Away in a Manger

Today was my son's Christmas play and class party. He was Joseph, and he did so well! He loved practicing his song and I'm so glad he didn't get nervous with all the parent attention and camera flashes!For the party I made browned butter sugar cookies and decorated them with royal icing. I really hope the kids enjoy their sweet reward for such a good performance.

Holly Jolly Christmas Treats

I have been busy baking up a storm lately! Here's a preview of all the sweet things I've been making

Four dozen cupcakes for a good friend's work event
Apple Pecan Cupcake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing topped with homemade Pralines

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Gingerbread Cupcake with Molasses Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

White Vanilla Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Icing and edible Snowflakes

Later in the week, I hosted a cookie swap for our playgroup and I decided to make chocolate s'more cookies
before being baked:

after:
as if the cookies weren't enough I also made an Orange Vanilla Yogurt cake to snack on that morning
over the weekend we went to a small get together and I brought cake truffles and cupcakes
the first are gingerbread truffles, here they are ready to be dipped
gingerbread truffles decorated for Christmas
and chocolate, strawberry cream cheese cake truffles
I also have been baking a variety of cookies to pass out to neighbor's and for my son's teachers
Here are Rum Raisin, Cranberry Coconut Cookies and Nutella Swirls- I think both of these were my favorites this year! SO buttery and delicious
Browned Butter Sugar Cookies
Coconut Krispie Snowball Merinues
Peanut Chocolate Krispies- honey peanut butter krispie treat covered with chocolate

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Dr Seuss Double Birthday!

I had so much fun doing this party! I LOVE Dr Seuss, and to re create my favorite childhood books into sweet treats was really fun. My fabulous friend Kendra had a joint birthday party for her son and daughter and really outdid herself with the decorations.

I don't think there is anything better than when a child gets the first glimpse at their cake

For this cutie I did the front cover design from "Oh The Places You'll Go" in a smash cake
The cake was White Butter cake with Vanilla Icing

For the other smash cake I did "The Cat In The Hat" made of Chocolate cake with Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Icing

For the cupcake tower I did Chocolate cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and White Butter Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. For the toppers I did "Green Eggs and Ham", "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" and "Cat In The Hat" figures in fondant and chocolate.

I love the whimsical signs in "Oh the Places You'll Go"

Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes and trees from "Oh the Places You'll Go"

"Green Eggs and Ham"

a couple extra green eggs

Halloween Bunco!

I am lucky enough to live around some awesome neighbors and once a month we get together to play Bunco. This month I hosted and I had so much fun thinking up what delicious treats I could serve to this fun group of girls.

Spider Cupcakes- Lemon Cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese icing

Mini Zucchini Goat Cheese Tarts- mini pastry rounds with a honey, tarragon, roasted garlic goat cheese spread topped with parmesan zucchini slices

Icky Intestines- Spinach, Feta and Caramelized Onion stuffed Puff Pastry

Spider Sangria- Black Sugar rim, Peach and Mango White Wine Sangria

I have really loved dabbling in doing party foods for a group. If you have a party, shower, birthday or anniversary get together coming up contact me, I'd love to help!

Pretty in Pink

My friend Stephanie is getting married in October and last week I went to New Orleans for her Bachelorette party. Of course I offered to do the desserts and this is what I decided to make

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Icing- rich chocolate cake with the cream cheese, almond and raspberry flavored icing was delicious! I kept with the pink themed decorations and used pink swirl cupcake liners and handmade sugar flowers with hot pink sprinkles
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Truffle Pops- a smooth peanut butter center covered in chocolate
Pink Almond Macaroons- light and airy almond flavored cookies

Birthday Fun

My neighbor needed something sweet for a last minute birthday get together. We decided on two different cupcakes and cake truffles. Above are yellow butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting and around them are chocolate cherry cake truffles. Below are the chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing. The peanut butter icing was a new recipe I was trying and I was really surprised by how light and fluffy it was. My husband got to taste the extra icing and said it tasted just like a nutter butter cookie. I really liked it too and I hope the birthday girl enjoyed them!

Finding Nemo

This weekend was a fun Nemo themed party for an adorable little boy in our playgroup. The top layer is white cake with a strawberry mousse filling and the bottom layer is my most often requested combo, chocolate cake with cream cheese icing.

Gunnar wasn't too convinced he wanted to blow out the candle yet! Isn't he just adorable!

3......2........1..........Blastoff!

This weekend we celebrated Marshall's 4th Birthday. I can't believe he's already 4 years old! When I asked him over a month ago what kind of party he wanted he immediately said a space party, so that's what he got. We had a rocket ship cake with cupcake planets. The cupcakes were chocolate cake with brown sugar cookie dough icing and the cake was chocolate with cream cheese icing.

This was a great shot we got of Marshall seeing his space walk castle being blown up, my little cowboy was so excited!

Every year I make my kid's cakes I don't let them see it until right before the party and I make sure to have someone get a picture of their first reaction...............this is what makes it all worth it! "Whoa mama, it's a beautiful rocket ship!"

Getting ready for his friends to come play

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I have seen these cupcakes all over food blogs lately, and when someone calls a recipe "life changing" it makes you curious what all the fuss is about. First you make a brown sugar chocolate chip cupcake. Once they are baked and cooled you cut out a well in the center of the cupcake................

and fill it with an eggless cookie dough!

Then you top it with an icing that tastes like cookie dough and garnish with more chocolate chips. These were just so good, and I think everyone that tried them loved them. The icing was fabulous and I can't wait to try it with a chocolate cake!