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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Wonder Woman Cupcakes for the Cupcake Couture Blog Party!


So when Betsy from Java Cupcake and Cupcake Takes the Cake and Carrie from Bella Cupcake Couture said they were hosting a Cupcake Couture Blog Party AND would be sharing some of the cool and unique Bella cupcake wrappers with a bunch of bloggers, I was totally in!  The challenge was to go nuts with a fun cupcake wrapper, create a matching or coordinating cupcake and then to style the cupcakes in a display using items already found at home.  How fun is that??!


For this party I did some Wonder Woman cupcakes! If you follow me on Pinterest, may know I have a thing for Wonder Woman, so it was time to bring some cupcakes to life and this Blog Party was just the thing to get the creative juices flowing!  


I was so excited when my cupcake wrappers came in the mail.  Mine were these fun pink and white stripped ones!


And I used some inspiration from one of my favorite Wonder Woman shirts:

I love the pinky and purpley colors for everything so I went with those colors for the cupcakes.  


Here is a run down of my cupcakes and set-up!

Cupcakes:
  • Cupcakes-homemade chocolate cupcakes (that I had frozen from a previous project BTW-I always freeze baked cupcakes when I have too many.  Just pop them out of the freezer and then let them thaw on the counter-always as good as the day they are baked!).  
  • Frosting-some homemade buttercream flavored with a packet of Duncan Hines Frosting Creations in White Chocolate Raspberry which gave a nice light purple color.  The frosting is piped with a thin leaf tip using this tutorial from Robin of Bird on a Cake (Thanks Robin, your petals look way better!)
  • Cupcake Toppers-I used candy melts like in this post to make the Wonder Woman logo, but again in colors to match the cupcake design.  Then brushed with some Wilton Shimmer Dust in Pearl and added some white star sprinkles on the icing finish the Wonder Woman look.

Props:
  • Some foam craft discs in yellow, blue, purple and pink that we already had in the house for some art projects (I kinda like this look by itself with the cupcakes!)
  • Confetti- that was made from some of the kids' old comic books
  • Comic book bunting - again made from triangles cut from the comic books and cake pop sticks

And that's it! I really love the look of these cupcakes in the wrappers and the added set up (which is a bit different for me, as usually I just go with a white or neutral background to let the treats stand out more).

Please go check out the other bloggers participating in the Cupcake Couture Party!


Link over to their unique cupcake creations!

An American Cupcake in London
Bella Cupcake Couture
Chronicles of a Foodie
Crazy for Crust
Creative Food
Cupcakes Take the Cake
Diary of a Mad Hausfrau
Eat Your Heart Out
Haniela's
Hoosier Homemade
In Katrina's Kitchen
Inside BruCrew Life
Java Cupcake
Love From the Oven
Make Bake Celebrate
Not Just a Mommy
Sugar Daze
Sugar Swings! Serve Some
The Baked Equation
The Baking Cup
The Decorated Cookie

There is also a sweet Prize Pack as part of the party!  Thanks to our amazing sponsors for their generous donations!  Please, visit their websites to see more of their fabulous products!

Bella Cupcake Couture
Cupcake Stand
Java Cupcake
Lil' Punkin Creations
Sweets & Treats Boutique



To enter to WIN this Prize Pack, simply fill out the entry form below.

Contest opens 21May13 at 0700 PST and closes 27May13 at 2359 PST.  One winner will be chosen and announced within 24 hours of the contest ending. Winner will be contacted via email to claim their prize.

This contest is open to residents of the USA and Europe only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This was the first time I've used cupcake wrappers, and can I say how much I love them??! Since I bake a lot of cupcakes, these are a great way to dress them up a little and make them look really nice and professional.  Also since darker cake cupcakes tend to bleed through the cupcake liners, the wrappers are a great way to hide that.  It's really simple to use them too.  There are 3 slits on the side of the wrapper and you select the size that best fits with your cupcakes.  Want to try them?? Enter the giveaway and GOOD LUCK!!

