennis cake for my friend's brother's birthday. The tennis star is relaxing after a tiring victory.

Also, my first attempt was a carved car cake...and not just any car..my sister's dream car - A Dodge Viper

I know, it doesn't look that much like a viper but not bad for my first attempt.

For an indian dance party i made mini dholki cakes. Dholki is an indian drum commonly used at weddings and what not.

Last, but not the least, an engagement cake for the happy couple. They wanted something simple and elegant and no fondant so that just narrows down to very limited items. The finished product is below :)

Cupcake Bouquets

Flower Bouquest wither away, balloons pop...enjoyment doesn't last long. But there is a bouquet that can please every pallette and will be devoured and enjoyed until the last drop.

Next time, try a Cupcake Bouquet. Our cupcakes are made with fresh ingredients and carefully handcrafted for the occassion. We can add your choice of goodies to our delicious cupcake bouquets. Check out a few of our cupcake bouquet options below and check back to see more..

Bejeweled Cupcake Bouquet

- Basket decorated with non-edible jewels and filled with Rose Cupcakes and Cake Pops

Welcome Bouquet

Cupcake Trilogy

All About Cupcakes

So, I'm in love with making cakes and cupcakes now...I love experimenting with flavors and frosting designs. I spend half the day baking and the other half distributing to friends and family (my guinea pigs :o)) to get feedback.

For the cupcakes below I tried the recipe behind the Hersheys Cocoa box. I read great reviews about it and well..it WAS really great..very moist and scrumptious!

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Holiday Cupcakes

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Fall Cupcakes

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My Cupcake Bouquet

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Valentine Cupcakes

My Cakes (Part II)

Coach Purse and Shoe

I made this for my mom. She loved it :o)

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Lightning McQueen

My version of Lightning McQueen for my son's bday :o)

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Babyshower Cake ideas

Basketweaving Cake with roses made out of fondant.

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Nintendo DS cakeThis was my very first attempt to make a cake on a large scale. I made this for my daughter's 7th birthday. She and all her friends got a kick out of this one.

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The Perfect Present

what more can I say....this is the best birthday present anyone can get...have your cake and eat it too ;)

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Farmville Cake

I made this for my cousin who loooves the Farmville game on Facebook. Cake is covered in buttercream icing. The veggies and animals are all made out of fondant.

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Poker Cake

This was made for a friend of mine who is undoubtedly the "Poker Champ". This is all buttercream. I need to improve my buttercream skills.

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Cricket Inspired Cake

So, I made this cake for my husband who is a huuuge fan of the game. It's all chocolate with fondant accents. He was really surprised :o)...Mission Accomplished!