St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

Getting the jump on St. Patrick's Day with these gorgeous green cupcakes for little kids with the Leprechaun Hat and big kids as well via the Beer Cupcake. Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day Lucky Green Velvet and Gold Coin Cupcake

Beer Cupcake

St. Patrick's Day Mint Chococlate Chip Cupcake

St. Patrick's Day Leprechaun Hat Cupcake



St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Cupcake

Visit my party shop for St. Patrick's Day stuff!

Photo Credit: John Sparano

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

I just wrote an aricle for Celebrations.com about Bridal Shower Cupcakes. Obviously, I'm on a total cupcake kick based on recent blog posts, similar to how I was on a gingerbread house-making bender years ago, which launched my lifestyle expert / chef / party girl career. No substitute for passion, doing what you love, loving what you do! Enjoy!

Tiffany’s Box Engagement Ring Bridal Shower Cupcake

For the bride that loves “the little blue box” and all its sweet shiny possibilities. Be prepared for the many ohhhs and ahhhs that you’ll get from these cupcakes presented in their Tiffany’s-inspired box (instructions on Celebrations.com).

Elegant Rose Bridal Shower Cupcake

For the bride that loves the simply elegant fabulousness of roses! What I love most about these cupcakes is that you can mix and match all colors of roses with the many patterns of scrapbook paper available for a variety of looks that suit the style of your bridal shower (instructions on Celebrations.com.)

Art Deco Bride & Groom Cupcake Bridal Shower Cupcake

For the bride that has a passion for Art Deco. I created the cool bride and groom shape using a Cricut machine. A Cricut is a home-use tabletop electronic die-cut machine, available at many Michaels Arts and Crafts stores, where you insert cartridges with different images, choose the image size and quantity, load paper into the machine, push a button, and then a tiny blade cuts the image out. It’s really incredible! There was something about the bride and groom image that felt very “Deco,” so I went with a silver-patterned paper for the cupcake wrap and the classic black and white for the couple (instructions on Celebrations.com.

Modern Wedding Rings Bridal Shower Cupcake

For the bride that goes for a modern touch mixed with iconic symbols. Many bridal showers are contemporary in style and this cupcake design is ideal for such occasions. I used a Cricut machine. to create the rings on the front of this cupcake wrap (instructions on Celebrations.com).

Photo Credit: John Sparano

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

I designed these chic cupcakes for those who want to whip up a little something lucious, sweet, and sparkly to give to their loved ones on Valentine's Day. Most of the cupcake wraps are made out of scrapbook paper or plush fabric backed by cardstock with rhinestone stickers or brads decorating them.

Victorian Red Velvet Valentine's Day Cupcake

Plush Pink with Rhinestone Buckle Valentine's Day Cupcake

Disco Valentine's Day Cupcake

Red and Pink Layered Valentine's Day Cupcake

Rhinestone Heart on Black Valentine's Day Cupcake

Photo Credit: Jeanne Benedict

Golf Girl Cupcakes

I have more female friends that golf than male friends. This cupcake idea is for them! Actually, I think it would make a darling place card. I made the cupcakes and frosting from scratch and for the cupcakes, I concocted a brown sugar almond recipe, but wasn't completely thrilled with the outcome. (I'll work on it and post later because the batter was one of those that you eat like soup it was soooo good. The ingredient chemistry was off for the baking process and they were too spongy.) The frosting was amazing, so here's the recipe!

Coconut, Lemon, Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Add ingredients into a bowl and beat until blended. Tint green to make the frosting look like grass and ice baked cupcakes.

Photo Credit: John Sparano

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

Macaroons are my favorite cookie and ideal for sculpting a groundhog cupcake topper for one of the oddest holidays, Groundhog Day, on February 2.

Chocolate Macaroon Groundhogs

3 cups flaked sweetened coconut
6 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
3 egg whites
Slivered almonds
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon canola oil
12 chocolate M&Ms
Mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and lightly spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Toss coconut with flour, cocoa, and sweetened condensed milk until thoroughly mixed and coconut is completely coated. Beat egg whites on high speed until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into coconut mixture.

Form groundhog heads using 2 heaping tablespoons of dough and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. (If coconut doesn't keep its shape, put the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to stiffen it up.) Insert 2 slivered almonds into each head as the groundhog's teeth. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and cool thoroughly.