Thanks to Betsy for pulling all of this together and for including me in this super fun party! 
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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Star Wars Mickey Mashup Cookies/Pops


So you guys know I love a good mashup right? I've already talked about that before like here.  When we went to Disney for the first time this year, I totally bought into the whole Mickey Ear obsession.  I mean it's all about the Mickey (or Minnie) Ears and you can spend a gagillion dollars stocking up on them.  Where else can adults wear mouse ears and actually look pretty cool? Well, relatively cool (they still look much cuter on kids!).  AND they pretty much come in any variety you want, plain, fancy, tiny, pirate, and almost any Disney character in ear form too.  


So when we visited last February, we HAD to get some for the kiddos.  That's Buzz Lightyear, a princess (of course), and R2D2 ears!  Long story short, they inspired these Star Wars Mickey Ear cookies.


And the mashup is totally appropriate considering Disney now owns Star Wars.  Still not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing but I'd probably sell too for 4 billion bucks (4 BILLION that's even crazy to type!).  Time will only tell and the new Episode 7 movie slated for 2015 will really make people love the deal or really, really, and I mean really hate it.  

Anyway, back on topic!  I cheated with these cookies and started with store bought ones.  Well 1) because I'm starting to get lazy and 2) there are really good cookies out there waiting to be made into other treats.  To make the ears I used a large icing tip and cut a part of 2 round chocolate chip cookies to make the ears (see pic below).  Attach to a whole cookie with some melted chocolate.


Once hardened decorate with candy melt to make the Star Wars characters. Minimalistic characters because it was much faster that way!


You can also add sticks and make them cookie pops (because all food is way more fun in pop form)


And you get some fun cookies to celebrate May the 4th Be With You (aka Star Wars Day).  Which I know passed already (#blogfail) but I think most Star Wars and Mickey fans are fans the other 364 days of the year too, so hope you enjoy them!


I hope you can recognize all the characters! Leave a comment and let me know your fav!!!

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Friday, May 10, 2013

Trix and Chex Cereal Treats



OK Dads, this is for you.  If you need a super quick mother's day treat (you did remember that Mother's Day is Sunday May 12 right?), that you AND the kids can make on your own, I have it for you!



An easy change up from regular rice krispie treats.  


Made from Trix and Rice Chex cereals.  WHY? I have lots of reasons.

1) Because Moms secretly love sugary cereals even though we won't feed it to the kids for breakfast

2) These are made with only 1/2 of the Trix and 1/2 with a more "healthy" cereal, so we will feel better eating like 1, 2 or 7 of them

3) We love colorful stuff, I mean look at these cute little rainbow swirled crisps of sweetness!


4) It's super simple with no baking needed.  It's pretty much impossible to mess it up.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of butter
1-10 ounce bag of marshmallows
1/2 box of Trix
1/2 box of Rice Chex

Directions: Melt butter and marshmallow in a big pot.  Turn off heat once all melty and add the cereals. Mix well.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Wash your and kids hands, then spray your hands with non-stick spray (and enjoy the giggles that come from your kids as you do it!).  Grab some of the mix and roll into a ball.  Pop into a cupcake liner (of you know where those are kept-just make sure not to mess up the super specific order mom has stored them in!)


To be really fancy and to impress mom, you can wrap them in plastic bags and tie with a bow.  But honestly we'd be so happy you made a treat for us from scratch, that would be totally over the top.


Just plopping them on a "nice" plate would be just as awesome!


And 5) You and the kids will love them too!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Wonder Woman moms out there, that do a little bit of everything! I saw a great description of how a moms mind works, it's kinda like having 50 web browsers open at all times.  I totally agree with that! Enjoy your Sunday as well as each and every day. I hope you get some special treats made for you!

Here are more fun Trix treats too!

Trix cereal treats (even cocoa puffs treats too!)