Put chocolate chips and oil in small microwave safe bowl and melt chips in microwave for 20 second increments, stirring after each time until smooth.

A toothpick was my most valuable tool during this craftella process! Dip the toothpick in the chocolate and "paint" the nose and eyes area; this chocolate will act as an adherent. Place an M&M on the groundhog's head for its nose. Cut a mini marshmallow in half making 2 small circles for the whites of his eyes. Dip the toothpick in chocolate and dot the center of each marshmallow eye for his pupil. Place the eyes on his head above the nose. Cut another marshmallow in half to make circles and then cut a circle in half for his ears. Dip the ears in chocolate and place them on the groundhog's head.

You can plop this little guy on top of a cupcake like I did or keep them as cookies for a fun Groundhog Day snack!

Makes about 10 groundhog macaroons

Photo Credit: John Sparano

Super Bowl Cupcakes

SUPER BOWL CUPCAKES

Instead of the old plastic football pick in a cupcake try these awesome Super Bowl Cupcake desgins for a winning dessert table while watching the Big Game on TV. Instructions on how to make the wraps are in my article Super Bowl Cupcakes on Celebrations.com.

Football Corset Cupcakes

Laces out! Give a cupcake the winning edge by wrapping it in paper that looks and feels like a football and then lacing it up (instructions).

Pizza Delivery Cupcakes

Pizza always tops the list at Super Bowl parties. Serve up a pie that's hot, fresh, and sweet with this Pizza Cupcake that has a Raspberry and Coconut White Chocolate topping. Score big by serving it up in a mini pizza box (instructions).

Ref Cupcakes

For this sporty cupcake design, create a cupcake wrap out of black and white striped paper and top it with a whistle to pay tribute to the guys that keeps thing fair on the field (instructions).

Hamburger Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes, dipped in orange chocolate to resemble a bun and garnished with fruit roll-up lettuce and tomatoes, will be a big hit with kids (instructions).

Team Color Cupcakes

Go gorgeous on the gridiron with cupcakes that have been double-dipped in white chocolate, dollopped with icing, and accented in team colors (instructions).

Cheeleader Cupcakes

Root for your team by serving cupcakes bursting with fondant pom-poms wrapped in paper that looks like grass (instructions).

Trophy Cupcakes

Make cupcake decorating an easy victory by simply topping it with a trophy (instructions).

Photo Credits: John Sparano and Jeanne Benedict

My Beautiful Birthday Cupcake!

I made this gorgeous cupcake wrap for my birthday! The fab folks at Cricut Expression gave me a machine and I was inspired to use this crown image from their "Home Decor Solutions" cartridge to decorate the wrap. I had seen the infomercials on TV for the Cricut and watched them all the way through like a craft show. They have all these different cartridges that you can put into the machine for school, holidays, parties, and so much more. All you do is select the image and size, and a small machine blade cuts it out. I write mostly about food and recipes on this blog, but I'm a crafty girl too and I know that the bakers and party peeps out there would appreciate this. Happy Birthday to me!

North Pole Cupcake and My Trip to North Pole, AK

My daughter received a Big Top Cupcake Kit as a Christmas present and we had to make something yummy and holiday-ish!

So, we used a chocolate cake recipe for the cakes, whipped cream for a snowy frosting, crushed candy cane to make it festive, and a candy cane pole with a cherry on top along with a North Pole sign.

I was inspired to go with the North Pole theme because I just came back from a satellite media tour in the city of North Pole, Alaska.

When kids in the U.S.A. write their wish list and address it to "Santa, North Pole," this city in Alaska is where the letters are sent. Santa and his helpers try to write back to all the kids answering their letters. It's so very sweet!

Although it was -20 degrees it wasn't as cold as I thought it would be. The Santa Claus House, a magical Christmas store with reindeer out back and fun activities for the kids like meeting Santa, is where the SMT took place and I was joined on TV by Santa himself who was the greatest guy!

Here are some pics of my adventure sponsored by Smartbox, Tide Loads of Hope, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey video games by 2KPlay, Dawn, and Izze drinks. Thanks so much for the opportunity to go to the North Pole and meet Santa! I'll be putting together a video of the trip for the BUZZ section of my website soon!