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Sunday, May 5, 2013

Disney Little Princesses Cupcakes



So my twins turned 6 recently! Hard to believe that they are in big kid territory now, no longer babies or littles, but full on kid mode!  And my Greta (the twins are B/G) is definitely into all that is princess  (as much as we tried not to be point them towards traditional boy or girl toys, they just tended to gravitate toward what appealed to them).  And Disney totally has the market on all that is princess.  You can't get away from it.  

Since I've been making their birthday cakes for years now, this years' cake request had to be a Disney princess one, and her fav is Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  So the request was Belle, with smaller princess cupcakes all around her.  

Clockwise from the top in case you need help!
Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Mulan, and Sleeping Beauty
It was kinda natural to do all the little princesses in candy since I've done little candy people a lot before, using Hershey chocolate bells (or you can use Hershey kisses) and vanilla tootsie rolls as the base of the body.  


All the rest of the detail is done in candy melt, with a tiny heart sprinkle as their mouths and an edible food writer to add the eyes.  For more specific info on how to make candy people you can check here or here or here.


They take a little time to make, but always come out really cute for me.  And I love they are not typical princess pretty, but cute and stocky princesses! I added these to some homemade chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream (which just happens to be one of my favorite cake/frosting combinations!)



And the Belle cake came out better than I was thinking too.  It's just a Belle Barbie covered in plastic wrap and shoved down the center of a chocolate cake "dress".   I used my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl for the dress shape (which worked out great).  I did need to add a little cake to build her dress up around her waist.  There is something slightly wrong with icing a naked barbie wrapped up in plastic wrap!


And you get a Princess Belle cake with some little mini princesses to celebrate my princess turning 6! If you can't be totally into princesses when you are six, then I don't know when you can!


Happy Cinco de Mayo to all too! There was just too much going on this weekend, between May the 4th be With You (aka Star Wars Day), the Kentucky Derby, AND Cinco de Mayo, I could not prep enough to get everything I wanted done and posts ready, so you get princesses today instead! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!
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Friday, May 3, 2013

Star Wars Treats Round Up!

So guess what day it almost is??? May the 4th Be With You or as all Star Wars fans know Star Wars Day!  I'm trying to get my act together for a new post to celebrate, but in the meantime here are some of my favorite Star Wars inspired sweets.

One of the most viewed posts I have to date, a fun mash-up of PEEPS and Star Wars aka PEEPS Trooper Pops.  These are not the PEEPS you are looking for.  Find the post here.



Wampa's anyone?? And instead of them eating you, you can eat them (in cupcake form of course!).  Find them here.


And I love how Star Wars just keeps going and going and going. They've even inspired the Origami Yoda book series (which my kid LOVES!).  Find some Origami Yoda candy pops here.



To celebrate my oldest's birthday one year we did a bunch of Star Wars character cupcakes (General Ackbar is my fav, but Lando is a close second!).  Find them here (including how to's) as well as more on the Star Wars party here.


One year we also did some gingerbread Star Wars characters! Find them here.


I have to say my kids really liked the Star Wars dudes in traditional gingerbread man form better than the real characters!


And of course my biggest kid really started the love of Star Wars around here, so he got some simple lightsaber cupcakes one year.  Find them here.


Are you celebrating May the 4th Be With You?!! I hope so.  My kids love the movies, cartoon series, books, all the stuff, it's never ending! They even made some pics so we can put them up tomorrow.  We have the Star Wars Thumb Doodles book and have been hard at work creating their master pieces! (PS I highly recommend this if you have some Star Wars freaks fans around your house!


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Saturday, April 20, 2013

Superman Whoopie Pies!


So it's whoopie pie time! Or as my kids call them "wumpie pies"!  Every year the hubster requests whoopie pies for his birthday instead of birthday cake.  Last year we did "devil dog" inspired whoopie pies and another year it was planet shaped whoopie pies.  I've also done some designed whoopie pies here, where you "decorate" the whoopie pie cakes before baking.  (I always love how this looks in the finished cake!)

For this year's birthday whoopie pies, I decided to use this technique and make some superhero inspired pies for the birthday boy.  The recipe is straight off the Marshmallow Fluff site.  It's the very first whoopie recipe I ever used and it's simple and everyone always loves them.


Put your batter in a zip lock bag, snip and end, and pipe your circle whoopie pie cakes.  Make a separate batch of the whoopie pie batter and leave out the cocoa.  I add the same amount of wheat flour to make up for not adding the cocoa.  Once batter is mixed up, separate into 2 bowls and add your food coloring.  Since I did Superman, I tinted half yellow and half red.  Put each color into a zip lock bag, snip an end and "pipe" the Superman logo.  Do the yellow background first.


Then add the "S" in the red batter.  You can use whatever design you like.  The batter is thick enough to keep the shape relatively well.


Bake at 350 for only about 7 minutes or so.  Keep an eye on them as you don't want them to brown.


Add the scrumptious marshmallow fluff icing/filling, and assemble your pies.  I also had some leftover tinted batter so made some mini vanilla whoopie pies too.


Even lettering works well with this technique, so I made a message for the birthday boy, who really is a kid at heart!


And you get some fun Superman Whoopie Pies to celebrate another year on this big blue ball.

In a world were there is such senseless violence such as the recent events in Boston this week and Newtown not so long ago, it really does give me comfort to know that my kids have a great role model in their dad.  He really is our real Superman around here.  Happy Birthday babe!  You're amazeballs.

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Sunday, April 7, 2013

Birds on a Wire Graham Cracker Cookies...!


So guess what my new favorite food to work with is??!  Graham Crackers! For Easter I posted these graham cracker bars and found these tasty crackers an awesome canvas to work on.  And who doesn't like graham crackers??? I think it's a rule that you have to love them, I mean they give them to people in the hospital, so it must be loved by all, right??

My kids love the cinnamon flavored ones, but they also come in honey or chocolate flavored but even plain old graham crackers are awesome.  PLUS for me they are a huge time saver because these could have also been done on sugar cookies, but that's an extra step and all that was needed for the base of these "cookies" was to tear open a new pack.


The birds on a wire idea came to me while I was staring at all the left over jelly beans we had from Easter, and we had A LOT! But I love all the fun colors they come in.  I also saw these super cute M and M chicks from Sweet Simple Stuff, which inspired these birdies!  And really this entire cookie is so easy to make:
  • Take your jelly beans and add a yellow or orange candy melt beak (add a little bit of candy wafer to a zip lock bag and microwave until just melted, snip an end and "pipe" on).  You could also just melt the wafers in a microwave safe bowl and dip a fork or toothpick in to add the beak.
  • Use an edible food writer to add eyes  
  • Break graham crackers into squares
  • For the sky background use blue and white candy melts mixed together 
  • Add "wires" with some melted chocolate for the birds to sit on
  • Add your jelly bean birds while the candy melt is still wet
  • Pipe on some little bird feet
  • Add a candy melt border in white to make it pretty as a picture!

And you get some fun and colorful (not to mention super easy) "cookies" to welcome the birds back for spring.  I love the look of the speckled jelly beans for the birdies! You could always use regular cookies for these or royal icing in place of the candy wafers, really, whatever you happen to have handy.  For me I always have candy melt hanging around in a rainbow of colors.


Anyhoo, hope you like them and thanks as always for stopping by! The weather forecast is for warmer temps in the Northeast, so I'm hoping that means spring is here to stay.  

Here are some other super cute candy birdie treats for you to enjoy!

Easter cupcakes with bird nests
Easy blue birdies
White chocolate candy filled chicks
Baby bird nest pretzels
M and M chicks

Sharing with these fun bloghops too!

Tidy Mom's I'm Loving It
AND look at all this fun cupcake related stuff out there too! I'm guessing the cupcake trend is here to stay!

  

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